Hercules Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company

roodie

Texas

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

Enjoyed at The Petrol Station in Houston, TX

Poured into a pint glass

A: pours an orangish brown with 1 finger of frothy white head that retains for a while. Nice lacing

S: a nice blend of hoppiness, resin and pine, with fruit mixed in, mostly mango/citrus. You can smell the sweetness of the malt, well mixed bouquet.

T: follows the nose, though the hops are stronger than expected, initially bitter and resiny, but the fruits and sweet malt follow at the end. very nice

M: a mix of bitter and sweet lingers, the beer is very smooth, but a bit grainy, though it was clear, go figure.

O: an enjoyable brew, one I have had many times in bottles and on tap and would seek out occasionally when on tap. Better on tap, would love to try it casked!

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2011 19:30:18 | More by roodie

AMoriarty

Florida

4.6/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A nice amber colored beer that is served in a snifter with a small frothy head that dissipates quickly, often by the time I get it from the bartender.

The taste is a little malty/sweet right off the bat followed by a strong bitter taste of fresh piney and citrusy hops that lingers. The beer is only lightly carbonated and is very smooth.

At nearly 10% you might expect a strong alcohol flavor but I think it is well balanced by the hops and isn't readily apparent. I always get to the bottom of my glass wishing there was more in it, but knowing that I've drank more than a traditional beer's worth of alcohol

The smell of this beer is probably my favorite part. You get the aroma of the hops mixed with a mild sweetness and the combination I love.

A local bar with 40 taps and over 500 different beers usually has this one on tap and every time I go I try to get something new but I always end up getting one of these before I leave.

This is probably one of the beers that made me fall in love with Imperial IPA's so if you're a fan of the style definitely give it a try.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2011 09:10:48 | More by AMoriarty

womencantsail

California

3.1/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On-tap at Eureka!Burger Claremont

A: The pour is a clear amber color with a creamy off-white head.

S: Definitely on the sweet side for an IPA with lots of caramel and toffee aromas. There's a mild citrus hop aroma along with a fair amount of pineapple. Some other sweet fruits also make an appearance.

T: Like the aroma, the flavor is also quite sweet. Plenty of brown sugar, caramel, and toffee are prsent. There is a fairly mild hop character and very little bitterness. Minimal citrus and fruit flavors wth a bit of grass and alcohol.

M: The body is medium to full with medium carbonation.

O: Overly sweet and not all that hoppy. That's not a combination I look for in an IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2011 15:02:06 | More by womencantsail

stercomm

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap in a pint glass

A - Coppery, hazy hue, slight head, medium lacing

S - Pine, some orange and lemon, very good aroma profile

T - Very nice, what I liked most about this beer is the fact a hop junkie will like yet at the same time it tastes well balanced; notes of pine, citrus, and some malty sweetness

M - Medium bodied, nice carbonation

D - Very good, would definitelyhave this again, lots of great taste here

Serving type: on-tap

06-24-2011 23:08:17 | More by stercomm

BeerBuckeye

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at BoHo in Hollywood 6/1/2011

A - Pours a hazy orange with puffy, white, 2 finger head.

S - A bit underwhelming for a DIPA. Lots of flowery, earthy hops.

T - The power from the earthy hops carries over into the beer. It has plenty of those piney, bitter hops. A bit of sweet malt, but certainly weighed towards the hoppyness.

M - Pretty standard, left the mouth fairly dry.

Overall - A pretty decent DIPA. I wouldn't consider it world-class, but it did the trick. Sort of a lesser version of the world-class ones out there.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2011 20:31:23 | More by BeerBuckeye

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap, served in a snifter

Sits with an orange hue and a thin, one finger creamy, yellow-infused cap. Some spider web lacing.

The aroma is a nice balance of pine resin and grapefruity goodness. Clean and only an inkling of clean pale malt underneath.

Resiny, oily hops burst onto the palate with grapefruit and tangerines quickly in tow. There is a little bit of malt holding down the back end, but the hops really shine. A nice bitter kick mingles with some faint alcohol for the finish.

An oily feel, medium to full body with a good dose of bitterness. This does everything very well and is a great example of the style. Not as clean as the most elite of the style, but this has its charm. A solid, well-enjoyable DIPA that is welcome in my glass any day.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2011 14:12:42 | More by ColForbinBC

celticfutblclub

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

on tap at redbones

A - nice orange body to this with a powdery white head that has good retention and quality lacing.

S - nice grapefruit citrus smell to this and some hops. its not bad but it certainly isn't standing out for me.

T - again grapefruit citrus and a good hop bite at the back. mild alcohol finish to it as well. its tasty but really isn't doing anything to stand out from the crowd.

M - good carbonation. sticky and dry on the mouth but not too much.

O - not a bad brew. its not doing anything wrong but its kinda forgettable in its straight-forwardness.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2011 15:14:39 | More by celticfutblclub

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

tap

Pours a somewhat hazy reddish amber color, no real head to speak of.

Smells strongly of pine hops and maybe a bit of citrus.

Tastes of piney hops, hints of citrus and noticeable honey sweetness. The hops are very strong but not super bitter, mostly just floral.

Decent tingly carbonation, medium but slightly sticky feel.

Very delicious flavorful strong IPA. Good mixture of flavors with exactly what you would expect and also just a bit of surprise in the honey sweetness and citrus notes. Too strong to session but would love to enjoy one again as a sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2011 00:53:24 | More by Cylinsier

JM03

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Mad Mex in Cranberry Twp, PA

Pours amber with a hint of orange highlights. Minimal head with decent lacing.

Aroma hits you with hops. A bit of sweet caramel.

Taste is hop forward, as a DIPA should be. Less hops than the aroma led me to believe. A sweet caramel maltiness is present with a bit of warming alcohol. A small amount of bitterness in the aftertaste.

Overall a nice smooth DIPA. Less bitter than I was prepared for which makes it go down really smoothly. Alcohol is present, but not overpowering.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2011 18:54:33 | More by JM03

Preismj

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

a: rich red/amber with a quarter inch head, good retention and nicely sticky.

s: smells of hints of floral, though I am getting a lot of malt in here and a bit of a turn off as I wasn't expecting nor was I in the mood for it.

t: more of a combination IPA and Red if you ask me. I get a tremendous amount of nutty toffee and the thick syrup taste...considerably more than any hops I taste. I am not a fan of reds and this reminds of a red with it's strong malt profile.

m: nice feel in the mouth, coats the palette and finished dry enough for me to be satisfied. good fizz to it too.

o: won't actively search this out again, again the malt was too strong for the style and not something I was in the mood for.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2011 20:25:11 | More by Preismj

notchucknorris

California

3.7/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pretty dark in color. A clear coppery color with a massive cream colored head that takes forever to go away.

S: Pretty solid hit of pine hops with a little overripe mango and a hint of banana.

T: I hate to say it, but I was a little disappointed by this one. The malts completely overpower the hops. There's a lot of caramel malt sweetness and a bit of pine hops, but the malts ride right over the hops. It's still a good beer, but far from being one of the better DIPAs I've had.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2011 05:53:37 | More by notchucknorris

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had this on 2011-03-14 at Rivermont Pizza in Lynchburg, VA.

A - Slightly hazy copper with a short tan head and good lacing.

S - Caramel malt with some pine, citrus and yeast.

T - Big chalky and sweet malt, moderate caramel, pine, and citrus. The alcohol is well-disguised. More hop bitterness please.

M - Creamy with medium body and light to medium carbonation. Not prickly.

D - Very drinkable. Glad it was available at this pub tonight.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2011 22:59:59 | More by Tucquan

MattAtAmeriCraft

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got it on tap at American Craft in Brookline, MA.

Appearance- Nice Amber Reddish hazy beer. Good foamy head that left lacing on the glass.

Smell- Fragrant hoppy with a tinge of citrus in the nose.

Taste- Awesome. Really satisfying complex DIPA. Good hop character with a really smooth finish. A little sweetness on the finish with a hint of citrusy orange.

Drinkability- Very fun beer to drink. A little warmth on the finish due to the high alcohol content but the presence of alcohol was not harsh at all. Great with a burger or other food or simply on it's own.

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2011 18:42:53 | More by MattAtAmeriCraft

thedoubler55

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - A slightly dark amber, with a nice finger of head at the top that sticks to the glass after each sip.

S - Lots of hops, as well strong hints of citrus and bits of caramel.

T - Bitterness is king on this DIPA! Great tasting hops and a bit of caramel at the tail end.

M - Dry and medium bodied, some slight carbonation

D - Very drinkable even with the high alcohol content.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2011 23:46:15 | More by thedoubler55

mdunman

Texas

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

A: Hazy amber with a tick head and a lot of linger.

S: Hop bomb, with a bit of spice and malt.

T: Again, a hop bomb. But this one was complemented with a lot of good spices and some citrus notes to make this IPA a bit more unique.

M: Medium body, plenty of carbonation.

Very enjoyable beer. This beer stands out in the world of hop bombs in it's own way. I would gladly come back for another round.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2011 00:58:03 | More by mdunman

HOPPYKC

Kansas

4.22/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ha this on tap at the flying saucer in downtown kc. Amazing place!!

A- looks like a nice amber brown. Transparent. About half inch of head. shows nice carbonation.

S- malts and hops combined perfectly. Fruits and grain. Roasted. Grapefruit and maybe pineapple.

T- hops right in the front massively. not too bitter though. A nice mix of hoppy bitterness and malt character. Then end is dry and give a nice full finish.

M&D- a bit fuller than I like most of my brews. a great feel on the pallet.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2011 02:27:53 | More by HOPPYKC

beersensei305

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Notes: On tap World of Beer tampa Palms

A- Amber in color, fairly merky..off white head good rentention

S- Piney citrus rind malty nad of course robust floral hops

T- starts off malty sweet, middle is the hop slam, then bitter from grapefruit.. well balanced

M- Bitter and medium bodied sticky/syrupy average carbonation

D- this is a big flavored DIPA really good and balanced none of the flavors get out of control it is a great one

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2011 02:14:30 | More by beersensei305

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

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

A - Pours a hazy copper amber. A small billowy white head that creates 3 round mounds and stays throughout. Very nice lacing patterns.

S - Grapefruit, sugar candied bready caramel, mango fruit and rind. Has a green hop bitterness to it. An orange peel resin sticks to the tongue and adds huge hop flavor. The malt has a dense doughy character but not too heavy. Finishes with a long green pine and moderately bitter.

M - Medium to full bodied, medium carbonation, slick.

A full 3 C hop profile backed by an excellent sweet doughy malt. Plenty bitter and full flavored. Well done.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2011 21:56:46 | More by StaveHooks

ictmattb

Kansas

4.97/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I'm sitting in Great Divide Brewery in Denver, CO as I write this. This beer is exceptional. I was expecting it to have a really thick hop bitterness, but it actually goes down very easy. This beer is amazing! I've always enjoyed Great Divide, but visiting here has made this beer even better. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2010 21:03:38 | More by ictmattb

beagle75

Iowa

2.68/5  rDev -35.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Draft pour into a half-pint goblet at Whole Foods in Tustin.

A: Clear, light amber color with one finger of off-white foam head. Moderate lacing remains on the glass. Bubbles are visible rising in loose streams from the bottom and sides of the glass.

S: Toasted bread, earth, and dark vinous fruit constitute the bulk of this beer's smell. Occasional whiffs of pine foliage, caramel, and fusile alcohols break through (the latter dissipating after a few minutes).

T: Begins sweet, with intense pale and caramel malts soon joined by dark, treacly citrus hop aromatics. The middle remains hoppy, but some astringency and cloying soapiness also emerge. The finish dries out somewhat, with moderate bitterness and grapefruit peel lingering. The flavor of pure alcohol never really stands alone, although it may play a part in creating some of the less desirable qualities found here.

M: Medium viscosity, syrupy on the palate, with moderate carbonation whose presence is felt too noticeably.

D: This DIPA has a lot going on, but some of its sensory qualities are problematic. Flavor-wise it is big but not satisfying--the kind of strong ale that fatigues the palate almost after a single sip. In its defense, it probably pairs with savory food better than some other more noteworthy examples of the style. Within its style Hercules treads near to the barleywine border, cultivating dark flavors over bright--it will not be mistaken for a West coast IPA. It is similar in this sense to Ninkasi Tricerahops or Avery Maharaja, although both are superior efforts to this.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2010 06:07:18 | More by beagle75

csiewert

Oregon

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

This beer pours a orange amber color with small head that retains very well. Unfortunately it was poured to me in a just cleaned glass and ruined the aroma. The taste has a generous hop note with a good balance of malty sweetness. The mouthfeel is the biggest detractor with me feeling like I need to continuously lick the roof of my mouth. Overall I think you should definitely try it.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2010 19:41:07 | More by csiewert

Chadpaq

North Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at The Pizza Peel. Let me just say: This local establishment has stepped their game up, big-time.

Fairly big head. The beer itself resembles some sort of crystalline-amber color that's allowing minimal amounts of light to penetrate. One of the prettier DIPAs I've seen. The head's very resilient, and hardly wants to recede at all! I can't tell if that's a good thing or not. I'm getting a little impatient. I'll settle for a frothy mustache I suppose...

I can hardly take a full inhalation of this beer, it's so darn floral. That's a good thing, don't worry. I'm nearly knocked back in my booth from all of the hops entering my nasal cavity. Let's taste her already!

Oh yeah. Just as I expected. A nearly-perfect balance of hops to carbonation, with only minimal malty traces, something that is crucial for me. Granted, this is a double, but the malt is still very discreet. At 10%abv, I have no idea how Great Divide pulled it off...then again, this is why they're one of the big guns in the microbrew industry.

I could literally session this stuff. I think this is the best Double IPA I have ever had. I haven't had Pliny, but man, I feel like this could give it a run for its money. Props to The Pizza Peel for keeping this baby on tap!

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2010 00:17:21 | More by Chadpaq

SurlyMe

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A - Golden honey color, thin white head with not much lacing, lightly carbonated

S - Bright citrus notes, sweet, very hoppy

T - Sweet citrus hoppiness up front with a caramel/butter toffee finish

M - Perfect smooth feel, just the right amount of carbonation, not too resinous like many DIPAs, hop and caramel/nut tastes linger in the mouth nicely.

D - Extremely drinkable which was surprising for 10% alc. the lingering taste makes you want to sip more and more.

Overall, a very well rounded DIPA, nothing was too over the top.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2010 21:04:25 | More by SurlyMe

nezelrac

New York

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

Serving type - on tap, then I brought home a growler, review based primarily from draft observations supplemented with growler notes

A - Served/poured into a regular ol' pint glass. Orange tinged amber with a near 2 finger white creamy head. Good retention and decent lacing.

S - Caramel and sweet malts surround lightly piny and citrus hops with an interesting focused note of baked pineapple. A whole lot more malt on the nose than many DIPA's

T - Plenty of bitterness and hop flavors, but they are deeply embedded in a big malty body. Toasty, caramel maltiness and gentle nutty notes with hints of fruity esters hold a lot of hops in balance. The bitterness is evident on the palate and builds through the finish.

M - Deliciously smooth and creamy. Hops give some nice structure. Stops just shy of being a truly 'big' beer.

D - Dangerously drinkable. I will be filling the growler again soon. The 10% ABV is well-hidden.

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2010 15:17:48 | More by nezelrac

philbe311

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - A copper tinged light to medium gold color... No head, just a veil of splotchy lace and a thin color... Still with no noticeable carbonation... Rather pedestrian given the large nature of this brew...

S - Hops are first and foremost which should be no surprise... Mostly pungent citrus with a tinge of mild pine hops... Cracker and biscuit buried beneath the surface... Quite appealing...

T - Hops, hops, and more hops with a bit of crackery malt unertones... A potent DIPA that is a little bit of a one trick poney which isn't necessarily a bad thing... A subtle kiss of spice adds some much needed dimensionality to this offering...

M - On the lighter side of full bodied... Minimal carbonation... Consistent sip after sip... Hefty and sturdy... A minor touch of lushness... A bit of chalky finish...

D - An above average, but not steller DIPA that is unforgiven and packs quite the wallop... Would gladly drink again, but the 10% ABV makes this one a little rough around the edges...

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2010 00:00:31 | More by philbe311