Imperial IPA - Goose Island Beer Co.

SuperSpy

Georgia

4.9/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A - Cloudy orange with a rocky head that dies in about a minute.

S - This is awesome! Citrus, apricot, berries?. I have to just keep going back for this one.

T - Pine, citrus, apricot, and other fruits mixed with earthy and spicy hop flavors that are followed up by big malt flavors that are a mix of fruit and toast. The hops are strong and the flavor is everywhere but they're not overwhelming. This is an amazing mix flavor and balance.

D - This is a truly exceptional beer. I don't know that I have tasted anything like this ever... well at least not in a really long time. Rarely have I ever tasted this much hops without being bombarded by so much bitterness that I can't taste the second sip. This beer is loaded with all kinds of hop flavor but it maintains an exceptional balance that allows the delicious malt characteristics to come through. Get one now!

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2006 02:46:51 | More by SuperSpy

ackeeper

Illinois

4/5  rDev -5%

05-21-2013 01:30:21 | More by ackeeper

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-20-2013 16:28:23 | More by InspectorBob

dancaplette

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

05-13-2013 13:41:26 | More by dancaplette

cadaugherty

Illinois

4/5  rDev -5%

05-09-2013 01:00:00 | More by cadaugherty

TripelMark

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +1%

04-04-2013 02:35:33 | More by TripelMark

RichD

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev +1%

03-29-2013 20:16:20 | More by RichD

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Beer Authority in NYC.

Beer is light amber in colour, with a moderately sized off-white head. Good retention and excellent lacing- glass was just coated in head.

Caramel malt and a large, murky hop scent. Herbal, dank, with a big citrus blast accompanying- grapefruit primarily.

Lots of citrus in the taste, along with a notable dank, herbal flavour, with fits with the nose. A good dose of caramel malt. Alcohol is noticeable. Hop focused but with a big malt presence. Very full flavoured and quite bitter.

Medium to full bodied, moderately carbonated. Oily and a bit bready.

Overally, quite a good DIPA. Not stand-out good, but very enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2013 01:22:35 | More by jrenihan

banger7

New York

2.5/5  rDev -40.6%

03-28-2013 00:14:55 | More by banger7

cestlavie

Yukon (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

03-24-2013 19:55:06 | More by cestlavie

rev_jimmy

New York

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

03-20-2013 02:21:54 | More by rev_jimmy

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I had this on tap at Mari's 6 pack for a goose island tasting.
Review from notes, drank it on Saturday March 2nd 2013
It had a very murkey golden color body with a very small head to it. The aroma was pine upfront then some grapefruit and citrus come through. The taste has a pine,bitter flavor to it. The hops hit your taste buds right up front. I didn't get much malt flavor. The mouth feel is very smooth and leaves a hop after taste. Overall i thought it was a really good DIPA.

Serving type: on-tap

03-07-2013 20:39:24 | More by chefhatt

leprakhan

California

3.5/5  rDev -16.9%

02-28-2013 07:59:06 | More by leprakhan

CaptainNomihodai

Illinois

4/5  rDev -5%

02-25-2013 00:00:18 | More by CaptainNomihodai

dar482

New York

3.33/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

I had this on tap at Top Hops in NYC. It comes in a clear yellowish color like many IPAs. The hops come slow and a bit flat. The malty slowness covers up the exciting brightness that I want in IPAs. It ends in a roundish aftertaste. It's decent, but after a while, it tasted almost oxidized, despite being fresh from the keg. I guess that's the characteristic of the beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2013 23:14:25 | More by dar482

Ristaccia

Nebraska

3.5/5  rDev -16.9%

02-19-2013 04:27:56 | More by Ristaccia

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Draft at The Pour House in Westmont, NJ.

Pours a very cloudy, very dark golden orange color with light tangerine edges and a 1.5 finger white head that slowly settles into a lasting ring.  Really good retention with streaks of soapy lacing left behind.

Dank resinous hop aroma with lots of pine needle, spruce tip and earthy grass character.  This is countered by a subtle citrus presence along with boozy sweetness and a caramel malt backbone.

On the fuller end of medium bodied with a very dry and dank earthy hop presence that lingers over the malt backbone and boozy sweetness into a slightly dry finish.  Dry, sticky and bitter with aggressive hops up front.  The hop profile is a bit one dimensional however with only very subtle citrus character.  Could use some more sweetness for balance.  Malt backbone is a bit too heavy for my liking with notes of caramel, toffee and biscuit followed by boozy heat in finish.  Decently hoppy but alcohol and strong malt flavors hinder the flavor a bit.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2013 00:48:21 | More by corby112

SamanthaMarieee9

5/5  rDev +18.8%

02-02-2013 02:42:39 | More by SamanthaMarieee9

DerekMorgan

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +1%

01-31-2013 23:56:15 | More by DerekMorgan

ramblinwreck101

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -16.9%

01-30-2013 16:56:25 | More by ramblinwreck101

Whiskeydeez

Kansas

4/5  rDev -5%

01-29-2013 18:30:12 | More by Whiskeydeez

popery

California

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%

01-28-2013 02:24:17 | More by popery

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

This beer was served from the tap at Tap and Mallet in Rochester, NY at their Goose Island vs. Founders Split Tap Takeover. It arrived in a thinned, stemless chalice glowing a muddy golden amber. It held a one and a half finger head of white bubbly cream, showing decent retention, and thick sheets of lacing down the glass. There was a thick haze throughout, with no sediment. Carbonation appeared average. The aroma was big with fresh grapefruit hops and bittering rind, pale malts, and light metallics. Vanilla coolness, black peppery booze, clovey phenols, and the chemical ring of nail polish remover (much like an English IPA) added spiciness to that malty base. With warmth came more fusel boozy rumbles, and the roast of brown sugar. Our first impression was that there was a surprising caramel note to the malts, despite the paler nose at first, with great robustness to the hops through the end. As we sipped, pale grain, borderline Belgian yeast, black peppery booziness, raw honey prickle, muddy mineral, fresh clovey spice, and raw caramels started things off. The peak came with that English IPA-esque fusel phenol bite to ride against continued pale maltiness. Mixing in were also notes of sugary sweet orange flesh, sweet and roasty caramel malts, brown sugar sweetness, and the start of big herbal hop bitterness. The hops enhanced through the finish of the swallow, adding big bitterness in combination with that continued phenolic wash. The hops here became more citric than herbal, and by the end of the swallow gave sweetness and oily syrups to that bitterness. The aftertaste breathed of soured pale grain, mineral, aromatic grapefruit and nectary juicy hops, chalked yeast, wet wheatiness, citric flesh pucker, and peppery booziness. The body was medium to full, and the carbonation was medium, but with big foamy frothiness when held in the mouth to taste. This all made for nice slurp, smack, cream, and froth, with a nice creamy coating around the mouth. The booze and bright hoppiness gave pucker, and light, eventual dryness. The abv was appropriate, and the beer was extremely fresh and drinkable.

Overall, the best thing about this beer was the spice, zest, and big fresh hoppiness to the flavoring. There was such a nice blend of citrus, fruitiness, caramel, and spice. This all sat nicely with that surprising caramel depth and sweetness to the malts. This was all seen through the aroma as well, helping to keep this brew drinkable from tip to toe. By the end the booze may become a bit much for some, but otherwise this is a terrific beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2013 00:56:20 | More by TheBrewo

KenC

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

01-22-2013 14:59:20 | More by KenC

eyemustard

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -5%

01-21-2013 21:42:13 | More by eyemustard