Xmas in July Part I

Happy Lovin Christmas

Style:Imperial IPA
Alc %:7.8
Brewery:Mikkeller
Country:Denmark
Tap/Bottle?:330 ml bottle
Where/When:Home, July 2012
Cost:$9
Rating:6.5

Fab white bubbly head, fairly light off gold body.
Nice bit of (fading) apricot on the nose.
Nothing outstanding or remarkable tho it's fairly well balanced- Lemon and ginger up front with a nice bit of spice that heats things up a little without one thinking "oh yeah, it's a Xmas beer". It's a ale for any occasion if you like! As the brew warms the ginger becomes more pronounced and lingers.
Interesting. Temperture plays a big part with this one.

Moylan's Hopsickle Imperial IPA

Style:Imperial IPA
Alc %:9.2
Brewery: Moylan's Brewery
Country:US
Tap/Bottle?:bottle, 650ml?
Where/When:Home, July 2012
Cost:$20
Rating:8.5

Simply put- Incredible!
It's been a while since I've had a Imperial IPA and this was no let down.
The nose was kinda mild compared to the taste.
The taste is bold and big, like a full on brown spirit. The Alstrom Brothers (Beer Advocate) suggest Herbal and Tobacco flavours which I can kinda agree with. It almost heads to burnt orange territory but just holds back.
It's not one of those piney IPA's which kinda makes it different.
It is creamy and the alcohol is fairly well hidden.
It's a great drop, would love to have access to this at every bottle shop I walk into but it's just not going to happen. Shame.

Little Creatures The Big Dipper

Style:Imperial IPA
Alc %:7.8
Brewery:Little Creatures Brewing Co
Country:Australia
Tap/Bottle?:bottle/Pint/568ml
Where/When:Home, Mar 2012
Cost: 4 pints for $20??
Rating:6.5

Copper orange in colour, nice off white 1cm head.Nice.
Nose is a little floral and a tiny bit funky. Nothing alluring.
Bit of orange, passionfruit with a subtle malt backbone.
Look, this is quite drinkable and i'd love to have one in the fridge at my disposal, but, unless I you read the label you wouldn't know you were drinking a 2xIPA.
So it's a decent drop but not depicting the intensity of 2xIPA's styles.
6.5/10

Green Flash Imperial IPA

Style:Imperial IPA
Alc %:9.4
Brewery:Green Flash Brewing
Country:USA
Tap/Bottle?:bottle
Where/When:Home, 2011
Cost:$18 or
Rating:8.5

Nice slightly of white head,

Light orange/copper colour body.

The nose is super inviting- pine and citrus.

First off i get burnt orange rind, then the flavour softens off with pear like mellowness-it gives it a classy white wine (sav blanc) feel about it and then finishes off with alcohol and hops.

This is a great drop- it's an example of what seperate's US IPA's from the rest of the world.

Kiwi Craft Beer Spectapular

The Local Taphouse, Darlinghurst

Sat. May 21st

20 Kiwi Beers on tap!!!!

I got there about 3:30 after work and got a paddle straight away.

First sample: Twisted Hop Sauvin Pils:nice light summery Pils- i gave it 7/10.

2nd sample:Emerson Bird Dog (Pale Ale): malty lookin. Nose- light but intense sweet passionfruit- gorgeous. T- different, sweet with spice.

3rd sample: Cock and Bull Monks Habit (US Red Ale/APA):a little funky for my tastes.

4th sample:Moa Five Hop (ESB/Strong Ale):more honey like than hoppy

5th sample:Croucher Patriot (American Black Ale): nice nose, bit like a red ale.

310ml of Yeastie Boys Rex Attitude (Peat-smoked Strong Golden Ale): wow!! Never had anything like it before- if you don't like the smell then you will struggle to get past it- i thought it was like a smoked ham hock- very unique sipper.

575ml 8 Wired Hopwired (New World Kiwi IPA):Had this before and I love it, great grapefruit flavour and aroma- classy, fruity and morish.

310ml Epic Hop Zombie (2IPA):fantastic sweet fruit nose, well rounded sipper that wasn't as bitter on the hop front as i thought it might be.

Finished off with another 8 Wired Hopwired!!

Some high alcohol brews- very enjoyable.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

Style:Imperial IPA
Alc %:9
Brewery:Dogfish Head Brewery
Country:USA
Tap/Bottle?:bottle
Where/When:Home, Dec 2010
Cost:$12 approx
Rating:8+
This was a lovely drop but not at all like other Imperial IPA's- nice juicy fruits but mild bitterness yet very drinkable- the alcohol is hidden expertly- which makes it very session able.

Lagunitas Maximus

Style:Imperial IPA
Alc %:7.5
Brewery:Lagunitas Brewery
Country:USA
Tap/Bottle?:bottle,
Where/When:Dec. 2010
Cost:
Rating:8/10

Nice orange/copper colour, and nice white bubbly head.

Candied sweet citrus nose. V nice.

Nice toasted malt backbone. Slightly dank pine needles with a hint of grapefruit sweetness and a mild pleasant bitterness. For a Imperial IPA (according to Beer Advocate) it's just on the right side of intensity of flavour for my pallate- not over the top.

I like this and think it's session able for sure.

Hop Stoopid

Style:Imperial IPA
Alc %:8
Brewery:Lagunitas Brewery
Country:USA
Tap/Bottle?:bottle
Where/When:Home, Nov 2010
Cost:$13
Rating:8

Nice white head. light orange/copper colour.
Lovely floral and citrus nose.
Strong malt all the way, bit of pine and a bit of citrus-grapefruit mainly.
Although the taste lingers on the tongue it's not heavily bitter.
It's a lovely drop and I'd love to have one ready to pop in the fridge when I felt like it.
I enjoyed this and rate it as highly as when I last had it....just.
This is a grey import. I had one in the States at the end of September and I wouldn't say this bottle had a freshness problem anymore than I could say the bottle I had in LA did.

Stone Ruination IPA

Style:American Double/Imperial IPA
Alc %:7.7
Brewery:Stone Brewing Company
Country:US
Tap/Bottle?:bottle
Where/When:Home, Nov 2010
Cost:$7.50 for 375ml
Rating:8.5/10

Cloudy light copper colour with a nice white fluffy head.
Nose:Lovely mix of citrus, malts and passion fruit. It does have me salivating!
Citrus with a solid backbone of malts-
a creamy mouth feel, highlighted with food, the bitterness is bold, but not over powering.
The alcohol is nicely hidden which makes it a very session able drop, that said it is an ale you can't ignore- it's big! And kinda filling too!
I'll give it an 8.5/10

Green Flash imperial IPA

Green Flash Imperial IPA
Not too over the top for a IIPA initially -pleasant fleshy malts with a pleasant bitter finish. Nice fruit- mix of mandarin/'orange juice with a slight to mild roasted malt finish.
7/10
Cost US$5.29

Lagunitas Hop Stoopid IPA

Lagunitas Hop Stoopid IPA, Imperial IPA, 8% ABV
Upfront the flavour is lovely- very morish-
That was the extent of my notes- suffice to say I enjoyed this 2xIPA.
The label say's:"102 IBU 4 U"
8/10
Cost: US$4.49

Holgate Hopinator

Style:Imperial IPA
Alc %:7
Brewery:Holgate
Country:Australia
Tap/Bottle?:bottle
Where/When:Home, Sept 2010
Cost:$7
Rating:6.5/10

Next to no head - very dark copper with a hint of ruby when held up to the light.
Caramel, malts, hop resin. A little bit of orange.
Taste:Some nice fruit up front-but not alot.
Lots of malt in the middle palate finishing with some lasting bitterness.
I thought this was an OK drop, not a lot of Imperial IPA's around in Oz, but nothing outstanding all the same.

Dogfish Head 120 min IPA

Here are my notes:

18 November 2009 10:19:13 AM

Wow sorta like stongly alcoholic apricot nectar
There's an off spice on the nose that appears in the taste but it may just be the amount of alcohol- requiring very small sips at a time-a cross between a fruity spirit or liquor & beer
Not as sweet as nectar I must add

Sent from my iPhone

Brewdog Hardcore IPA

Brewdog Hardcore IPA
12 November 2009
(Brewdog Brewery)
$7
Looks v similar to the punk ipa
From the cask- warm/room temperture but the alcohol is notable as it warms yr throat
Weird having it this warm-the alcohol comes off as spicey.
It's like drinking wine- the taste, well,,,,,,,
Apricots (dried) and whiskey come to mind- I think this spent some time in a spirit vat........
I just checked the brewers notes & I probably couldn't b more wrong.... Oh well, they mention kiwi fruit and lychee and big caramel notes, still I can't help but think roasted malts.
At this temperture is very reminescent of a malted Irish whiskey, guess I'd like to try this cooled a bit.
How do I rate it then? For my palate not at all sessionable, however for people who like whisky and beer it may be a match made for the heavens.
I'm giving it 5.5
Sent from my iPhone

Otter Creek Imperial IPA

At 10% abv it doesn't hit u straight away but it doesn't take long! Nice head that leaves a bit of lacing.
Quite bitter straight off actually- a burnt taste up front - the citrus is there but the burnt malt and alcohol seem to dominate- it's not super enjoyable but I keep going back for more.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA

Style:US Imperial IPA
Alc %:9
Brewery:Dogfish Head Brewing
Country:US
Tap/Bottle?:bottle
Where/When:New York 09
Cost:approx $2
Rating:9

Very little head.. all but goes
bit cloudy medium dark copper
medium strong nose of.... sweet, with a little spice
lovely creamy sweetness up front, juicy, fruity cordial in the nicest freshest way
this is hop oil done right- lovely bit of pine at the end that has a nice note of bitterness...
also a champagne-like thing going on too
another excellent Imperial IPA, strong in alcohol but deceiving-
maybe not a session beer but it would be hard to stop drinking this 1 all the same.
Well pleased that a well know brewery like this doesn't disappoint!!
9/10. Esquire magazine cals this "perhaps the best IPA in America" and I agree.

Victory Hop Wallop

Style:US IPA
Alc %:8.5
Brewery:Victory Brewing Co.
Country:USA
Tap/Bottle?:bottle
Where/When:New York 09
Cost:approx $2
Rating:9

Bubbly fluffy head, white and disappears
pours cloudy marmalade colour
light on the nose but.......
lovely citrus fruit up front that's followed by a strongly toasted malt flavour
lastly a nice bit of bitterness to finish off with
This is the best IPA I've had yet, it's an imperial, but it's the best bottled IPA I've tasted ever!
Hurrah!
9/10

Otter Creek Imperial IPA

Style:Imperial IPA
Alc %:10 +
Brewery:Otter Creek
Country:Vermont, USA
Tap/Bottle?:Tap
Where/When:Blind Tiger Ale House, 21/10/09
Cost:$7 for 330ml tulip glass
Rating:6

At 10% abv it doesn't hit you straight away but it doesn't take long! Nice head that leaves a bit of lacing.
Quite bitter straight off actually- a burnt taste up front - the citrus is there but the burnt malt and alcohol seem to dominate- it's not super enjoyable but I keep going back for more.