Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA - Dark Horse Brewing Company

KFBR392

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Pretty regular looking overall. Some above average lacing on the glass for sure a high ABV brew. Very much on the darker orange color scale. Average carbonation throughout drinking.

Smell: Easily the best part of this brew. Bright tropical fruits with very floral sweet hops. Bubble gum and sugary sweetness makes your mouth water. Hints of the heavy hop presence of thick caramel and buttered toast. The high alcohol contributes a slightly sinister backbone.

Taste: A little let down here. The front is a smooth caramel sweetness which rolls into a very strong body. Bitter hops really attack the palette here and clean it off. Strong wave after strong wave of hops keep hitting the palette, which is so odd because it in no way matches the aroma of this beer. The finish is dry with some hop sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Dry but at the same time there is some complexity. After a while the dryness becomes a sweet slightly funky taste.

Overall: A powerful IIPA. Comes off so heavy, not for a quick hop fix but more of a real hop bomb to shock the palette.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 03:56:47 | More by KFBR392

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Half Acre tulip.

A- pours a cloudy dark caramel, with sediment and floaters, and a 1 finger light tan head. Trails and blotches of lacing remain on the glass.

S- big caramel, toffee, biscuit, toast, some citrus, and pine.

T- toasted malts, toffee, caramel,citrus rind, bitter pine.

M- medium body and carbonation. Slightly acidic and dry. Not hot.

O- good dipa but I have had a lot better. Higher abv than almost all dipa's so I have to cut it some slack, but one I will pass on in the future.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 00:14:23 | More by kawilliams81

StoutHunter

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I picked up a bottle of Dark Horse's Double Crooked Tree IPA a couple weeks ago for $4.29 at The Lager Mill. I've never been able to get a hold of this beer, but I got lucky this year and scored a bottle to try, I thought Crooked Tree was good so I'm expecting good things, lets see how it goes. 2013 Vintage. Poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a snifter.

A- I really like the label, it's got a nice dark look to it, it's pretty much the exact opposite of the label for Crooked Tree, I like it. It poured a nice and hazy muddy amber color that took on a nice a burnt orange hue when held to the light with a finger and a half worth of off white head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and it left some nice lacing behind. This is a good looking beer, I have no complaints.

S- The aroma starts off with a high amount of sweetness that had a candied sugar like aroma to it followed by a good amount of hops that impart a a pretty fruity aroma, there's some nice citrus fruits like grapefruit along with a nice a distinct tangerine like aroma that I really like along with a slight pine aroma. After that comes medium alcohol aroma followed by some sweet malts that imparted some sweet caramel malt like aromas. The aroma was good, it was pretty sweet, but it had a nice fruit aroma that when mixed with the sweetness the aroma reminds me of a fruit by the foot, it's nice, but very sweet.

T- The taste seems to be fairly different from the aroma, it starts of with a pretty high amount of sweetness followed by a some intense hops that impart some pretty big floral flavors that reminded me a little of Two Hearted and it was followed by some lighter citrus and piney hop flavors, Up next comes the alcohol which is fairly noticeable and is pretty warming and it's followed by some sweet malts that impart a light caramel malt like flavor. On the finish there's a little more sweetness followed by a medium amount of bitterness that was surprisingly light and was followed by a pretty floral and slightly sweet aftertaste. This was a good tasting DIPA, but the booze and sweetness prevent this from being a top DIPA, the sweet and floral hop flavors reminded me of those hop candies, it tastes good, but not great.

M- Not the smoothest, a little boozy, warming, sticky, cloying, on the full side of being medium bodied, and it had a nice amount of medium carbonation. The mouthfeel was nice but it was a little too sticky and cloying for my liking.

Overall I thought this was a good beer and decent example of the style that seemed to blur the lines between DIPA and Barleywine, it was a pretty intense beer and unique in it's own right. This beer didn't have the best drinkability, it wasn't too smooth with a lot of sweetness and booze, but the flavors held my attention, one would be enough for me, this is isn't the type of beer that I would drink multiples of. What I liked the most about this beer was the aroma, it was nice and unique, it was a little sweet, but with the added fruit aromas it had a nice fruity candy aroma that I enjoyed. What I liked the least about this beer was the mouthfeel and drinkability, they weren't bad, but all the sweetness and booze made this one sipper and it was far from smooth. I don't know if I would buy this beer again, there's a good chance that I will get a bottle next year, but I don't think I will be seeking it out and it was a little expensive also. I recommend this to anyone who likes DIPA's, especially ones that are on the border of being a Barleywine. All in all I liked this beer, but it isn't a favorite DIPA, it's just too sweet and boozy which makes it too rough around the edges to be in my top three, but I still think it's a unique DIPA that's good in it's own way. Good job Dark Horse, this one of the truest examples of the style simply because everything is doubled except the water, but it comes together very similar to a barleywine, that leads me to believe that most DIPA's aren't done this way. This was a worthy and intense DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 03:56:52 | More by StoutHunter

vic21234

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Surprised to find 4 packs at my local bottle shop. This will be my first time trying it.

A- Pours a dark and cloudy amber/ orange with a half fingers worth of head that quickly fades to the side of the glass. Alcohol lacing is noted.

S- The smell is disappointing. Some hop presence is there of course, but I expected it to be much more pungent. Smells slightly sweet more than anything.

T- Starts off sweet and bitter with loads of pine hops at the back end. A very hoppy aftertaste. Some sweet malts are noted as well.

M- Medium bodied, well carbonated, bitter with a dry finish, alcohol is hidden well for a 12% ABV bomb.

A nice DIPA to try, but I probably wouldn't purchase again. There are much better ones out there.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 23:35:31 | More by vic21234

FanofHefe

Illinois

4.11/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz. bottle poured into a Duvel tulip. No freshness dating apparent. Mostly clear body that is amber/orange with a strong red tint. Dense two-finger head that has good retention and leaves rings of lacing.

The aroma doesn't jump out at me, but is pleasant enough. Mostly sweet overall with the sweeter citrus aromas coming through and a caramel maltiness is apparent.

I do like the flavor. It is sweet but not cloying. The hop notes are on the tropical and sweet citrus side of the spectrum and blend in nicely with the caramel malt.

Medium to heavy on the thickness and mouthfeel, with a touch of alcohol present, but not a problem. Although there are no dates on the bottle, I don't think it is old but it just arrived in our market and was recommended by my "beer guy," meaning I don't expect that the hops have faded. Enjoyable to drink and solid east coast style here.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 22:17:46 | More by FanofHefe

Star80

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours out a nice cloudy, orange-brown color with a sticky head. Lots of floaties as usual with Dark Horse, and lacing galore.

S - Smells like grapefruit, tangerine, pine, alcohol, and some sweet malt buried in there too.

T - Tastes like more of the same, lots of orange up front, pine, grapefruit, cotton candy and marshmallow and some malts.

M - Mouthfeel is a mouthful, but a good mouthful.

O - Overall a big badass double IPA which is quite complex to my palate. The nose has a whiff of alcohol, being such a big beer it would be near impossible to completely hide which it does do very well in the taste with a nice alcohol warming. A nice seasonal offering but not something so unique I can't satisfy my cravings elsewhere.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 02:40:59 | More by Star80

Ri0

Wisconsin

3.89/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured 12oz bottle into my Duvel tulip.

A - Very dark rusty brown in color with quite a bit of material floating around. Good thing it is a dark color to hide it well. Head is about just over a finger white-cream color that goes down to a ring around the glass..

S - Aromas of floral and hops, slight pine and citrus. Plenty on malt in this DIPA.

T - I get the malt and caramel right away followed quickly by pine bitter. Finishes with more bitter and a hint of grapefruit.

M - Lower on the carbonation with a medium body. Not much oily hop residue left in my mouth.

O - This is a DIPA that is much different from the normal. Big malts with good bitterness make it a sipper. It is a bit pricey, but worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 00:46:33 | More by Ri0

champ103

Texas

3.39/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

A: Pours a slightly hazed orange/reddish color. A two finger white head forms, and gently recedes to a ring. Rings of lace are left behind.
S: Pine, grapefruit, perfume like hops. A large sweetness as well. There is certainly some lingering bitterness, but not nearly as much as I thought there was going to be.
T: There it is. Supper hoppy, and super sweet at the same time. Pine, resin, kind of perfume like. Very sweet and even some woody flavors. Lingering bitterness and ethanol burn.
M/D: A full body with moderate carbonation. Thick, resinous, and sticky. Oh man this is hot. I can feel this all the way down my throat. Burning ethanol like alcohol.

This is a monster. The hops and malt are big, but not overpowering. The alcohol is just huge which pretty much ruins the experience for me. I am struggling to get through the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 00:41:21 | More by champ103

ADZA

Australia

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got my growler filled at cellarbrations Carlisle and pours a orange amber hue with a creamy two finger off white head and lacing everywhere,the smell is strong marmalade,boiled candy,pine,citrus and kumquats,the mouthfeel is thick and creamy with tastes of kumquats,boiled candy,pineapple,grapefruit and finished with a citrus bitterness and overall it's a big beer and surprisingly hides its big ABV very well and I'd def drink again cheers.

Serving type: growler

04-02-2013 10:20:51 | More by ADZA

Thurgoft

Illinois

4.16/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle with no freshness date into a Duvel tulip.

DCT pours a very pretty bright hazy orange-amber with a good 1.5" off white head that sticks around. Moderate lacing on the glass as well.

Nose is super hoppy and sweet. Tropical aromas as well as candied citrus fruits up front. Very sharp fruitiness with a bit of alcohol as well. A little caramelly malt reveals itself as the beer warms. Really excellent smelling beer that wowed me as soon as I opened the bottle. Far more complexity in the nose than your typical (or even above typical) DIPA.

First sip: Holy COW is this bitter! I consider myself a hophead and have had a good number of IPAs and DIPAs but this one really floored me with the bitterness. Once you get past the bitterness the sweet hoppy flavors come out. Suggestions of orange meld with slightly caramelly malts. Not really picking up any heat but the alcohol can be tasted on the back of the tongue. As it warms the malt over takes the hops a fair bit but still remains balanced. Super long, super bitter finish.

Very smooth, mouthfeel almost to the point of creaminess. Not too heavy on the tongue and has an almost perfect amount of carbonation to keep this 12%er surprisingly refreshing.

Overall quite liked this beer. I've read about people aging it but I think I'll drink my other 3 as fresh as possible.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 23:35:18 | More by Thurgoft

ThickNStout

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle from HalftimeBeverage.com. No Apparent bottle date. Served in a Three Floyds teku.

Pours a murky, ruddy chestnut with a half finger pale head that leaves a good bit of lace.

Smells of big, dank hops, citrus, pine, sweet bready malts, caramel and sugar.

Taste pretty much follows the nose. Dank, pine and citrus hops a-plenty. Quite bitter but with a good strong, malty sweetness to back it up without quite "balancing". A little spice and a little booze. Goes down very smooth for a 12% abv brew.

Medium thick body, slightly oily with fairly light carbonation. Lingering bitter citrus peel finish.

A true DIPA here. I appreciate that they double the ingredients. It comes out flavorful and potent. I'd age one to see what kind of barleywine it makes but I doubt I have the self control to not drink them all as-is.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 05:49:45 | More by ThickNStout

sjones5045

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours very bronze and a bit hazy. Not all that impressive for a double IPA. The smell is sort of tame for a double, could use a bit more hop smell. The taste is smooth but a little flat. Not all that rememberable but not bad either. A bit of citrus does sneak through at the end but there are plenty of other doubles out there that offer more. Overall not bad but nothing I would seek out. Just a hair above average.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 21:11:43 | More by sjones5045

rkf1976

Michigan

5/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

If you LOVE IPA's this is the one true IPA to try before you die. It is magnificent, amazing and beautiful all rolled into one! Words cannot describe this elixir of magical liquid. The hops mix amazingly between the alcohol and malts, you soon will be floating with the fairy hop pixies after a few sips, enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 00:11:58 | More by rkf1976

dar482

New York

4.58/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

The color is a orange and ruby red.

The aroma is big citrus, pine, sweet peach, and grapefruit.

The taste has the same characteristics. It's lovely and hoppy with Simcoe and juicy grapefruit, not the bitter sour peel. The mouthfeel is huge malt. It's really maltiness really makes this so round. It doesn't taste of the ABV at all. It's crazy that this has such a high ABV and it doesn't taste of it. Writing this now, I'm still shocked as I've never had an Double IPA with that ABV and it didn't taste of such at all.

A well crafted beer. The hoppiness is surely there and the malt is prominent and wonderful.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2013 06:43:53 | More by dar482

SerialHiker

Illinois

4.26/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy, caramel brown…a classic IPA color…I can see sediment floating all about on the inside…head is off white and settles very, very thin just barely covering surface…beer looks a bit watery when I swirl it around…lack of any real head is a detriment for me…(2.75/5)

Smell: A nice orange, tangerine and pineapple citrus zest up front…it’s mouthwateringly fresh…sharp piney resin comes through next, very distinct, almost peppery and tingles my nose…malts are lightly sweet, caramel based and support the hops fest/zest that is this double IPA…slightly boozy….a wonderfully aromatic brew…(4/5)

Taste: Yum! Flavor develops rather subtly…a wonderful creaminess at first, then a smooth stream of piney hops bitterness and sweet caramel malts come next…while it’s hop dominant, the malt flavor balances things out - this definitely isn’t a runaway freight train of hops…it’s good…with every sip, I get just a little bit of a different flavor, sometimes it’s orange/pineapple up front, sometimes sharp pine, sometimes sweet bready caramel malts…tons of flavor and a pure sipper…Yum! (4.5/5)

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium to full carbonation…it does fluff up bringing piney resin and light lemon peel bitterness to the palate…wet, mildly chewy and slightly robust…piney resin bitterness lasts through the after taste but isn’t overly dominant…I wouldn’t say it ends crisp, just fades nicely into the sunset…I get some of that sharp piney resin tingle on the edges of my tongue…(3.99/5)

Overall: Had to come back the next day to finish this review, I definitely caught a buzz…at 12% ABV, it’s a very drinkable, strong double IPA with tons of flavor and a sip-ability that allows it to sneak up on you…I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s too strong, but for sure this is a, “at home, on the couch with no serious machinery needed to be handled or maintained” type of beer…crack one of these open, pour it into a glass, then sit back and enjoy a few of your favorite episodes of say, Parks and Rec…sounds great to me! (4.5/5)

Brewreport.blogspot.com

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 18:31:26 | More by SerialHiker

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance
Very cloudy burnt amber with a short head that dissipates immediately.

Nose
Mango, papaya, caramel and candied orange. A tad boozy.

Taste
Mango, papaya and candied orange. Caramel, pale candy sugar and toast. Hints of toffee and fruity esters. Finishes with resinous pine sap and orange zest.

Mouthfeel
Full bodied, oily, silky, smooth and sticky.

Overall
Hopped up with tropical and citrus fruit yet nicely balanced with a tremendous grain bill that's more complex than most. I'm a big fan of this DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 12:55:33 | More by justintcoons

Chris_Osment

Ohio

4.6/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Smoothest IPA with that high of a ABV that I've tried so far. Easy to drink, good beer to introduce "vanilla" beer drinkers to the world of super-charged Michigan IPAs. Perfectly balanced, all the subtle tasting notes you'd expect( pine, citrus, etc...) without being bitter for bitterness's sake.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 14:24:03 | More by Chris_Osment

sleuthdog

Illinois

4.14/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into Jolly Pumpkin tulip
Thanks to tut2528 for this one

Pour: This one is a dark cloudy orange to copper in color with about a finger worth of off white head. Head does not last leaving a collar of medium size bubbles around the edge of the glass. When held up to the light there are some reddish hues that shine through.

Smell: Some grapefruit and orange but wow am I getting a ton of sweet malts and these actually dominate the nose to me. There is a touch of lemon and pine but not much. This is not what I was expecting in a DIPA and to be honest this smells like an old ale to me.

Taste: Ok now I'm getting some of the bitter hops on the tongue with grapefruit, orange peel, and lemon. There is a big time sweetness that follows through from the nose to the taste with caramel and a bread like quality. The alcohol is surprisingly well hidden but I do get a slight bite of alcohol with a mild burn.

Mouthfeel: Quite different from others of this style that I have had with this being very smooth and pretty creamy. Carbonation is low and alcohol well hidden with a drying finish.

Overall: Unique is what I'd describe this one in a nutshell. A nice change of pace for a DIPA. The way it hides the alcohol is amazing and this helps it to be a surprisingly easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 01:25:18 | More by sleuthdog

grandbeerdaily

Minnesota

4.29/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Dark Horse
Double Crooked Tree
12% ABV

Appearance:Deep Amber, slight reddish hue. Thick white head, 1 inch and drops off quickly but never disappears. Quite opaque. Pretty clear but a little hazy.

Aroma: Citrus and fresh cut grass, hint of grapefruit. Noticeable malt that is mostly bready and slightly toasty. Medium esters make the aroma fruity. Hint of vanilla. I might be getting a little diacetyl (but below flavor threshold) Slight alcohol heat.

Taste: Starts off with a little maltiness and grassy hops with an earthy quality. The citrus hops bring forth flavors of orange and grapefruit with a slight hint of floral. Fruity esters are prominent for only a second before bitterness coats every taste bud and overwhelms other senses. This bitter is smooth and lasts. Almost no alcohol presence.

Mouth feel: Medium-full body and carbonation is light-medium. Very slick; coats the entire mouth with resin-y goodness.

Overall: An overall very good example of Imperial IPA that pushes the limits of mouth feel, alcohol, and bitterness. True to style and excites the sensations. 12% makes it a very big Imperial IPA but you can hardly notice. Big body but still drinkable. Other flavors get overwhelmed by the bitterness which detracts from the experience a little.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 04:12:31 | More by grandbeerdaily

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.21/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

There are a bunch of numbers on the bottom of the bottle but none of them seem to be relevant. "2018" is by itself but there's no way this is good until then...

A: Clear, golden-orange in color with a bright white head that builds and fades very quickly. Very little lace and retention except for a small ring of bubbles around the glass. Looks like a sipper.

S: Huge aromas of oily hops, booze, and roasted, sweet malt. Inviting yet intimidating nose.

T: Very balanced for what it is. Plenty of hoppy bitterness and flavor accompanied by plenty of booze and malt. Resiny, earthy, oily hops. Surprisingly fruity.

M: Syrupy, sweet, and smooth. Can be a bit cloying.

O: A fantastic beer and a wonderful Double IPA. One the boozier and maltier side but enough hops to satisfy any hop head.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 03:37:29 | More by Gatch

SometimesIfart

Michigan

4.31/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A - Pours amber with a two and a half finger off white head. Leaves a great amount of lacing.

S - Grapefruit and pine up front, followed by a bit of malt and tangerines, along with lemon and orange zest.

T - Predominantly grapefruit up front, followed by tangerines and a small amount of malt and and even smalller amount of alcohol.

M - Medium, creamy body, with medium carbonation.

O - Overall, amazing for 12%. Balanced pretty well, but could be better.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 05:26:01 | More by SometimesIfart

JamesMN

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Fresh off the distributor's truck but apparently released in February so maybe over a month old.

Appearance: Dark orange and opaque like most of the style. Poured a one finger off-white head that has since dissipated into a thin foam covering the surface leaving behind some attractive lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Sugar-crusted barley and sweet orange from the hops. A very welcoming and sweet aroma despite how bitter the flavor is likely to be. My bottle lists the ABV as being 12% and indeed there is a slight burn from the alcohol in the nose.

Taste: A big and decently complex Imperial IPA that has both east coast and west coast flavors. The most surprising thing I notice right away is the good balance of all the robust flavors. The malt bill favors bursts of caramel, amber, and an overall sweet character while the hops contribute lots of orange, pine, and a bit of earth. The hops also contribute to the malt sweetness but have enough bitterness to help the palate from becoming cloyed by the sweet flavor. I'm not sure what the exact bitterness level is but I'd hazard a guess it's around 95-100 IBUs. With big IPAs like this one the bitterness tends to be counteracted by the malt and alcohol so it's a little more veiled and not palate wrecking. Speaking of alcohol, I can't taste any of the 12% ABV. Perhaps a little heat on the back end but otherwise miraculously well hidden. Smooth finish and a bittersweet aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Between medium and full in body and never feels too heavy. Nice and smooth carbonation and an ease of drinkability.

Final Thoughts: I actually reviewed the regular Crooked Tree IPA last week and this pair of IPA and DIPA from the same brewery might be the first time the double has actually tasted like a double of the original. Lots of malt and hop goodness with a midwest/east coast flavor. If you're a hop head or into barleywines then definitely check this one out. Would I drink it again? Yes.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 01:51:01 | More by JamesMN

Reneejane

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Wow. I've never had a. double IPA like this ever before. It is so dark and so malty and somewhat roasty, that it's a shock. It's incredible. The color was amber to brown with an off-white tan head, hazy. Head kind of low. Aroma, you can actually smell the roasted malt around the hops! Taste is of hops and roasty malt character. It's amazingly complex. It's almost like a brown done as an IPA and then Imperial. this is nothing like the regular crooked tree IPA, so, it's surprising in other ways.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 00:39:16 | More by Reneejane

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.21/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice. 2013 Bottle with a code on the neck that says 064-13 4439-42.

Appearance: Pours a very hazy copper orange with a moderate amount of bubbles. About one finger of off white head that fades into a thin creamy layer. A little bit of sediment settles on the bottom of the glass. Leaves a nice amount of lacing.

Smell: Aroma is a strong mix of hop esters, sweet caramel malts, and booze. Earthy and grassy hops with some oily pine resin. Hints of citrus grapefruit, orange, mango, pineapple, tangerine, and lemon. Big malt presence with hints of sweet caramel, toffee, toast, biscuit, and yeast. Some candied sugar sweetness and honey hints as well. Not as citrus forward as one might expect from an imperial IPA, but a very big aroma overall. It smells more like a hopped up American Barleywine.

Taste: Follows the nose with a mixed taste of hops, big sweet malts, and alcohol. Blend of hops with notes of grass, pine resin, earthy hops, and citrus grapefruit, orange peel, pineapple, mango, tangerine, and lemon. Strong balance of toasted malts. Notes of sweet caramel, toffee, biscuit, and yeast. Some sweet candy like sugar and a little taste of honey. A lot more of a hop and malt balance than typical for a Double IPA. Its balanced, but full flavored and pretty good. Some alcohol taste is noticeable as well.

Mouthfeel: Fairly heavy bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Rich, juicy, and somewhat sticky. Alcohol heat is noticeable but smooth considering the very high ABV.

Overall: A pretty interesting and good beer. Much different than the typical Imperial IPA as the sweet malt balance is pretty big. Its just as much a hoppy Barleywine as it is an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 06:32:28 | More by MattyG85

Etan

Illinois

4.06/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

2013 bottle into a snifter. This might be the ugliest (in a good way) beer label I've ever seen.

A: Pours a woody brown with an orange hue. Decent off-white head.

S: Smells of bright citrus, caramel candy, pine needles, a bit of spicy alcohol.

T: Taste brings molasses, moderately bitter pine and grass and tobacco, overripe blood orange, a hint of vanilla, some leafy resin, maple, lightly cidery.

M: Soft and creamy body, light carbonation.

O: This is pretty good when considered more as a hoppy barleywine, because of the hefty malt character.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 01:59:34 | More by Etan