SKA Decadent Imperial IPA

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

22 oz. bottle from Plaza Liquor - Pours a clear amber color with a one and a half finger thick off white head. Light spotty lacing. Aroma is pine, citrus, light floral, and resin. Has a sweet malt and light citrus hop flavor. Not as bitter as I expected. Maybe this bottle had a little age on it. No unpleasant aftertaste that usually follows some 2IPA’s. Medium body. This beer is not as big or strong as most 2IPA’s I’ve tried, but still, it’s very good.

Bottle. Amber clear colour with a nice head. Lovely aroma of hoppieness, and notes of citrus and grapefruit and caramel. Also hoppy flacour of citrus, careml and a warm feeling from the alcohol. Very hoppy and nice.

Hmmm, I surprised the ratings are so low for this. Very cool bottle shared by a friend. Aroma is piney and not overly citrusy; quite balanced and reminds me of Stone 10th Anniv. Flavor is very nice and does an amazing job of hiding the 10% alcohol. Hops are very manageable and no harsh bitterness is present. Mouthfeel is quite creamy but the carbonation was a little low. I really enjoyed this brew.

Cool looking bottle, but things kind of go down hill from there. I’m a big Double/Impy IPA fan that never met a IIPA I didn’t like - until now. This one’s not too bad overall, but for the style its pretty sub-par. Amber color with small head. Light citrusy-floral hop aroma with sugary malt essence. Sweet taste, but hops seem to be all over the place with no balance. I guess I just get upset when brewers make sub-par Impy IPAs, stouts, etc. Try a little harder next time.

Great looking product - loving the wax seal. Pours golden copper. Less than average carbonation with a little stretched lacing as it drops. Piney, earthy, bready aroma. Perhaps not as powerfully hoppy as you might imagine. Has a little of that sweatiness so common in this breed of US IIPAs. The flavor lingers and finish is a bit cloying to be honest. Much more fruit when in the mouth. Less than world class but a decent IIPA. Carb not to lively going down and pretty smooth. The high hop content hides the strength well, i think.

Hazy apple juice color, very thin ring of a white head. Aroma: pine, nectarine, grapefruit, caramel, and alcohol. Mellowed flavor, with moderate bitterness and some cardboard. Toffee, papery finish.

Bomber courtesy of Immy. This beer gets my vote for best presentation, while still in the bottle. Pours a clear orange/copper with thin tan head. Nose is spicey hops and sweet malt. Flavor has a large malt component, sweet and orange with a bitter finish. Thick palate.

Bottle. Pours a clear amber colour with a small white head. Malty hoppy, pine needle aroma. Sweet malty hoppy flavor, with hints of pine needles. Dry malty hoppy finish with a long bitter aftertaste.