SKA Decadent Imperial IPA

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

Thanks to my coworker and friend Val for hauling this one back in her suitcase! 22oz brown glass pry-top with red wax over neck. No date. Appearance: Incredibly clear, ever-so-slightly reddish amber with a thin white head that leaves lots of lacing. Nose: Hop candy! Dusty dry hop flowers, an underpinning of a medium-malty aroma, white sand, and something a little like an old house in the winter without the heat on. (?!) Palate: Really bitter up front, but subduing quickly into a malty sweet, light- to medium-bodied IPA. The carbonation is light and the flavors are of dried leaves, gritty "shake," malt-fruit, something a little wax-y, varnished wood, and maybe candied orange peel. Finish is moderately long. Notes: Seems to me the crowd is right: a decent beer, but not as huge as it could be. If this was their standard IPA I’d be more impressed. It lacks body and mouthfeel, and the finish is a little simple. The lack of body is equal with a lack of complexity or intensity in flavor. Oh well.

Only beer I have had by them, but come on guys this is your anniversary beer:(. I would want something much bigger with the hops and expected such being that they are from colorado. Nice darker brownish color with alright head. Some malt in the nose with a bit of fruit, not very citrusy or grapefruit like which is what I want from my colorado and beyond west coast ipas. Almost seemed kind of tired to me, but I have had this out of two different bottles so I don’t think there was a bottling flaw. More hops or a different variety and less malt maybe would do this double ipa some good.

22oz. wax cap. pours amber with a small off white head. aroma is sweet with fruit and malt. mouthful has some citrus with some strong malty structure holding everything up. This is a decent DIPA, but too much of a strong malt presence for my liking.

Pours an amber colour with a tight head aroma is of grapefruit and pine. Flavour id citrus and pine with a big malty background which is cloying. By the end of the glass im slowing down real quick, as it is very cloying!! Still a nice IIPA which is probably suited to 2 people drinking the 22oz bottle

Bottle -- Sharp amber color with a tight top of foam. Big chewy hop center on this candy cane of a beer. Not much of an aroma, but drinks with afirm maltiness. (#3530, 2/23/2009)

tastes great, pours a nice golden copper colored with a fine liquor aroma, taste is smooth yet the head is a little soapy. lots of flavor and the hops are strong but clean. semi-lingering aftertaste

The aroma is very hoppy with citrus and pine as well as caramel malt. The appearance is light amber with a small and sudsy. The flavor is like the aroma with plenty of alcohol and bitter hops. The palate is average. Overall it’s good but not great.

22oz bottle pours copper color and incredibly clear. Orange and grapefruit are the major aromas, but some sweetness in there too. Very little head with a sweet body that has little to not hop bitterness, but alot of hop flavor. Slight alcohol burn at the end. Again, more sweet citrus hops and caramel in the body. A bit syrupy. Not bad, but would not call it a DIPA. Price was nice at $5.50 a bottle.