Sweetwater Big Medlin Double IPA

Brewed by Sweetwater Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Atlanta, Georgia USA

Handbottle from GAManica. Seriously kick ass citrus/fruity aroma. Light bready malts are overshadowed by big mango hop flavor and a little pineapple/coconut. Moderate lingering bitterenss. Light golden with medium head. Very light sweetness. Very solid.

Tap @ TacoMac. Amber color. Huge hop aroma. Lots of big citrus and hop florals. Very sticky. I have finger prints on the side of my class. Lots of grapefruit and a bit of pine. Huge hop. Too bad, I don’t think they’ll keep this on around.

Handbottles from GAManiac. Thanks Grant! This one had a fantastic juicy tropical fruit aroma. Tons of pineapple, apricot, some floral and citrus hops are in there as well. A little bready and biscuity, but mostly tropical fruit. Pours a lightly chill hazed golden with a decent fizzy head. More tropical fruit in the flavor, that is mostly what was in this one. Tons of pineapple, apricot, and some citrus. Light dry bready/biscuit notes from the malt, but this one is straight juicy fruit. Not overly bitter, not too much resin coming through, just a clean drinkable super fruity IIPA.

Well, I’m finally getting around to reviewing this one. I liked it so much I tapped a keg at my house. Poured into a snifter. Pours a bright, clear golden amber with a massive fluffy white head that recedes slowly to a one-finger cap and leaves thick sheets of lacing on the way down. Gorgeous beer. The aroma is big and sweet. There no abrasive hoppiness in the nose with this one as it’s all about the juicy sweet citrus fruits - mangos, tangerines, oranges, they’re all in there. There are hints of pine and bready malts in the background, but the juicy tropical fruit rule the nose. The taste is just as fruity. I don’t get a lot of bitterness in the taste as it’s just tons of sweet, juicy fruits. Lots of tangerines and mangos but with an extra bit of sugary sweetness. The malts are there to support the fruits which leave a slightly bitter aftertaste, but much less so than most DIPAs. The mouthfeel is sticky sweet, like taking a big bite of a tropical fruit. The carbonation is active and absolutely keeps the sweetness from being over the top. This is one of the better beers I’ve had from Sweetwater and while not in the top few DIPAs I’ve ever had, it may very well be the most drinkable. It’s much sweeter than most with a hop presence that doesn’t get too bitter. I could (and often do) drink it all night.

Pours a luscious bubbly coppery amber with a pale cream fine-bubbled head. Aroma is richly hoppy, like getting a good whiff of a pine tree. One mouthful and you realize this is an epic IPA! Flavor is ferociously hoppy but not too bitter, and has a hint of lemon and a whisper of sweetness. Texture is thick, smooth and strongly tingly.

Name: Big Meddlin
Date: May 08, 2009
Mode: Draft
Source: Taco Mac, Kennesaw
Appearance: hazy gold, fine white head, scatterd icy lace patterns
Aroma: sweet honeyed orange aroma, touch of grapefruit
Flavor: sweet orange and tangerine flavor, lots of honey sweetness, crystal adds even more sweetness, just a hint of bitterness to add a touch of balance but otherwise stay out of the way of the sweet malts and fruity hops
Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 18/20
Rating: 4.2/5.0
Drinkability: 9/10
Score: ***4

Appearance: Pours a lightly hazed, light copper body capped with a ¼ inch of off-white suds. Smell: A predominately hoppy nose smelling of sweet, juicy tropical fruits. Small notes of pale malts and peppery alcohol are present, but they’re pretty much tucked away well behind the fragrant hops. Taste: Pale malts with a faint hint of caramel sweetness initiate a running start of mostly tropical hop flavors, notably lemon, grapefruit, and even pineapple. It delivers an emboldened, moderate bitterness, but it’s never ever harsh. A meager hint of pine needles rendezvous with the persistent, strong tropical fruit flavors. Finishes quite dry with a long, enduring bitterness and a nip of alcohol heat. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Just a touch of stickiness to the overall mouthfeel. Drinkability: Though definitely deeply bitter, it’s not remorselessly brutal, instead being about as easy-going as a Double IPA really can be.