Imperial IPA
9.5% abv
Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 23/25
Taste: 37/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 90/100
Impression:
I like the way it poured out, and not only did it have nice retention and lacing, but it had that stickiness that I expect to see in this kind of beer. The aroma actually made my mouth water a bit, and I don't come across that too often. The nose is a mixture of strong pine, citrus, caramel, and spice. Pacific Northwest hops' best characteristics, as far as I'm concerned, with a decent representation of the malt bill in the amount of caramel I could smell. The flavors largely follow the aroma, with the citrus coming through more clearly as grapefruit. It's not the all-out hop-bomb that some other IIPAs can be, but it does have a strong, bold flavor profile with enough backbone to match. It's nicely balanced between the malt-sweetness and the hops-bitterness. It's moderately carbonated, so it tickles the tongue a bit, and it finishes somewhat dry and crisp. All in all, a damn fine beer.
Cheers!
