Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA Review

Name: Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 18% According to BeerAdvocate, 15-20% per Dogfish Head

Tonight I have a special treat for you guys. Just a couple of weeks ago, Dogfish Head became available in our area much to the delight of craft beer drinkers here. One of the most highly anticipated beers to arrive on the store shelf was their 120 Minute IPA, which is considered to be one of the most highly sought after Imperial IPAs in the country, ranking up it there with the likes of Heady Topper and Pliny the Elder.

Back when I lived in Chicago, Dogfish Head was fairly easy to find; Even the little convenience store which was right around the corner from me, a place that you would never guess even had craft beer, had it in stock. However the "Yeti" of the Dogfish Head beers was always the 120 Minute IPA, with rumored sightings of it at the various liquor stores around Chicago but it was nowhere to be seen when I went to look for myself. Somehow my co-worker always seemed to find it and loved to boast about it whenever he found it.

That is why I consider myself very fortunate and lucky to have finally found a bottle of this after 2 years of waiting. In fact, this beer was even listed on my beer bucket list that I made last year. Now the ABV of this beer is subject to speculation because BeerAdvocate lists it at 18% while Dogfish Head throws out a guesstimate of 15-20%. Either way that makes this the highest ABV beer that I have tried to date.

120 Minute IPA pours a very hazy dark orange color. The head is very thin in appearance and I'm not picking up on too much in terms of lacing. It's also too cloudy to see if there is any carbonation at all in here.

The aroma extremely strong, like you have a knee-jerk reaction to reel your head back from the sheer power of the nose. I'm picking up on some freshly peeled oranges, and candied caramel malts which borderlines on smelling like actual candy. Interestingly enough, I'm also not picking up on any booziness and if there is any in here, it's very well hidden. No matter how you look at it, the nose is very overwhelming and strong.

Upon taking my first sips, the flavor actually is very malt forward at first but then the hops and booziness rush in and proceed to just punch you right in the face. It starts out with some strong candied caramel malts and brown sugar but the hop profile opens up in a big way to some piney hops, grapefruits and robust citrus hops along with the said booziness. As for the aftertaste, it's got an extremely bitter hop flavor that lingers around. It's also worth noting, however, that as it warms up, the boozy kick that's present in the front of the flavor actually goes away. I'm not sure if it's the warmth or my palate getting used to the power of it but it becomes a lot more bearable the further in you go.

The palate is very heavy and quite thick but thankfully the carbonation is very light, which is a good thing because the flavor profile is already strong enough as is.

Despite the sheer power of this beer, it has a lot more balance to it than Evil Twin's Molotov Cocktail (the strongest Imperial IPA I've had up until now). The big difference here is that while it does taste boozy, it's masked by the other flavors which are equally as strong, if not, stronger. I think it goes without saying that this beer is definitely not for everyone and may be too intense for some; After all, the first time sipping this I was coughing! So would I say it's worth checking out? If you are a hop head that is looking for an absolute monster of a beer that will leave a lasting impression, then this beer is for you!

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA - 9.25/10

The Alchemist Heady Topper Review

Name: The Alchemist Heady Topper
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8%

Last week, I received some beers through a trade and one of the beers I received was something that I have been meaning to try for a considerably long time and I even included it as one of the beers on my bucket list. That's right, I'm talking about Heady Topper from The Alchemist, based out of Waterbury, Vermont. Needless to say, I've been looking forward to having this for quite a while.

This is one of those beers that seemingly every beer geek on the internet has tried except for myself and had it not been for r/beertrade on Reddit, this never would've been possible so a big shout out to such a supportive community.

Now on the can it tells you to drink it straight from the can as opposed to pouring it into the glass because supposedly you are able to experience more of the flavor and aroma by drinking it straight from the can (Don't worry, I have!). However, I think the rules in this case are meant to be broken so into the glass it goes!

Heady Topper pours an extremely hazy golden color with a soapy head that has pretty good retention. The lacing is soapy, which gives it a clean finish and I can see some mild visible carbonation.

The nose has a pungent aroma of piney hops, grapefruits, toffee sweetness, and caramel. For an Imperial IPA, the aroma is very balanced.

The flavor has some very strong piney hops compounded with some fairly strong strong citrus hop notes that give it an almost mango like taste. The caramel & toffee sweetness do provide some excellent balance throughout the drinking experience. The aftertaste however is a very bitter resiny flavor, which is a stark contrast to most of the components of the flavor.

Palate-wise, this possesses an extremely heavy body with some moderate carbonation. It's enough to help one enjoy the flavors this has to offer.

Do I think the hype surrounding Heady Topper is warranted? Honestly, I think it is. It's got an extremely nice and robust hop profile and some great maltiness to help balance it out. As for the whole drinking from a can vs. glass debate, I didn't notice any difference between the two what-so-ever. Bottom Line: anyone who appreciates the Imperial IPA style owes it to themselves to check this out.

The Alchemist Heady Topper - 9.5/10

Great Divide Hercules Double IPA Review

Name: Great Divide Hercules
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 10%

It's been a long while since I've reviewed anything from Great Divide Brewing, mainly because they weren't available up here. Now imagine my surprise when I discovered last Friday when I walked into my local liquor store and saw some brand new Great Divide beers sitting on the shelf that had just arrived on the shelves; Which makes me very happy considering that I got this beer from down in Minneapolis just a few weeks back and speaking of which.....

Tonight's beer is Hercules Double IPA, a name which more than likely gets it's name from being a fairly strong Imperial IPA that clocks in at 10% ABV, which I consider to be on the high end of the spectrum in terms of ABVs for this style unless you count Evil Twin's Molotiv Cocktail.

Hercules pours a hazy dark orange color with a fairly thin filmy head. The lacing is what I would describe as moderate and I'm not picking up any visible carbonation. I do, however, see a couple pieces of floating sediment on the bottom of the glass.

The nose has a very strong citrus & piney hop scent with some apricots, mangos and grapefruits. There is some slight maltiness to be had but it's an otherwise very fruity smelling beer.

The flavor is a thankfully more balanced out with a strong citra-hoppiness with some sweet mango and grapefruit fruitness and a much more prominent caramel malt backbone. The aftertaste is a little bit more on the resiny/pine side with some light maltiness thrown in. The palate has very heavy body which comes along with some moderate carbonation.

Hercules is a textbook example of how to do an Imperial IPA correctly when it comes to flavor. If I had to point out one complaint about this beer, it's that the palate could've been just a little bit lighter in terms of weight and carbonation. Aside from that, Hercules is definitely worth checking out if you ever see it on the shelf.

Great Divide Hercules Double IPA - 8.75/10

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA Review

Name: Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9%

There are few craft breweries in America that have become household names like Dogfish Head Brewing has. Based out of Milton, Delaware, you could find this beer in places around the Eastern United States and even parts west of the Mississippi River. That was until 2010 when Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head, started his own TV Show called Brew Masters, which focused on the brewery discovering new & different styles to make.

Though the show was cancelled after 5 episodes due to lack of ratings, it created enough buzz for the the brewery that they had to pull back distribution to the East Coast because the demand had grown tremendously. In fact, it wasn't until last year that the brewery started redistributing westbound again and last week, I received word that Dogfish Head was coming back to our area, which I'm extremely excited about since Dogfish Head was one of my goto breweries while I lived in Chicago a couple years back.

While I was down in the Twin Cities a couple weeks ago, I grabbed some Dogfish Head while I was over in Hudson, WI. The first beer I'm going to take a look at from them is their 90 Minute IPA, which is highly regarded as one of the best Imperial IPAs on the market and considered by some to be their flagship beer.

90 Minute IPA pours a rather hazy dark amber color with a thin foamy head that has some decent retention. Visually I'm not picking up any carbonation and the lacing is somewhat sparse but still there.

The nose has starts out fairly malt heavy with caramel sweetness and a light hint a of chocolate. This is followed up by a strong mix of floral & piney hops and some grapefruit notes.

The flavor on the other hand pretty much levels the playing field. You've got a nice robust floral & piney hop profile matched with a solid caramel malty backbone, and a slight chocolate and toffee sweetness. The aftertaste is on the maltier side with notes of caramel and a slight grapefruit flavor.

This beer possess a heavier body that also quite thick, giving it an almost chewy like quality. However since it has very mild carbonation, it comes across as very creamy and smooth on the palate.

90 Minute IPA's robust flavor profile and easy drinkability make this beer standout. Anyone whose into Imperial IPAs that has not checked this out yet owe it to try it out. You will not be disappointed, I promise!

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA - 9.5/10

Evil Twin Molotov Cocktail Review

Name: Evil Twin Molotov Cocktail

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 13%

Recently when I was down in the Twin Cities, I took it upon myself to grab some beers that we currently don't have available up in Duluth or Superior. One of the breweries I have been hearing about is Evil Twin Brewing, whom are based out of Copenhagen, Denmark but contract brew all of their beers at different breweries both in Europe and here in America.

Originally I was going to grab some Justin Blåbær and Hipster Ale  but they were out so I settled for their Molotov Cocktail Imperial IPA, which clocks in at 13% ABV. Normally the highest I've seen Imperial IPAs go is around 10% ABV.

Molotov Cocktail pours a hazy orange color with a fizzy head. The visible carbonation is moderate at the most and there is no lacing to speak of along the sides of the glass.

The nose has a nice citrus hop & honeydew melon flavors with a solid caramel malt backbone and some booziness. It's also got a fairly pungent aroma to it that gives it a strong feel.

Sure enough, the flavor possess some strong booziness with an equally strong yet bitter citrus hoppiness, grapefruit notes and ending on a substantial caramel maltiness. The boozy flavor actually does have a bit of a burning kick to it too, which makes the name of this beer all the more appropriate.

The body is quite thick yet moderate in terms of actual weight. The carbonation is also moderate too though in this case, I would prefer it to have mild to almost no carbonation at all when you consider the flavor.

It's not often I say this but I think that this would've benefitted from being lower in alcohol content, or they could've done a better job of masking the booziness (Easier said than done obviously.) I think the boozy aspect gets in the way to the point where it butts heads with the other flavors. With that said, everything else going in the flavor does possess a rather nice hop and malt profile so it's not a total loss, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy this again.

Evil Twin Molotov Cocktail - 6/10

Lagunitas Sucks Review

Name: Lagunitas Sucks
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 7.85%

It's time to review another beer from Lagunitas Brewing and this time it's their Sucks ale. If my memory serves me correctly, this beer used to strictly be a winter seasonal but has since become a year-round offering. The name comes from the year where they couldn't make their winter seasonal: Brown Shugga. This beer was put in as a replacement and has since become a hit with beer drinkers everywhere.

Sucks pours a mildly hazy orange color with a thin foamy head. The visible carbonation is fairly moderate and the lacing is rather abundant.

The nose starts things off with caramel malt and brown sugar sweetness followed by some fairly strong citrus hops and a slight rye scent at the tail end.

The flavor is very caramel malt forward with notes of citrus hops, mangoes, brown sugar, and an aftertaste of slight rye spiciness and citrus hops.

The palate as a whole is pretty lightweight and the carbonation is moderately leveled. The carbonation does help bring out more of the flavor which thankfully works out pretty well.

Lagunitas Sucks is a very good Imperial IPA. The mixture of flavors, particularly with the slight rye spiciness, work together quite nicely. It's safe to say that this beer.......doesn't suck.

Lagunitas Sucks - 8.5/10

Castle Danger Double Crossing IPA Review

Name: Castle Danger Double Crossing IPA
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9.1%

Last weekend, I made the drive up the shore to Castle Danger Brewing to grab myself a growler of beer. Since it was a nice, sunny spring day as opposed to a snowstorm that I've come to expect, I decided to drive with the windows rolled down while taking in the breeze. Along the way, I stopped by the site of the new brewery and I have to say it's come quite a way considering that it was an empty parking lot not even 8 months ago. Since it'll be opening in the very near future, I can't wait to see the end results!

While I was at the brewery, I noticed a new offering called Double Crossing, which just so happened to be an Imperial IPA. I feel like its been awhile since I've had a good Imperial IPA (and a local one at that) I decided to give this one a go. Plus I was quite pleased with the last IPA offering I had from them. So with my growler buckled in, I made the drive back to my place of residence and picked up some Do North Pizza for dinner.

Double Crossing pours a hazy orange color with a thin filmy head. The lacing left behind on the sides of the glass is moderate and the visible carbonation is fairly mild.

The nose is best described as a blast of citrus hops, tangerines, mangoes, apricots, and a solid caramel maltiness. Overall, it's a very fruity aroma.

The flavor retains most of what was found in the nose. It starts out with a mix of citrus hops, mango, apricot, caramel and a strong malty backbone which provides a solid foundation for the flavors. The aftertaste is fairly malty with a mild hint of apricot. The body is on the heavier side and the carbonation intensity is pretty mild, giving it a fairly creamy feel.

Once again, it's another great beer from Castle Danger. It's got just enough flavor to give hop-heads the fix they are looking for, yet at the same time, I can see this beer being an excellent segway to introduce people to the Imperial IPA style. I know I've said this before, but pick up a growler and see for yourself!

Castle Danger Double Crossing IPA - 9.25/10

Big Wood Bad Axe Review

Name: Big Wood Bad Axe
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 10%

If I had to give a brewery an award for the most "Snicker-Inducing" name, I would award it to Big Wood Brewery. If you really have to think about why that is, then you're probably not old enough to read this blog.

Then again, it should come as no surprise that one of their beers is named "Morning Wood" but that's a totally different review. Tonight I have their Bad Axe Imperial IPA, which is a stronger interpretation of their Jack Savage IPA. Also taking a cue from another Minnesota brewery, Surly Brewing, their beer comes in four packs of 16oz cans.

Bad Axe pours a hazy orange color with a foamy-looking 2 finger head and solid lacing retention.

The aroma has a nice citrusy and caramel scent to it. To back that up are notes of grapefruits, toffee and malts.

Citrus and floral hops sit at the forefront of the flavor with grapefruit & caramel malt undertones and a resiny aftertaste. For an Imperial IPA sitting at 10% ABV, the flavor is more subtle than expected but thankfully has no booziness.

The palate has a light body and some mild carbonation. Overall it's pretty smooth.

Bad Axe has a very subtle flavor for an Imperial IPA, which can sneak up on you if you're not careful. Still it's not a bad beer and I'd still say it's worth checking out.

Big Wood Bad Axe - 8.25/10

Bell's Hopslam Review

Name: Bell's Hopslam
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 10%

During the bitter cold months of winter when it seems life has all but  vanished from the outdoors, Bell's Brewery delivers to us their highly anticipated Hopslam Imperial IPA. In fact I'm fairly certain that this is one of the most highly anticipated craft beers that is given a widespread release.

Even if you don't know of Hopslam, then you would probably recognize the label: A person laying flat on the ground, seemingly crushed to death by oversized hops dropped on him by the angry beer gods as punishment for drain-pouring a bottle of Pliny the Elder (Alright so I made that last part up.) I remember having this back in college and it was one of the first Imperial IPAs that I ever had. At the time I thought it was quite good, so I figure it's time to revisit this beer.

Hopslam pours a dark orange color with a cloudy appearance. The head is filmy, and the beer leaves behind some good lacing.

The nose is quite fruity to start out with notes of mangoes, strong citrus hops, toffee and caramel. At the back end of the aroma is a subtle piney hoppiness.

The flavor is almost the same as the nose but there piney hop aspect is definitely stronger here. It's goes,along well with the mango, citra-hops and caramel malts that are already in the flavor.

In terms of drinkability, it’s rather heavy in body with some mild carbonation, making this pretty smooth and easy to drink.

Overall, this is an excellent and well balanced Imperial IPA that any hop head should try out. It may be a bit pricer for a 6-pack but the price of admission is worth it.

Bell's Hopslam - 9/10

Deschutes Hop Henge Experimental IPA Review

Name: Deschutes Hop Henge Experimental IPA
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 10.6%

Hmm.....I don't quite know how to explain this to you, Deschutes Brewing but you have a very worrying obsession with IPAs; Much like how Buffalo Bill has an obsession with wearing the skin of other human beings. First you give us Fresh Squeezed IPA, then Chasin' Freshes, and now we have Hop Henge Experimental IPA.

Well, truth be told if I didn't want to try this out, I never would've gotten this in the first place. So for the time being, you have won this round Deschutes. In any case, as the name suggests, this beer utilizes hops that are new to the market, not unlike Summit's Union Series.

Hop Henge pours a hazy orange color with a filmy head. There is some good lacing retention and the carbonation is rather mild in appearance.

The aroma takes on a rather fruity characteristic with notes orange peel, peaches, caramelized malts with just a touch of piney hops thrown in for good measure.

In contrast to the nose, the flavor is very piney hop forward with caramel malts, mild citra-hop notes and some yeastiness. The palate is pretty moderately weighted and mildly carbonated, so it's pretty easy to drink.

Hop Henge doesn't do anything new, in terms of flavor, compared to other Imperial IPAs. However it's a pretty well put together Imperial IPA and those who are familiar with the style will no doubt find something to love with his.

Deschutes Hop Henge Experimental IPA - 8.5/10

Rush River Double Bubble Review

Name: Rush River Double Bubble
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9%

While in college, Rush River Brewing Company was amongst many of the breweries that I had tried out when I first got into craft beer. Based out of River Falls, Wisconsin; They do alot of business in both Wisconsin and the Western part of Minnesota. I decided to review their Double Bubble Imperial IPA as a first from this brewery. An interesting fact about this beer is that it's brewed with honey.

Double Bubble pours hazy orange color with a filmy head. It's got some good lacing retention and moderate carbonation.

The aroma has a nice honey scent with some citrus & floral hops, grapefruits and pale malts. The honey scent is particular is a nice touch.

The flavor is very citrus hop forward with some toffee notes and piney hops. The aftertaste is where the honey is most noticeable along with bitter resiny notes. The palate has a very heavy feel to it which is paired with some mild carbonation.

Overall, it's a solid Imperial IPA with an interesting twist. I would definitely recommed this to any seasoned IPA fan or somebody looking for a slighty different IPA.

Rush River Double Bubble - 8.5/10

Green Flash Le Freak Review

Name: Green Flash Le Freak
Style: Tripel
ABV: 9.2%

San Diego seems to have a thing for Minnesota this year. First we are given Ballast Point and now Green Flash Brewing which is another high profile brewery to come out of San Diego that recently has graced it's presence on our shelves.

What I have here is an interesting creation from them, their Le Freak Ale. According to the brewery, Le Freak is a combination of an Abbey Tripel & an Imperial IPA, hence the name.The only "mixture" I've had of two beers is Mississippi Mud Black & Tan, which is a Porter & Pilsner combination.

Le Freak pours a mildly hazy orange color with some visible moderate carbonation. The head is quite foamy in appearance and the lacing left behind is quite good.

A strong aroma of lemon zest and citrus hops starts things off in the nose. I'm also getting some fairly strong clove, banana, toffee and pale malt notes as well.

The taste is a pretty wide assortment of flavors. Right off the bat are cloves, spices, lemony zest, piney hops, grapefruits, caramel, pale malts, and yeasts. A bittersweet resiny flavor makes up the aftertaste.

The body is pretty heavy and the carbonation is surprisingly strong for what it is. Given the complexity of the beer, it's pretty easy to overlook and it adds some dimension to the flavor.

True to it's description, it really is like someone mixed together an Abbey Tripel and Imperial IPA. Thankfully it pulls it off quite well thanks to it's complex and robust flavor. It's a different take on the Tripel style and an excellent one at that!

Green Flash Le Freak - 9.25/10

Goose Island The Illinois Review

Name: Goose Island The Illinois
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8.4%

You're all probably scratching your heads right now as to why I have a picture of a growler instead of a bottle above. A couple of weeks ago over in neighboring Superior, WI at a little place called Keyport Liquor introduced their very own growler fill station like the one located at Casanova in Hudson, WI.
Since Minnesota law prohibits you from filling a brewery's growler with another brewery's beer, this is considered to be quite a novelty amongst Minnesota craft beer drinkers.

Now keep in mind that Keyport doesn't quite have the selection of Casanova, missing breweries like Toppling Goliath, Ale Asylum, Three Floyds, and so forth. Right now, they have some pretty good stuff Milwaukee Brewing, Southern Tier, Sierra Nevada, Bell's, and Goose Island.

Named after Frank Lloyd Weber's vision of a mile high skyscraper called "The Illinois", we have a growler of Goose Island's The Illinois. To my understanding, it was supposedly only brewed once and it's only available on draft. Since I now have a growler, it's time to give this a proper review.

The Illinois pours a clear orange color with a fairly filmy head. The lacing left behind is pretty good and the carbonation has a very mild appearance.

The nose opens up to a fairly sweet apricot aroma with hints of piney hops, grapefruits and mild caramel maltiness. Not too overwhelming and rather mellow smelling for an Imperial IPA.

A bitter citrus hoppiness greets the palate upon drinking mixed in with some peaches, apricots and mild caramel malts. The aftertaste leaves behind a bitter resin/piney hop flavor. Flavor isn't mild but it isn't vibrant either. The body is quite heavy in terms of weight and the carbonation is has more of a moderate intensity.

The Illinois is a pretty good Imperial IPA. It may not be as robust as other beers of the same style but it's quite smooth and you definitely aren't making a bad choice by trying this out!

Goose Island The Illinois - 8.5/10

Moylan's Hopsickle Review

Name: Moylan's Hopsickle 
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9.2%

Recently, I've been seeing more of Moylan's Brewing on the store shelves here but have never really bothered to check it out. That was until one day when one of the store employees at my regular haunt recommended this to me since they know I'm a big fan of Imperial IPAs.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm getting over a rather nasty cold so no beer for me until I regain my sense of smell. Fortunately I'm off the cocktail of cold medications which I have been taking for the past few days so Oooh Yay for that. Since I can't have any new beers for the time being, I shall finish writing about the ones I've already had!

Hopsickle pours a hazy orange color with a thin filmy head with some good lacing retention. The visible carbonation is also pretty high in appearance.

Strong grapefruits, oak, citrus and mild caramel in the nose. There is a strong encompassing musky smell, no doubt showcasing the Simcoe Hops used in the brewing process.

The flavor is fairly piney hop forward with caramel, oak,grapefruits and a bittersweet resiny aftertaste. Like the aroma, the Simcoe Hops are on full display with it's oak and muskiness.

The body is surprisingly lightweight and fairly mild carbonation, so you're able to enjoy the flavors.

All and all, it's a pretty good Imperial IPA. It may be a little too woodsy or musky for some but for any seasoned Imperial IPA fan, it's worth checking out.

Moylan's Hopsickle - 8.5/10

Blacklist Spruce Tipped Imperial IPA Review

Name: Blacklist Spruce Tipped Imperial India Pale Ale
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9.5%

Today I have another beer from Duluth's very own Blacklist Brewing, and this time it's their Spruce Tipped Imperial IPA. I'll admit that that I was sold solely on the fact it's an Imperial IPA with Spruce in it, though they aren't the first Minnesota Brewery to do a strong spruced beer as that honor goes to Olvalde Brewing with their Ode to a Russian Shipwright.

This time around, I didn't make the same mistake of using my hands in an attempt to open this up. Instead I used a corkscrew and after about 20 seconds, it popped off. So when you have this have a corkscrew handy, I mean it...

Spruce Tipped pours a very hazy dark orange color. The head is pretty creamy & filmy in appearance which leaves behind no lacing and there also isn't any visible carbonation here.

The nose is pretty citrusy and sprucey upfront, with caramel malts, oak, and raisin/dark fruity notes. Both citrus and spruce notes in particular are both equally strong and almost overshadow everything else.

The flavor is a bit more caramel malt forward with citrus/piney hops, spruce, oak and rum raisins. Not too different from the flavor except with more of a malty backbone. If I could sum up the flavor in one way, it would be that it tastes like Christmas.

The body is fairly moderate in weight but feels pretty thick at the same time. The carbonation is also very mild and creamy, so it's pretty easy to drink for an Imperial IPA.

It's a different take on the Imperial IPA style and I think Blacklist has pulled it off rather well. It's more of an "off-the-beaten-path" style of beer so it isn't for everyone. However those looking for something a little different yet tasty will find this to be an enjoyable beer.

Blacklist Spruce Tipped Imperial IPA - 9/10

Surly Abrasive Ale Review

Name: Surly Abrasive Ale
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9%

Around the last two months of each year, Surly Brewing likes to pay homage to what it was before it became a brewery. You see the parents of Omar Ansari, owner of Surly, ran an abrasives facility in the current building for 35 years before Omar took over and converted the building into a brewery. Hence the name!

When Abrasive was first released a few years ago, it was originally called 16-Grit (another type of Abrasive) and was made to comemmerate the end of Growler sales but it has since been renamed and is released as a Fall/Winter seasonal.

Abrasive pours a clear orange color with a thin foamy head and mild carbonation. There's also some good lacing along the sides of the glass.

Nose is fairly mango & apricots forward with grapefruits, tangerines, citrus & piney hop notes. Very fruity smelling and reminds me of Dreadnaught.

Strong citra-piney hops and mango fruitness take the lead in the flavor with grapefruits and a caramel malty backbone. The aftertaste is equally malty & resiny in flavor.

It's got a fairly heavy body and some mild to moderate carbonation so in terms of texture, it's pretty manageable if you're used to it.

Simply put, this is an outstanding Imperial IPA! It's got a nice mixture of hops, malts, and fruity sweetness & quality that rivals that of 3 Floyds Dreadnaught. Anyone looking for a showcase of what the Imperial IPA can do should seriously look into this.

Surly Abrasive Ale - 9.5/10

O'so Lupulin Maximus IPA Review

Name: O'so Lupulin Maximus IPA
Style: Imperial India Pale Ale
ABV: 9%

It's not often that I buy a beer that has something so unusual about it that I buy it on the spot without having any prior knowledge about the beer. Save, of course, for Rogue Voodoo Maple Bacon.

Yet somehow O'so Brewing had managed to do just that with their Lupulin Maximus IPA. What's so unusual about this beer you ask? In each bottle there is at least one hop cone. I say ”at least” because in the pictured above, there were two inside. The label even has a warning on it advising potential drinkers that there may be hop cones contained within the bottle. It is worth mentioning however that the two of the other bottles in the 4-pack only had one hop in them while another had none in it.

Eat your heart out, Hoptimum!

Lupulin pours a nice hazy orange color with a filmy head, good lacing retention and low amount of visible carbonation.

The Aroma consists of some pretty pungent citrus hops, apricots, mango, and mild caramel notes.

Citrus hops and mangos are very strong upfront in the flavor. This is followed by some caramel malts, piney hops, and some mild grapefruit notes. The aftertaste is a strong bitter citra-hop flavor.

It's got a fairly heavy body and some moderate carbonation so it's got a slight bite to it.

The name ”Lupulin Maximus” translates roughly to Bitter Hop Superior. While it's certainly not what I would call bitter with the exception of the aftertaste, this is still a bold and excellent Imperial IPA. The flavor may very slighty depending on the hop cones (or lack thereof) contained, but this is one Imperial IPA that is worthy of the name Maximus.

Oso Lupulin Maximus IPA - 9.5/10

Sam Adams LongShot Magnificent Seven Review

Name: Sam Adams LongShot Magnificent Seven
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 7.8%

Every year, Samuel Adams releases a few beers as part of their "LongShot" series. The concept behind the series is to allow award winning homebrewers to share their creation with a beer drinking public. The one I have here today is called "Magnificent Seven" which derives it's name from using seven kinds of hops and not the totally awesome movie which the name comes from. It is brewed by Zach Adams, who has absolutely no relation to the actual Sam Adams (Not that I know of anyways.)

Magnificent Seven pours a mildly hazy orange color with a fairly high amount of visible carbonation and tons of lacing. The head itself is rather soapy and but leaves behind some pretty good lacing.

The aroma starts us off with a mild citrus hop & caramel scent. Behind that are some toffee, piney hop and malty notes, all of which are also fairly mild.

The flavor has a strong bitter piney hop/resin, & light citrus taste with a slight caramel maltiness. This is rather bitter but at the same time there isn't a whole lot going on here in terms of flavor.

The body is quite heavy and thick at the same time and the carbonation comes off as moderate. For some reason, I feel the body makes the overall taste a bit more off than it already is.

Magnificent Seven nails the bitter aspect of what to expect out of an Imperial IPA but it forgot to bring along the rest of the flavor (namely the malts) which would have balanced out the said bitterness. It isn't an awful Imperial IPA but I would pass this up if I were to be offered this again.

Sam Adams LongShot Magnificent Seven - 6/10

Mikkeller 1000 IBU Review

Name: Mikkeller 1000 IBU
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9.6%

Ever seen a beer that seems so out there, that when you look at it you think to yourself "It could be very bad but I want to try this anyway?" Well this is one of these beers. While I was at a store over in Superior, I was talking with one of the employees about IPAs in general when he came across this oddity from Mikkeller Brewing, whose operations are based out of Denmark but this was brewed at Proefbrouwerij in Belgium, which is a facility dedicated solely for third parties to brew their own beer

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that it wasn't the cat burglar on the front that drew my attention to the beer but the "1000 IBU" on the front in bold font; Almost like it was trying to scream it at me. In case you didn't know, IBU stands for International Bittering Unit, which is a scale that determines how bitter it. Up until having this, the beer with the highest IBU that I had ever had was Flat Earth's Northwest Passage.

1000 IBU pours an extremely hazy dark orange color with a foamy head which has excellent retention. The lacing, of course, is also fairly abundant. Looking at the sediment at the bottom of the glass, I can also see that this is an unfiltered beer. Carbonation activity is also fairly calm.

The nose is very citrus & piney hop forward with some caramelized malt notes. I wish I could say more about the aroma but this is literally all I was able to come up with because the hops overpower the other aspects of the nose with the exception of the caramel malt notes.

When I took my first sip, I was greeted by a very malty-caramel sweetness and even a bit of toffee flavor. It was quite pleasant and for a moment I thought to myself "Say, this isn't so bad!" 

Then it hits you. The piney hop bitterness literally comes out of nowhere and hits the palate with such intensity that it is completely overwhelming. The aftertaste is a lingering bitter hop resiny flavor. It's like walking in a rainstorm and getting hit by wind-swept rain, then all of a sudden golf ball-sized hail starts falling at the same consistency as the rain and mercilessly pelts you as you try to run for cover; It's kind of like that.

The body is quite thick & heavy and the carbonation is on the moderate side, which adds more intensity to what is already an intense beer.

I have a sneaking suspicion that 1000 IBU was created for the sole purpose of seeing how hoppy/bitter one could make a beer, almost like an experiment. If that was the case then it was a resounding success.

With all this in mind, I declare this to be a novelty beer. It's hoppy, malty and there is no booziness to speak of. It also accomplished what it was trying to achieve which was create a bitter/resiny beer. I'd normally say that it should tone down the bitterness but then I realized that would defeat the entire purpose of this beer existing. All and all, this beer is a prime example of "Just because you can doesn't mean you should."

Mikkeller 1000 IBU - 6/10

Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA Review

Name: Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9.5%
IBUs: 102

Stone Brewing has been in business for 17 years and they celebrate with a special edition beer every year to mark the occasion. This year it's an Imperial IPA called Götterdämmerung, which is German for "Twilight of the Gods". The name itself comes from an an opera by created by German composer Richard Wagner.

The reason for the tongue twisting name is because this beer uses all German malts and hops; In fact, some of the hops strains are brand new and only have started seeing usage in the craft beer market. It's always exciting to see new hop strains because it just increases the possibilities that brewers have to make new beers!

Götterdämmerung pours a bright clear orange color with a high amount of carbonation and a thick yet filmy head that has good retention. The appearance almost reminds me of Enjoy By, another beer by Stone.

The nose starts out with a very strong citrus hop and grapefruit scent. In the middle we have piney hops, peaches & caramel; While at the back there are pale malts, and mangoes.

While the nose has some strong citrus hops upfront, the flavor has a strong piney hop profile, followed by citrus hops, pale malts, bitter resin, mangoes and an over-encompassing earthiness. The after taste starts out quite bitter but ends on a peach & mango notes

Wait a minute, a nose & flavor with peaches and mangoes? If I didn't know better, I'd say I was drinking a Three Floyds' Dreadnaught. What sorcery is this?!

The body is fairly moderate in weight and the carbonation is rather mild, allowing one to fully savor the flavors that this beer has to offer.

If Enjoy By & Dreadnaught were to, under rhetorical circumstances, have a baby together this would be it. It's fruity, citrusy, and piney and has all the components needed to make a great Imperial IPA and it does so very well. I doubt this'll be released again anytime soon so pick one up if you get the chance!


Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA - 9.5/10