Score: 98
I did not think to check the freshness date on the bottle, but Brian knows the importance of freshness with IPA. Served in a Stella Artois chalice and enjoyed on 11/18/2012.
Appearance: Pours a clean and modestly dark honey-orange, almost bourbon-like, color with a finger of beige head that settles to a thin layer. Has a nice, mildly effervescent appearance out of the bottle. Absolutely ridiculous lacing and retention. This is exactly what you want an IPA to look like in my opinion. 5/5
Smell: Huge doses of fresh citrus and grassy hops. In-your-face grapefruit, peach, lemon zest and tangerine. There is a hint of lime too. Faint caramel maltiness in the background, and an even fainter earthiness. 4.5/5
Taste: A bittersweet, bold hop bomb with good balance. Upfront, you get the sweet citrus -- grapefruit, peach, pineapple and a touch of lemon-lime flavor. This is followed by a sharply bitter counterbalance of grassy, slightly earthy hops on the back half. The finish is bitter with some lime rind flavor. Mild sweet caramel malt backbone. 5/5
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium-high carbonation that pops and sizzles the hops on the tongue. Oily and slick on the tongue. Bittersweet, leaning towards bitter in the finish. 5/5
Overall: Like a DIPA in disguise and single IPA in name only, hoppy ales rarely get better than this one. Fans of Bell's Hopslam will adore it.
Recommendation: Hop heads should absolutely seek this beer out, though it is likely too aggressive for casual beer drinkers and hop haters.
Pairings: Pad Thai for those who want to accentuate the spiciness, and roasted brown sugar coated pineapple slices a la Brazilian steak house for those who merely want to dwell in the doses of sweet citrus that this beer has to offer.
Cost: $9.99 for a four pack.
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