Hercules Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company

Patrick999

Florida

4.53/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

End of the work week, and a bomber of Hercules all to myself. This will be my first tasting of this renowned brew.

Poured it into a tall glass and watched the billowing head cascade over the amber beer - I've not met a poor-looking double IPA, and this doesn't disappoint.

Smelled like grapefruity hops on top of a cake-y underpinning, which comes as no surprise.

I'm really getting a lot of hop bitterness here, like grapefruit juice with the natural fruit sugars somehow extracted. If I was being snooty, I'd call it slightly unbalanced in favor of the hops, as the malts aren't really fighting their way through much as they do in a DFH 90 Min. A fleeting touch of malty sweetness to begin with, then a pure hop explosion, then a slight return of the sweetness in the aftertaste....almost becoming a little chocolatey, if that makes any sense, like a hop coated in thin chocolate. This is a hophead's DIPA, and there's nothing wrong with that. Alcohol? I really can't taste that 9+%, but I definitely feel it. I'm not even halfway through, and already feeling loopy.

Since I'm using 90 Min as my DIPA benchmark, I have to say that this feels a little thin and astringent/dry by comparison - I'm not feeling the same oily chewiness. However, this is a minor complaint that isn't detracting from my enjoyment of the beer.

Drinkability? Well, if you can take on more than one bomber of this, my hat's off to you. Drinkable, in an Imperial IPA sense. This is definitely one I'll turn to again to get my hop fix. I'm really impressed by Great Divide in general - looking forward to trying more of their beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2007 20:58:49 | More by Patrick999

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gleemonger

California

4.4/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Slightly hazy yellowish orange with a small, creamy white head. Very refreshing looking.

Fairly subtle fruity hop aromas mixed with some sweet malt. Not the huge kick I look for in the style, but not bad.

Much more hoppy in flavor than in the aroma, but leans more toward the bitter side than anything - but doesn't linger much. Hops definitely pretty complex, with citrusy taking the lead followed by some pine. Really pretty mellow overall with not much of an alcohol presence despite the size.

Moderate body with a lighter carbonation, but with a little bite. Doesn't linger on the tongue. Pretty smooth DIPA.

Much more subtle than I expected - not as huge and complex as I normally like for the style, but a very good beer. This is one of those where you have to watch yourself, since it's so smooth and easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

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