Beer - #614 - Yeastie Boys - Her Majesty 2014

Yeastie Boys Her Majesty 2014. A beer that took ages to appear on the shelf, and then I've left it in the fridge for a while, and this completes the His/Her annual beers from YB.

Three hops: one trendy, one that used to be trendy and one that should be trendy.

This is a stronger beer at 8% ABV, which is 240 calories a serve size, this is a 750ml bottle so that makes it  4.73  standard drink units.

For Yeastie Boys this brewed at Invercargill Brewery in the style that is: Imperial/Double IPA and they're based inWellington, New Zealand

Her Majesty 2014 is our first foray into the murky realm of Double IPAs. Need we say more?

[caption id="attachment_11245" align="alignright" width="300"] Like the winner of a lottery[/caption]

The world of Double IPA is a place where beer geeks wax lyrical over what hop varieties have been used, so we’ve kept them a secret for the first time ever.

The only clue is that we’ve used something trendy, something that used to be trendy and something that should be trendy.

It’s a beer that is not inspired by, but reminds us of,the Cranberries’ 5x platinum selling “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?”

Drink now or cellar for up to 18 months.

So what could possibly go wrong?

Loud hiss followed by a passion fruity hoppy bready aroma on opening.

Cloudier pour of a surprisingly pale yellow beer but one that has a head of lightness and persistence.  In the glass there sees to be much more grapefruit type aroma and an earthiness.

Truth be told my initial thinking is that I'm feeling a little undersold and under whelmed by this. I think that the muted flavour points ends up in a flat profile which doesn't offer much entertainment and gives the impression that this is a beer that is 'thin'

I'm drinking it manfully though and enjoying the sweetness that this offers, but that's all I really can highlight.

Of course it's possible that this particular combination of hops does not play to my palate and preference, I'm in a minority is seems that does not find this beer to be spectacular.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 6 of its things from the thing, which is 'Average' in the arbitrary scheme of things. It pours well, looks cloudy, has aromas that are all muted, isn't overly bitter to drink, has a lot of linger, but I found it hard work.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? Sadly no, this might be one of the very few Yeastie Boys beers that I don't get on with.
Would I have another? Not so much, I'll bide my time for the 2015 versions whatever they might be.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? No, I'd end up concerned that that didn't want to be my friend anymore.

Music for this is 'Of Monsters and Men'  a five-member, English-language indie folk-pop band from Keflavík, Iceland. This is 'Crystals' from their latest album 'Beneath The Skin' You can listen on the Spotify here 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUClIslXKZo

IMPERIAL/DOUBLE IPA

Imperial IPA, Double IPA or DIPA is a strong, often sweet, intensely hoppy version of the traditional India Pale Ale. Bitterness units range upward of 100 IBUs and alcohol begins at 7.5% but is more commonly in the 8.5-10% range. The flavour profile is intense all-round. Unlike barley wines, the balance is heavily towards the hops, with crystal and other malts providing support.

Related articles

• Beer - #601 - Yeastie Boys - His Majesty 2014

Beer - #489 - Karl Strauss - Big Barrel Double IPA

Big names, Big Music, Big Numbers, and a Big call.

Imported New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hops provide a vibrant tropical aroma that raises eyebrows and expectations

I am pushing the boat out, with a new to me brewer, and at random this, the - Karl Strauss Big Barrel Double IPA

This is brewed by the Karl Strauss Brewing Company in the style that is  Imperial/Double IPA and the are based in San Diego, California  USA

650ml bottle that is 9%ABV, and a matching 90 IBU things, 270 calories a serve, and that would be 4.6 standard drink units in the one bottle

When we kicked-off this series of intense hoppy beers, we wanted to go big.

[caption id="attachment_9780" align="alignleft" width="300"] Big Grin[/caption]

Imported New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hops provide a vibrant tropical aroma that raises eyebrows and expectations.

Aggressive amounts of Warrior and Ahtanum hops produce an assertive bitterness that stands out against a firm malt backbone.

Balanced even at 90 IBUs, Big Barrel leaves a considerable first impression that serves as a prelude of things to come.

Note to self: Point beer away from keyboard and in general the laptop when opening, you know that the last beer cost me around NZ$300 to fix, the good thing though, if anything is that it's a Mac and therefore same day repair

Anyway, what could possibly go wrong this time?

Loud sweet hop grassy aroma on opening, like it already just for that.

Much more golden orange that I was somehow in philipland expecting, and it pours with a a lovely finger of white fluffy and persistent head, it looks the part!

You get this massive burst of bitter followed at a rush but the biggest burst of warm sweet malt and it's really really something!

Grassy hoppy dominates and it has a great finish that is somewhat towards to dry but not rasping and overwhelming.

It has lovely pine and citrus (lemon) and that great softness in the middle, I really wanted a good IPA, took a punt and won! Go me!

Despite it's 9% ABV which will see you in bed early if you're not paying attention, and despite that there is no real indication that it is a reasonably high ABV beer, this is one of the easiest drinking dIPA's that I've had for ages, and it brought a smile to my dial, made the world a better place, and restored my sense of balance. It's that good

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 10 a of its things from the thing. I'm usually a bit shy on elevation to the 10's as that really does leave you open to question and ridicule, but this really hit my sweet spot, and today in this light and at this moment, this is as perfect as it gets. And I drank it before the curry arrived.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Yes, this is outstanding! 


2. Would I have another? Yes, I'm thinking of sending a messenger to get me one.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? If I won lotto, at a significant level, I would buy you a pint, at the brewery, perhaps two. Otherwise I'll be round to tell tall stories about how good I was when I was younger, and why Association Football beats another type of football ever. 

Musics? Well I was whipping up a couple curry meals, a Butter chicken for the others and a Jalfrezi style for me, and  I stumbled over  a band called "The Coral" and a track  "The Curse of Love" from the Album of the same name. The Coral are an English band formed in 1996 in Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula in England.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXULT0-gN8A

Light Indie Pop type but with some good lyrics and nicely produced, It's very good listening to and music to cook by :-) oh and have a beer to!

IMPERIAL/DOUBLE IPA

Imperial IPA, Double IPA or DIPA is a strong, often sweet, intensely hoppy version of the traditional India Pale Ale. Bitterness units range upward of 100 IBUs and alcohol begins at 7.5% but is more commonly in the 8.5-10% range. The flavour profile is intense all-round. Unlike barley wines, the balance is heavily towards the hops, with crystal and other malts providing support.

Related articles

• Arkansas Times Craft Beer Festival 2014 preview


• Local beer cellar bets


• Green Man Brewing IPA


• Know your beer: Imperial IPAs


• Hop Czar Cascadian Dark Ipa, Bridgeport's Darkest Brew Yet


• Karl Strauss Mosaic Session Ale Is Unstoppable, Winning Medals in 3 Out of 3 Competitions!


• Karl Strauss Mosaic Session Ale Is Unstoppable, Winning Medals in 3 Out of 3 Competitions!


• Blah Blah Blah, Is Not Just Any Ipa. Ya Know What We Mean?

Beer - #389 - Weird Beard - Holy Hoppin Hell Batch 3

Sportsball Sunday - and I'm going to get to half time with the Weird Beard Holy Hoppin Hell Batch 3 beer.

Brewed by Weird Beard in the style that is the Imperial/Double IPA and they are in London, England

330ml bottle of a monster 9.6%ABV beer,  that would be about 2.2 standard drinks in NZ, and 288 calories.

[caption id="attachment_8424" align="alignright" width="300"] Selfie[/caption]

Hoppier than a (insert joke here), and bitter as… Blah blah, just drink it! This double IPA is brewed with the same grain bill each time, to the same ABV and IBUs, but the late hops in each version will be whatever we think will wreak most havoc on your palates. Drink with intensely flavoured foods such as grilled meats and saucy barbecue or smelly cheese. Yeah, go for the smelly cheese. DON’T STORE, JUST DRINK IT! YOU’LL THANK US. Note: Hops change batch to batch

Brought mainly because this has fantastic bottle art, but pleasingly because the man in the store said it was 'interesting' and more like a Lambic in style. Who could resist?

Beer- #388 - Behemoth - Wet Dream Wet Hopped Double IPA

I'm not sure how these get named but this is from a tap into a growler to takeaway with me - the Behemoth- Wet Dream- Wet Hopped Double IPA

It has an 8.3 % ABV, so this bottle is 6.55 standard drink units.  about 200 calories  a serve of 350ml and there are 3 serves in this, and a smidge. Means a second lap of the block on my exercise. He said thoughtfully....

[caption id="attachment_8411" align="alignleft" width="300"] Selfie![/caption]

This is brewed for the  Behemoth Brewing Company but its Brewed at The Twisted Hop and it's a Double IPA in style

The Beer Giraffe has produced a wad of angry wet hopped wetness. Nelson Sauvin and some other sticky green flowers provide punchy fruitiness and mouth peeling bitterness.

All Nelson Sauvin hopped double ipa with fresh hops and other forms all through the brewing process

I had this out and about on my travels at a bar, but decided that I should have a crack at this in a different environment. So I stopped at the local place and filled up a litre. Thanks Hopscotch.

Beer - #366 - Baird - Suruga Bay Imperial IPA

Second of two - Baird - Suruga Bay Imperial IPA

Brewed by Baird Brewing Co. in the style of an  Imperial/Double IPA and they do that in  Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan

Again the odd sized 360 ml bottle, which has a 90 IBU rated beer, (which is smack in the middle of the 80-100 number for DIPA,) and a 7.8 ABV beer, being all up a   2.2 standard drink units worth, and also for the belt concious has 225 calories in it.

 This extraordinarily complex yet balanced Double IPA is dry-hopped twice with whole flower cones and then krausened at packaging. The hop character (bitterness, flavor, aroma) is profound – vast and impactful like our local Suruga Bay is deep and magnificent.

 The first key to a great Double IPA is dryness of character despite the high original gravity. This is accomplished, foremost, through high attenuation by the yeast during

[caption id="attachment_8055" align="alignright" width="300"] Selfie[/caption]

fermentation. We aim for an apparent attenuation around 85% which yields relative dryness and alcohol strength. The second key is a fantastic and powerful hop aroma. This we achieve by dry hopping Suruga Bay Imperial IPA with several varieties of pungently strong American hops. We conduct this dry hopping not once but twice, in two separate tanks. Then, at packaging, to ensue a vigorous secondary fermentation and natural carbonation, we krauesen Suruga Bay with a percentage of peak fermentation beer from a different batch. Suruga Bay Imperial IPA is a wickedly compelling flavor experience. Its hop character is as rich as Japan’s Suruga Bay is deep (it is Japan’s deepest bay and Baird Brewing is located on its inner shore). The greatness of Suruga Bay Imperial IPA resides in a supreme drinkability that pervades in spite of the potency.

Baird Beer is unfiltered and thus yeast sediment gathers at the bottom of the bottle. We recommend pouring Baird Beer gently, leaving most of the yeast sediment in the bottle. 

So what's the odds that I'll just get in and pour the whole thing in one go?

Lot hoppier and yeastier on opening, ton of hiss....

Pours a lot paler than I though, more yellow golden than darker.  despite a head seems flat in the glass. Might be my fault though. Always is.

Lots of the hop aroma in the glass.

Aa cracking amount of hop bitterness and I get lemon and other citrus things, and it then tends to a dry finish.  That's nice.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing.

It's not brash or sharp, it has a nice bitterness and a lovely sweet carry, and a finish to dry. But it's not spectacular or demanding of a place in the top tier. the IPA and DIPA market are awash with good beers from good brewers, This would be nice to drink out if it was a choice, and it'd be a choice well made, but I might not take it home with me after.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Yes I am.


2. Would I have another? I mightn't though


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I don't think this is cuts the mustard as a companion heer,

Challenged I'm listening to @Peace and the Plutonian Noise Symphony - This is the track - No Stars In The City. Google them, you can pay what you like for the Album. It's trippy.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Hj9Fw4FMk&w=560&h=315]

IMPERIAL/DOUBLE IPA

Imperial IPA, Double IPA or DIPA is a strong, often sweet, intensely hoppy version of the traditional India Pale Ale. Bitterness units range upward of 100 IBUs and alcohol begins at 7.5% but is more commonly in the 8.5-10% range. The flavour profile is intense all-round. Unlike barley wines, the balance is heavily towards the hops, with crystal and other malts providing support.

Beer - #354 - Ballast Point - Dorado Double IPA

Another IPA. Another from Ballast Point.

I quite like the Ballast Point beers - this one their Dorado Double IPA.  Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company and of course in the style of an Imperial/Double IPA and they are in San Diego, California USA

A 650ml bottle of a  10% ABV beer with  288 calories a serve, 90 IBUS, this is 5.13 standard drink units in NZ.

90 IBU is mid point for DIPA beers, normal IPA tops out at about 80.

[caption id="attachment_7886" align="alignleft" width="300"] Selfie[/caption]

On a quest to make delicious beers, our brewers have continually sought creative new ways to accentuate the delightfully aromatic and flavorful qualities of hops. Hopheads rejoice! Dorado Double IPA takes hops to a new level. Mash Hopping, First Wort Hopping, Kettle Hopping, and Dry Hopping create an award winning beer that embodies San Diego’s reputation for making world class IPAs. Our bottle Robust Series gives all beer lovers an opportunity to try our most rare beers, previously available only on draft at select tap houses. Enjoy! Get the Point! World Beer Cup 2006 Bronze Award Winner

A huge, hoppy brew that will test your sea legs. our Dorado Double IPA immediately hooks you with massive hops that never stop. Mash hopping, kettle hopping and dry hopping makes this beer a serious hop lover’s prize catch. It’s an amazingly drinkable, award-winning beer that’s as beautifully balanced as it is big.

This comes with a bit of a big reputation. This bottle is also close to it's best before date.  once again I should really be paying attention.

Strong sweet bitter hops on opening.

Cloudy golden orange in the glass with a nice firm white head of some depth. Nice grassy hops aroma in the glass. Some sweet sugar like Turkish Delight type of sweet.

Really bitter, some grapefruit or passionfruit bit of resin. And then I got Orange citrus too.

Long finish with a kick of slight bitter lingering in the mouth. It's alright but not spectacular, sort of a one trick pony.

Trick glass does it's trick, thanks Spiegelau, for a beer with ever lasting head

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7.5 a of its things from the thing. I though that this might be overly bitter, if that's possible. Although it's a nicely delivered beer with some nice notes in the mouth, and on the nose. Finish is nice without being dry and cloying. It isn't however a beer you can quaff. 

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I'm torn on this.


2. Would I have another? I have the rest of the bottle :-)


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I couldn't because this is a big flavour beer that needs some attention or food to occupy you as well.

Talking of foods, Pork Chop, Zuchini fritters made with Besan (Gram) flour, and some spices, and a potato bake. Chops on the BBQ, it's still BBQ season ;-) Recepie on request.

Listening to music from New Orleans - including this;  Dr John- Iko Iko

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=objvCrF7XEU&w=420&h=315]

IMPERIAL/DOUBLE IPA

Imperial IPA, Double IPA or DIPA is a strong, often sweet, intensely hoppy version of the traditional India Pale Ale. Bitterness units range upward of 100 IBUs and alcohol begins at 7.5% but is more commonly in the 8.5-10% range. The flavour profile is intense all-round. Unlike barley wines, the balance is heavily towards the hops, with crystal and other malts providing support.

 

Related articles

• Ballast Point - Double Dorado


• IPAs Brewed in Greater Raleigh


• San Diego and a Long List Of Beer

Beer - #342 - Emelisse - TIPA

Always keen to try something new, from somewhere new.

Tonight then,  Emelisse - TIPA, brewed by Brouwerij Emelisse, in the style of an  Imperial/Double IPA and they do that in Kamperland, Netherlands.

This 330ml bottle has an a ABV of  10%  which translates to a measure of  2.6 Standard Drinks in NZ, and 300 calories in this. This is also 103 in the IBU scale.

[caption id="attachment_7767" align="alignleft" width="300"] Selfie[/caption]

A massive Triple IPA, Brewed with Chinook, Simcoe, Cascade and Amarillo hops. White Labs WLP 001 yeast. Double is sometimes not enough. Besides the double India Pale Ale is now also the Triple IPA developed. And yes, that means that there are three times as many hops is used as usual. Take a sturdy chair, sit back and enjoy …

Not overly hoppy on opening this, more caramel sweet. Pours a really cloudy hazelnut brown with a small and disappearing head.

Much stronger hop aroma in the glass. Sour hops on the palate, but with quite a strong sweet backbone,  finishes to something approaching dry which sparks up the back edges for the tongue.

An intriguing beer this.

A mix of sweet, sour, hoppy, under-carbonated, and dry finishing, but not all-in-all unpleasing, but not something that isn't raising an eyebrow, at least not in admiration.

A confusion is what this really is, and the pdubyah-o-meter thinks that this rates as a 6 on the scale of things. As it warms it gets more hop alive in the mouth, and the sweetness takes a bit of a step back, making this a slightly more aggressive beer on the palate.

The Double Dip review

• Am I enjoying it? Nor so much.


• Would I have another? Not of this but I have another in the fridge


• Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Nope.

Tonight is kind of a Rufus Wainwright - New York State of Mind / Piano Man kind of night; [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnRylN1aK40]

IMPERIAL/DOUBLE IPA

Imperial IPA, Double IPA or DIPA is a strong, often sweet, intensely hoppy version of the traditional India Pale Ale. Bitterness units range upward of 100 IBUs and alcohol begins at 7.5% but is more commonly in the 8.5-10% range. The flavour profile is intense all-round. Unlike barley wines, the balance is heavily towards the hops, with crystal and other malts providing support.

Related articles

• Review of Emelisse TIPA

Beer - #314 - BrewDog - Hardcore IPA (9.2%)

Two of two, this is the BrewDog Hardcore IPA (9.2%) version

Brewed by BrewDog brewed in the style of an Imperial/Double IPA, and they are in  Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Ingredients: Maris Otter, Crystal malt, Caramalt; Centennial, Columbus, Simcoe hops. Dry Hops: Centennial, Columbus, Simcoe. IBU 150


This little bottle has a grandiloquent story to tell. 2,204 malted Maris Otter grains gave all they had to offer the world to provide the robustly delicate toffee malt canvas for the ensuing epic. 6 Hop Cones willingly sacrificed themselves in fiery cauldron that is our brew kettle to ensure your mouth is left feeling punished and puckering for more. 9,900,000,000 yeast cells frantically fermented their little hearts out as the sugars were magically turned into alcohol in the dark depths of our fermentation tanks. This explicit ale has more hops and bitterness that any other beer brewed in the UK. This is an extreme beer rollercoaster for freaks, gypsies and international chess superstars.

150IBU's 330ml, 9.2% ABV, 278 calories, all the numbers,  including the 2.4 standard drink unit one.

I thought the hop aroma was subdued on opening this. Great dark pour and nice head that doesn't last .

Right then. this is an assault. But it tells you on the sticker what you're about to get.

Carried on a reasonably nice sweet note there is a banging amount of bitterness in this. Finish is long and ends dry.

A whole melange of flora and grass notes all brawling and fighting in this.

What I got to was a clear note of the alcohol, but be3ing fair it is on the higher side of the numbers.

What I was confused about was the sweetness.

What the pdubyah-o-meter thinks? Randomly and arbitrarily then, this is 8, very good. But that mostly from honesty and not because I'm overly impressed with the gently and well thought out way that this has been constructed.

The opposite of the Punk IPA, this really is the headbanger. I'm not sure it's supposed to be that way round. But then what do I know.

All I could think of was the Dead Kennedys - try this - Holiday in Cambodia

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KTsXHXMkJA&w=480&h=360]

IMPERIAL/DOUBLE IPA

Imperial IPA, Double IPA or DIPA is a strong, often sweet, intensely hoppy version of the traditional India Pale Ale. Bitterness units range upward of 100 IBUs and alcohol begins at 7.5% but is more commonly in the 8.5-10% range. The flavour profile is intense all-round. Unlike barley wines, the balance is heavily towards the hops, with crystal and other malts providing support.

Related articles

• Beer - #313 - Brewdog - Punk IPA 5.6


• Hardcore IPA, BrewDogs, Fraserburgh Scotland


• Hardcore IPA

 

Beer - #222 - Firestone Walker - Double Jack IPA

The highly rated Firestone Walker Double Jack IPA Brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in this the Style of a : Imperial/Double IPA and they hail from Paso Robles , California.

Double Jack IPA is our first ever Imperial IPA. It features a big malty middle to cloak the high alcohol and mouth puckering hop bitterness. Huge tangerine, grapefruit and juicy fruit aroma blossom over the herbal blue basil and malt earthiness of this aggressive beer. Best enjoyed in moderation.

A small 355ml bottle of a monster 9.5% ABV beer,  which would be 2.66 standard drinks, a pocket rocket.  At 100 IBU this should have a power punch, being at the top end for the IIPA/DIPA style. Bring it on

A dangerously drinkable Double IPA.  Double Jack opens up with bright grapefruit and tangerine American hop aromas. Beautifully crafted undertones of stone fruit are revealed upon first sip, followed by the essence of blue basil and pine. A sturdy pale and crystal malt backbone brings balance to high hop intensity. Complex and aggressively hopped, and flawlessly balanced.

The bottle I have was bottled early June, and should be in the window of 120 days the brewer says you have to enjoy this in.

Huge hop note on opening, pours orange golden, with a small head, the huge hope aroma not lingering. settles more towards the malt.

'k there is a mouth full of what you could describe as sugary bitterness, I'm not sure I had a beer before that was by the reading something that would pucker and then delivery something that made me smack my lips in enjoyment. Hard to drink and smile.

As it sits the hop layer doesn't change, the malt gets warmer and together they party a little. The Alcohol makes itself known, reminding you that this isn't a quaffing beer, and I'm trying hard not to, because as usual I have the one bottle.

The pdubyah-o-meter thing of things says that this is an ok beer. Ok at 8 - which arbitrarily is very good on the scale of arbitrary.  I like it, but it's not go find MrsPdubyah and tell her to add it to my ever growing list of beer for christmas .

Is it good?  yes. Is it enjoyable?  very much yes. Is it a pack leader? I think that of late there are many new young turks aiming for this level of quality and craft, some of them are close and snapping on the heels.

If this was representative of the brewer then they have a ways to go, and I have many happy glasses of beer to look forward to.