Squall IPA - Dogfish Head Brewery

zhooker

New York

4.4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml champagne bottle to a pilsener style glass. At first, I am very surprised how translucent and relatively clear the beer is, given the all-caps "unfiltered, unfettered" plastered on the beautifully (if a bit crowded) designed label. The color sits somewhere near the halfway point between amber and golden -- copper maybe. Lots of bubbles clinging to the glass, about a finger of head forms, with little lacing but excellent legs as I sip away.

The most distinctive aspect of this beer might be the nose on it. It is, as advertised, "pungent." The smell is complex and after 7 or 8 attempts to peg exactly what it is I am smelling, I'm just going to go with a "citrus spiciness." If I had a little better spice palate I'd elaborate; maybe I will give it another try 20 or 30 reviews later. It is a deep citrus scent whose acidity has been toned down by the addition of slightly sweet, cinnamon-esque spices. I have no doubt the sextet of hops added post-boil are what is confusing my nose at the moment.

At the first few sips I thought the taste really paled in comparison to the aroma, in terms of complexity. This surely doesn't feel like an Imperial IPA; only moderate hoppy bitterness. It is slightly sweet, and the citrus tones from the nose remain in the taste. Surprisingly smooth. Much more drinkable than the DFH 90 and 120 Minute IPAs, as fun as those two are. It opens up a lot as it warms, and some of that complexity from the nose returns. This is a challenging and complex IPA that can under no circumstances be summed up with the word "hops."

Following that comment, the mouthfeel of the beer is greatly improved by the lack of overwhelming bitterness. When your mouth is taken over by one flavor -- say the bitterness of hops -- it becomes really difficult to locate other flavors. Your tongue and cheeks feel raw, violated. Squall avoids that, and this is a good thing. A sweetness and crispness remain throughout the glass (or two or three).

Overall, I would hope more Double/Imperial IPAs go in the direction this brew takes. The "ri-donk-ulous amount of hops during dry-hopping" (from Sam C's video on the DFH page) come through not in an overwhelming bitterness but a complexity of flavor. Wow, apparently my "hophead" days are nearing their end. Try a bottle of this, if you can get your mitts on one!

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2010 19:13:03 | More by zhooker

doremite

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -10.3%

06-13-2013 23:23:18 | More by doremite

MikeyJ777

New York

5/5  rDev +19.6%

05-31-2013 02:08:05 | More by MikeyJ777

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

4/5  rDev -4.3%

05-22-2013 03:22:51 | More by SmellsofMahagony

stanowsf

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

05-19-2013 20:20:29 | More by stanowsf

HinghamRick

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

05-19-2013 16:38:46 | More by HinghamRick

Photekut

Azerbaijan

3.75/5  rDev -10.3%

05-19-2013 16:32:29 | More by Photekut

jkane101

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

05-19-2013 02:39:09 | More by jkane101

megamass

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

05-18-2013 04:13:06 | More by megamass

Bonko_the_sane

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

05-13-2013 05:19:40 | More by Bonko_the_sane

twenty5

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

05-10-2013 18:00:39 | More by twenty5

blknikon

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

05-08-2013 19:32:35 | More by blknikon

tommyguz

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -22.2%

05-08-2013 02:53:17 | More by tommyguz

dalepryor

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

05-07-2013 22:16:13 | More by dalepryor

Kelp

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

04-23-2013 04:39:18 | More by Kelp

Skott1123

Ohio

5/5  rDev +19.6%

04-13-2013 17:03:58 | More by Skott1123

Seakyden

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

04-06-2013 14:59:37 | More by Seakyden

jono311

Louisiana

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

04-05-2013 16:58:46 | More by jono311

JohnK17

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -10.3%

03-20-2013 18:12:44 | More by JohnK17

leodarko

California

4/5  rDev -4.3%

03-20-2013 08:44:46 | More by leodarko

soze47

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

03-16-2013 14:31:38 | More by soze47

DaPan

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

03-12-2013 00:43:41 | More by DaPan

spycow

Illinois

4/5  rDev -4.3%

03-10-2013 19:11:09 | More by spycow

jlindsey

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

03-09-2013 05:26:13 | More by jlindsey

Danielr26

Michigan

4/5  rDev -4.3%

02-25-2013 23:50:12 | More by Danielr26