Sierra Nevada Hoptimum Imperial IPA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

dciBA

Maine

4.63/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours amber from the oversized bomber into my SN hop leaf glass. Thin white head forms and lingers for the life of the beer.

Big hoppy smells in the nose. Spicy, piny, fruity, citrus, this runs the gambit of hop smells. Just the kind of smell I want in a DIPA

Taste is predictably hoppy. This one is kind of weird in that the sweet caramel malt is what you taste initially but quickly your palate is assaulted with hops. The fruity hops dominate the flavor, but plenty of citrus and pine as well.

Mouthfeel is amazing with this beer. Tons of hop resin coats your palate after each sip. A solid amount of bitterness leaves your tongue tingling as well. The ABV is very well hidden in the taste. Goes down really well for a 10 percenter but it becomes a sipper quite fast.

Overall a great beer from Sierra Nevada. I hate making comparisons to other beers in my reviews but this tastes a lot like Celebration and Torpedo combined and then turbocharged.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2011 00:52:05 | More by dciBA

tswater

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

05-18-2013 14:17:27 | More by tswater

Hobo

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -4.3%

05-18-2013 12:32:13 | More by Hobo

megamass

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

05-18-2013 05:54:59 | More by megamass

Joey1566

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -4.3%

05-18-2013 02:47:22 | More by Joey1566

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.26/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 12oz bottle into HF tulip. Purchased single at Total Wine in Norwalk, CT for $2.50. Pours an amber orange with sticky lacing but not much head - but can be expected for such a big ABV. Nice resinous pine and bready malt aroma...some sweetness. Taste is fantastic. Sweet piney bready...wow really amazing. Its so smooth for the abv..I mean scary smooth. Its almost a chugger. Its rare to come across a beer that is so smooth at such a high abv. Really a fantastic DIPA/strong ale. Serious deal for this brew at $2.50!!! I recommend this for anyone looking for a great amazing hop flavor without a huge mouth puckering bitterness...

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 02:34:51 | More by DrinkSlurm

beertardis

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev -4.3%

05-18-2013 01:46:04 | More by beertardis

AGoodStout

Kansas

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%

05-18-2013 01:45:58 | More by AGoodStout

SixBitsKyle

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -16.3%

05-18-2013 00:52:43 | More by SixBitsKyle

KeyWestGator

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

05-18-2013 00:18:43 | More by KeyWestGator

jkrug5

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

05-17-2013 22:26:10 | More by jkrug5

gavjamhawk

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -4.3%

05-17-2013 21:19:29 | More by gavjamhawk

cbord459

New York

5/5  rDev +19.6%

05-17-2013 17:20:00 | More by cbord459

Xzfgiimtsath

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

05-17-2013 12:44:18 | More by Xzfgiimtsath

kirchy

New York

4/5  rDev -4.3%

05-17-2013 03:16:19 | More by kirchy

highdesertdrinker

Arizona

4.11/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance-
A pretty golden orange with nice head and carbonation. Moderate lacing.
Smell-
Hops and pine with a slight waft of grapefruit.
Taste-
Pretty much like the smell with a huge burst of hops, dank with pine, then more hops and pine with an undercurrent of grapefruit, and then it mellows out a little in the middle where the malt and fruit flavors become more evident and then a hoppy, spicy, boozy finish.
Mouthfeel-
Medium, chewy, resiny, and a little dry.

This is a hop bomb but it also has balance and flavor that makes it drinkable but it is not for beginners or non hopheads. Sierra Nevada does a solid job as usual.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 03:01:19 | More by highdesertdrinker

Mortarforker

Texas

4/5  rDev -4.3%

05-17-2013 01:27:32 | More by Mortarforker

JuniperJesus

Illinois

4/5  rDev -4.3%

05-16-2013 23:55:01 | More by JuniperJesus

vancean2

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

05-16-2013 22:35:21 | More by vancean2

LambicKing

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

05-16-2013 22:08:53 | More by LambicKing

rlee1390

Indiana

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-A clear golden orange with about one finger head, some lacing

S-Hops. Some More Hops. Citrus flavors as well. Very grass and pine heavy.

T-Starts sweet and citrusy. Has a strong earthy pine note. Ends bitter, the bitterness lingers. This thing is a bitter bomb. Could be more balanced, but this beer delivers.

M-Smooth, much smoother than most DIPAs. Medium bodied.

D-Very drinkable, maybe too drinkable for a DIPA. Downed the entire bottle in about an hour. Maybe should have savored it a little more but damn to was tasty and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 19:24:46 | More by rlee1390

rkcrozier

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

05-16-2013 11:25:01 | More by rkcrozier

EdwardFortyHands

Iowa

3.25/5  rDev -22.2%

05-16-2013 05:08:05 | More by EdwardFortyHands

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

2013 12oz brown bottle, poured into snifter. Golden orange-yellow with a medium white head. Smell is floral and piney hops, spicy alcohol and sweet fruit as it warms. Taste is sweet and thick up front, bitter hops on the finish. A relatively heavy DIPA, even as American IPAs go. Still delicious by my account.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 04:48:19 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

elec

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -4.3%

05-16-2013 04:04:50 | More by elec