Three Floyds Dreadnaught Imperial IPA

Brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Munster, Indiana USA

Pour was a copper color with an almost-yellow head. Harshly hopped, invasive to the sinuses, almost acrid, with high amounts of grapefruit, pine and green apple. Heavily bittersweet to start with a stinging, bitter finish amidst light acidity. Honey-smooth with light carbonation. Thoroughly wicked. I’m glad I waited to have this one fresh at the brewery.

<font size=-4>On tap at <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, IN<font size=-1>

Thanks Santa! Body is gorgeous like a nice female, color is a foggy amber, and glows in the light. Head is thick and lasting. I almost catch a whiff of chocolate, with the aroma, hop aroma seems to be on the backburner, and honey really jumps out at me the most. The aroma is pretty subtle in this brew. Taste isn’t like anything I expected. Plenty of alcohol sweetness, and malts that almost counteract the hops. Taste is very sweet, fruity, a hint of caramel. If I would not have know this was a IIPA then I would have that it was an American Strong Ale, just because the hops are so drowned out by the alcohol. Very interesting brew.

Contrary to the masses I do not like this beer aged past about a 3 months. I have had 6 bottles that have aged in the range of 15 to 9 months. Aroma is plastic and light band-aids. All pleasant hop aroma is gone. The flavor is much the same. The bitter hops are still here in spades but there is no fruitiness to balance things out. Alcohol is unpleasantly harsh. Maybe ever bottle that I have ever bought has something that prevents it from aging well, but I find that unlikely. Aged Rating (3 5 4 4 8 – 2.4)

I am convinced that a 5.0 beer is a rare find; I also think that the basis of a perfect score is based 90% on the merit of the beer and 10% on pure emotion. The first time I had this beer it was a beautiful September day, I jut finished a hard day of yard work, I had been waiting to try this beer for 2+ months. Just earlier that day I had finally gotten some of this nectar that was so highly touted on this very site. I knew from those first looks, sniffs, sips, and swallows that this was a perfect beer. Since this day I have had this beer many times and I feel that it is time to re-rate it.

Re-Rate 1/21/2004 – Hazy orange body. The head is mostly white and hangs on for the long-haul. The lacing is excellent. The aroma is pure and simple hop nirvana, grapefruit and citrus, there is a slight sweet malt backing, but mostly hops. The flavor is big piney hops with a very nice malt backing. The bitterness is big but this is an IIPA after all. The body is medium full and slightly syrupy. The finish is very nice, with lots of sweetness balanced by the hops. Did I mention that there are some hops in this beer? Overall it is an excellent example of the style.

(Old Rating 9/6/2003 10/5/10/5/20 5.0)WOW!! This is the best beer I have yet had. Beautiful frothy tight off-white head with excellent lacing. Orange-copper color. Intense floral citrus-grapefruit aroma. Major hop flavors but the big malty body balances things out. Alcohol is masked. This is one intense hoppy beer. The finish is major hops but the thick body sticks to your teeth. Hunt this one down and try it. If you do not like hops you will not like this beer.

Pours an amber gold with a one finger yellow head. The nose was earthy, malty, sweet, caramel, much more malt than expected, some citrusy hops but the nose overall was quite subdued. The flavor was similar, much more of a balanced IIPA than I was expecting. Some grapefruit peel, earthy, sweet caramel malt, some bitterness, alcohol doesn’t really show up. The palate was sweet and full with a nice hop bitterness to it. Overall just not as big and juicy as what I was hoping for.

Rerate 22oz bomber, no date. Pours a crystal orange with a one finger light beige head, slowly fading to a creamy film.Aroma of apricot, pineapple, citrus, and lastly some resinous pine. When this is fresh--holy crap! With most beers, after the head dies down, the aroma does too. Not with this one--it’s almost as strong two hours after pouring (yes, it took me two hours to drink this--I was watching a movie). I am now going to give my first 10 for aroma. However, there is some sweet light caramelish malt somewhere in the background, and doesn’t seem (as far as aroma goes) that it’s going to be terribly bitter and nasty. Flavor is quite resiny with more pine than the aroma led on. Otherwise, the same. The bitterness doesn’t come on strong until the finish at the back of the tongue, where it gets around 6-7 out of ten, and does linger for a while. Dry finish. Full bodied, low carbonation with a fairly creamy mouthfeel. Still love this one, and I don’t think the rating changed at all. Old rating follows. 22oz bomber, no date--as usual from the guys @ 3F. Pours a clear orange amber with small to moderate sized off-white h Aroma of big resinous pine and grapefruit hops with some underlying caramel malts. Smells like an amped up Alpha King with buttloads more resiny hops. Fairly high bitterness throughout, with some sweet caramel malts in there, some alcohol noted, though fairly well hidden. I keep wanting a toothpick to pick out the hops, but there aren’t any. Light carbonation, creamy mouthfeel, long lingering bitterness. Pretty damn good, though I think 3F’s is a little bit pricey with this one. 9-4-9-4-18--4.4

Bottle sampled with Stegosaurus. Pours amber with an off-white head. Aroma of citrus, caramel, and hops. Flavor is sweet, citrus, bitter, and caramel. IPA’s are not my thing, but this was good.

650 ml takeout portion courtesy of General Gao. Fuzzy orange-copper with a medium head that turns to a lasting disc of cream, leaving a touch of frosting all over the glass. Big nose of sweet melon, molasses and orange is countered by some earthy resin, oak and cocoa. Front flavors are a great mix of orange, molasses, brown sugar and grapefruit. Turns to resin, wood, pecan and cocoa just enough to give great balance to the big malt and floral hops. Medium-heavy body is smooth with mild carbonation, lightly tingly with hops, and has a little touch of alcohol warming. The hop recipe/blend in this one is superb; doesn’t seem near as harsh as many others with much less IBUs.

22oz. bottle. Pours clear amber\copper with a large off-white head. Aroma of citrus, caramel, orange peel, fruit, floral hops and pine. Flavor is sweet and citrus, and caramel all the way through, with a kick of pine & floral hops, adding a bitter finish, but not overwhelming, smooth, would have never guessed it was a 9.5% brew. Good body, good mouthfeel, damn good IPA.