Tag Archives: double ipa

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), American Double IPA, Ballast Point Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, USA

Ballast Point Watermelon Dorado

Monday, 13 June 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 10%
Style: American Double IPA
Other Notes: 90 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from website) Our Watermelon Dorado Double IPA is not one to back down from big flavors. Mash, kettle, and dry hopping blend to create a huge hop profile that is balanced with a blast of watermelon. The result is a refreshing brew that is all summer and no seeds.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 2.89
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.8

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with a Julian bottled on date of 16053, meaning it was bottled on 22nd February 2016. Poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear golden orange colour with a huge four finger off white head with good retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Strong watermelon with a hint of orange peel and sweet biscuit caramel malt.
Taste: A little weird like the flavours don’t mix together. There’s candied watermelon, cucumber (which I guess could be mistaken for the watermelon skin and white parts), some bitter grapefruit and fruit jello like sweetness. And none of it really came together unfortunately.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I don’t know. I think this beer may be in the you either like it or don’t like it category. There isn’t really a middle ground. And in my case, it just wasn’t for me. It actually smells nice, but the tastes were just muddled and did not fit together for me.

5 - Excellent (must buy), American Double IPA, Beer Reviews, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, USA

Lawson’s Finest Sip of Sunshine

Friday, 10 June 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Lawson’s Finest Liquids
Country: USA
ABV: 8%
Style: American Double IPA
Other Notes: Brewed by Lawson’s Finest Liquids at Two Roads Brewing Co., Stratford, CT.

Brewer Description: (from can) This lupulin-laden India Pale Ale is packed with juicy tropical fruit character, bright floral aromas, and delectable layers of hop flavor. Pour mindfully, inhale deeply, and enjoy a tropical vacation in a glass. Always store cold, enjoy fresh and stay cool!

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.79
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.6

Intro: A 1 pint can canned on 1st April 2016 and poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly hazy golden orange colour with a big three finger frothy white head that had good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Lots of fruit with orange, orange rind, grapefruit pith, lemon and pineapple. There’s also some honey and a hint of dank mustiness.
Taste: Citrusy lemon, lime, orange zest, tangerine and grapefruit bitterness plus tropical mango and peach. Nice light candied toffee and caramel sweetness in the background.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Ahh, what a stunning DIPA. I prefer Sip of Sunshine over Heady Topper, but in the end both are really good. Great balance between bitter and sweet and easily ends up as a must buy beer for me.

4 - Good (buy), American Double IPA, Beer Reviews, Stone Brewing Co., USA

Stone Enjoy By 05.30.16 Tangerine IPA

Sunday, 29 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 9.4%
Style: American Double IPA
Other Notes: Enjoy by 30th May 2016. Brewed to be enjoyed within 37 days.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Our all-important , hop-driven quest to deliver the most devastatingly fresh IPA on the planet facilitated a paradigm shift in 2012 with the launch of Stone Enjoy By IPA. Not only did we brew this beer with more than 10 different hops, we brewed it specifically NOT to last. Acclaimed for its groundbreakingly short shelf life, this intense double IPA brought forth a whole new concept of what constitutes “fresh” – guaranteeing fans the ultimate level of hoppiness. For Stone Enjoy By Tangerine IPA, we added the tangy zeal of a mandarin fruit’s juicy nectar. The result… freshness has never tasted as ripe for the picking as this does right now.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.19
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 22 fl oz bomber bottled on 23rd April 2016 and to be enjoy by 30th May 2016. Poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear golden orange colour with a two finger off white head that had decent retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet zesty and juicy mandarin and a hint of grapefruit zest and pith.
Taste: Very citrusy with sweet mandarin and bitter grapefruit pith and zest. There’s a hint of pine and caramel malt with the bitterness nice and lasting.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: For some reason I thought I had a bit more time to drink this. But in any case, I did manage to drink it within its limit. It was a great Double IPA with nice mandarin sweetness and grapefruit bitterness that lasts.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American Double IPA, Beer Reviews, Rogue Ales, USA

Rogue XS Imperial India Pale Ale

Saturday, 7 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Rogue Ales
Country: USA
ABV: 9.5%
Style: American Double IPA
Other Notes: 95 IBUs. Malts – Weyermann Pale Ale and Rogue Farms Dare and Risk. Hops – Rogue Farms Newport, Freedom and Bravo.

Brewer Description: The Rogue XS Imperial IPA is above and beyond an India Pale Ale. Dubbed ‘I2PA’, this ale is radically hopped and the result is an intense aroma and hop bitterness. XS Imperial IPA is unfiltered and aged for 9 months before it leaves the brewery – not for the faint of heart!

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.86
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 750ml ceramic and wingtop bottle with no bottled on or best by date. Poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy amber orange copper colour with a one finger dark-ish cream coloured head that dissipated fairly quickly but left nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet caramel malts with juicy orange, tangerine, grapefruit and pine.
Taste: Much like the aroma, sweet citrus tangerine and orange, some light caramel followed by bitter grapefruit pith and pine. The finish is a nice lasting citrus bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: This was a pretty good Double IPA with a good balance between sweet and bitter. A little more carbonation would have been good, but nonetheless still nice.

4 - Good (buy), American Double IPA, Beer Reviews, Surly Brewing Company, USA

Surly Abrasive Ale

Thursday, 5 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Surly Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 9%
Style: American Double IPA
Other Notes: Malts – 2-Row and Golden Naked Oats. Hops – Warrior and Citra.

Brewer Description: (from can) Sure we’re abrasive. We were abrasive long before we were Surly. If you visit the brewery you can still see remnants of the industrial manufacturing factory Omar’s parents ran for 35 years within those same 4 walls. Bandsaw blades, grinding wheels, and sanding discs came long before ales and lagers. But let’s be honest, this is a lot more fun. Pale in color, this over-hopped, under-brewed Double IPA has almost twice the amount of hops & malt crammed in the can.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.09
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 16 fl oz can canned on 3rd December 2015 and poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly hazy golden orange colour with a slightly less than three finger off white head that had good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Strong mix of tropical and citrus fruit with mango, pineapple, orange, grapefruit and pine.
Taste: Lightly sweet, candied orange, pineapple, orange zest, grapefruit pith and pine. There’s some interesting caramel and light spiciness mixed in on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: This was a very nice DIPA with a good tropical and citrus punch and just a touch of sweetness which is nice. I would love to be able to try a fresher can.

words of another dreamy traveller