Hercules Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company

jwc215

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

According to label, bottled in fourth week of September (about 2 months before tasting).

Pours deep copper with a thin head that leaves trails of lacing.

The smell is of citrus fruits with a hint of nuts. There is an underlying mustiness.

The taste is of chewy, bitter hops upfront - orange and grapefruit, along with some breadiness. A sweet, nutty, slightly grains malt backbone is very subtle, but enough to give it a nice body and to tie the hops together. The assertive hop character stays well ahead of the malt. A slight alcohol kick along with the hops gives it a long, dry finish.

The feel is incredible - chewy, full, rich, creamy and smooth.

This is a very nice double IPA. I wasn't overly impressed by the smell, but the taste is delicious and the feel dream-like. At 85 IBU's, this one lets it hop presence known loud and clear. But, the slight malt is not forgotten and gives it some relative balance. Although there are traces of alcohol in the finish, the alcohol is well-hidden for the abv level. A very good "sip and enjoy" hoppy delight.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2006 02:08:44 | More by jwc215

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a clear medium golden brown, with a copious amount of creamy, foamy white head, which leaves consistent webbed lace as it disappears. It smells strongly of grapefruit and orange citrus hop aromas, and some thin caramel malt. The taste is a dense caramel malt backbone, bitter orange liqueur, a bit of orange vodka, and some mixed citrus hops. The carbonation is quite mild, the body heavy, oily, and smooth, and it finishes off-dry, some fruity sweet malt lingering for a good while.

A pretty decent DIPA, all the components are jacked up to just the right smack-you-in-the-head levels.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2009 06:31:37 | More by biboergosum

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hmm, I think this might be slightly shelf-aged from the Party Source in Syracuse, making it come off more like Rogue's Old Crusty than I remember. The hops here sweet, reisiny citrus in the aroma, more black pepper tastes comes out with taste and lingers with big-league citrus rind. There's some sweet bready malts in the aroma, similar to DFH 120, but lighter of course.

Overall, this is a big and fairly aggressive DIPA (but not too aggressive). What's not to like?

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2007 02:26:03 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I am drinking a chilled 650 mL capped bottle poured into an Ommegang Witte glass.

Appearance: The ale pours with a deep orange color. There is a slight hazy in the glass, but not enough to make me consider sediment or yeast. There is a minimal ring of lace around the glass.

Smell: The ale has a strong aroma of citrusy NW US hops. The concentration smells fairly strong.

Taste: The ale has a hoppy bitterness that grabs you from the get-go. The hops do not scald the mouth, but they come pretty close. The alcohol in this beer is evident in the taste.

Mouthfeel: The hops are a bit too strong and leave a bitter taste in the mouth that lingers for a while.

Drinkability: Decent beer for a hophead, although I find the alcohol and hop characters both to be overwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2006 21:14:37 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appears an amber caramel hued tone with a lofty off white head leaves even specks of lacing Aroma contains deep piney layers sweet malt and alcohol notes tree sap nice brew nice hop resin layer. Taste has deep alcohol piney and citrus hop layers very malty profile finishes with a yeasty bread finish. Mouthfeel has a medium to full body smooth carbonation resinous oils flow across the palate. Drinkability is very smooth but I prefer this beefy brew in 12oz offerings I will revisit when I find it in bottles.

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2006 20:33:48 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

All I now have left is Hades and HotShot and I will have had all the bottles of GD brew.

Pours a very foggy orange brownish amber with a crème head. Nose is piney hops with a salty edge. Flavor is heavy hops with a definite salty edge. Pine characteristics. Thick and even. Alcohol is very present in the mouth and slightly burns in the back. Feel is a good liquid body. Carbonation is good too. Drinkability has to get knocked down in the score a wee bit due to the burning alcohol on this one. But overall this is a good brew, I say. Not the greatest DIPA, by far. But certainly well made and worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 04:30:13 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.88/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours an orange color, fluffy head that lasts and good carbonation.

S: The aroma is pine, citrus and a slight floral blast.

T: Taste is, obviously, dominated by hops but the malty sweetness gives the bitterness a run for its money.Caramel, pine, floral and citrus make up the taste

M: Mouthfeel is a bit thin for me as IIPA. Stone IPA is about the same to me. There is a definite aftertaste of bitterness on the roof of my mouth.

D: Very drinkable.

Serving type: growler

01-07-2011 03:23:16 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy dark amber in color. A small but lasting head. Some lace.

I like the floral bouquet of hops that blends well with the dry malt. I can detect a strong presence of alcohol.

The flavor starts with a crystal malt which quickly dissipates to a strong hop bitterness. Full body and slightly oily. Good carbonation to balance. Noticably high in alcohol.

A great entry into the world of Double IPA's. Too much of a good thing?

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2006 19:55:50 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz. Bomber Pours a nice dark copper color, some carbonation, small head, very nice lacing afterwards. Scents of hops aplenty, citrusy, and some sweetness. Very nice taste of hops, and sweet. Medium body with a nice bitter bite at the end. Very drinkable at 9.1% ABV, the bottle also sez 85 IBUs which is the first time I've seen this on a bottle, what it means I'm not sure. This brew is highly recommend for sure, will be buying again.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2005 00:26:22 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.68/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a three finger cream head that fades slowly leaving a good lace. Almost clear amber color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Grapefruit/pine nose. Flavor is sweet, hoppy grapefruit and pine. Lingering hoppy aftertaste. High ABV is hidden. $4.50 for a 12oz bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, MA.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2009 22:27:58 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in an American pint glass)

A- This beer has a nice amber brown body that is slightly hazy with a nice creamy yellowish head. It has a good carbonation various size bubbles.

S- Smell so slightly toasted malts and pale malt lay the base for some spicy green hops. The malt has a hint of sweet graham cracker as it warms.

T- The big taste of hops has hints of pine, light grapefruit and some juicy fruit notes. There are nice flavors of caramel and lightly toasted malt that give it a good base for all the hops. The finish is a nice hop bitterness with some spicy qualities followed by a nice alcohol warmth.

M- Medium mouthfeel with a faint hint of fizz and a nice alcohol warmth that is very gentle.

D- This beer has nice big hops but it is well balanced by a good malt backbone and some alcohol warmth. The hops have a very complex flavor and it is hard to pick one or two main characteristics to the hops.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2005 01:26:17 | More by rhoadsrage

Jason

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bomber @ Sunset Grill, thanks liefman for sharing this with me.

Deep copper, slightly hazed with a lace that would not stop leaving trails down the glass.

Smelled of resiny hops, piney and citric yet very clean. Hints of malt and subtle alcohol under the hops. Almost silky smooth with a strong medium body, big punch of clean bitter hop ... clean hop oil permeates citric and pine. Faint alcohol on the palate, its very hidden ... deceiving.

Wow, damn straight this Double IPA came at me like a bat out of hell. I am very impress by this brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2005 22:41:39 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

4.38/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 ounce bomber, w/o freshness indication/vintage info. Allowed to warm quite a bit. Glowing auburn amber, with a creamy tan head, leaving lots of fine and whispy lacing. Nose is full of grapefruit rinds with malty undertones. This is an incredibly smooth DIPA, oozes hoppy goodness. Grapefruit, pine, also smooth honey and layers of malt add to this one's luster. Goes down/finishes with a tiny hint of gin and warming alcohol. Great beer, Hop lovers and DIPA lovers will love this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2006 23:13:26 | More by Billolick

mdfb79

New York

3.73/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From 02/26/11 notes. Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. Bottled on date is unreadable.

a - Pours a transparent orange color with one inch of off white head and light carbonation evident. Head disappears quickly and leaves no lacing.

s - Smells of citrus hops, caramel malts, fruity malts, and light lemon. More malts than I expected.

t - Tastes of citrus hops, pretty bitter, pine hop, and fruity malts.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation, little bitter bite up front.

d - A pretty good DIPA. A bit strong and a bit bitter, but still good. Would give another shot.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2011 03:36:51 | More by mdfb79

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle purchased somewhere in VA, one of many things gathered at either Vienna Whole Foods, Norm's, or Westpark Wine & Beer.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1" light tan head over the orangey amber brew. Head is dense and exhibits staying power, and the lacing is excellent. Aroma is of fruity, piney hops. Taste is hops upfront, at the end, and in the middle. They seem to grab into your tongue from the moment they enter your mouth, yet we're not ripping off the taste buds, just waking them up. Some malt for a backbone, but it is apparent this is not the focus of the brew. Mouthfeel and drinkability excellent for the style. Worth finding, for sure.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2004 23:24:51 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had an entire sixtel of this on draft and failed to review it. I'm getting my chance now with this 22 ounce bottle.
Appears a hazy, copper toned amber with a fluffy, off-white head. Good amounts of scattered lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of sweet biscuit, toasted nuts, honey, citrus, pine, and fruity apple blossoms.
Taste is of the aromas, along with a doughy, sweet caramel found in the background of the citrus & pine blasted hop profile.
Mouthfeel is well balanced of sweet malts, and hoppy, grapefruit that meld together for a hop lover's dream. The feel is medium-full bodied but creamy.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2006 21:03:31 | More by weeare138

Zorro

California

4.4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed through the miracle of BIF 43 NC Lotto and hoppedup.

After the pour I am rewarded with a chill hazed copper colored ale with a good one-inch tan colored head. Quite good head formation for the strength of this beer.

Smell is strong spicy hops, very tasty smelling. Strong but clean citrus hop aroma, mostly of the grapefruit type. Strongly spicy and peppery to the nose, this gives the sensation of cinnamon, mint and oranges to the nose as well as black pepper. Hard to pick out the individual hop aromas here, the hops are very aromatic.

Taste is sweet and fairly woody with a strong grapefruit after taste at the beginning. Quite spicy on the tongue and almost HOT from the hop strength. Noticeable alcohol in the flavor but it is sensed as pepper by the tongue in combination with the VERY heavy hop load used here. The website says this is 85 IBUs but it seems stronger than that in the same class as Stone Ruination in Hops that kick your butt sensation. Hop flavors span the entire spectrum but are stronger in pineapple, grapefruit, lime and wood/tea flavors. Quite bitter but after the 3 sip you tongue is quite numbed by the hops and you don't notice it. A hop heads wet dream in a glass.

Mouthfeel is good for such a powerful brew.

Drinkability here is all about how much hops you can tolerate. At this point I have in fact evolved into something of a hophead and I love these hop bombs. For a hophead this is a 4.5 in drinkability. For a non-hop head, this is more like a 2 in drinkability; it will seriously kick your butt.

Great Divide should put that on the label in big letters "Warning! This beer will kick your Butt! Only meant for hopheads and the inmates of a Oregon Hophead insane asylum!"

Personally I REALLY liked this beer!

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2006 01:53:55 | More by Zorro

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a Stone IPA flute.

Pours a somewhat murky burnt orange with a big 2+ finger widths of billowy off-white head that nearly fills 1/3 of the glass. After settling down, it retains beautifully into a creamy covering that left awesome sticky lacing all over the sides of the glass. The aroma is a Wowzas! huge bouquet of floral hops and piney notes, citrus, and bready sweetness.

The taste is just a big as the aroma, with bold piney resinous hops that are nicely balanced by a brawny backbone of grainy malt. The bitterness lasts well through the finish and lingers on the palette. The mouthfeel of this beer is a real treat, being as muscular and powerful as its mythological namesake with a thick and chewey nature that matches well with its other characteristics. Heat is present but it's not stinging. It just adds even more strenghth to the body and accecuates the bitterness in the finish.

Hercules is one of my favorite Great Divide beers as to me, it does everything a good DIPA should. With fresh pungent hop characteristics, a sturdy malt backbone to keep it in check, and a big body that lets you know that your drinking a beer that means business. It's definitely a sipper but when a beer is this good, that's fine by me!

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2008 17:20:28 | More by Kegatron

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.47/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Clear amber/red, big white head forms, lots of lacing. Smell is citrus/floral hops, sweet caramel malts, some grapefruit. Taste is sweet caramel and crystal malt, floral citrus hops, big grapefruity bitterness. Very nicely balanced and very rich. Very smooth, medium to high carbonation, medium bodied, dry and bitter. More like an american barleywine than a double IPA but a tasty brew none the less.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2005 05:52:43 | More by Viggo

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.85/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Copper appearance. Very slight chill haze. Slight off white head. with little retention. Not many signs of carbonation upon viewing. Lacing is sporadic, but nice. The nose has got it all. It's dominated by the hops with their pine sap, lemon rind, grapefruit and citric attributes. But there's also some caramel dripped sweetness and light bready tones as well. This beer has the perfect mix of bitter hops and sweet malts for an IIPA. The hops are bitter, but fairly clean that way. The hops are juicy. This is perhaps the quality of this beer that I like the most. Like juicy pink grapefruit pulp. With the slightest coating of sugar to keep it in check. The malt backing has nuances of toffee and caramel. The body is round and damn near full. Carbonation is in check. And this is one helluva an Imperial IPA.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2004 04:44:33 | More by Bighuge

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.95/5  rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours anice cloudy amber/orange. Aroma of hops (of course) with a slight floral and malt scent. Very impressed with this IPA. Although very hoopy, there is a nice balance of slight sweetness that rounds out this beer. Highly reccomended for hop heads.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2008 08:56:32 | More by corby112

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours deep orange. Aroma, lots of hops and alcohol.

Taste, bitter, a little thick, not quite syrup, but I would have preferred a smaller malt bill and some more dry hopping (if any). Its a big beer, but the big is accentuated on the stuff I'm not necessarily the biggest fan of in a DIPA. Not that it makes this a bad beer, far from it.

Mouthfeel, dominated by the bitterness. It makes me think I may have gotten an old bottle, it has that 9 month old dipa feel to it, which can be great with some dipas (Pike Double IPA for instance).

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2010 19:50:28 | More by Beerandraiderfan

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 335ml Brown Bottle, obtained from Borough Market, London. Recommended by BA ColoradoBobs.

Poured into a Hoegaarden 'Grand Cru' stemmed tulip glass.

A dull, deep terracotta orange body with an off-white almost biege coloured, tight but thin foaming head. The beers body has a very slight haze to it, but not enough to detract from its fine looks.

The aroma was all hops and more hops, some malty molasses type smells did pop up if I sniffed hard and long enough.

I tasted this straight after a Titan IPA, this is a seriously hoppy brew compared to that (and I thought that hoppy). It is a little too hoppy for my English tender tastebuds, but it obviously hits all the right notes for the style. I obviously can't compare it with others within its class, but overall I liked it.

Not used to 9.10% beers (although I do hit Belgium regular), this seemed well balanced and hid the alcohol very well.

Will this turn me into a hop monster? Probably not. Will I look out for hoppy American beers in the future? Probably.

Thanks John, only another 5 Colorado beers left to try/review (before I buy some more?).

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2008 18:29:53 | More by BlackHaddock

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Stunned to see this on cask at Max's today.

The beer pours an amber orange color with fairly decent head retention and fair lacing. On the nose... mmmm.... this beer is all DIPA goodness, with considerable pine, orange citrus, jelly bean and light white pepper. The flavor profile replicates the nose in this well crafted DIPA. There's something of a honey and sweet jelly bean finish in this beer, which marries incredibly well in this otherwise hoppy, citrusy DIPA. The sweetness blends incredibly well with the hoppy bitterness, and at no point was the malty sweetness excessive or over the top. Mouthfeel is medium bodied to full, with a long, soft, orange candy and bitter finish. Drinkability is good to the point of danger. There is nothing hot or heavy about this beer, though you can tell the alcohol is up there.

Wow! Stunner. mmm...

Serving type: cask

03-25-2011 22:03:49 | More by johnmichaelsen

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First had: bottle from Pinocchio's beer garden, Media, PA

Poured a hazy orange-brown with a healthy white head. Fruits and citrus hops in the nose. Very tasty, with citrus and piney hops, smooth malts in the background...surprisingly fruity. Some bitterness in the aftertaste. Medium bodied, with a bit of film in the mouth from the fruitiness and alcohol, but overall nice and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 14:06:31 | More by Rifugium