Hardcore IPA (2nd Ed. 9.2%) - BrewDog

danieelol

Australia

4.35/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a decent orange colour with good head and exceedingly resilient lacing. The lacing is very nice and forms all sorts of patterns on the glass. 4.5

S: A sort of funky burnt malt smell assails the nose initially. Caramel. This beer has seemed very malt-forward to me both on tap and in the bottle. Fresh bottle too, expires on the 10th of the 8th, almost seven months away. As the beer warms and opens up I get some more coffee-ish umami smells from it. Definite pineapple in the nose. Bit of pine subdued by some maltiness. 4

T: Hops are more prominent in the taste. As well as some pleasant honeyish malt there's some floral notes and some sort of flowery citrus fruit taste. The alcohol is detectable but actually very well integrated with the overall flavour. There is a vaguely unpleasant aftertaste which may come from impurities in the serving vessel or being served too cold or simply a fault in the brewing process. I'm not sure what the cause is. The honey-maltishness gets particularly pleasant later on. Quite sweet initially, but bitter enough as it goes down to make one want more. Fruity ice blocks are also present in the taste. 4

M: Thick and pretty hard to complain about for the style. 4

D: Expensive but worth it. I'd only have one a night though. 4

Goes very well with rich meat dishes- especially the rich malty hoppy finish. Would readily drink this beer any time (especially if it were more affordable), but I still get the feeling I'm yet to find my holy grail of IPAs/DIPAs.

Edit: bumping up the ratings cause it's such amazing stuff. I gladly pay through the nose for this beer because it's the only good DIPA you can buy off the shelves in Australia. When will Australian brewers learn how to make good beers?

Perhaps I've been getting the fresher stuff recently.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 03:14:11 | More by danieelol

drgonzo2k2

California

4/5  rDev -2%

05-18-2013 14:36:46 | More by drgonzo2k2

WesMantooth22

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%

05-17-2013 02:05:37 | More by WesMantooth22

apanloco

Sweden

4/5  rDev -2%

05-15-2013 18:01:32 | More by apanloco

RWACKO

New York

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

05-12-2013 21:25:35 | More by RWACKO

twenty5

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2%

05-10-2013 15:53:49 | More by twenty5

MrBuckHigh

Ohio

4/5  rDev -2%

05-08-2013 18:23:54 | More by MrBuckHigh

TastyIsBeer

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%

05-07-2013 01:48:37 | More by TastyIsBeer

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -2%

04-26-2013 20:54:19 | More by DrunkinYogi

blackdavid

Brazil

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

04-23-2013 19:24:50 | More by blackdavid

Poupae

Thailand

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

04-22-2013 15:22:35 | More by Poupae

shelby415

Oregon

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

04-21-2013 05:39:28 | More by shelby415

alex_hart

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

04-20-2013 16:07:12 | More by alex_hart

GRG1313

California

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%

04-18-2013 16:12:35 | More by GRG1313

noblittjared

Indiana

4.75/5  rDev +16.4%

04-18-2013 15:54:25 | More by noblittjared

tbryan5

Louisiana

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

04-16-2013 21:23:58 | More by tbryan5

drrone

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

04-15-2013 14:13:40 | More by drrone

gwiedman1

New York

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

04-13-2013 21:15:17 | More by gwiedman1

tzolandz

Virginia

4/5  rDev -2%

04-12-2013 00:56:35 | More by tzolandz

UCLABrewN84

California

3.88/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Batch 020. Best before 7/18/13.

Pours a murky dark orange-brown with a foamy orange-tan head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of toasted malt, caramel, toffee, and citrus zest. Taste is much the same with malty and citrus zest flavors on the finish. There is a medium amount of hop bitterness and an alcohol kick on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that has a great smell but it's a bit too alcohol forward in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 04:33:26 | More by UCLABrewN84

beercanman

Ohio

3/5  rDev -26.5%

04-08-2013 07:29:39 | More by beercanman

innominat

Ireland

3.5/5  rDev -14.2%

04-07-2013 12:43:03 | More by innominat

bmwats

Louisiana

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a footed tulip.

A: Dark amber hue. Pours about a 1 finger, foamy, tan-white head. Settles fairly slowly, leaving a thick foam ring around the rim of the glass. Hefty amounts of uneven lacing.

S: A little buttery sourdough bread, with some sublime pine, and a little honey and molasses. Nice overall floral aura.

T: Bready, and very piney, with just the slightest hints of sweetness.

M: Mouth-puckering acetone bitterness in the front-end, levels off to a light and subtle soft piney goodness. Thick and syrupy body with a dry finish.

D: Sip and enjoy. The bitterness character will dictate it.

Atmosphere is very good. Great body (which is nice...) including a nice head and some persistent lacing. Nose is very pronounced with a bready pine, balanced with some sweet and savory components. Flavor is doughy bread with pine, and some sweet balancing tones. Tastes like it smells. Heavy body.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 23:26:28 | More by bmwats

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a distinctively reddish copper colour, with a nice white head, good lacing and retention.

S- an astringent pine and grapefruit hoppiness, tropical fruitiness, fresh almond nuttiness. Some caramel-like maltiness in the back. Lot of herbal character, somewhat antiseptic but quite interesting.

T- coating herbal bitterness, grapefruit/lemon citrus, pepper spiceiness, lot of dryness and herbal spiceiness on finish. Caramel toffee malt. A slight pineapple, and fruitiness, honey and hazelnut note, strong tart hop character wit ha slight underlying vanilla note.

M- big and slick, coating hoppy oiliness, herbal, moderate carbonation, big and pleasing. Dry and lingering finish. Really drinkable for a high strength IIPA.

A nice solid IIPA, good example. Bold and hop oily yet nicely sippeable, it is pleasing. Perhaps not as complex as the best examples but still a real treat on the UK scene. Well put together and a really quality beer. Big yet drinkable with a tasty complex profile.

Serving type: growler

03-27-2013 19:27:44 | More by mick303

His_Royal_Hoppiness

United Kingdom (England)

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%

03-26-2013 21:23:47 | More by His_Royal_Hoppiness