Poured from the 12 ounce bottle, Hopslam is slightly hazy and bright golden/orange in color. It’s topped with a moderate white head, and fantastic lacing and retention – patchy in the middle with thick bubbles along the outside. Opening up the nose are aromas of juicy citrus, pineapple, pink grapefruit, pine needles and honey. There’s a very nice earthy bitterness to it, with a slight sweet note towards the back that I attribute from the honey.

In the taste, a wash of bitter hop oils, pineapple and astringent grapefruit notes start off. Through the mid-palate the pink grapefruit intensifies, and trails off with a sweet honey and caramel malt flavor. It’s so complex, delicious and dangerously drinkable at 10% ABV. The body is medium to full with ample carbonation. Lots of tiny bubbles on the tongue give this a smooth and almost silky texture, finishing with a bit of alcohol heat in the chest.

Well, honestly this beer is simply awesome. There’s plenty of citrus and fruit character, backed by a great amount of sweet honey and malt. It’s big, bitter, citrusy and sticky – perfect for an Imperial IPA in my book.

Rating

96
out of 100

Title photo from: Flickr

Out of the 22 ounce bottle the Maximus has a great orange color with a two-finger fluffy white head. There is plenty of sticky lacing on the glass and some good visible carbonation. Aromas of grapefruit, hop spice, a bit of earthiness, and a slight hint of alcohol come through. The grapefruit and citrus aromas are great. The malt also lends some light caramel notes in the background.

There is a hit of bitterness upfront on the palate, enough to let you know what you’re drinking. This is followed by plenty of citrus, which is to be expected given the nose. The grapefruit is joined by orange peel and some spices from the hops that are weaved together nicely. There is some added complexity from the malt and yeast elements, with some malty sweetness and bready notes coming though. The hops are great throughout with a good amount of bitterness. The 8.2% ABV is well hidden and the mouth feel is crisp yet smooth, with a lingering finish of bitter citrus.

This was a great, well rounded IPA and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The complexity is nice and the bitterness plays well. The craft beer nerd will appreciate all this beer has to offer, while the novice will like how approachable the beer is. I do wish that there was a little less sweetness, as the citrus and sweet elements from the malt make for a stickier beer than I wanted. Even with that this is one to go for.

Rating

89
out of 100

As per the instructions on the can, this beer is meant to be consumed straight from the can itself. The brewery says this is to retain essential hop oils and aromas. I met them halfway and poured half into a tulip, and left the rest in the can. In the glass, Heady Topper has a golden honey brown colored body with a bubbly, rocky and creamy head. Some yeast sediment can be seen suspended in the body (as noted on the can should you pour this out).

Piney and earthy hop oils open the nose, along with hop resin, orange and lemon peels. Towards the end is a crisp bready element with caramel and pale malts. Touches of bitterness dance around the aroma the entire time. Once on the palate, more hop resin and oils wrestle your taste buds delivering wave after wave of hops with a gentle nature. There’s nothing harsh or abrasive about it but you certainly know they’re there. Mid-palate are sweet orange and pink grapefruit oils, a generic citrus flavor and rich sweet caramel malts.

I would have liked the body to not be as thin although this was still a medium-bodied Imperial IPA. If I’m being completely honest, this beer didn’t blow me away like the ratings and hype thought it would. With that said, this is easily in the top five Imperial IPAs I’ve ever had to date. It’s extremely balanced, flavorful and never lets up on the delicious hop abuse.

Rating

95
out of 100

The Hop Crisis poured with a vibrant golden/orange color and a fluffy, soapy two finger head. The head eventually settled after some time and left sticky patches of lacing along the walls, as well as a foamy cap. The aroma starts with a big citrusy hop profile with a decent amount of bitterness to it. But, don’t let that throw you off as there are sweet caramel malts notes that give the nose a nice cut in flavor.

In the drink, a balancing act is underway between the rich, malty undertones of the beer competing against the bitter hop flavors. Along with this are some oak wood accents from the spiral aging process. The citrus hops from the aroma are prevalent through the middle and end of the beer. A slight alcohol presence is in the finish but for a higher alcohol content beer, I can accept that. It’s very complex, robust and has some quite active carbonation good for the style, and just enough to give it a nice medium body.

Overall, the Hop Crisis certainly has some nice complexity from the oak undertones, to the sweet citrus hops balanced by the grounded malt base. It’s definitely one I recommend picking up if you can. 21st Amendment’s Hop Crisis is a prime example of what the West Coast Imperial IPA should taste like [even with the added oak].

Rating

92
out of 100

Out of the 12 ounce bottle and into my pint glass, the Bittersweet Lenny’s has a great brownish red color, with a one and a half finger head. It’s a really a great colored body accenting the rye elements nicely. The head does stick around for a bit and there’s some spotted lacing left on the glass. Aromas of bitter hops, rye and a hint of alcohol come through upfront on the nose. Towards the end some of the sweet malt elements come into play with caramel and toffee flavors.

The initial taste is a pleasant mix of the bitter rye and sweet malts with one backing up the other quite well. Crisp and balanced malty flavors with some caramel accents are mid-palate along with a nice coating on the mouth feel. The citrus hops come through next, mostly pink grapefruit. The finish is dryer than I expected given the malt content but is in line with an Imperial IPA. The alcohol isn’t present at all, which is a bit surprising.

There was a good, skillful balance achieved in the Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A. It covers all bases and is different from a normal Imperial IPA in that it isn’t a total hop bomb. The malts work well and the rye adds a nice element to the beer. Overall it’s very enjoyable and a bit dangerous with that 10% ABV.

Rating

90
out of 100

Poured from the 22 ounce bottle, Hoppy Man has a deep caramel color body, about one finger of white head and good retention. The aromas kick around diverse bitter hop notes along with a grounded caramel malt base. The evidence of Simco hops can be detected towards the end of the aroma, although overall it seems to strike an identity crisis between being overly malty or earthy and bitter.

Dark and sweet fruits wake up your taste buds along with a very earthy and floral bitterness from the variety of hops used. The medium-bodied Hoppy Man gives sweeter malt notes that lead way to a heavier pine flavor. The finish seemed a bit dry and sticky at first but didn’t linger for any unpleasant amount of time.

What I generally look for in a Double IPA is pronounced bitterness and an abundance of hop flavor. Hoppy Man just came up short for me, although perhaps the hops have faded since I received the bottle (I didn’t notice any clear bottled date). It is a nice occasional brew that I’d love to try extremely fresh in hopes of getting more enhanced hop notes.

Rating

85
out of 100

This past weekend, Caitlyn and I once again visited Dogfish Head and while I was fortunate enough to sample Hellhound on draft, this review is based off of a bottle I picked up at the brewery. Unfortunately, my sinuses were not in full-force, and the draft sample would be a bad experience to review from. I split the bottle at Craft Ale House with Nick, Brian (bartender) and Gary Fry (owner).

Hellhound pours with a golden body bordering on a medium-copper color with a fluffy white head that brings a rather impressive amount of sticky lacing. The dissipation on this one is really slow, giving it a fantastic amount of retention throughout the entire tasting. Aromas of citrus hop notes come through big – orange and white grapefruit – which is seemingly “West Coast” in terms of style, a nice departure for Dogfish Head. Some dried lemon peel/zest and candy orange slices are the only other notes I can gather from the nose. I was surprised to find a distinct bitterness lacking, as well as having a weak malt base to the beer. It’s seemingly very one-dimensional at this stage, something I hope changes in the taste.

For being 10% ABV, Hellhound drinks very easy with no detection of alcohol whatsoever, but those 100 IBUs can definitely be seen kicking full force. A sticky bitterness coats the entire palate and unfortunately seems to be the main focus of this beer and nothing more. Some pineapple and grapefruit do come through as in the nose, but the label-scribed “lemon” is almost non-existent. It seems to be again, quite one-dimensional with the bitterness of the beer taking over and not having anything to help balance out the other flavors present.

In comparison to other Imeperial IPAs, even ones Dogfish Head makes, this unfortunately just doesn’t stand out. It’s a good beer but nothing worthy of a one-off, limited, tribute stature. I would have loved to see the lemons used more in this beer to help smooth over the bitterness the hops bring. Hellhound is fairly one-dimensional, a bit unbalanced and nothing that gives me the signature Dogfish Head twist.

Rating

82
out of 100

Arriving at Capone’s an hour and a half before tap time secured us each a ticket for a mere 5.5 oz pour of Pliny the Younger. According to the consensus on Beer Advocate, I was interested to see if the wait justified this “world class” beer. Served into a mini snifter glass, Younger pours a crystal clear honey orange with a soft white head. Accompanying the body and head was a rather moderate to low showcasing of lace on the glass.

The nose is filled with a wonderful balance between West Coast citrus and earthy hops. The nose starts with sticky pine sap, followed by some pink grapefruit, sugar, lemongrass and a hint of honey. It truly has the qualities of being an absolutely fantastic Imperial “Triple” IPA, but the nose is only part of it. The taste follows the nose initially with some rather harsh pine needle notes starting things off. Hints of melon, citrus and prominent orange coat the palate and provide a good balance to the upfront bitter flavors. It’s not overly bitter by any means and drinks extremely well for an 11% ABV beer. The mouth feel is smooth and creamy, though not to the degree of Pliny the Elder I’ve sampled plenty in the past.

There is no doubt Pliny the Younger is an extremely well crafted beer. It’s hype and price though, I feel, aren’t justified. Pliny the Elder is much more accessible and tastes much better, in my opinion. It was a great experience to get to try Younger and I don’t regret making the one and a half hour wait, but I wouldn’t do it again unless with friends. By all accounts, it’s definitely a beer that is a must-try but nothing really deserving of such massive hype.

Rating

94
out of 100

With the can cracked, Abrasive pours out a somewhat clear (minus the chill haze) dark honey color with a creamy and rocky white head. A sparing dose of lacing is left behind, as well as a foamy cap sip through swallow. It’s really a rather impressive and beautiful looking Double IPA. The aromas start off with sweet and tart juicy pineapple followed up with hints of mango. The citrusy brash of flavors change course with some notes of fresh cut grass, black pepper and a mild hint of red onion.

Upon first sip, you’d be foolish to expect a wash of bitter hops to coat the palate. Actually, that’s what you would expect though the Abrasive eases the hops in slowly. First is a mild blend of orange and papaya, giving the appearance of a sweet and citrusy Double IPA. Grassy wet hops and a residual red onion flavor come through in the end, following suit with the nose. However, the onion here is not overplayed like say, Oskar Blues GUBNA.

A creamy, medium-bodied Abrasive Ale does wonders for the Double IPA style. Nothing is overdone or understated, leaving a near perfect balance of flavors. If there’s one thing you learn when dealing with flavor nuances in beer, it’s that balance is key. Hop heads will fall in love, and even the occasional IPA drinker may enjoy this as well. My suspicion with Surly Abrasive was correct — not only is it a Double IPA that can stand on its own, it’s one that can stand quite taller than the rest.

And a big thanks to KJ for sending this Surly goodness my way!

Rating

95
out of 100

The Double Jack pours a ridiculously clear, light copper color with a creamy and soapy white head. The retention cap is nice as well as the impressive splotches of lacing clinging behind. The aromas are reminiscent of the typical West Coast IPA profile. Fresh citra (maybe) hops with evident citrusy qualities, sweet floral notes, honey, white grapefruit and a bit of pine are all balanced well. Nothing is harsh, brash or stealing the nose here – well done.

The low carbonation in the mouth feel gives way to a medium-bodied beer, teetering on a robust full-body. The mouth is creamy with immediate sweet citrus notes to start things off. Again, some white grapefruit displays, along with freshly squeezed orange juice and finishes with the bitter notes you’d expect and want from a Double IPA. Bitter pine and resiny hops are in the finish and Pop Rock like carbonation bubbles deliver the flavor throughout the palate.

Unmistakably, the Double Jack sits atop an ever growing mountain of Double IPAs. Not only is this beer a wonderful example of what the West Coast brewers can do for IPAs, it’s also a testament to the craftsmanship in not leaving this beer one-sided. Citrus and pine hop qualities marry gracefully in one bottle – you can’t really ask for more.

Rating

95
out of 100