Shipwrecked - Mission Brewery

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On at Mad Mex during happy hora, so it didn't kill my pocket book. Drinks nice, just super malty for a DIPA. Definitely not your typical West Coast DIPA. Which actually worked for this beer, usually I like the West Coast DIPA to take the enamel off of my teeth with hops but in this case. I'm alright with a deep orange russet body pouring with a thick beige head, fine even layer lacing. Nose is full of citrus/floral notes very nice expressive finishing hops here. Starts out agressive with citrus/floral notes but as the malts surround the hops the flavor fades into a well balanced high alcohol IPA. Drank pretty effortlessly, was I expecting more hop bitterness and flavor of course, but I wasn't disappointed by it. Mouthfeel is full to medium bodied with a nice flowing carbonation going strong. Overall experience less hops than expected from a West Coast DIPA but it didn't harm the overall enjoyment level this beer had to offer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2011 09:34:23 | More by WVbeergeek

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer sold me on the cover art even though the single was 4.00. Cover art is the same without the upper cross.

A - Pour a nice dark amber, darker than most DIPA I have had so kind of a plus. Carbonation is good leaving a half an inch of head with moderate lacing sticking to the sides of my glass.

S - Smell from the bottle neck is a distinct mix of citrus and grapefruit hops. Bitter and piney. In the glass about the same with a solid caramel malt base.

T - Huh? It starts off initially hoppy but the malt quickly takes it away with the sweetness before it sticks to the tongue. Not that it's a bad way to do a DIPA but it kind of takes the "edge" off before you can truly enjoy the hops. Flavor is constant with each sip so it was a well made beer.

M - Except for the semi-burn I get it actually drinks like a regular IPA so it is balanced.

Overall I have mixed feelings on this. It is a well made DIPA with a moderately high ABV that is covered up well and a decent hop profile that is their but fades as you drink. I also have to weigh the price as it is one of the more expensive DIPA's I have purchased but not as satisfying. If your looking for balance give it a try. If looking for a hop bomb go elsewhere.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 00:23:16 | More by DrDemento456

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Still loving the Imperial IPAs. This one pours out of the bottle as a great copper color with orange highlights. The head is a creamy color and leave a pretty good lacing. The aroma is hoppy of course with a nice undertone of citrus, pine and just hint of grainy malt. The taste is bitter and generously hopped for optimum enjoyment. The citrus and pine tingle with every sip. The mouthfeel is medium. Not quite as oily as some Imperials out there but still very good! I'd enjoy this one over and over.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2011 00:21:35 | More by Knapp85

Nugganooch

California

3.43/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Saw this new DIPA at the local bottleshop and had to give it a whirl being a local.

A: Pours a very clear dark orange color. Almost a burnt copper. Nice 1 finger dense cloudy white head formed. Second pour hit almost three fingers. Sticky lacing down the glass all the way.

S: Picking up lots of sweet honey and biscuit malt notes with an earthy pine and spicey hop aroma. Leads me to believe this is a more malt forward DIPA.

T: Juicy sweet orange fruit and floral hops sort of took me by surprise here. A very nice resinous sticky pine hop bitterness that puckers at the palate. Honey and biscuit malt flavor profile for sure this one falls on the sweeter side. Especially after it settles. Finishes a bit warm and ABV definite on the exhalation.

M: Sticky sweet across the palate but balanced nicely with a solid bitterness that finishes a bit warm.

D: Moderate. A big brew indeed where hops and ABV are both present. Falls on the sweeter side of IPA's and to be honest 2nd pour was not as enjoyable.

Not a bad offering by another SD Brewery. Like I said I was definitely surprised by the IBU's here where I was expecting something much more malt forward going into it. In the end the booziness takes over a bit and knocks this one a bit out of balance but I would probably purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2011 23:35:19 | More by Nugganooch

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.78/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass, the beer pours a vibrant orange-copper coloring, but extremely hazy, almost opaque. The beer has a chunky, thick off-white coloring with densely packed bubbles. Fresh hops aromas coming with this brew, and highlighted by some citrusy tones that help make the overall smells very enticing. The flavors is malty and sweet on the initial punch, but the hops come sneaking in to solidify and balance the flavors. Not overpowering by any means, the hops remain a background player throughout the beer drinking experienve. Citrus notes in the grapefruit range are combined with some peppery spice flavors, and the beer transitions quickly through a short-lived finish. A very slight tart and bitter aftertaste vanishes quickly from the tongue, and that helps make this beer an easy drinker. Very tasty, but not overpowering, and the ABV is subtle throughout the brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 00:25:26 | More by GarthDanielson

gthornton

California

3.85/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: I was getting a little excite as I poured this. First of all I have read that the head on this is not aggressive. Not in my case. I started off with a 3 inch head, however that did die down to one inches within 45 seconds or so. Second, I am impressed by the mid-mahogany body. Deep amber... yada yada... "other ways in which you could say 'mid-mahogany.'" Lacing is moderate to high.

Aroma: The malt and hops are playing off each other greatly already. I am looking forward to tasting this. There is a lot of orange citrus, but it is so ballanced, that I am second guessing whether it comes from the hops or the malt. So without making <a href="http://www.whitelabs.com/">Chris White</a> too upset here, the aroma is coming from the balance between the malt forwardness and hop forwardness here.... but I guess that is the point here, so well done. OK... caramel, subtle grapefruit, orange peel, and lemongrass.

Taste: A lot of bitterness, as to be expected (this style upsets me sometimes, yet I still love it). There is a lot of fresh cut lawn/gassiness to the taste here, and it of course dominates. It seems like the whole taste begins and ends with some level of that grassiness. It is bitter up front, and then lingers into a mild tone later on, but that is pretty much all I am getting here. A little boozie at the end, but this took a while to stand out.

Mouthfeel: Remarkebly light, and easy on the tongue (aside from the bitterness, but that is what you signed up for when you tried this beer).

Drinkability: I don't think that Double IPAs are meant to be drinkable, that said, I find this a pleasant drink, and with the right meal, I would love this on a summer day.... (why all the summer days? I don't know, I'm from San Diego, hence it is practically all I know). Overal I would give this a good "drinkability" rating which is <em>my</em> main concern with beer... that is the point right? To drink it?

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2011 23:09:51 | More by gthornton

HopHead84

California

3.15/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

3/18/2011

On tap at URGE.

A: A pleasant dark orange with good clarity. White head is frothy and leaves scattered lacing.

S: Big caramel malt presence with notes of bread, orange, and grapefruit. Moderately bitter with a lower moderate sweetness. Slightly sugary. Gives the impression of balance, though perhaps the scale tilts in the favor of malt.

T: Orange flesh with a strong caramel malt base balancing it out. Grapefruit emerges midpalate with an apparent rind component. Tastes more like an American Barleywine than a Double IPA. Booze is well masked. Caramel really emerges as the beer warms up. Increased booze presence in the caramel citrus finish.

M: Lower medium in body with upper moderate carbonation. Mouthfeel is sticky and creamy. 

Overall: This is not how I like my Double IPAs, but it wouldn't be a bad American Barleywine.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2011 01:59:53 | More by HopHead84

ebrauser

Utah

3.28/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz to a pint glass. No best by date

Appearance: Pours a thin, nonaggressive head with a little lacing and very little carbonation. It's a pale straw gold color and seems just a little hazy.

Smell: Hoppy and bitter, with some grapefruit citrus and a hint of something that I can't put my finger on, but is more generally attributed to dark beers. Something dark fruit/coffee/smoke

Flavor: Hop bitterness starts out strong but doesn't go the distance, diminishing to favor a mild malt sweetness with lemon and tobacco.

MF: Heavy and sweet, but well balanced without a huge amount of complexity that makes you think as you drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2011 04:53:10 | More by ebrauser

brew3crew

Ohio

2.33/5  rDev -36.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A-Hazy orange with white lacing around the edges
S-Slight hops and something I cant quite put my finger on.
T-tastes kind of metalic. No idea where it is coming from. Now I know what I was smelling
D-not very good, metalic taste and all
M-lightly carbonated, light bodied

Dont know if this is a bad bottle or what is going on with it.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2011 00:20:14 | More by brew3crew

Urbancaver

Ohio

3.35/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Pours a murky orange. A good amount of whit frothy head with event lacing. Overall not a bad looking beer at all. Smell however, leaves something to be desired. Bitter hop scents with no complexity. Just piney harshness. Tastes similar. The hops do not pack the same kind of punch i would have hoped. The malt profile leaves something to be desired. Highly drinkable however for a dipa... That's probably because it is less hoppy than a typical ipa even. A dissapointment

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 22:40:42 | More by Urbancaver

oberon

North Carolina

3.35/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into an imperial nonic a slight hazed beep amber/bronze with a nice one finger sticky crown atop,big doughy,sweetish malt aromas,the hops take a backseat to the big malt,almost barleywine in style to me.Hefty sweetness on the palate,caramel and biscuit malt with some alcohol zip to lend more sweetness,the hops are subdued to me providing a little citric shot.Another sweet bomb of a DIPA,I would say this is even sweeter than most I have had.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2011 13:48:49 | More by oberon

ZX6Chris

California

4.4/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-Bright caramel color with a big frothy cream colored head. The head leaves nice lacing as it dissipates.

S-Nice starburst aroma, grapefruit, citrus, a little earthy. Very impressive.

T-starburst, citrus, pine, earthy, malty, sweet and bitterness that lingers on the finish

M-Light bodied and appropriately carbonated. I would say it's not dry.

D-I'm pretty impressed with an off the shelf IIPA, that's saying a lot. The awesome hop presence, bitterness and light sweetness from the malts hides the 9% very well. I'm pleasantly surprised.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2010 05:47:05 | More by ZX6Chris

rfgetz

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazed brownish tinted amber, moderate frothy off-white head and decent sticky lacing. Scent is strong on toffee-like malts, the hop profile leans on a combination of floral, earthy and spicy notes which keep the present pine and citrus notes in check. taste again starts off with the sweet toffee like malts, the hops start out as bitter, never finding that one dominant flavor and coming out as a blend of the notes found in scent. medium bodied, god level of carbonation, not as dry as many dIPAs. A decent beer, not a hop bomb by any means and a more than aggressive malt profile, almost DFH in quality of its build.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2010 14:24:05 | More by rfgetz

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Mission's Shipwrecked Double IPA pours a surprisingly hazy, almost cloudy, deep-amber orange body beneath a frothy head of off-white. (Perhaps I simply didn't allow the bottle to sit undisturbed for long enough). The head retention is quite good, and it leaves excellent lacing about the glass.

The aroma is soft and smooth, offering up sweetish golden-caramel malt tones threaded through with resinous, gently citrusy (some Simcoe? Amarillo?), piney, and grassy hop notes.

In the mouth it's medium-full and decidedly dextrinous, delivering a creamy-smooth pass across the palate with just a gentle caress from the median carbonation level.

The flavor is as the aroma suggests it will be, but with a backing of solid hop bitterness to keep it in balance. It starts with an almost doughy sweet malt that glistens with drizzled golden caramel; adds to that a delicate bit of yeasty fruitiness; and then dives straight into a hay bail of grassy, leafy, citrusy and floral hop flavors featuring orange, apricot, papaya and a bit of rose. The bitterness rises late mid-palate, and the alcohol adds a flash of peppery spiciness. In the finish the malt sweetness and bitterness slowly fade and rise respectively, eventually balancing amidst lingering notes of malt and hop flavor.

I appreciate that Mission has avoided going for a big juicy hop bomb loaded with all of the raspy edges that citrusy hops can deliver. And they've also stayed away from the pine cone hand grenade! There's a bit of citrus and pine to it, but I find more apricot, papaya, and Fruit Loops than I do pineapple and grapefruit, and I think that gives them a little bit of uniqueness amidst the crowd. And it certainly lends to drinkability. It's a big beer, no doubt, but it doesn't really show beyond the malt and mouthfeel. The alcohol is well cloaked for the most part, and the maltiness balances it superbly. Well rounded. Well hopped. Worth seeking out!

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2010 20:05:49 | More by NeroFiddled

Ghenna

California

3.98/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber poured into a pint class. Golden with a tinge of red, minimal white head.

Smells of... fruit loops. For reals. Not kidding. Malty smell in the background, but it is definitely fruit loops. As it warms up I'd describe it as almost sherbet smell.

Taste: Really well balanced beer. Nice mild sweet up front and slowly works it's way to bitter as it lingers on the palate. The bitter is a little off putting to me as it gets kind of grapefruity (not a fan of the fruit). Alcohol is not at all noticeable.

MF- not chewy or thin, a nice texture.

I really wasn't too sure what I was getting into with this, but it was the first offering from mission that I had seen so I snagged it. Though I'm not usually a fan of IPAs, DIPAs really show a lot of variation, and that is definitely the case with this beer. I'd give this beer an awesome score across the board on the simple fact that it has a Toucan Sam fruit loops flavor, but the lingering bitterness really ruins a supremely interesting beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2010 03:26:23 | More by Ghenna

fear025

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Thanks to JFH for this bottle!

Aroma:Hugely sweet malt smell. A little bit of slightly citrusy hops.

Appearance:Deep amber in color, not too much head.

Taste:The foretaste is full of deep rich hops. Pine in the foretaste turns to apricot in the midtaste. The hops are nicely balanced with the sweet malt. The aftertaste is mostly bitter hops.

Mouthfeel:This beer has a medium to heavy body There is a little hot alcohol there, as well as astringency in the mid to aftertaste.

Drinkability:This is a very well done beer. It's a little too heavy to be sessionable, but it's got great flavors all the way through.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2010 01:24:38 | More by fear025

jpmclaug

South Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle into a perfect pint glass

A - clear golden orange body with a small white head on top

S - A nice hoppy citrus/tropical fruit mix, leaning more toward the citrus. Smells pretty nice actually.

T - Big citrus notes mingle with a solid pale malt body but this definitely leans toward the hops. A bit of a lingering orange rind like bitterness at the end. A nice tropical fruit flavor up front as well. Also a bit of an alcohol flavor mixed in as well but it blends real well.

M - medium bodied, slightly sticky, fair amount of carbonation

D - pretty nice west coast style DIPA. I am surprised I hadn't heard of this one before picking it up as its a very solid beer. I would have no problem drinking more of this and would pick it up again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2010 23:03:51 | More by jpmclaug

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - Pours a clear deep color, marginal carbonation, small white foam headwith very large bubbles, and sticks to the sides of the glass.

S - A little bit of roasted caramel/toffee and some alcohol. The malts smell somewhat German. Is that it??? Really?

T - Yep, the same as the nose - toffee and booze. Something tells me this beer is probably past its prime. There's some very mild grapefruit, orange, and lemon citrus...just barely. If this were fresh, I'm sure the citric content would be much stronger and vibrant. The hops are coming through like a dim light bulb toasted malt taking the forefront and finishes with some lemon that intensifies a little more after the sip. The malt is a little buttery. This beer is on the sweet side rather than the hoppy side. I can deal with the sweetness part, it's a nice toasted character but it really needs some boost in the bitter department to keep those malts in check. I can see where the flavor of this would be much better if both malts and bitterness were intensified...it's so %$#@ mellow that it's pretty boring for a D-IPA - intensity, man - more cowbell!!. (I really hate to say that too.) As I work through the bottle, it gets a little better, but not much.

M - Medium bodied, nice and smooth on the tongue.

D - Average, depending on what you're looking for. It's almost balanced with the nod leaning towards the malt.

I'm keeping this review open until I can locate an ULTRA FRESH one to make sure I give it a fare shake. D-IPA's are my absolute favorite and it kills me to rate one lower than I normally would. In its present state, I think this would be a GREAT step in the big beer direction for those who may not be so familiar with D-IPA's. Shipwrecked, let's meet again and give it another go with a different bottle, all is not lost.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2010 00:39:26 | More by jzeilinger

largadeer

California

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber into a tulip. Amber, almost reddish. The head is lasting and sticky, leaving plenty of lacing.

Lot of grapefruit on the nose. Smells sweet, too. Pretty solid hop character, and the malt isn't overbearing; more candied fruit than straight-up caramel. There's a slight orange quality to the hop bill, hints of pine, but it's largely grapefruit.

The palate has a nice candied grapefruit character, a little sugar cookie sweetness, a bit of caramel and pine. Alcohol is fairly noticeable, but not too harsh for a near-10% beer. I like the citrusy hop character, but there's a little too much sweetness and alcohol for this to compete with the top-tier of San Diego DIPAs. The finish is pleasantly bitter, neither abrasive nor astringent.

Enjoyable stuff, probably worth the $6, but I can't see myself revisiting it any time soon.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2010 05:23:13 | More by largadeer

farrago

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Big, two plus finger head of dense foam with a top layer of larger bubbles, eggshell white to slightly tanner, above average retention with many thin, wispy streaks of lacing. Deep orange rust color with more of a reddish inflection than brown or yellow, brighter, lighter orange at the glass bottom. The nose is dominated by ultra-sweet tangerine, pink grapefruit, lime citrus, fresh and juicy, piles on with honey, molasses and caramel tones, wet pine sap, the apricot, peach, pineapple fruit scents generous as well, hints at a bitter herbaceousness underneath but this component all but fully submerged in the sweetness, likewise the florality too delicate to spread widely. Full-bodied, more of a balanced presentation in the mouth as the hops can truly work on a tongue and fully bring a dry peppery, grassy bite into the mix. Before it does so, however, lots of space granted to the honey, molasses. caramel and chocolate and the ever-bodacious pink grapefruit, tangelo, lime citrus juice. The pine has more snap to it, the florality still too timid. The carbonation is credible but largely ineffective against the gluey mouth feel. A thicker, sweeter style of DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2010 23:55:34 | More by farrago

Deuane

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A-Deep garnet with golden highlights. A thick off-white head slowly reduced to a thin cap and left copious swaths of lace.

S-Deeply rich but muted malt sweetness with some telltale American grown C type hops poking through the malt layer. Touch of alcohol burn finishes this one off.

T-A big and burly malt bruiser with spicy citrus hop notes struggling to make themselves known. Not what I typically look for in a DIPA. Good, yes. Great, no. Warming alcohol makes an appearance in the finish.

M-Medium-heavy body, this one is a quite the heavyweight of DIPA's without being overly sweet or sticky. I like the feel as it makes you feel like you are drinking a beer with pendulous BALLS!

D-I liked it to an extent but the more I drank the more weary I became with it. A decent beer for sure but it simply brings too much for me to enjoy in a DIPA. If this were a RIS I might think differently but it's not so....

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2010 13:15:15 | More by Deuane

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -16%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A - Crystal clear copper brew with a small head and a fair bit of lacing.

S - A rich aroma or lilies, grapefruit pith, white pepper, orange zest and roses. A thin pale malt backbone.

T - The hops combine to form a spicy, sharp flavor. Flowers and pepper with a touch of citrus. It lack much of a malt presence. Aftertaste is still floral and peppery, but a hint of biscuit leaks in to foreground.

M - Medium bodied, a harsh, biting feel to it, neutral in terms of how refreshing it feels.

D - Not bad. I won't bother with it again, but it wasn't unpleasant.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2010 06:58:00 | More by mrasskicktastic

Gavage

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: cloudy orange in color with a 1" head that quickly falls. Some spots of lace paint the glass.

Smell: big orange citrus along with some floral hops and a sugary sweetness are easily detectable by the nose.

Taste: big sweet malt presence with caramel, orange, hint of grapefruit, some spiciness, and a bit of alcohol are the main flavors. Bitterness is bold and cuts into the sweetness.

Mouthfeel: medium-heavy in body. Lightly crisp throughout with a dry finish. Long aftertaste here.

Drinkability: slow sipping beer. Alcohol keeps this beer to a longer session. Worthy of a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2010 22:12:50 | More by Gavage

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: A hazy dull orange, very similar to their original ipa, sits in the glass topped off by an impressive fluffy head of dull linen color. The lacing again is thick and lustrious leaving thin stratified bands down the glass after a slow lapse from its original 2 finger statue. Carbonation is near silent, barely visible, and hardly a factor.

S: Dried lemon pulp and toasted munich grains are exposed. The strength I thought was on par, maybe even a bit less so, then their ipa. Hopefully the hops they skimped on during the aromatic portion were wisely used for flavor.

T: Good strong show of bitterness on the opening sip. Pungent grapefruit, toasted lemon peels, and dry citrus flower comes backed by a dry toasted grain palate. Some dry celery and pine with some dry grassiness are evident as well on the close. Brief glimpses of sweet toasted caramel grains appear right before the swallow that finds a lemon grind and peppery spicing left behind on the tongue. Nice toasted malt balance as with their ipa compliments the bitterness.

M: Medium body, dry toasted malt warmth and a lingering high level of citrus bitterness warms the inner cheeks and tongue. Warm lemons and alcohol chime in as well with a low experience of carbonation.

D: Despite the moderately high level of hop bitterness this was still a joy to consume and a nice drink per style. Nice balance helps with a spicy bite and a gentle lingering fade of citrus makes you thirsty for more.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2010 23:05:23 | More by beerthulhu

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.53/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

"Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods."

--Albert Einstein

Perspicuous persimmon with Kruggerand accents and an expansive crown that is midway between eggshell and ecru. The foam has an appealing texture and is doing a bang-up job laying down abstract-patterned lace.

The aroma is classic pale malted and C-hopped American DIPA. Orange zest is at least as prominent as white grapefruit, which might mean that Amarillo is present. Well-masked alcohol is a positive. Less than explosive hoppiness is a negative.

Shipwrecked Double IPA is similar to quite a few other versions of the style. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't make it bad beer. It's just that hops share too much of the flavor spotlight with malt... and warming alcohol has now made an appearance as well.

The malt tastes pretty close to 100% pale. That background sugar cookie sweetness is joined by a large splash of triple sec (orange liqueur) and very small splash of Absolut. Unfortunately, the beer isn't hop *flavor* focused enough for the next highest taste score to be granted. Again, many American DIPAs suffer the same fate.

On a positive note, the mouthfeel finds that sweet spot between too light and too sappy sticky. If the bubbles were softer and the beer was creamier, the drinking would be more enjoyable.

Shipwrecked is of roughly the same quality as the other Mission Brewery beers that I've reviewed. That is, it's clearly better than average, while falling well short of special or memorable. Love the Jolly Roger on the label.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2010 13:33:31 | More by BuckeyeNation