IPA2 (Double India Pale Ale) - Sprecher Brewing Company

blackcompg

Illinois

3/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from their 12oz bottle -

Appearance - Pours a quick finger of offwhite eggshell foam, dissipates pretty quickly. Color is a hazy orange amber. Whoah - there is a ton of sediment floating around in here, and a storm of effervescense, we're talking large pieces here, like seeing debris in a tornado video - seems a bit odd, and seems to be too much.

Smell - Orange, mango and tropical, and then some floral pollen, and maybe even a slight chalky smell. Also starts to heat up towards the end, could be better balanced at 7.7%.

Taste - Taste is very heavy on the floral hops, clover and pollen, there is some light tropical and orange flavors in the background here too. About halfway through the sip a chalky dryness and some grapefruit pith and bitter floral begins to assert itself.

Mouthfeel - Almost medium mouthfeel, slight creamy smoothness, carb is just below medium, drinks easily, and is on the slick side.

Overall - Really not a bad dipa, very heavily floral, seems a bit one sided though. Also a bit unbalanced, you can really start to pick up the alcohol halfway through. If you like floral ipa's oyu may want to try this, otherwise I can't recommend this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 03:44:21 | More by blackcompg

rajendra82

Georgia

3.59/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

The beer looked clear in the mug, with light copper colored body, and a head that was a little thicker than the width of one finger. The smell was very mild for the style with a herbal-spicy hop smell followed by carbonation smell. The initial taste was quite spicy and resinous with notes of chill pepper, ginger, and cinnamon, but it also suffered from a metallic tinge. This was followed by a honey like sweetness, and the finish was a little floral. The mouthfeel was harsher than I like, and the alcohol was weirdly hot for a beer that was under 8% ABV. Overall misses the mark for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 03:35:17 | More by rajendra82

maximum12

Minnesota

3.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Another six-ounce taster at the Wisconsin Dells Sprecher Brewpub. I wish every place in the world had six-ounce tasters.

Shows up darker in color than expected, nearly the same dark red that my scotch ale is, same low carbonation. Nose isn't much to speak of: mild grain, malt. Hops? Nah.

IPA2 should be renamed MALTPA2, because there are scant discernable hops. Big, sweet, light malt bite right up front. trailed by a warm graininess, cracker, & a scamper of hops right at the end. But they're really lost in the malts.

IIPA to me means I'm looking for hop penetration, not a chaste hop peck on the cheek, which is what this brew delivers. Decent enough, but not something I'd need to have again.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 14:23:59 | More by maximum12

JackieTH

Minnesota

3.43/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled as part of a flight at Sprecher's Restaurant in Wisconsin Dells. Pour was orange-amber with a smallish head, leaving decent lacing. Smell was quite faint overall with barely detectable elements of orange, resin and grassy spice. Taste was more citrus pith flavor, with moderate bitterness. Some underlying tropical elements, but these were faint. Not a basketful of mangos unfortunately. Mouthfeel was medium, not as creamy as I would have liked. Overall has some beginnings of good flavor, but is fairly one dimensional. Smell is especially weak.

Serving type: on-tap

09-04-2012 16:09:19 | More by JackieTH

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.05/5  rDev -38.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Purchased from Mondo Vino in Denver on a whim. Hey, I know this beer ain't great, but memories and all. . .

Tons of yeastie floaties all over this. Immediately wondering how old this stuff is. Really a huge negative on the appearance, ugh. Smell was bitter, but far from hoppy.

Taste was bitter and far from hoppy. Hot alcohol heat, maltyness all over it. This was as a dipa, anything but what I look for. Sprecher makes lots of good beers, but hoppy ones ain't their strong part by any stretch of the imagination. There's some caramel, I guess the malt body for this is just fine. But that isn't what brings me to the dance.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 16:46:34 | More by Beerandraiderfan

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-cloudy dark orange with a thin light tan head

S-bitter grains and spearmint. Not the best of smells. Herbal and strong

T-comes in with a decently bitter and herbal/grainy flavor. The taste is actually a lot better than the nose lets on. There is still an odd hint of spearmint in the after-taste. It's subtle but there. 

M-medium creamy carbonation with a good creamy finish

O-it's actually a decent beer, though it doesn't compare to the better double IPAs. It has an easy going flavor that lets it be a fine drinker.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 03:03:32 | More by AdamBear

jsulko

Illinois

3.03/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle poured into a tulip glass

Pours a dark copper color, slightly cloudy with a thick slightly off white head.

Smell is very sweet and malty with a hint of pine.

Taste is piney and sweet carmel. Finish dominated by the pine.

A very meh DIPA. Many better options in my area.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 03:32:25 | More by jsulko

soulfly1492

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aroma: Nice balance of hops and malts. Hops are citrus and floral. Malts are caramel and Munich. Some alcohol.

Appearance: Pours a huge light tan head. Lots of lacing and impressive retention. Deep gold with orange highlights. Lots of small and very large particles in suspension.

Taste: Citrus, resinous hops followed by sweet caramel malt. The hops pack a punch at the start but then the resinous hop flavor slowly fades away, never quite leaving.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body. Chunky thanks to the large particles which I can actually detect on my tongue. Mild carbonation.

Overall: Impressed. A bit mild for an IPA, but definitely intense hops flavor nicely balanced by bold sweet malts.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 01:40:24 | More by soulfly1492

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes.

A. Clear deep coppery amber in color with a large voluminous three finger foamy head with fantastic retention time of several minutes plus and large clumps of sticky lacing left behind. Textbook presentation!

S. Caramel malt and light pine resin, some citric peel and very faint booziness which only appeared for me once the glass had been given a chance to warm up somewhat towards room temperature.

T. More subdued and gentle pine, grassy herbal, and citric peel hopping in almost perfect balance with a rich caramel malt. It's good, but its not an IPA 'squared', its more like the British idea of a single IPA than the American notion of a hyper IPA.

M. Highly carbonated on a body that sits at the lighter end of the medium body spectrum. Crisp and dry finish is done pretty well, but I had expected a hell of a lot more imbalance in favor of the hopping on this one.

Overall, I'm not sure why this beer is labeled as an "IPA squared". In my book, it classifies as an English-style single IPA with the subdued hopping and malt balance. However, it was almost to be expected from a brewery that excels (and even specializes, some might argue) at making German styles of beers; that their idea of an amplified IPA would come across as an English IPA. Its almost like the brewery was so European in character that they just couldn't help it.

Unfortunately, I have to judge this beer as an American IPA because that is how the brewery has chosen to market the beer, and that ultimately ended up being the most significant detriment to my scoring. It's not a bad beer, it was just...marketed as a different style than what it actually is.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 00:27:09 | More by WastingFreetime

barnzy78

Illinois

2.53/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle, new label and bottle size intrigued me to try a single bottle. Pours orange-amber with a fluffy off-white head, plenty of carbonation, good retention, and leaves decent lacing on the glass. Aromas were bile, herbal hops, and faint pine cleaner: not so pleasant, made me scared to try it. Tastes were definitely odd: medicinal, earthy bitter herbal hops, pine cleaner, evergreen, sour grapefruit, soap, biscuity malt; finishes bitter and dry with a reminiscence of rubbing alcohol or cheap hard liquor perhaps. Mouth-feel is medium, but the astringency on the finish is pretty wild. Overall, one of the worst DIPA's I've had. It's still beer, and I'll drink it, but unfortunately it's just not very good.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 23:57:37 | More by barnzy78

ChadQuest

Illinois

2.63/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Color is a orange body with a thing ring and sudsy lacing.
Aroma is not jumping out much, subdued nose of biscuit and C hops.
Flavors are dull citrus and orange from the hops mostly, a bit of evergreen and pine, a dry caramel and toast.
Mouthfeel is more full bodied then i like for a IPA, low carb.

not bad, but below average for sure.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 02:21:03 | More by ChadQuest

DesMoinesMike

Iowa

3.43/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy copper color and so much foam it overflowed my pint glass. The aroma is fruity with a hint of pine. The taste I was confused on. It has elements of fruit, pine, and floral, a bit tart but has an earthiness I thought was misplaced, like it didn't belong or should be reduced. The body is good and that earthiness remains on the tongue for a long time. I would say there are few better DIPAs out there like the almighty Hopslam, but there are many worse.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 04:54:00 | More by DesMoinesMike

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

IPA2 (Double India Pale Ale)
Sprecher Brewing Company

Bottle States ABV @ 7.72%

Pours a mostly clear deep orange/copper color with a chill haze and topped with a pillowy foam. Lots of lace documents each sip in hop oil. Smells of floral, earthy, herbal hops and bready malts. In the taste, earthy and wood tone flavor from the hops, mild grapefruit and some pine. Solidly bitter, with oily resins sticking to the palette. The malt body gives off a fair amount of sweetness in a caramel and biscuit fashion. A decent balance, but leaning toward the hoppy side. Alcohol is well disguised. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, crisp, with a good bite. Overall, a pretty solid "imperial" IPA, would certainly have again.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 03:25:36 | More by Stinkypuss

Pintofbrown

Iowa

3.68/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had this IPA2 in a pint glass. No readily noticeable freshness date on the bottle.

Appearance- One and a half finger of bright white foam. It is smooth and creamy, retaining well. There is a boat load of sheet lace with big bubbles popping.

The body is an amber-copper with golden highlights. This one is very hazy.

Smell- Tantalizingly sweet and a soft citrus scent comes through. Underneath the pineapple and passion fruit is an earthiness that adds some complexity to the nose.

Taste- Not much of the nose has transferred here. The earthiness and a booziness are the most noticeable flavors up front. Where did that nice, sweet, citrus quality go?

I supposed it comes out more in the mid drink and finish. Just a touch of that grapefruit and pineapple sticking to the roof of my mouth. There is also a little pepperiness mingling in the long finish. This needs to be sweeter and rocking more of the citrus.

This much booze is out of place on the palate.

Mouth feel- I enjoy the creaminess and smoothness of this beer. It goes down in score a little bit with that booziness.

Overall- Most important thing is the taste, and this one trips up a little bit. It is still a good double IPA, but there is just too much booze. And not enough sweet citrus to go around, it was all on the nose.

I would have it again, but ultimately, I am a little let down by this Sprecher offering.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 00:11:51 | More by Pintofbrown

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Damn had no idea this was a summer beer so it's at least 3 months old. Also my ABV is 7.72% listed on the bottle.

A - Looks like a very nice IPA. I get a nice light amber, clear in color (thankfully no sediment) and a 1/2 inch of sticky white head. Head could have been a bit more sticky with lacing.

S - Again very nice I get a strong earthy bitter hop profile very piney and a weak malt balance but it is there.

T - Wow it's old but it's still very bitter and piney. An assault of earthy pine bitterness which quickly rounds out a bit with a cracker like malt. Finish has some more bittering hops but I could use more floral hops...

M - Light to medium it was fairly easy to drink.

Overall I have had many other more balanced IPA's and a few other more balanced DIPA's. It's not bad just not worth a repeated purchase being .2% higher ABV than most stellar IPA's (Sculpin and Union Jack for example)

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 01:36:03 | More by DrDemento456

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Rogue Ale pint and the color is a cloudy orangeish with particles in suspension with an orangeish white head (1/4"). It doesn't hang around for long and leaves a ring around the glass and slides down as the brew is consumed. Kinda strange looking for an IPAx2.

The smell is earthy flowery hops and sweetish malts.

The flavor is sweetish malts and florally hops with the sweet just peaking through the hop bitterness, in fact the bitterness (which is light) is more evident in the throat than on the tongue.

I can't pick up any alcohol, so it is well hidden. It is medium to just a bit on the heavy side on the mouthfeel and lowish medium on the carbination.

This is not a bad brew, especially in spite of it's appearance; it's not great by any means, but it's not to bad. I'd think it was a B brew at best and it would take a alot of great Double IPA's to be out of stock before I would " Walk This Way" again. Cheers

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 09:19:04 | More by RedneckBeerz

Durge

Connecticut

3.1/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This big DIPA pours a clear but dark copper color into my glass with a big 3 finger head that relaxes into an creamy white-ish cover with very healthy lacing. The aroma includes lots of caramel and maple sweetness, herbal/Dr. Pepper nuances and butterscotch candy malt. It has some good qualities but together it seems a tad peculiar, almost like it's "turned" a bit, but I can't quite tell. Not bad really. With the first taste I can tell that the peculiar edge is probably just booziness which makes itself evident to the tongue. Again, this stuff is sweet caramel with sugary grain and a slight apricot/cherry fruit highlight. Perhaps a touch of bubblegum hop here and more buttery ideas. Can't help but think some of this is failed brewing while it may also be intended as it's not terrible by any means, just not real inviting to have repeat visits in my book. Body is about medium with a bit of cloying on the palate. A little heavy on the carbonation. Sweet and boozy would be my primary notes here. Definitely not a session brew, a little astringent I think. Not the best DIPA for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 04:24:59 | More by Durge

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy orange-ish color with an off white head. In the aroma, orange citrus and a small grapefruity note. In the taste, orange citrus, dry hops, and a small alcohol presence all the way through. A hop bite and medium to lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a small dry pine hop and alcohol in the aftertaste. Boozier than it really is, big hops and a lighter body.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 16:24:57 | More by OWSLEY069

Tilley4

Tennessee

3/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Picked up a single from the local bottle shop...

Very faded hop aromas and a sweet caramelly maltiness roll off of this beer... Wow... Candy sweet aromas here... Hops are floral in nature... Either this is way past its prime or this was a malt-forward DIPA to begin with...

Loads of sweet candy maltiness dominate here... Hops are way past their prime and very faded... Almost barleywine like... If this was a barleywine, it would be a pretty decent effort. As is, its a very mediocre attempt at a DIPA...

Not Sprecher's best effort here.... I will pass on this one in the future..

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 00:35:16 | More by Tilley4

titosupertramp

Tennessee

3.13/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

According to the Julian code, this was bottled on June 1st.

A: Golden orange colored, hazy with some floaties. Two fingers of off-white head..tons of texture. Loads of caked on lacing around the entire glass. Thick, foamy film with a good bit of larger bubbles.

S: Not too impressive. Hardly any hop presence. I understand this is going on 6 months old, but you'd hope for better than this from a DIPA. Sweet and toasted malts with what seems like citrus hops.

T: The taste is a little better, but the alcohol is much more present than you'd expect from sub-9% beer. Grapefruit citrus bitterness. Biscuity and toasted malts. Not half bad.

M: Medium bodied. Not much else I can say about this...well, the alcohol has a bit of an affect. Not so much of a burn..more like the sensation you get from a mild mouth wash.

O: If this was an English DIPA, I would rate it a little higher, but as is, this is a beer that should probably passed up.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 01:50:07 | More by titosupertramp

tomfneph

Kentucky

4.45/5  rDev +34.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer on tap at the Flying Saucer in Nashville, TN. It may be different from the bottled version.
The appearance was a nice honey amber color. The lacy head persisted throughout the pint.
Have you ever had Bluebird grapefruit juice in the can? If so then you know what this beer on draught smells and tastes like. I'm not talking about the sissy red, but the real old style white grapefruit. Add some alcohol and there you go. Nuff said. I like this, but if you don't like grapefruit you won't.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2011 04:59:39 | More by tomfneph

FanofHefe

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on-tap in a pint glass at the Broadway Brewhouse in Nashville. Hazy, copper-colored body with about a one- finger light tan head. Decent amount of lacing.

The aroma is light but definitely has citrus hop notes. A little sweet malt in the background.

The flavor is good and tasty. Solid citrus hop notes, leaning toward the grapefruit and lemon spectrum, with some sweet maltiness to balance.

Medium mouthfeel that is very drinkable. Surprised by this one and enjoyed it.

Serving type: on-tap

10-25-2011 23:16:12 | More by FanofHefe

dubinsky

California

3.65/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into a snifter

A – Pours a hazy orange with a one finger off-white head that almost instantly fades to a thin film the clings to the edges of the glass, leaving behind some nice lacing.

S – The aroma of this DIPA is mostly malty with a very faint nondescript hop aroma. It does have a rather fruit, possibly topical smell, but its seriously lacking in the citrus and pine.

T – This is a really unusual tasting IPA. Not what I expect from the style, yet its very pleasant. Decent hop bitterness, but with a nice crisp citrus bite followed by a strong malty, almost nutty finish.

M – Medium Bodied with really nice, spiky carbonation.

O – This is a decent, dare I say good beer. I got this as part of the Beer of the Month Club and this is my last of three. Given the access i have to Pliny and other top tier DIPAs this would not be my first choice, but I found it rather tasty.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 02:51:59 | More by dubinsky

richkrull

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured a cloudy pale copperish color with about an inch of fluffy off-white head. Great lacing on this one too.

Smell is very nice citrus and hops.

Taste is moderately hoppy but still very pleasant. Nice citrus notes coming through.

Mouthfeel is light-medium and very refreshing. Went down smooth.

Overall a really good beer. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I'll look for this one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 01:57:15 | More by richkrull

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a flared pokal at Bliss.

A surprise extra bottle pulled out at this tasting. Right on. It pours a mostly clear sunset amber topped by a finger of light tan foam. The nose comprises sweet caramel, light onion, cilantro, pine, and light maple syrup. The taste brings in more of the same, with the hops clashing strongly with the heavily sweet caramel. The pine and cilantro are especially strong, making for a harsh battle on the tongue. The body is a limpid medium, with a very light moderate carbonation and a rather dry finish. Overall, this DIPA is not sure whether it wants to be an East Coast or West Coast version, so it tries to opt for both, with dangerous consequences. I'm not too big a fan o' this guy here...

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 04:06:51 | More by TMoney2591