Three Floyds Dreadnaught Imperial IPA

Name: Dreadnaught
Date: November 28, 2003
Mode: Bottle Conditioned
Source: Whole Foods Market, DC
Appearance: clear dark amber, fine thin head
Aroma: sweet grapefruit aroma like sugar sprinkled on a slice of morning grapefruit
Body: excellent body
Flavor: aroma slowly fades into a light barleywine aroma that is matched by the flavor, wonderful interplay between the carmel sweetness and well tempered hops, a lighter more drinkable barleywine
Overall: no wonder it’s $90/case

Name: Dreadnaught
Date: April 29, 2006
Mode: cask
Source: brewpub
Score: ii+
Appearance: yellow, frothy white head
Aroma: light hop aroma
Flavor: sweet hop flavor, long bitter finish

Name: Dreadnaught
Date: April 29, 2006
Mode: draft
Source: brewpub
follows the bottle fairly well,

Name: Dreadnaught
Date: May 03, 2006
Mode: fresh bottle
such wonderful sweet grapefruit aroma and flavor, still stands out amung the plethera of grapefruit juice double IPAs, easily roused fine beige head, bits of drippy lace,

Name: Dreadnaught
Date: December 15, 2007
Mode: bottle
Source: vertical tasting 2003-2007
2003 still has the hops in the aroma but the flavor is all sweet crystal malt with only a hint of the hops, 2004 is still mostly sweet crystal malt with a bit more of the hops coming in the flavor but still light on the bitterness, 2005 aroma is same oxidized malt but the flavor is picking up even more citrus hops and a long bitter finish kicks in 2006 still has the oxidized aroma with just a touch more hops, flavor is well balanced between the hops and sweet crystal malt, 2007 aroma is spot on with fresh hops to balance the crystal malt, flavor is well balanced between the big hops and sweet crystal malt, lasting bitter finish carries the hop and malt flavor,

Name: Dreadnaught
Date: April 24, 2009
Mode: draft
Source: brewpub
grapefruit is down and bitterness is up, sweet pine making an appearance,

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***4

RIP Michael Jackson, I drink this in your honor. I’m a huge fan of double IPAs and this one has such a malty biscuit-juice like backbone, I was pleased how that layer counterbalances the bitter pine cone grapefruit-esque hops which stand out in the finish. Balance is not an operative word here with the intensity of flavors all around. A bit too much on the tea side with that bittersweet honey biscuit flavor but all around an enjoyable beer. Vanilla seems too accentuated. Its also a bit astringent with the overload of hops. Thank you NEPA case split club for this bottle.

Bottle from Capones gift from Stegosaurus, sampled with Dennis Bell. I will keep this short. Absolutely the best IPA I have ever had. Looks great tastes great is great. WELL BALANCED ! The cerimonial humping of the bottle was done.

Smoother than most IPA. Citrus nose, taste of apricots, nice smooth finish. very drinkable.

As I’ve mentioned in other reviews, I am not a hop-head. A double/Imperial IPA can not be just a hop bomb that is unbalanced and just hoppy for the sake of being really hoppy. But this gem of an double/imperial IPA is a true gem. Just a fabulous beer overall, as it has the strong citrus aromas of the hops, but is balanced with a delicious sweetness in the malt. Beautiful copper color on pour. I would go out of my way to get this beer, as it’s not available in my area. Loved it. The guys at Three Floyd’s are awesome.

Thanks Ramenen. Bottle: Excellent balance, alcohol, hops, herbal, bitterness, colour and aroma; it’s all there. Just great.

I will admit right now, double IPAS are not my favorite style. I love my IBUs in a IR stout, but when the beer is straight-up hops slapping me in the face, I’m not so much a fan. This is undoubtedly a hell of a brew. It pours a viscous copper, and sits in the glass with the color and luster of gem-grade amber. A tiny off-white head forms slowly and laces like crazy. the scent is delightful, syrup-thick with grapefruit, tangerine, apricot, all other manner of tangy fruti, and mountains of bitter floral hops. The smallest sip coats the mouth completely, assaulting the palate with hops. Grapefruit dominates, with hints of other fruits and a touch of resinous pine on the finish. This brew is full of molasseses sweetness, too. That would actually be my main complaint; the sweetness can realy become cloying by the end of the glass. The finish is long, with bruising hop bitterness overpowering the sweetness of the lingering body. Overall: wow, the flavor is INTENSE. I had to have a sip of water after each sip of beer to keep my thirst under control and clean my palate. I can certainly appreciate this beer, but It’s not my bag.

22oz Bottle Pours out a hazy orange/amber topped with a very small white head. Sweet aroma of hops and fruit. Tast is very nice a big mouthfull of sweet hops. Tast is not bitter at all very nice 2IPA