Beer - #653 - Sawmill - IIPA

Mystery beer, mystery mix, mystery number, and mystery guest

a bit of nonsense here from the brewers notes

A keg only beer from the FYO station this works out to  285 calories a serve size, being 9.5% ABV and  70 IBU things, this would make it 7.5 standard drink units

Brewed by Sawmill Brewing Company in the style Imperial IPA and they are in Leigh, New Zealand

Usually I'd have a bit of nonsense here from the brewers notes or cribbed from other sources, but guess what?, nothing on the webs, nothing on the websites, nothing on the twitter, the instagram and all the other places I thought of looking and some I didn't. 

So I'm flying blind as it were, and then what follows is usually a load of nonsense plucked from the pretty word ensemble to make a pretty sentence. Seriously.... 

... what could possibly go wrong?

Beer - #433 - Rogue - New Crustacean Barleywineish Imperial IPA Sorta

Beer with the longest name - Rogue New Crustacean Barleywineish Imperial IPA Sorta -

"Dedicated to Crustaceans"

Brewed by Rogue Ales  and this one is in the style that is best described as Barley Wine, and they are still in Newport, Oregon USA

750ml bottle, or 1 Pint 9.4 Fl Oz, (wine bottle size) of a beer that is 11.6% ABV and 384 calories a serve, and that makes it  6.86 standard drinks, and this is 88 IBU, so bitterish.

[caption id="attachment_9183" align="alignleft" width="300"] Beer with a long name[/caption]

The name sort of says it all.

John Maier, our Brewmaster, wanted to create a beer that defied traditional style definitions. The result was a remarkably hoppy yet balanced and malty ale that quickly became a cult favorite in our Newport brewpub.

But what was it? It was not quite a barley wine and not quite a double or imperial IPA. Who really cares about putting beers into narrow categories? Great beer is great beer - just drink it and enjoy!

I think I shall give it a go..

Beer - #430 - Pelican - Imperial Pelican Ale

I stopped by a new (to me) place Brothers Beer in town today and brought me some "Pelican Imperial Pelican Ale" that was in tap to take home in a growler.

"Huge Cascade hop aroma, the subtle malty sweetness, and the spicy, citrusy flavor of this robust, gold colored ale."

This is brewed by Pelican Pub & Brewery in that well travelled style that is India Pale Ale (IPA) and they are in Pacific City, Oregon USA

I have to drink this evening a beer that is at 8% ABV, and that is of  85 IBU things (which is low end for a dIPA, but high for an IPA), this has 240 calories a serve, or about 850 in the bottle I have, and works out to be that I brought 7.89  standard drink units worth in the 1250 ml growler I brought  (42 fl oz).

 Our mascot, Phil the Pelican, has recreated the flavor of the British Empire with his own

[caption id="attachment_9156" align="alignleft" width="300"] Imperial Pelican Ale - which is an Indian Pale Ale, why quibble..[/caption]

American twist. Enjoy the huge Cascade and Centennial hop aroma, the subtle malty sweetness, and the floral, citrusy flavor of this robust, gold colored ale. This brew began life as a seasonal beer during our first year and was so popular while we had it, and so frequently requested when it was gone, that we turned it into our fifth regular beer style our second year.

or... .

Our mascot, Phil the Pelican, got this Imperial IPA recipe from his long-lost Indian cousin, and has recreated the flavor of the British Empire with his own American twist. Enjoy the huge Cascade hop aroma, the subtle malty sweetness, and the spicy, citrusy flavor of this robust, gold colored ale.

Get in! Oh and Phil is a great name for a mascot...

Beer - #397 - Thornbridge - Halcyon

I know right a double header, after the last party in my mouth I went all out and got this the Thornbridge Halcyon, a word of many meaning .

Brewed by Thornbridge again in the style that is  India Pale Ale (IPA) and they didn't move from Bakewell, England in the last 1/2 hour since I looked. Brewers label art says this is an Imperial IPA, but it seems that doesn't jibe well with the contents so I'm going with IPA.

Label art is amazing though.

7.4% ABV, 500ml, a seasonal beer, so not an all year brew, 222 calories a serving,  and this is 2.92 standard drink units in a bottle.  This might be around 65 IBU things so slightly more bitter and at the top end of the range for IPA.

[caption id="attachment_8517" align="alignleft" width="300"] Selfie time as usual[/caption]

Halcyon pours an opaque honey hue and produces a huge rich tropical fruit and hop aroma. Chewy, juicy, biscuity malts and intense pineapple fruit flavours and citrus hoppiness combine with a hint of tangerine and pear drops

Rich fruit and hop character in aroma. Chewy, juicy malts and intense hoppiness coming through in mouth with a hint of tangerine and pear drops. Ends with a well-balanced bitterness.

 

Best not hang about then.

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 - #285 - Coronado - 17th Anniversary IIPA

Clearly a limited edition beer - the Coronado 17th Anniversary IIPA

Brewed by Coronado Brewing Company in the style of an Imperial/Double IPA and they are of course in Coronado, California USA

This is a 20fl oz, 650ml bottle, 9.5% ABV, and 285 calories a serve. This would be 4.88 standard drink units in NZ.

When we opened our doors 17 years ago, imposing India Pale Ales didn’t even have a style name, but thanks to the bravaddo and ingenuity of American craft brewers, ourselves included, the "Imperial IPA" has grown into one of the most coveted and delicious styles of beer around and one we feel is perfectly suited to serve as this year’s anniversary beer. A quintet of hops--Citra, Green Bullet, Pacific Gem, Pacific Jade, and Wakatu--lend a spicy tropical spike balanced out by clean breadiness on the finish. It makes for the perfect specialty ale to toast to 17 years of brewing immensely flavorful beers. Prost!

I've been looking forward to this too. Fantastic  hop aroma on opening, sharp but not peppery.

Pours orange - goldfish golden with a small and disappearing head. Great hop aroma that has oranges and other citrus in it.

Oh wow that's a flavour burst of some good measure. Corker! Decently carbonated you get a real burst of sweet flavours all up front and a really nice long finish to a slight bitterness. I get, or sense, a lot of oranges.

I have to say that I am really pleasantly surprised by this, I was expecting something a little heavier and bitter.  But It's really nice to have something a little sweeter that is quite full in the mouth, and that finishes to a reasonably easy bitterness.

I'm going to argue that this is a 9, making it for am a great beer. I'd easily sit and attempt a session of this. Might get to two, since it's a bit heavy n the ABV, but what a way to finish.

I never did get that initial rush of flavours again, which is a pity, it really was eye popping, I'd pay for that again. I've easily managed to drink the first half in my enthusiasm for this, it's a bit good.

Given that I have to drink even less in the next few months, this would be a beer that I'd be happy to benchmark that against.  One of those occasional beers where I might be tempted to bet you your money back if you didn't like it, however I think that the bright orange flavours might not be to everyone's taste. However I could think of so many other beers where you wouldn't get this much entertainment in a glass.

This is nice with a bit of Bruce Springsteen - High Hopes - on in the background, and a good old fashioned pie cooking in the oven, one of the few days recently where I don't have to stand outside and cook.

As this warms the stronger hop grassiness begins to nose through in the glass. This is pleasant too.  There isn't too much left to drink though, I have accidentally managed to drink the most of it. On the Bruce Springsteen though, I get the idea that he might be trying to sing a bit tough and story. I may get back to that .

Related articles

• Beer - #280 - Stone - Sublimely Self Righteous Ale


• Double India Pale Ale (IIPA)


• Beer Bucket List - Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial 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.