Hercules Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company

doubleipa

Georgia

4.8/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is my favorite DIPA, that I can purchase here in Georgia. The head is big, rocky, and never fully diminishes. Lacing is really good. The obvious citrus/grapefruit aroma is very evident and the hoppy/resin taste matches the aroma perfectly. Drinkability would've been a 5.0, except that the alcohol can really sneak up on you. It's hard to tell from the tast/mouthfeel that this is 9.1%
Updated - 4/23/06 - Had this on tap last night. This is even a better beer on tap. The aroma and taste were better. My wife even noticed it. This has come as close as possible to matching the Pelican India Pale Ale, which is our absolute favorite.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2005 14:07:49 | More by doubleipa

Celt44

New York

4.8/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This one seems to be a regular at my local growler filling station.
Pours very clear copper with a nice, full frothy head - lacing lasts throughout.
Smell is great combo of a typical floral IPA with hints of malt and pine.
Taste is superior for a 2IPA. Hop bite is up front - the malt aroma explains itself here also - probably the maltiest(?) 2IPA I've experienced to date. Additional flavors that come to mind are pepper and another spice that I cannot name.
Mouthfeel is smooth as silk.
Overall a superior and very drinkable 2IPA. Alcohol presence is much less than others I've tasted. American IPAs are my first choice and I tend to stay away from 2IPAs due to the alcohol content and taste. This one totally breaks the mold for 2IPAs in my book.

Serving type: growler

06-15-2006 23:19:03 | More by Celt44

TheOtherMike

Michigan

4.8/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

I tried this on a recommendation from a local retailer. It is quite good, but it is also quite expensive. Also, the ABV is too high for it to be a decent session beer. The alcohol does not over power the taste, but it makes me too loopy after just a few.

Nevertheless, this is a great choice if there's only time for one bottle/glass.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2010 05:48:29 | More by TheOtherMike

hoffman

Nebraska

4.78/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I have to say this is the new #1 on my list. Pours out with a heavy appearance, a strawberry red/honey gold color with a creamy tan head that lingers...and lingers...and lingers...and lingers. The aroma is citrus, roasted malts, piney hops, and some light spice. The taste is phenomenal, sweet malts up front, tart citrus with some more sweet dark fruit undertones in the middle, malt and a lot of nice dry bitter hops in the finish...perfectly balanced and a kick that begs you to come back again. The moutfeel is the best I have had...the measuring stick for all beers in this category. Creamy....ultra creamy, smooth with a bit of oily hop that actually ads a bit of character, and a perfect amount of carbonation...any less and it would be a bit flat...any more and it might overpower the delightful creaminess. Nice and drrinkable a joy...go get this one.

Thanks bditty187, for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2006 02:04:00 | More by hoffman

jbowers56

Australia

4.78/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

From memory:

a) Deep red colour, slightly hazy. Two fingers of head which left good lacing.

s) Very strong smell of resiny hops. Slight caramel sweetness in the smell too.

t) Hugely powerful palate. Heaps of fruity, resiny, citrussy hops balanced out by a big old caramel malt kick. I love this in double ipas, it puts the bitterness in to a nice context against the sweet malts.

m) So smooth. Thick enough to be unctuous in the mouth but just carbonated enough to stop it from being cloying or syrupy.

d) for a beer of this strength, the drinkability is dangerously high.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2009 09:54:18 | More by jbowers56

Chris_Cali_2o9

4.78/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bomber to a pub style glass

A- Light copper body, 1 1/2" fluffy off white head

S- Floral, piney hops, sweet bready malts

T- Floral, piney, caramel, vanilla, sweet bready malts, grapefruit bitterness, slit alcohol twang

M- Amazingly creamy, low carbonation

O- I've been trying to get my hands on this for a while, and it was worth the wait. Not only does it taste amazing, it is incredibly creamy. For a DIPA it's incredibly balanced with a sweet bready malt backbone, that tastes of caramel and vanilla, and ends with a grapefruit bitterness and a suprisingly light alcohol twang, for a 10% abv beer. This is what i look for in this style, uniqueness, and a glorioud malt backbone. I've only experienced this flavor profile 2 other times with Stones Enjoy by IPA and Drake's Aroma Coma. All 3 of these beers are in my top 5.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 22:35:46 | More by Chris_Cali_2o9

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

4.78/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into snifter; deep glowing orange/amber and cloudy, with a medium loose white head that fades quickly into a tight disc of foam on the top. Smells of sweet malts, and I do detect a bit of nuttiness like the bottle suggested; smells almost like a rye beer. Hops present in the smell are some grassy, and some of subdued sweet citrus. Taste is astoundingly different than any other DIPA I've had. Starts off with some sweet and a bit crackery malts, but then it's a hop show entirely. Big sweet citrus fruits meld into that odd rye-like flavor which I can't quite identify, and finishes bitter. Mouthfeel is big and smooth, alcohol is well-hidden. It's rare to see a unique beer in one of the most popular styles these days, and this one is outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 06:06:49 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

egajdzis

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a dark copper color with a large off white head and awesome lacing. Strong bubblegum, citrus, and piney hop aroma. Awesome bitter citrus hops drive this brew. While a nice sweet malt balances beautifully, some peach flavors develop, and there is a lingering alcohol taste at the very end. Damn near perfect, though Dreadnaught still holds that title for me.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2005 00:23:14 | More by egajdzis

orfeu

New Mexico

4.75/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very nice amberish orange enormous fluffy eggshell-colored head that sticks around like the head on a rootbeer float. The lacing is super thick and frothy, sticky, too. Aroma is piney-citrusy hops -- extremely pleasant and not overpowering, probably because of the sturdy malt presence. This malt comes through beautifully in the taste as well with strong hops, of course, slapping around the palate both at the front (clementine rind and grapefruit juice) and the back (oily, piney bitterness). The mouthfeel is wonderfully smooth and creamy. High alcohol presence (9.1% abv) is skillfully masked but emerges as the beer warms. This one is dangerously drinkable. No wonder Premier is always out of stock on this one. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2005 18:00:11 | More by orfeu

trekbiker3000

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A good pour with a two finger foamy head. The head was maintained for quite a while after the pour. The amber color was offset by a bit of cloudiness. The aroma was a perfect blend of the malt and hops. The taste of the beer puts this over the top. You get a slow build up of bitterness that lingers well after the beer is gone. It comes off like a strong Belgian, but the bitterness definitley makes this Double IPA one of the great IPAs. The mouthfeel is smooth with the carbonation very mild. You can tell it is carbonated, but you do not get that sharp acidity like in some beers. The alcohol content can knock you on your butt, so you can't drink this beer all afetrnoon. It's a good beer to savor with a good meal. I would enjoy this with steak, BBQ, ribs, and pasta with red sauce.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2007 22:04:45 | More by trekbiker3000

Thiestru

Georgia

4.75/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint-sized pub glass.

Appearance: Cloudy amber/orange with a white head that laces the glass beautifully. A good bit of sediment hangs inside, which is something I love to see.

Smell: Bittersweet, with emphasis on the 'bitter'. That this is loaded with hops is obvious at first whiff, but you can also detect the mellower malts. A bit of alcohol hits the nose, too.

Taste: A very bold, bitter hop character with prominent sweet nuttiness from the malt. This beer doesn't screw around: it's an IPA lover's IPA. And the taste doesn't just vanish, either; the flavor of delicious hops lingers on the palate long after the beer's been swallowed.

Mouthfeel: Pretty thick and creamy, with good carbonation that prevents it from feeling flat.

Drinkability: I'll admit that I've put away many of these in one sitting, but that 9% alcohol catches you after a while. It's a small price to pay, though, because when you've got a hankering for some hops, there isn't much that tops this.

A classic IPA.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2008 11:24:18 | More by Thiestru

bigboytim28

Maryland

4.75/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Well balanced hop head heaven. A definite cant miss for any hophead. Poured out of 22 oz into regular pint glass. exceptional color. citrusy aroma, definite cant miss, great divide is making incredible hoppy beers and this is one of them. if you can try this and the fresh hop

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 03:34:00 | More by bigboytim28

alexkeil

New York

4.73/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

22 oz bottle from Consumer Beverage in Lockport, Ny bottled 9/9/11

Pours an orange color with white head, decent lacing after short retention

Aroma is dominated by citrus and malty sweetness.

I get worried with double ipa's because if they are not done right the flavor can have an orange juice like quality. With the aroma I was a little worried but the flavor is nicely balanced between the citurs and pine hops, malt sweetness and dryness from the alcohol. The bitterness is accertive but not overwhelming.

The mouthfeel is medium body and slightly prickly from the hops and alcohol.

I can't ask for more from a double ipa, this one does it right. Very drinkable, very american, I can have it again and again.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 00:35:43 | More by alexkeil

atr2605

New York

4.73/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-pours a soft reddish amber with an off white head that leaves a nice lace around the rim
S-tons of citrus, a slightly pine aroma in the background
T-Malt dominates the flavor up front providing a nice sweetness followed by a great hop bitterness that continues to be citrus and pine. Clean finish
M-Medium bodied.
O-tons of flavor and very well balanced double ipa. It is a big beer but still remains very drinkable and has lots of hops. Absolutely loved it and highly recommend

Serving type: growler

03-03-2012 03:26:16 | More by atr2605

taez555

Massachusetts

4.72/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a clear, very bright, orange body with a thick white head.

Nose was super clean and crisp citrus hop smell. Fresh citrus peel, grapefruit, even hinting at oranges. Some floral notes as well. Really a breathtaking nose.

Surprisingly medium bodied with a very clean taste. For 9.1% this thing could have been as thick as a barleywine, but it’s not at all. Magnificent fresh citrus hop taste. Sharp pepper, citrus peel, grapefruit, Caramel, a light nuttiness, mostly though just a big, clean, very crisp malt that let’s the fresh citrus hop shine through.
The finish has a lingering minty, spice taste.

Amazingly this beer is never overpowering with the hop taste, even at 81 IBU’s.

This beer is really outstanding. The fresh citrus taste is just so crystal clear against the perfectly balanced malt. It’s like when you can see into a clear lake or something. More please.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2005 08:00:58 | More by taez555

dreadnatty08

District of Columbia

4.72/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear, amber color with a heavy, fluffly off white foam. Tracing is perfect on my wine glass. Aromas are very juicy, citrusy and quite resinous. Sweet maltiness with a touch of alcohol is also picked up. Hop forward in flavor with bursts of Chinook and Centennial hops followed by a sweet honey like flavor and then again with a biting bitter close. This beer improves much more when it warms up a bit. It is quite similiar to Old Ruffian with a tad smaller body.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2006 19:30:25 | More by dreadnatty08

aaronh

Pennsylvania

4.72/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Deep copper body topped by a thick, long-lasting cream head that hangs around for the duration. Thick lacing coats the glass. Aroma of malt, pine, and tangerines with a hint of grapefruit rind and mango. The flavor - WOW! - what flavor! Assertive bitterness, yet still very smooth. Deep resinous pine complemented by caramel, toffee and biscuit flavors. A lingering note of orange rind stays on the palate. Alcohol sweetness is also present and then you feel the warmth travel down the throat. The mouthfeel is thick and rich yet carbonated by enough fine bubbles to not get cloying. Assertive bitterness keeps this from being imminently drinkable, but I do want to make my own version. It’s that good. The "hype" is well deserved on this one. Definitely one strong, powerful, and impressive beer. Will make me look for more Great divide brews, for sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2006 00:52:22 | More by aaronh

johnniemarg

New York

4.72/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours a copper color with a nice frothy 2-finger off white head. Leaves nice sheets of lacing. On the second pour, the beer clouds up. I didn't know this was bottle conditioned.

When I poured this, I could smell a lot of hops. But now that the beer is in the glass, the hops aren't the main attraction to me. The main smell I get is a very sweet maltiness. I love this smell. This sweet smell reminds me of Thomas Hardy's. I wish I could explain this smell better. Also a piney hop smell. I can't make out the alcohol in the smell.

Sweet malty flavor ends with a nice hop bite. There is also some alcohol in the finish. This isn't just a hop bomb like some DIPAs. It's very well balanced.

Full-bodied and oily. Leaves my lips sticky sweet.

Highly drinkable and tasty DIPA. Officially one of my favorites. It's right up there with the Weyerbacher Simcoe and DFH 90 min. Another reviewer mentioned the tasty burps this beer produced. Agreed.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2006 00:39:19 | More by johnniemarg

athensbeermaster

Georgia

4.72/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

What more can you say about Great Divide this co. knows how to make IPA better than your grandmal baking cookies! There titan ipa is the best 6 pk. ipa available in Ga. The first sniff of the nose I was in hop heaven. The color was a brillant amber with a nice thick head that laced the glass the whole way down. and what a powerful display of hops. Some dbl ipa can be to malty trying to balance out the bitter sting. but this beer stings like a bubble bee!
with a mild malt backbone. And the finish last for days. If your a hop head like me this is a must have.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2006 20:51:21 | More by athensbeermaster

CharlieMopps

Virginia

4.72/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: A delicate pour yields a massive, fluffy white head that retains its density quite well and leaves thick lacing on its painstakingly slow descent. After a while, cloud formations appear as if the glass had its own weather system. The beer is a see-through ambery-rust color that looks attractive.

S: Lots of citrusy hops in the nose, hints of grapefruit, but with a depth of character that entices the tastebuds. Other than that, not much else is noticeable, but this is definitely enough to get me going.

T: Big, bold, and balanced. Just as it should be. The array of hop flavors, predominantly citrusy, with floral and grassy notes as well, hit the palate toward the middle and finish, but the malty base up front is strong enough to ride out the wave of flavor and provide great balance. Seeing the darker, amber hue, I had hoped this would be the case, and I was not disappointed. Finish and aftertaste are refreshing and fade gently away.

M: Mealy and chewy, sticky, with an enjoyably thick aftertaste of hops that really stands out amongst the Double/Imperial IPA crowd. Still, even with a heavier texture, it glides off the tongue and throat smoothly and doesn't stick around too long or taste too harsh.

D: Incredibly drinkable, especially for a style known for being rather extreme. Balance is the key here, and I'm glad Great Divide picked up on that when they brewed this thing. The description on the label reading "its hefty backbone of nutty, malty sweetness balances its aggressive hop profile" is as accurate as one can get. Great job on an outstanding beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2007 22:38:35 | More by CharlieMopps

jayfarley3

Nevada

4.72/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From a 22oz bottle into a pint glass poured a dark hazy copper orange color with a tan frothy head. Smelled strongly of citrus and piney hops. Taste is refreshing and smooth with a nice dose of toasted malt and a nice hoppy bitterness. This is a very well balanced Dipa you can harldy notice the 9.1% abv. This is a great beer!

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2009 03:54:36 | More by jayfarley3

AlFromBayShore

Georgia

4.72/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - rich amber with a frothy finger width head that, at this very moment, is slowly disappating. The disappating head leaves a film on the sides of my beer goblet. 5 minutes or so after I first check the aroma, I am now detecting some caramel notes.

S - frighteningly PINE! I'm a malt head so I'm very scared right now. This is a clean, fragrant, and crisp pine aroma with something slightly floral or "planty" in the background. The best way to describe the "planty" aroma is like that "planty" smell you get from a good bag of doobage (sorry, but that's the best description I can offer).

T - WOW! hoppy with a rich and deep malty middle followed by a hoppy finish. THEN there is a subtle alcohol warming BUT this does not taste boozy in any way, shape, or form. AND I find myself savoring this hoppy flavor... I'm not sure. That malty middle is fantastic! There is a warmth about it. Okay, I know I need to say something that identifies the particular flavor notes I am gathering BUT this is, in my opinion, has a balance about it that I find amazing.

M - full bodied texture and just shy of neary chewy. carbonation seems just right - mild but apparent and quite noticeable (fine and tiny prickly bubbles on the tongue).

D - I started this beer less than 10 minutes ago and its almost gone. GREAT drinkability!

Okay, if you are to have this beer, let it warm a bit. This is an amazing beer. I will buy this again AND tell my friends about this. This beer is so good that I am a malt head (I think but this beer leaves me unsure now) AND I can easily label this as one of my "go to beers". This beer is "hot"!

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2010 01:15:50 | More by AlFromBayShore

gbontrag

Colorado

4.7/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I LOVE this. Bricks of beautiful herb in the aroma and flavor. It brings back memories of the ganja trade. Drizzle that bric-a-funk with malt syrup, and put it under a bell jar on a hot tin roof -- suck the condensation!!! This is like taking something as fresh as a crate of Hawaiian pineapples, 6 Mexican limes; puree and let sit in a china cap on a warm shelf for a coupla days. Watch it drip-drip into your cup. Spicee!!

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2005 02:57:44 | More by gbontrag

trumick

Michigan

4.7/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear medium amber color with a 1/2 inch head and lots of sticky lacing all around after each sip.

Scent is very nice with a piney, grassy hop aroma and just a hint of sweet, bready malts.

Taste is outstanding a very well balanced beer. Sweet biscuity malts for just a second then the piney, citrus hops takes over in force, but the sweetness still mingles there along side. It finishes with a dry grapefruit that stays with me for a bit. Wow!

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, smooth and creamy. This beer has just the right amount of carbination to compliment the flavor.

I give this beer a high mark for drinkability. I would come back to this again and again. This goes down easy, almost too easy. The abv is well hidden, and I could easily over indulge with this one.

Great Divide has yet to disapoint. I am impressed with all of their offerings. I need to try the Yeti on my next visit to the store. I would highly recomend this beer to all "hopheads".

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2005 04:15:18 | More by trumick

scooter231

New York

4.7/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Oh Great Divide, how I wish you were on the east coast where I could easily find you... this DIPA rocked.

Wonderfully hoppy and citrusy with a pineyness to it that made it unique tasting and different. Bubbly. Very, very smooth and creamy. Amazingly crisp and refreshing, and the alcohol content is well-hidden. After a few sips you get a nice warming feeling going on. Warm and fuzzy.

Hopfiends- you will love this brew. I can't say enough about it- delicious, amazing, wonderful. Great DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2005 06:14:50 | More by scooter231