Hercules Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company

alexgash

Connecticut

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

Mostly clear bright golden orange with coppery highlights. Thick, dense cushion of light beige head. Great lacing painted all over the sides of the Duvel tulip. Moderate but appetizing nose of caramel, tropical fruits, pineapples, pine sap, Scotch tape, and a slice of orange.

Focused hop bite hits the tongue right away. Herbal and bitter with light toasted malt backing. Creamy and smooth feel. Sweet fruit and caramel/toffee malt backbone as the hop flavor and bitterness take over the palate. Big citrus, pineapple, and pine bitterness. Slightly warming finish with lingering candy apple malt and bitter hop resins. Full-bodied DIPA that goes down pretty easy for the hoppiness and the abv. Very good.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2008 02:00:00 | More by alexgash

champ103

Texas

3.3/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours an amber reddish color. At first a two finger white head forms, but recedes in an instant. Rings of sticky lace is left behind.
S: Piny, citrus, and grapefruit hops. A large bitterness in the nose. Very little malt sweetness. Almost no balance.
T: Again, piny, citrus, and grapefruit. Bitterness is up front. A very light malt sweetness lingers on.
M/D: A medium body and carbonation. A soapy, oily, and sticky consistency. Not the hardest DIPA to drink, but the bitterness makes this a one and done.

Not the worst DIPA I have ever had. Nothing out of the ordinary. I will probably never get this again. Though if you are a fan of oily and bitter hops, I would recommend this.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2009 04:01:23 | More by champ103

GClarkage

California

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

01/31/06- Purchased at Bottleworks in Seattle, WA.

Presentation- 22oz bomber bottle with no freshness information. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

Appearance- Murky amber in color. Nice fuller inch or so head with decent lacing left behind.

Smell- Wonderful scent of deep malt with a brown sugar whiff. Pine hops come through as well.

Taste- Toasted malt comes through hardcore with a roasted caramel flavor. Pine hops sear through the malt and make you take notice. Maybe a light touch of vanilla as well. Seems a tad more malty though. Still very well balanced.

Mouthfeel- A touch creamy with a heavier mouthfeel. Medium carbonation level.

Drinkability- Seems to taste more like a barleywine to me than an IPA. Maybe even and English style barleywine. Very tasty. Starts out mellow but grabs your attention soon thereafter. If you are a fan of the heavier malted IPA's, give this one a try. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2006 06:34:15 | More by GClarkage

tdm168

North Carolina

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

On tap at the Biere Garden in Asheville

A - orange with a big, dense, white head that has great retention

S - bread, citrus, grapefruit, pineapple, oranges

T - bread, caramel, sugar, grapefruit, oranges, pineapple

M - medium to full bodied, warm, smooth, good carbonation

This is a pretty big, bold IPA. The alcohol is present but adds warmth and body. The hop character is not bitter and is very citrusy. It's malt forward and has incredible drinkability for the ABV. I will definitely have this again.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2012 08:14:15 | More by tdm168

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

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

22 oz bomber, served in a pint glass.

A - orange/amber color with a nice foamy beige head that lasted the entire glass, leaving lots of fine sticky lace.

S - it's all about the hops, very strong citrusy hop aroma.

T - very good tasting DIPA, sour citrus hop flavor hits first, followed by a slight hint of malt, finishing with a crisp hop bite.

M - medium bodied, nicely carbonated brew.

D - very tasty, but drinkable only to a point (4) because of 9% abv.

I have a question: why doesn't anyone make a brew this tasty with an abv of 5% or less, so it can be sessionable?

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2007 00:59:53 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

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

On tap at Canal Street in Reading, PA on 2/9/08.

A - Clear orange/amber body with modest carbonation and one-finger frothy, off-white head that left some fantastic, ornate lacing around the glass.

S - Big pungent and juicy citrus hop nose with grapefruit, orange and pineapple notes. Sweet caramel malt and a slight alcohol twang. Nice sweet and juicy aroma.

T - Juicy citrus fruits dominate, but a sturdy, sweet malt backbone keeps the hops in check.

M - Medium body with a super creamy texture and fair amount of heat from the alcohol. Spreads a nice warmth over the tongue. Moderately bitter finish with some residual sweetness on the tastebuds.

D - Quite drinkable for a DIPA. A bit of alcohol warmth, but the hops are sweet and juicy. Very tasty!

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2008 21:03:37 | More by ffejherb

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

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

Was tricked into paying 6 bucks for a 10oz pour. On tap at "The Library" in the south side.

A - Very carbonated and the pour gave me a nice 1/4 inch of fluffy sticky head. Color is a clear amber brown.

S - Very malty with biscuit and caramel but I am getting a good deal of pine and citrus hops.

T - Taste starts off bitter but unbelievably smooth for 10%. No alcohol taste is always good and the bitter hops do mend with the caramel/vanilla like sweetness to balance with a citrus zest. Tasty.

M - Oily, slightly resinous but again remarkably smooth. Even after it warmed up a bit I got no ABV in the taste.

Overall this is pretty much the only way I could have enjoyed this beer since most bottles are 5 bucks and bombers being 10, and all are well over 6 months beyond brew date. It is quite a damn good DIPA so it was worth the coin.

Serving type: on-tap

12-04-2012 02:56:37 | More by DrDemento456

merlin48

Kentucky

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

22 oz bottle pours a burnished orange body with a lasting, offwhite head that disperses obscene layers of sheet and patch lace all over my imperial pint glass.
Titanic notes of citrusrind and spruce pine are apparent during the initial pour and last through the finish. Some caramel maltiness tries to balance the truckload of hops, with very minimal success.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a sticky hop resin feel. Moderate carbonation enhances a citric and peppery hops bite.
Taste is dominated by a ton of hops. Grapefruit and orangerind, with a strong note of spruce are predominant. Caramel maltiness makes a brief appearance in the middle and edges the citrusy hops toward some tangerine sweetness for a few moments. The finish evokes a fresh half of bitter grapefruit with a dollop of honey. Alcohol content is not apparent in the taste, but after finishing this one I'm a bit woozy. One of these at a sitting is all I can handle.
Very nice American double ipa. I see no reason to compare this to a barleywine, as a few other reviewers have.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2004 01:48:11 | More by merlin48

Vancer

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

What a hammer! Great brew to sip while watching football, inside or out. Yeah, 85 IBUs & 9.1%, still a small step for a stepper. Gorgeous hazy pumpkin orange pour, rich tan head. Oh yeah, very nice malty sweet sniff with florals, citrus and grapefruit. Loads of hops in the quaff, of course, but enough malts to balance quite well.

Tangy and rich, puts a little fire in the belly. $5.19 for a 750 bomber.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2005 15:25:35 | More by Vancer

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured a cloudy apricot color with moderate slightly off-white puffy head.
Smell is loaded with hops, piney, grassy, citrusy.
Taste is also a hoppy experience, but the maly is completely overwhelmed.
Finish with strong hop notes and not much else.
Was difficult for me to finish. Not a favorite of mine.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2006 15:02:49 | More by tgbljb

Mebuzzard

Colorado

4.45/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a nice dark amber, almost glowing, color. Good one finger head that exuded hops aroma. Yes, hops, they're all over the place. Flowery and citrus hit the nose hard and dominate the palate. There are enough malts to bring the hops down to a good level of balance, but this is definitely a DIPA. A good bite that comes, goes, and then comes back in the finish. Served very cold at Falling Rocks (denver); perhaps better feel if warmer?
Could have drank plenty of these if not for the $$$.

Serving type: on-tap

09-02-2006 15:36:26 | More by Mebuzzard

flagmantho

Washington

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

Poured from 22oz bottle into a pint glass. Bottled on 7/27/11 so still fresh I hope.

Appearance: cloudy orange hue with a thick finger of frothy tan foam. A good looking beer.

Smell: big malt backbone with a big floral, somewhat funky hop aroma. Notes of citrus and notes of pine are present too. Very nice.

Taste: sweet, strong malt with a good balance of hop flavors, although the overall effect is pretty murky. Citrus and floral hops abound here, and the flavors are quite good if muddy. Bitterness is strong but not enamel-eroding.

Mouthfeel: big body and a good, big carbonation. I'm surprised! This thing has texture like a big Belgian ale! Love it.

Overall: a very good double IPA. This is a good and tasty example of the style; I'll definitely have this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 02:53:34 | More by flagmantho

Deuane

Pennsylvania

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

Thanks to Nitrogen for this one...Growling at the Moon Trade.

A-Slightly hazy Copper with a thick light tan head. Moderate lacing all the way thru.

S-Nicely aromatic of pine and citrus with hints of malt sweetness.

T- Firm malt backbone with plenty of citrus hops and hints of pine. Alcohol is well hideen but an amount of warming comes thru. Overall, well balanced.

M-Medium bodies with a certain crsipness. Lot sof lingering astringency. Aftertaste of piney bitterness and citrus.

D-A good DIPA for sure. Not quite the right hop profile / malt balance for me to be a 5 but is surely one I could enjoy off and on.

Serving type: growler

02-14-2008 11:48:34 | More by Deuane

Jwale73

Rhode Island

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

12oz. bottle served in my Ommegang tulip. Bottled on January 18, 2012 indicated on the label. Pours a semi-hazy amber with a lose, quarter inch, off-white head. Head eventually settles into a thin, consistent skim - delicate webs of lacing are revealed during the course of the review. Nose expresses grapefruit, toasted malts and a slight bitter rind presence. Flavor profile is consistent with the nose - citrus is a bit more masked and rind is a bit more assertive; however, there's also a slight spicy character. Malt is not as assertive as I am accustomed to with the style. Mouthfeel is medium-light (but closer to medium) with an oily consistency and a slightly prickly carbonation. Overall, a pretty solid DIPA with a well-hidden abv. My preference leans more towards the fruity side of the spectrum, but this beer has a nice balance and some interesting qualities. I'd like the opportunity to try this one out on draft.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 01:27:50 | More by Jwale73

mynie

Indiana

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

Pours bright red with an uncontrolable head. It keeps growing and growing and it didn't die, not even when all the beer was gone. Wow.

Smells like dry hops and big, doughy yeast. Nothing amazing. The hops are a little overwhelming, actually, disproportionate to the malt. Still pretty nice.

Tastes very much like it smells. Big hops, a hint of dough, a little bit of a sweet and bitter aftertaste. Goes down pretty smooth.

Good brew, this, but it lacks that raw dough *bang* of others in its style.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2005 02:35:14 | More by mynie

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-Tap at the Memphis Taproom in a cute little tulip glass on Sunday afternoon.

Hercules looks like a double IPA, a deep orange hue with some faint traces of well orange, it looks real pretty. A nice white head above as well, how about that!!! Faint traces of falling lace, not that sticky. Smells include your standard tropic fruits with some grapefruit, mango and papaya. Taste include a layer of hop resin oil with liquid grapefruit a enormous amount of malt, without the over sweetness sometimes accompanied by it. It seems well balanced but the tropics don't hit me as hard as the malt backing, it's a double I so take that for what it is worth. Feel is a big medium and oily, slick with a small sting of alcohol at the end that fits quite nice for this 10% beast. I would not drink this all day but would go for it on tap again. Worthy of the double title, this is big and it will lay you out son. It does not seem as big as it is, caution while drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2010 22:45:38 | More by onix1agr

Bierman9

New Hampshire

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

My "Bro" Artied2 has been going on and on about this bier.... So when I finally saw one locally I just had to snag it....

Out of the bottle it comes, a clear, rich, deep, dark golden bronze hue. Head was slightly off-white and creamy, maintaining at about 1/4" for a while before fading to a thin layer. The fine, tight bubbles leave nice lacing in the glass.

Has a toasty malt nose along with a piney hop flourish, though less than expected. Still enticing.

Hitting the tongue, it has a medium body along with a creamy smooth, velvety feel in the mouth. Has a touch of bubbliness, but doesn't get prickly at all.

Flavor is a big, toasty malt hit at the outset, with an almost Fest-like sweetness and a sort of crystal malt flavor. Very hoppy shortly thereafter, but more of a resiny flavor than an out-and-out citrus lean. Hops are sharp, and almost spicy, to a point. Lovely combo with the caramel-like notes from the malt. Reminds me both of Smutty Big-A as well as the Bastard in some respects. Nice stuff!

Prosit!!

overall: 4.4
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | mouthfeel: 4.5 | drinkability: 4.5

821

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2005 19:19:19 | More by Bierman9

Durge

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A nice dark brown brew that pours a beautiful milk shake of a head, and it holds nicely right through the pint. The aroma is solidly hops, the green side of hoppy to be sure. Very inviting! The first taste is smooth, a grainy sweetness (brown rice?) and more hops. I do take some note of the alcohol content which makes it a little less drinkable in my book. It's pretty heavy for my tastes, but it is still quite enjoyable, obviously a quality brew. I will have to try more from this brewer!

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2007 23:43:25 | More by Durge

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

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

The beer poured deep amber golden with a slight haze. The head was off-white, moussy and long lasting to lace the glass.

The aroma was an array of complex maltiness and muted hops. The hops were the backbone of the aroma.

The flavor was deeply malty yet bitter. The balance struck between the bitterness from the hops and the malt flavors suggest a deal with the devil. The bottle says 85 IBU and the bitterness is long lasting enough for that to be the case. The flavors were complex and inviting.

The finish was malty and bitter, with bitterness lasting long into the aftertaste, but the malt impression stuck out the journey as well. The body was medium full.

22 ounce bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2004 23:53:20 | More by GCBrewingCo

lordofthewiens

Maine

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

So, after enjoying Titan IPA, I had this the next day. Fortunately, no one asked me which one was my favorite, because I couldn't begin to choose. This beer was amber with a more medium-sized head and some lacing. Very hoppy aroma, I thought mostly citrus. Likewise, the taste was mainly grapefruit, but again balanced with some malt, so that the hops didn't explode in my mouth. I wish I could get this brewery's offerings here in Maine, but am happy to visit my daughter in Houston and partake to my heart's content.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2008 21:13:33 | More by lordofthewiens

Metalmonk

North Carolina

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

Pours a gorgeous, thick, creamy head that took a while to settle down (and the pour wasn't even all that vigorous). A rich copper-brown color, leaning toward burgundy. A beautiful looking thing.

Wham-o! The hops aroma hits like a freight train, but luckily there's more to it, with an earthy, rich nuttiness coming through and a sweet honey/malt essence trying to make itself known. But clearly, this is hop-heaven.

As for the flavor: lots of pine, a caramel-y sweetness and a superbly creamy mouthfeel. Reminded me of Dogfish Head 90 Minute in a lot of ways. This delivers the hops with gusto, but offers good balance too. The finish leaves you with grapefruit, which is pleasant at first but probably outstays its welcome (as I squelch it with another sip).

Clearly a beer for hop-heads only, but certainly one of the cleanest, purest of its kind. It's got substance and big flavor, and when the hops mood strikes, this will surely quench and satisfy.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2006 21:36:04 | More by Metalmonk

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy golden orange in color. The beer has an eighth finger tall soapy beige head that reduces to an extremely thin film with a slightly thicker patch and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate lacing is observed.

S: The aroma starts with some caramel malt sweetness which is followed by the smell of the hops - grapefruit/citrus dominates with lighter notes of pine/resin and floral hops.

T: Upfront this beer has a definite malt sweetness with light notes of caramel and some nuttiness. After that, the flavors are all hops - aggressive grapefruit/citrus with lighter amounts of pine/resin.

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly sticky.

O: Easier to drink than I expected with the higher ABV but still an amazingly good beer and one for sipping. Alcohol is well hidden and there is a nice complexity to the flavors and aromas. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 18:58:59 | More by dbrauneis

Suds

Pennsylvania

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

This brew pours a clear amber-copper color with a modest white head. Nice lace. The brew has a grapefruit hop aroma, mixed with a bit of pine. The hops are backed with faint malt smell, slightly toasted. The foretaste has a mildly sweet touch, but the hops kick in, along with a notable tannin astringency. The brew hides its alcohol very well, and only a slight warming sensation is notable at the end of the glass. It’s a full bodied beer, with fairly low carbonation and a smooth mouthfeel. It’s a good brew, but nothing outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2007 17:29:53 | More by Suds

KarlHungus

Minnesota

3.23/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

This brew pours a cloudy orange-red color with a creamy white head that disappears quickly. The aroma is of fruit, and pine. The taste is hoppy, and piny. The mouthfeel is quite nice. Its very smooth. Overall, this brew is an extreme let down. Way too piny for my likings.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2005 01:02:38 | More by KarlHungus

ngeunit1

California

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

A - Pours a slightly cloudy amber-orange color with a finger of off-white head atop. The head fades down to a thin ring around the glass leaving behind some lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of piney/grassy hops and sweet caramel malts. There is also some other fruit and citrus aroma in the background.

T - Starts off with lots of citrus hops and some sweet malt. There is also some other sweet fruit flavor in the background. Through the middle, some bitterness and stronger malt flavor comes through. Some floral elements also mix in.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Lots of bitterness and some sweetness. Very smooth with a super dry finish that feels really great.

D - Very drinkable. Excellent hop profile and very nice balance by the malt. The addition of some fruity flavors really blends nicely with the hops.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 00:59:03 | More by ngeunit1