Three Floyds Dreadnaught Imperial IPA

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

More like a barley wine than an IPA. Ultra sweet and malty, touch of alchohol flavor, and one of the most amazing hop profiles to be found among beers--pleasant level of bitterness, hints of lemony or grapefruit citrus, and a sublime floral bouquet not unlike a violet candy.

If there are any flaws in this beer, it's the strong aroma and the alcohol taste. There's a nasty pinge in the aroma, probably from the hops, but more tart than bitter. The taste, on the other hand, is outstanding. One of the best beers brewed on this earth.

One huge beautiful bouquet of citrus and evergreen. Followed with an equal assault on the palate. Bitter yet sweet. one great brew.

Okay, how excited was I at having the opportunity to try this legendary beer? Man, what a damn good beer. I am so sucker punched by these beers that provide such good flavor within their category but also so much beyond it as well. This IPA is surely hopped adequately and bitter enough, but they take a back seat as the wonderful creamy/rummy/chewy flavor and mouthfeel present themselves. A bit fruity (I mean beyond the typical IPA citrus) and slightly nutty - like hazelnut or butternut. A big, complex IPA that really sets the bar a bit higher.

22oz bottle. Strong nose of citrus, pine, some berry. Thick white head with very nice lacing. Sharp American hop taste from the begining to the lingering finish yet is balanced by some malts, somewhat sweet at times. A full bodied huge beer with the alcohol well hidden.

A little bit of a marijuana aroma. Slow visible carbonation. Deep gold. Head not big, but lace excellent. Cloying flavor. Alpha King is better, despite the higher average rating for the Dreadnaught. Still, an excellent beer.

The nose on this beer reminds of pineapple and orange zest sprinkled with pine bark. The head and lace are lasting and very visually appealing. The palate is full and silky with a wonderful intense flavor of hops. The beer is very tropical in flavor, tastes a lot like exotic fruit juices blended with Pacific Northwest hops. I find the beer to perilously drinkable for its gravity and high hopping rates. The finish maybe my favorite part of the beer, the finish lasts for a good fifteen minutes leaving me with a malty sweet citrus hop bonanza. Overall, I really like this beer because its not just straight forward hop bitterness. This has some finesse for a big beer.

7/28/04. Poured out of 22 oz. bottle, bought at Sam’s Wine & Spirits in Chicago, IL 5/21/04. Pours a bright orange amber with fluffy, shimmering, crystalline off-white head (slightly orange-pink in hue) that lingers moderately with interesting patterns of lacing. Nice substantial appearance wtith some heft and a stately glow. Love the hops on this beast. Wonderful aroma, floral and hoppy as hell. Taste is a medley of citrus fruits, mostly orange and grapefruit, but with a unique stone fruit flavor linking the two. Also some resin and sweetly succulent malts. Very nice balance. Slick, full body with a stinging dirty bitter hop bite in the finish, piney with overripe orange and grapefruit pith, and somewhat dry. Extremely smooth mouthfeel and transition from the initial taste to the finish. Wonderfully drinkable. Very sticky on the lips, adding to the suggestions of resin. I have to say, it reminds me a whole lot of the other Three Floyds beers (and that ain’t a bad thing), just ramped up to 11. I’ll take it.