Beer 395/365 – Port Brewing Mongo IPA

Style: Imperial IPAABV: 8.5%

Purchased at: Sent in a trade

What makes this beer different: Lots of grapefruit/citrus character

Will I be drinking this again: Very good, but not worth trading for.

Grade: A

5/12/2011: My mom lately has become an estate sale junkie. I am a little bit afraid she might end up being featured on an episode of hoarders. Okay thats an exageration, but I do reap the benefits. Which brings me to my next point; the photo you see looks like is distorted, but its not. The glass is a super tall skinny pint glass that my mom bought me from an estate sale. I have a china closet full of beer glasses now, partially due to her estate sale purchases.

The nose is very fruity; orange peel, lemon, and strong grapefruit. This is one of the hoppier Double IPA’s that I have ever had, but thats okay because there are no signs of pine flavored hops (my least favorite flavor in beer). A lot of pale malt flavor, and even a bit of caramel. About average mouth-feel for the style, but the only place this beer is lacking is in hiding the alcohol. The alcohol shows itself a little tiny bit too much, but overall a really good beer.

Picture of the day: Now this is what I call Extreme Parenting.

Beer 384/365 – Dogfish Head Burton Baton

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 10%

Purchased at: Vintage Estate – Boardman OH

What makes this beer different: Very malty, I have a feeling this was a bit old.

Will I be drinking this again: Yes i want to try it fresh

Grade: B+

3/28/2011: My first schedule Monday update! I now have my google calendar set to remind me every Mon and Thur to update. I’m usually doing 982,734 things at once during a typical work day, so this should help kick my ass into gear. Anyways onto the review.

The nose is not nearly as hoppy as I thought it would be, it was more sweet like a light ABV barleywine. That being said there are some citrus hop notes in the smell. The flavor is really good, but again doesn’t remind me a lot of a DIPA. A lot of caramel malt, some earthy hops, a hint of wood, and the finish is a little boozy. Actually this reminds me of what a “105 minute IPA” would taste like (half 90 minute, half 120 minute). Actually after just reading some of the reviews apparently this is not due to the beer being old like I suspected, most people actually feel the same about this being very malty. A bit heavy/sticky on the mouthfeel. All that being said this tasted great, just wouldn’t consider it an Imperial IPA.

Picture of the day: Sounds like a fun date to me!

Beer 347/365 – Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 18.0%

Purchased at: From the brewpub in Rehoboth, DE.

What makes this beer different: Unlike anything I have ever tried, so strong but so drinkable.

Will I be drinking this again: Yup I have a 2007 in the basement, just wish it wasn’t so damn pricey for a bottle.

Grade: A

10/21/2010: 120 Minute is the last of the four “Minute” IPAs from Dogfish that I have yet to try. Already had the 60, 75, and 90 minutes… all of which were really good. They should try doing a 105 Minute IPA (half 90 Minute and half 120 Minute).

This is one of the best smelling beers ever, but I gotta be honest in saying that I’m having a hard time putting my finger on what I am smelling because it is so unique. The flavor is awesome, and by no means does it suggest that you are drinking an 18% ABV beer. Sweetness far outweighs the sweetness even though this is an IPA. Lots of pale/caramel malt flavors, with a big punch of citrus hops. This has a barleywine type feel to it, but the mouthfeel is a bit lighter and less goopy. Over-average carbonation is what really makes this very drinkable for the alcohol content. Honestly this beer cannot be put into words, you have to try it for yourself. Awesome stuff.

Picture of the day: Eat Mor Chikin!

Beer 276/365 – Wachusett Brewing Larry IPA

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 7.5%

Purchased at: Jared sent this as an extra in a trade.

What makes this beer different:

Will I be drinking this again: Yes! this was a pretty good beer.

Grade: B+

8/11/2010: Jared always sends me some really good extras. This was one of those said extras. I have never tried any beer from Wachusett brewing, and quite honestly don’t know a lot about them so lets see how this goes!

Larry IPA is very citrus smelling, and has a very nice foamy head. This beer was more on the hoppy end of the scale rather than malty. Usually this would kill a beer for me, but the hops were all very fruity, lots of citrus and some grapefruit. No real piney hop flavor to speak of which is good since its not my favorite characteristic in a beer. Very light bodied for the style, but so is the ABV (7.5%) so that was to be expected. Very well carbonated which help alleviate some of the bitterness. Thanks again for this extra Jared!

Picture of the day: I wish meat was packaged like this in my local grocery store.

Beer 270/365 – Great Divide 16th Anniversary Wood Aged IPA

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 10.0%

Purchased at: On Tap@Vintage Estate – Boardman OH

What makes this beer different: The first wood aged IPA I have ever tried, not too shabby!

Will I be drinking this again: Bought a bomber of it so yes!

Grade: B

8/5/2010: Yet another 45 minute trip to my mecca, Vintage Estate in Boardman OH. This time the “excuse” was for a vertical Stone RIS tasting; 2006-2010. For $20 you recieved 4oz samples of Vertical Epic 09, Stone RIS 06-10, and Double Bastard. Its pretty amazing how different each year tasted, and as expected the 2006 RIS was the stand out. I bought a bottle to take home for $17.95, which actually isn’t all that bad for how good it was. I bought the GD anniversary ale AFTER tasting all these beers, so admittedly my palette may have been somewhat blown at this point.

16th Anniversary smells very malty for a double IPA. Not too much of the wood comes through in the flavor, to be honest I’m not sure I would have been able to pick it out if “wood” wasn’t in the name. The flavor is mostly sweet malt, with not too much hop presence at first. Once the beer warms some oily pine/grapefruit hop starts poking through. Not quite enough carbonation to this, and it could have used it because it was pretty syrupy. Overall not bad, but I bought a bottle to try on its own so I can give this a bit more of a fair assessment.

Picture of the day: I really need to do this.. My neighbors have three jack russel terriers that bark from 6am-11pm NON-stop.

Beer 236/365 – Cigar City’s 110k +OT Batch 3

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 10.0%

Purchased at: Sent to me by mike @bonbeer

What makes this beer different: This beer to be was completely miscategorized. Delicious but not an Imperial Ipa.

Will I be drinking this again: Yes it was awesome, would love to find a bottle to age.

Grade: A

7/2/2010: Thanks so much to Mike and Ruth for sending this to me in a special little care package. I am helping them redo their website, and they sent me a little inspiration. I got this bottle along with a Black Albert and a 2008 Surly Darkness among others. They run a travel agency that specilizes in cuystomized beer tours in Belgium, and other locations around the world. Check out their current site here.

The pour came out thick as all hell for an Imperial IPA. As you can see the color is a bit different for an Imperial also. The smell isn’t hoppy at all? Lots of sweet buttery malt, and actually it smells a bit like dark fruits? The taste really took me by surprise. Tasted nothing like any DIPA I have had before. Heavy and malty, with a little bit of hops. It almost had a Belgian quality to the mouthfeel, maybe some sort of Belgian yeast was used? This beer actually hit me way more as a barleywine than it did anything else. Mouthfeel was VERY thick and oily but in a good way. The flavor was full of citrus fruits and sweet buttery caramel hops. You can literally see the oil filming up on the side of the glass. Okay I am rambling now, just do yourself a favor and find a bottle of this because its awesome. Don’t rush to drink it either, because really this is a barleywine IMO.

Picture of the day: Teachers 50 years ago compared to today.

Beer 235/365 – Southern Tier 2xIPA

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 8.2%

Purchased at: Sent to me in a trade

What makes this beer different: The looks are deceiving, lots of flavor for how transparent the beer is.

Will I be drinking this again: Can’t find it in the area? But I would drink it again yes.

Grade: A-

7/1/2010: Pliny the Elder is widely considered to be the best Imperial IPA on the market these days. I was browsing beer advocate when I stumbled in a thread where a user did a taste test with Pliny and 2xIPA. Surprisingly a lot of people chimed in as to how well 2xipa stands up to Pliny. I haven’t seen this beer in my area so I decided I had to try and trade for some ASAP.

The smell is intense for such a light colored beer, lots of fruity/piney hops. I am not expecting the flavor to be as intense, but it actually is. Lots of hop flavors going on, mostly grapefruit, some pine, and the malt gives a nice bready flavor. Not very sweet for an Imperial IPA, finishes a bit dry actually. Medium mouthfeel. I am sure the hardcore hop heads love this beer, but I like my Imperial IPAs (DIPAs) to be a little tiny bit sweeter. This almost falls down into the American IPA category in my opinion.

Picture of the day: Everything thats great about American food all in one place.

Beer 229/365 – Three Floyd’s Apocalype Cow

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 10.0%

Purchased at: Sent to me in a trade

What makes this beer different: Its an Imperial IPA that uses Lactose Milk Sugar (hence the cow on the label)

Will I be drinking this again: Won’t go out of my way for it, but it is unique like all the other Three Floyd’s brew’s.

Grade: B

6/25/2010: Not only does Three Floyd’s always some good beer, but they always have some really cool labeling on their beer. This is kind of what the picture looked like in my head when I heard what this beer was called (apocalypse cow). Are Three Floyd’s trying to say its a sign of the apocalypse that they are using an ingredient in an IPA that is traditionally used in a Stout? Thats the message I am getting.

This beer is probably the freshest off the line IPA I have had to date. It is released in early June, and I am drinking it only a few weeks after it came off the line. My nostrils are getting mauled by hop aroma. There are a lot of aggressive flavors going on here. Lots and lots of hops, a pretty even mix between citrus and pine flavors. A lot of malt, but man these hops are viscous. So bitter I can literally feel it in my chest. There is no way I would have known there was lactose in this unless you told me. Mouthfeel is a bit on the heavy side. I know most people love their IPA/DIPAs fresh, but the hops in this were just to pungent for me. I think if I were to drink this in August, I might have liked it a bit more.

Picture of the day: True example of fair play.

Beer 214/365 – Stone Ruination IPA

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 7.70%

Purchased at: Vintage Estate – Boardman OH

What makes this beer different:

Will I be drinking this again:

Grade: A-

6/10/2010: I know Stone is one of the most popular craft breweries around, but I actually haven’t had a lot of their beer. I had a traumatic experience with an arrogant bastard a few years back before I was into hops/strong beer. I made a vague generalization that all Stone beers had to be strong and hoppy, which of course is not the case. Now that I am a bit more edumacated on the subject, I am going to give a lot more Stone Brew a chance.

Ruination is pretty damn pungent smelling. Lots of hops going on here, and honestly I can’t pick out the exact variations but it smells pretty fruity. This is one of the most intensely hoppy beers I have ever had, yet its not overpowering. The combination of hops are in your face, without being overly bitter; very well done. The malt is a bit subdued for my taste, but it doesn’t matter much because I am really enjoying the hops going on. The mouthfeel is the real winner here, so creamy and smooth with just enough carbonation.

Picture of the day: I love soccer, still play every Tuesday, but wow the diving that goes on these days is unreal.

Beer 206/365 – Surly Abrasive

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 9.0%

Purchased at: An extra in a trade.

What makes this beer different: Very crisp for an Imperial IPA

Will I be drinking this again: I have two more cans so yes.

Grade: A

6/2/2010: Anyone who has been reading this site for awhile knows I love canned beer, and many people think that Surly makes the best canned beer around. I actually ended up getting a ton of Surly in a few different trades, Cynic Ale, Furious, Bender, and Coffee Bender. No Darkness just yet! Would love to get my hands on some though. I actually had plans on drinking all 5 all in a row, but this was the only beer I had cold in the cooler when I arrived in Ocean City for vacation, so for times sake I just cracked this open at 1am.

Abrasive Ale smells very very “tropical” for an IPA, almost sweet. The flavor is just like I like an Imperial IPA to be, almost a perfect split between hops and malt. The hops are very very tropical tasting, citrus and pineapple. This beer is very drinkable, the mouthfeel is a bit heavy/sticky but helps support all the flavor going on here. The fruity flavor becomes more prominent towards the last 1/3 of the beer. Very impressed with my first beer from the state of 10,000 lakes. I hope the rest are just as good.

Picture of the day: Oh the difference a pair of glasses can make.