Abrasive Ale - Surly Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Fresh abrasive from John, brewed less than 2 weeks earlier. Wafts hops several feet. Light yellow with a big head. Big IBU. Good drinkability. Orange, tangerine, fantastic IPA, great hops. Slightly acidic, do not try to convert someone drinking Bud all night. Crazy great blend of hops.

Serving type: can

11-27-2012 14:38:14 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.83/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Terrifically turbid caramel-covered orange with juicy tangerine and mango highlights. The golden sandstone colored head isn't huge, but it oozes quality. The foam is firmly creamy and sticky, leading to both persistence and an extensive array of fine lace. This is a great looking DIPA.

The word 'great' applies to the aroma as well. The tropical fruitiness emanating from the glass tells me that Amarillo is the dominant hop (Warrior and Glacier are also present). An insane amount of hops and double dry-hopping just cannot be beat. Each sniff results in billowing clouds of orange, pink grapefruit and passionfruit. This should be yet another doozy from Surly.

Doozy is right! 16 Grit Ale may not be as abrasively hoppy as the name suggests, but then I've only just begun to gulp. This might be one of those DIPAs that is cumulatively hoppy and starts to strip tooth enamel after 16-20 ounces. 110 IBUs seems a tad high. On the other hand, it tastes and feels like abundant malt sugars are running interference and attempting to keep things balanced.

My preference is for DIPAs to have either no caramel malt or just a little. There's more than a little caramel-toffee flavor, but less than a lot. In the end, it works well in concert with the lusciousness of the hops, without overpowering them. The beer has 9.0% ABV power, even if the alcohol is barely appreciated on the palate. If that makes any sense.

As often happens, the flavor score has earned a bump near the bottom of the first glass. Warming is probably the reason why. The flavors are more intense and fit together even more seamlessly. This stuff is dangerously drinkable, as is most all Surly beer. Talk about liquid crack. Prediction: this will be one my 'top beers of 2009'. Easy call.

As the raging river of melted caramel solidifies the bottom end, an increasingly impressive hoppiness takes flight on the top end. Flavors mirror aromas, with juicy pineapple, orange zest and pink grapefruit being especially prominent. Maybe a little pine sap as well. Lawdy, lawdy, this big ol' hoppy ale is the cat's pajamas. It also comes in the best looking growler that I've ever seen.

The mouthfeel is pretty damn close to sheer perfection. It's lightly chewy, lightly sticky and moderately mouthcoating. I'm also pleased that the carbonation is laid back, yet insistent enough to provide lift and volume. Kudos to both the brewer (Todd) and the sender (Al).

The temperature outside was -16 degrees when I got up this morning. Coincidence? 16 Grit Ale is yet more proof that Surly can stand toe to toe with America's best breweries and not blink. This beer is a remarkable achievement and deserves to released each and every year. A million thanks to the felonious one for coming through again. Your generosity is humbling. Finally... hoppy birthday to me!

Serving type: growler

01-15-2009 15:52:04 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.63/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A ig thanks to the kind Midwest trader who was able to send this one down my way. I was thrilled to fianlly see it come fdwon adn very thankful to have been able to take part in this one. Served cold and poured into multiple pints, it was a privedge to be able to share this oen with Bill at Barleys last night. Consumed on 01.08.2009.

The pour was wonderful. Rich copper colored amber coming forward with a light haze to it. A huge billowing head of white foam came up over the top and settled down only lightly as we progressed. Lots of sticky lace moving up and down on the sides of the glass.

The aroma was loaded down with just tons of stick fresh hop notes. Big aroma here of tangerine and pineapple, very sweet with a light malt base just barely poking its head through to give it some sense of balance. Really very well done here I have to say. As the first sip comes across, the only thing that coems to mind is just how rediculously smooth this one is. Seriously, this is just insane it is soo good. Light enough to be quaffable, there was no sense of big alcohol here at all. Sticky, medium bodied ale was just the right amount of carbonation. Ripe, fresh hop flavors here, sweet candy like sugar dumped on top of the bitter pineapple and grapefruit liek taste, just soothed and mellowed right down to the last drop.

Overall I am very happy that Surly made this, and that I got to try it! One of the bestDIPA I have had, definitely one of the most drinkable. This is one to eek out for sure.

Serving type: growler

01-10-2009 01:20:59 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.55/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A big thanks to my homeboy Ben for hooking me up with some cans of this beast.

A: The beer is amber in color with great clarity and a massive cream colored head on top which sticks to the edge of the glass.

S: A hop bomb if I've ever smelled one! Very reminiscent of Sculpin's aromas. A ton of tropical fruit, especially pineapples and mangos along with plenty of juicy citrus. No malt to be found.

T: The sweet tropical fruits are really the main attraction here as well. The pineapple and mango provide a nice sweetness, along with some peaches. There is plenty of juicy grapefruit and pine on the finish to give the beer a great bitterness.

M: Medium in body with a low to moderate carbonation and a really crisp finish to the beer.

D: I say it everytime I have a Surly beer, and I'll say it again: awesome! These guys really have a good thing going and I'm glad to have some more of this one in the fridge.

Serving type: can

05-07-2010 02:17:24 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

NOTE: This review was merged from my original 16 Grit review.

On tap at Piece Pizza in Chicago.

A: Dark amber color with a good white head and some pretty good lacing.

S: Lots of hops of the citrus/tropical variety. A good, sweet malt backbone. Quite balanced in this regard.

T: Again, definitely balanced with some caramel, brown sugar, and perhaps the tiniest hint of molasses. This goes along with the overriding taste of citrus and tropical hops.

M: Pretty creamy and fairly heavy without too much alcohol.

D: Very drinkable. The complexity continues to invite sip after sip.

Serving type: on-tap

05-01-2009 13:26:51 | More by Thorpe429

brentk56

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Arrives at the bar with a clear burnt sienna color and a frothy head that sheets lacing down the sides of the glass

Smell: All matter of citrusy aromatics with tangerine being foremost

Taste: Citrusy grapefruit, up front, with plenty of tangerine sweetness in there as well; after the swallow, the beer builds in citrusy bitterness with plenty of sweet tangerine elements persisting into the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Wonderful citrus blend that makes this beer incredibly refreshing

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2009 03:25:20 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.33/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Canned on 1/12/12.

Pours a murky honey orange with a 1 inch foamy orange-white head that settles to a thin cap. Thick chunks of lace stick to the sides of the glass on the drink down. Smell is super hoppy: citrus zest/grapefruit, pine, and some earthy herbal aromas. Taste is of citrus zest, pine, and herbal hops, grapefruit, and a malt backbone on the finish. There is a mild bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp but slightly sticky mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good and very hoppy DIPA. However, the name is a bit misleading because I don't find anything abrasive about this beer.

Serving type: can

01-24-2012 02:33:46 | More by UCLABrewN84

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.22/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

An extremely flavorful hopped IPA with a candied citrus flavor balanced with light grasses and spruce. Still, the bittering is smooth and quite gentle.

The Abrasive Ale begins with a brightly colored medium copper glow. A basic white head forms on the beer from the steady stream of carbonation below. Retention is great along with lacing and mild legging. Only a slight haze keeps the beer from complete brightness.

Vibrant aromas orange peel, ruby red grapefruits, lemon grass, pineapple, and other tropical/citrus fruits all dominate the nose of the beer in smooth and mouth-watering fashion. A subtle yet firm maltiness hides in the shadows and only provides the structure for the otherwise hop-strong aromas.

Flavors are once again dominated by hops- all of the tropical-citrus-resiny goodness displaed in the nose manifest well in taste as well. The confectionary malts act as if the hops were drenched in a sugary glaze and then consumed. Confectioner's sugar and mild kettle caramelization may be the only nod to malt sweetness. Decorated my rosey esters and a sweeter nail polish remover alcohol give added depth and power to the already aggressive beer. Still, the bitterness and harshness on the throat remain moderate and reasonable.

Creamy up front, the beer transitions evenly into a fleeting malt but aggagerated hoppy finish. The more and more the malts fade, the more dryness and alcohol warmth come into play. Eventually the beer ends with a malty-dry texture with the aftertaste of citrus and grassy hops.

Looking at the mostly clear beer, I can't help to think that this beer has been (at least) course-filtered. I would like to try it in its unadulturated form.

Thanks again Chickdighops!

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2010 03:36:52 | More by BEERchitect

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a glass mug.

Thanks to VDubb86 via hannydawg for sharing this can!

I'm glad to be trying this brew having heard such great things about it from everyone else. it pours a mostly clear sunrise amber topped by a finger of slightly off-white foam. The nose comprises onion, strong mint, parsley, and some light caramel basking in the background. The taste holds notes of orange peel, cilantro, very light onion, black pepper, greens, very light caramel, light pine, and light mint. The body straddles the line between heavy light and light medium, with a mild carbonation and a dry, sticky finish. Overall, a very nice DIPA. It's a bit unbalanced toward the hops, but it never becomes o'erwhelming in that direction.

Serving type: can

03-21-2011 02:33:28 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Filled just over an hour ago, ready to enter my awaiting Surly pint glass. I've been waiting a long time for a Surly DIPA, so glad the chose one as a final shebang for growler sales at the brewery!

Pours a hazed and honeyed amber, just shy of a blooming red, small but sufficient creamy head on top.

Smelling it: gorgeous bitter hop nose, but still a sweetness below, honey mixed with citrus fruit, tangerine and grapefruit, beautifully balanced. This is big, but no brute.

Tasting it: Climbs on board the mouth and takes control, move over, 16 Grit is here...sits down and starts to shine...Again, a blast of bitter that really floods the mouth, thrills the senses and drips down to enter other cavities and creep alongside oft neglected corridors. Fiercely wondrous hoppitude, not brutal, not punishing, just brilliant.

Medium to full bodied, long, ever-lasting finish, stays a good spell on the tongue, the sides, the roof of the mouth...lingers in the nostils, hangs in the back of the throat...feels strong, but not too...8%...I wouldn't doubt 10, though...hops are so huge in this...an utter delight.
They must have used a massive amount of malt, as well, because the enormous hop content is well-matched by the juicy, sweet malt.

Great job, this is an excellent ale.
Hope to see something similar in kegs and cans soon!

Hint, hint. Todd...

Serving type: growler

12-27-2008 21:27:20 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a can into a tulip glass. Thanks kbutler1 for the 4 pack, you are the man.

Beer is amber and clear (nice) with a monster white / yellow head of medium and large bubbles that leaves a monster amount of lacing on the glass. Carbonation is criminally low though...

Aroma is ridiculously hoppy. Lots of nice plne hops in there. Smells great.

Lots of body in this one. Some malt in the for front. Not quite what I was expecting, I'll take another taste, sweetness up front and a strong bitterness in the back. Beer is pretty good. There isn't much happening in the front of the palate. Overall its a pretty good but not as good as I hoped.

Serving type: can

05-09-2010 03:34:50 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to chewy08rx for sending this extra can from my want list.

The beer pours a yellow color with a white head. The aroma screams Double IPA. I get a ton of resiny and pine hops, as well as some orange citrus and something that resembles cat piss - but in a very good way. Definitely a funky, hoppy DIPA.

The flavor is similar and just as good. I get a lot of orange citrus hop notes as well as some pine notes. The flavor is not quite as dank as the aroma, but it is still a ridiculous hop bomb. There is a bit of a biscuit malt backbone, but this beer is all about the hops. Medium bitterness, but the bitterness is not overbearing.

Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. An outstanding Double IPA. One of the best I have been fortunate enough to drink.

Serving type: can

12-31-2010 20:19:27 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.85/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A - Poured out a clear, golden orange color with a small, off-white head of bubbly foam. Nice head retention that left behind thick, sticky, rings of lace.

S - Great aroma. Grapefruit, other tropical fruits, bubblegum and pine. There was a mild caramel aroma, too.

T - This is was an Imperial IPA should taste like. Bitter, spicy hops with fruity kicks of grapefruit and orange. Some pine. Burnt toast maltiness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and finished dry. A medium bodied beer that hides it alcohol content.

D - This is delicious. Worth the price in every way.

Serving type: can

01-17-2011 13:29:47 | More by zeff80

MasterSki

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Dan for snagging a few of these when they briefly hit the shelves. This is my last one. Served in a Kuhnhenn tulip. Some comments are cribbed from my growler review.

A - A finger of off-white foam appeared leaving some nice lacing, and a few bubbles starting rising to the top of the glass. The color is a hazy dark orange color. It doesn't have as much of the reddish tinge that 16 Grit did.

S - Loaded with fresh citrus hop flavor - grapefruit, tangerine, clementine and a touch of lemon - but also rich in sweet candied pineapple. A little more toasted malt character in the cans.

T - This stuff is pure juice - like fresh ripe grapefruits that I just picked off the tree in Florida and squeezed by hand into a glass and mixed with fresh cane sugar. Pretty fierce bitterness pops up after a few sips and lingers well into the aftertaste.

M - Incredibly resiny, and good thickness and viscosity. I can imagine hop juice coating the inside of my mouth. It's also a little warming from the high ABV. The carbonation is a little more zingy than the growler I had, but it's still quite pleasant.

D - Other than the fact that a couple glasses will leave me under the table, this is incredibly drinkable. No overwhelming bitterness, booziness, bloatiness - just deliciousness!

Well - I asked and Surly delivered. Not quite as awesome as the first batch of 16 Grit, but still a highly enjoyable and delicious DIPA. Hope some kegs roll down to Chicago.

Serving type: can

05-03-2010 20:40:19 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A solid pour into my large Tripel Karmeliet tulip produces a three-finger thick, pale tan colored head. The beer is a fairly clear, copper-amber color that does show a touch of haze (hop-haze one would hope). The aroma is awesomely dank with hops; an infused mix of bright citrus, pine, tropical fruit and herbaceous dank bud. The bright tropical fruit character mixes so well with the dank herbal quality that it makes me think of some, as yet undiscovered, cross between a tropical fruit and a really ripe, green marijuana bud. Specific aromas of tangelo zest, essential citrus oil, big lychee, kumquat, super-concentrated floral peach, some sort of citrusy almost garlic like note, peppery pine sap and a dank menthol note; up front the super ripe, tropical fruit character dominates, while in the finish the herbaceous, even at times peppery, notes come to the fore. Over time the garlic chive like aromatic note starts to come more to the fore and a spicy, slightly hot note of alcohol also starts to contribute to the nose.

Not as sweet as I was expecting, if it wasn't for the huge tropical fruit component the flavor might even be somewhat dry. Up front a ripe, tropical fruit note contributes flavors of lychee, kumquat, floral peach nectar and blended tangerine zest juice. Through the middle the hop notes contribute solid menthol notes, herbal, sometimes rosemary like (though not so distinctly), the flavors one gets by chewing on fresh pine needles and flavors reminiscent, though not overwhelmingly so, of garlic chives. The bitterness is not overly aggressive here, but it does linger on the palate after the beer has left. The bitterness is quit clean and crisp in quality; this is a bit surprising given how herbaceous and dank the aroma was, though there is some lingering herbal notes here as well. The tropical fruit character blends with the herbal notes towards the finish to create a flavor that reminds me a bit of fruity onions or perhaps garlic, this character is fairly slight, but definitely noticeable and not all that objectionable. This is quite quaffable as the body on this beer is on the light side from your typical Double IPA (many of which are much too cloying); there is enough texture for this to have some palate clinging viscosity, but the herbal and bitter hop notes do a good job of balancing that out. As the beer warms a bit some hotter, spicier notes of alcohol start to influence the flavor.

I would definitely like to get a fresh off the canning line version of this beer, but this is still quite fresh and vibrantly hoppy. Given that this is at least a month old at this point, it is lasting pretty well in the can; I would guess that it holds up better than Pliny does in its bottle. I am not sure that I like this more than fresh Pliny though, it has a bit too much garlic chive flavor and aroma to it (thought thankfully this is held to a low enough level that I am still thoroughly enjoying this beer).

Serving type: can

01-31-2011 14:29:39 | More by Gueuzedude

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A very big thanks to Billakowski for sending me this one. Opened this one up and poured it out to see it's beautiful clear golden color. The head was big and foamy with a nice white color. The smell of this beer was very nice, I loved the hoppy aroma of this beer. The taste was awesome too, there was a big bitterness in there and then deep in the aftertaste I was picking up a honey like flavor. The mouthfeel was smooth and gently carbonated. Overall I thought this beer was awesome. I look forward to having more from Surly one day.

Serving type: can

03-13-2012 04:12:45 | More by Knapp85

emerge077

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Served in a 10 oz. snifter @ an undisclosed location. Thanks to scubarex for the tip, and autumnaldave for the hookup!

Bright orange body with slight reddish tint. Sticky cap of foam that clings well to the glass. Pungent and resiny hop aroma. Very citrus forward, and dank like the funky stuff in Snoop's pipe. If I had to guess i'd say Amarillo due to the heavy citrus. Body was a little light, with more balanced maltiness than expected. Tasted like Flossmoor IPAs that use Golden Promise malt. Firm pine bitterness, with some florals mixing in. Dry finish, with a tiny bit of sweetness that helps to savor it. Really nice hop showcase in this balanced DIPA.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2009 15:30:59 | More by emerge077

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Cool, I get to be the 10th review. Thanks to kroggdawg for sharing his growler. Frankly, I've gotten tired of imperial this and double that lately, but this beer rocked. It was complex in flavor, yet drinkable for the average hophead and still something different. It seems like most brewer just throw the C-hops (cascade, chinook, centennial, etc) at their DIPAs and let er' rip. This can make a good DIPA, but I've have enough of those.

Right off the bat this beer reminds me of Orange rum and then once I ponder the flavors, I realize it's similar to Surly's delicious Bitter Brewer. Orange citrus hops are the big flavor and aroma note for me in what is a surprisingly appropriately balanced DIPA. There are more pine and grapefruit in the background with subtle cinnamon spices and a very slight vanilla note. Jesus, this is good. I know I'm not the first or last person to say this, but I wish there was more of this beer. Easily one of my favorite DIPAs, better than Pliny the Elder even. If you can ever find this baby, drink it before someone else does.

Serving type: growler

12-31-2008 06:59:25 | More by tempest

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer is a nice super drinkable pounder can double IPA, and I've never had one in this format. I love the can art made by ball corporation, many local friends work for them in Weirton, WV. Pours a pale amber copper hue with a light colore billowing off white head, fine even lacing traces the sides of my nonic pint glass. Aroma is full of vegetal, onion/garlic spiciness. I can only guess that there's Summit hops in here with the taste I'm getting. The flavor is nice, this beer was canned on 12/14/11 we're talking super fresh. No abv or IBU info on the can, I find that hard to believe. They so proudly offered up 6.2% abv ad 99 IBUs on the Furious can, why not the abrasive ale. Alcohol is evident especially as it warms, it doesn't ruin the experience it is just there. Overall a very special DIPA in the can, my first experience with this style in that format. Surly is brave, and somewhat abrasive, but I enjoyed this beer carbonation is sturdy and body is full with resinous oils in the mix.

Serving type: can

12-24-2011 19:05:15 | More by WVbeergeek

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.33/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a nice, deep golden color with good carbonation leaving some nice white foam, bubbles and lacing

S: We passed the can around and all took a big whiff. I picked up loads of tropical fruits, pine needles

T: I got pine needles upfront with some pine llingering on the back as well but there ius a nice tropical fruit presence which is very nice.It tasted very fresh and top notch.

M: Medium body, very tasty, not much on the slick side which is nice.

O: This is a very good IIPA but it falls short of famed and beloved Dreadnaught on taste and balance.

Serving type: can

01-29-2012 15:59:26 | More by barleywinefiend

Wasatch

Utah

4.83/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks goes out to luxbwin for this brew.

Canned On: 02/07/11

Poured into a Surly glass a very nice cloudy golden orange color, very nice carbonation, with a very nice thick/creamy one-finger plus off-white head, lots of thick/creamy sticky lacing left behind. The nose is hoppy, with some nice sweet malt notes, lots of citrus, and a nice touch of pine. The taste is awesome, very hoppy, with a nice blend of malts for sweetness, citrusy. Medium Body, with a nice dry/bitter finish. Very Drinkable, this has got to be one of the best DIPAs have had to date. Thanks Luc!

Serving type: can

03-26-2011 19:38:52 | More by Wasatch

mdfb79

New York

4.28/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16 oz. can into my SN 30th Anniversary tulip. Received as an extra in a trade with cope0021, thanks!

a - Pours a red-amber color with two inches of white head with nice rentention and lacing. Moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of citrus hops, some sweet fruits, oranges, and smooth malts.

t - Tastes of sweet fruits, pineapples, oranges, citrus hops, pine hops, bready malts. Quite enjoyable.

m - Medium body and low carbonation, very smooth.

d - I thought this was a very enjoyable DIPA, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. There was a lot more sweet fruit smell and taste to it than I was expecting, and not nearly as much bitterness as I was expecting with a name like Abrasive. Great feel to it and could not tell it was 9% ABV. Would have again.

Serving type: can

04-30-2010 21:51:59 | More by mdfb79

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks a ton to grub for this one. Waited a couple months for it, but finally here, YAY! Tall boy cans, gotta love em.

Pours a nice fluffy 1 finger head that fades at a medium pace with a bit of lacing over slightly hazy orange nectar colored beer.

Nose is wafting out awesomeness, pure hops, tons of citrus and tropical fruits, tangerine, light orange, bit of grapefruit, almost peach like, a light sweet toasty malt underneath it, some nice piny aromas as well, some sweet almost malty sugar base, nice balance.

Taste brings wondrous hops again, loaded with fruits, tropical fruits, nectarine, tangerine, light grapefruit, orange, citrus, some pine, fairly bitter but not crazy bitter. A decent malt base supports all the great hops, nice fairly sweet malts, a bit gritty as well. Finishes a bit more bitter as the bitterness ramps up a bit, fairly dry finish to juxtapose the sweet initial taste, tons of lingering citrus, tropical fruit, some pine, lots of nice hops. Booze is hidden pretty well, just a touch of a warming.

Mouth is medium bodied, a bit "abrasive" feeling, with decent carbonation.

Overall great beer, delicious hops, pine, tropical fruits, citrus, great nose, nice malty balance, fairly sweet to start and drier finish, booze is hidden well.

Serving type: can

04-22-2011 00:22:26 | More by jlindros

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft at Hopleaf...
Appears a hazy orange toned amber with a small white head of foam that quickly fades into a silky ap and collar. Tubular lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of heavy citrus with orange peel, flowers, and a touch of caramel.
Taste is of the aromas with some orange blossom honey notes and "abrasive" notes of hers and cut wood in the finish.
Mouthfeel is full bodied, herbal, and chewy with heavy hop syrup.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2010 23:36:15 | More by weeare138

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

16 oz can into a tulip glass. Canned on 12/27/10. Huge thanks to joshuaseresse for hooking me up with some of these. You da' man Josh!

Pours a slightly hazed golden copper, with 2 robust fingers of off-white frothy head. This retains with a thin creamy film that flares up to a rich ½ finger and throws a foamy cascade of lacing that hangs in spotty swathes down the sides of the glass. The aroma is floral and spicy, with a vibrant smelling blend of grapefruit, pine, and citrus peel, which cuts across the nostrils like a knife. This flavorful sharpness is tempered by notes of juicy tropical sweetness and malty notes of sticky caramel and fresh biscuits. This is just so fresh and forceful in the nose. Awesome!

The taste is so well balanced here, with hops that prickle the tongue with grapefruit, resins, and earthy rind but are far from overly bitter, thanks to a wave of balancing force from notes of juicy fruit, caramel, and bread, which drench the back of the palate with a ripe sticky sweetness. This sweetness carries over to the finish a bit and keeps it from being harsh, as there is a fair amount of trailing grapefruit pith and dry pine that lingers. The mouthfeel is fuller bodied, with a soft creaminess and oiliness to the feel that keeps this surprisingly gentle in the mouth despite the overall heftiness here. There is still some sharpness present though, which helps accentuate those full hop flavors. Holy shit, is that 9% ABV just beautifully hid here or what? Not one speck of alcohol is picked up anywhere in this beyond the overall size of the body. Just fantastic!

I originally had a growler of this (as 16 Grit) almost exactly 2 years ago and finding me back with this beer was like reuniting with an old friend. Wow, is this DIPA full flavored, well balanced, and deceptively drinkable for the size. I honestly think that I enjoyed this even more the second time around with it. There are a LOT of fantastic examples of the style out there right now but this one definitely stands tall. It's definitely the best example of a DIPA in a can anyway!

Serving type: can

01-11-2011 17:46:19 | More by Kegatron