SKA Decadent Imperial IPA

Brewed by SKA Brewing
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Durango, Colorado USA

ruby red color reminicent of the wax that laces the cap and neck of the bottle. hop flavor and strong non-hop bitterness are attempting to balance themselves to varying extents.. some unprocessed alcohol type flavors, doesnt seem 10%, but doesnt seem 6% either. this has gotten much more tolerable as its gone on, but still the imperial IPAs that i love are exceedingly better, even tho i do have a good heart for ska brewing.

Poured amber with an off white head. Aroma of citrus and pine. Typical IIPA flavors throughout. I’m glad I didn’t drink a full pint of this last night after the other. The 10% is well hidden.

[22 oz. bottle] Resinous hop aroma, some caramel sweetness. Very bright amber color, with a tiny bit of foam. Flavors are initially quite sweet, with a strong, complex hop flavor trying to balance thing out. Dense mouthfeel. Finishes with a pretty strong alcohol warmth.

Bottle. Pours a deep dark red. Aroma of caramel malt, but kind of lacking in the hop department. The flavor, however, was not. This was a very enjoyable hoppy beer. The bitterness was right on and the flavor was thoroghly hoppy, start to finish, not just bitterness as some IIPAs are. There is a solid malt backing to carry the resiny hop flavor. If the aroma was as good as the flavor this would be an all-star of a beer. Very solid though.

Pours a dark copper. Head doesn’t last long and lacing is minimal. Nose is of caramel. At first taste, it was hard to determine if the bitterness came from the hops or was an effect of the high alcohol content. Thin, clean mouthfeel. Aftertaste a complexity of hoppy bitterness and malty undertones, with the alcohol asserting itself at the very end.. Not bad, but nothing special.

Pours a light copper color with yeast floating inside. Aroma of hops and more hops. Flavor is very bitter hops at the beginning with no finish wat so ever. The one plus of this beer is that it masked thew alcohol extremely well

Clear amber color with a short lived off white head that shrank to a lasting whisp. My first impression of the nose was yeast, but the caramel sweetness and hops came out as it warmed. Lots of malts in this one, with toffee and bread. Some orange citrus hops but mostly just a resin bitterness under the toffee. The finish starts to tingle the tongue with alcohol and hops. Pretty average for an IIPA.

This was a hefty brew from the bottle. Very rich and thick with a very nice hop character. I could certainly see the appeal of this beer and appreciate where it was going. Nice, though not the best.