Hopzilla - Lawson's Finest Liquids

Arbitrator

California

3.43/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Chilled bottle into a glass. Thanks for sharing this, Kevin. I was curious to try it but didn't want to give up Matt and the like for it.

A: The body is amber in color. It's pretty clear, though there is a light haziness to it. Off-white head caps the affair; its good retention lends a nice presence to the beer, leaving curtains during sips, with some lacing register marks.

S: I can see that this pays an homage to the West Coast style IPA, with a nose of citrus (grapefruit, orange rind) and pine coming forth. It's also rounded out by what I think of as "East Coast style" aromas of herbs, earth, and moss. I can tell this is going to be bitter....

T: ...And I'm right. Bitter herbs, grass, moss, and earth set the tone. The malt backbone has been amped up to compensate, with some crystal malts that bring out caramel and a touch of toffee. The high point of the beer is the mid-taste, which allows the grapefruit and orange rind flavors to shine, but they're accompanied by ongoing bitterness.

M: Medium-bodied. It's sweet, but it finishes dry (or the impression of dryness, owing to the dialed-up bitterness). It works fairly well. The aftertaste is astringent, with a lot of lingering hop oils that create slickness.

D: This is good, but to tell the truth I think I can buy better beers off the shelf here. I'm glad I got to try it, though.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2010 23:55:24 | More by Arbitrator

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.7/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Excited for this tonight. Poured from 22oz bottle into New Belgium globe. Larger than average head and I can smell it right away from over a foot. Head is slight off-white with some yellow in it. Body is clear and a gorgeous amber color. Nice lacing. Aroma is strong and sweeter than I was expecting. A little bit of artificial sweet, nice pine and a little orange citrus. Flavor is well balanced between bitter and hoppy and sweet. Very earthy, a little orange, some spice, and pine. Mouth is great with full body and nice carbonation.

Overall, a very good DIPA that hides the alcohol well. I wouldn't say there is anything special here, but I would drink it a lot if readily available.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 01:37:59 | More by RuckusDu

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml corked & caged bottle, courtesy of Deuane via naproxen and beertruth. Batch 74 - Bottle 28 of 72. Enjoyed on 1/7/10.

A - Poured a clear golden body with sparse carbonation and about a finger's width of bubbly white head that quickly diminished into a thin patch but deposited thick swatches of lace around the glass.

S - Nose boasts quite a bit of fresh hop aroma and lots of bitter hop oils, imparting a leafy, resinous quality as well as a citrus peel character.

T - First sip revealed a bit of buttery diacetyl with some creamy vanilla notes that was unexpected. However, the potent hops took over quickly, giving the flavor a very resinous and citrusy character. Citrus fruit, orange/grapefruit peel and floral notes mingle with a sweet malt character to balance.

M - Medium bodied with soft carbonation and a very oily texture. Dry finish with sticky, hoppy bitterness that lingers on the palate for quite a while.

D - While the initial taste was a bit less than desirable, this one really grew on me, especially after the onslaught of hops. Once the hops came to life and took over, I enjoyed this one quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2010 16:17:34 | More by ffejherb

maximum12

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Many thanks to imagineiii for this bottle of hoppy goodness that we decided to down while watching When Harry met Sally for the umpteenth hundred time. Just goes to show you there's probably one or two good movies in even the worst genres. Bottle 31 of 96, Batch 176.

Pours is sun-behind-the-cloud orange, opaque, dense, curling to yellow around the the edges. Smells like an IPA, with the Cascade hops in charge, citrus, pine, not terribly potent.

If one went to see Hopzilla on the silver screen, he'd be smaller than you expected. Instead of the pummelling I'd hoped for, this is a IIPA that strokes you gently. Sweet malts overshadow the plunder of the hops, which results in a rich, sweet beer with a southern twang of citrus, grapefruit, & pine. Only in the end does the bitterness come on like a go-go dancer & begin to numb my tongue. That's what I'm talkin' about! Yes, to call yourself a IIPA, I think you ought to be extreme about it, none of this namby-pamby malt "balance". Bring it or stay home! I find the liquid in my glass disappearing through some inexplicable phenomenon, however, I can't have drunk that much already.

In the end, a very good beer that isn't quite ready for the hoppy hall of fame, although it improves as it warms. I'll admit I'm not a huge fan of Cascades, & it's the hop on top here. I prefer Lawson's Triple Play, but I'd never turn down a glass (or bomber) of this.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2011 03:40:15 | More by maximum12

Bendurgin

Maine

3.9/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks for this one Alec! Poured into a tulip. This one pours a slightly hazy golden for with a finger of fluffy white head.

The aroma has a sweet orange character and nice piney resinous hops. The pallet has a nice piney hop flavor with hints of citrus hops in the background. Nice subtle malt character to it.

The body is medium with soft carbonation. Overall this one is great. Real enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 03:35:17 | More by Bendurgin

gregmoscetti

California

3.93/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dear Hopzilla,
As much as I want to beat you up for having a notably uncreative name, I will refrain. Why? Well, because you're pretty darn tasty. As a reviewer from the depths of southern california, I have had more than one IPA. In fact, I have had just about any big name IPA available to the voting constituency of Los Angeles. That being noted, I have to give you a tremendous about of street cred... I have just as much respect for you as i do only white guy in the cryps. You hold it down. Im not going to jock you and tout you as a "pliney killer" or even a "sculpin/racer x/anything alpine killer" but you are without a doubt an avid and talented "sculpin fisherman."

I severely suggest this beer to hop heads but dont trade an arm and a leg for it. A friend of mine and I went botttle for bottle with some speedway stout and that seemed like the perfect match (considering he drove 2 hours to get some the first time and they were sold out) go $4$ and enjoy the hell out of this beer.

Mr. Lawson. Well Done.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2010 23:56:01 | More by gregmoscetti

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.93/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Huge thanks to youbrewIdrink for bringing this bottle over the pond to share with us. You can stay at Doopie's house and eat his food anytime.

From a 750ml into a snifter

APPEARANCE: Pours a one finger, tight, white head with excellent retention. Head fades to a full wisp and sticks to the sides of the glass. A hazy gamboge orange in color with medium carbonation evident. A splotchy wisp remains and leaves some dots of lacing down the glass.

SMELL: BIg, fruity, hoppy nose on this one. Honeydew melon, pineapple, orange peel and lots of citrus lemon and grapefruit all over the place. Tropical fruits everywhere, and some light caramel notes as well. Bold and spectacular. Awesome stuff.

TASTE: A little lacking up front, unfortunately, though more flavor comes out after the swallow. Caramel and mango sweetness up front to a degree, then some citrus lemon at the swallow. Bolder aftertaste with lots of bitter, floral hops and light citrus grapefruit drops off fairly quickly. Very bitter and not quite as flavorful as hoped. Tropical elements from the nose don't carry over to the flavor either. Very nice, but doesn't live up to the opening act.

PALATE: Full body with medium levels of carbonation. Very creamy on the palate, smooth as well, goes down smooth and finishes slightly dry. Great, full feel here.

OVERALL: Really good stuff, but as mentioned above, the flavor didn't quite live up to the outstanding nose. This is one I'd love to drink on a regular basis, but a better connection between the nose and flavor profile is needed to make this the world class beer it wants to be. Thanks agian youbrewIdrink. Doopie's always got an open bed for you.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 19:14:09 | More by Jeffo

thekevlarkid

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Out of a keg for their one-year anniversary celebration this beer was a cloudy, gold-amber color with a one-finger, white head. The retention was strong as a collar and the lacing so-so in streaks. The aroma was strong and musky, citrus, pine and a little musty malt. The Amarillo and Cascade hops were quite apparent. The flavors were quite piney and green with herbal notes; clearly it was dry-hopped. The malt was again a bit musky but hints of toasted malt appeared as it warmed up. The grapefruit finish was crisp and very bitter. Tart and highly acidic. The mouthfeel was soft, the body medium and the carbonation soft but a little too low for such a big beer. Probably a great beer out of a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2009 15:04:50 | More by thekevlarkid

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.95/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks merc for sharing this
The bottle pours a clear amber with touch of sediment and fluffy white head that laces. The nose is grapefruit forward, but it's not tart or mouthwatering. The beer's sweetness pushes up against the bitter hops to create a very drinkable DIPA. However, there is a substantial amount of rindy/resiny bitterness that sits on the palate. A big scoop of peanut butter makes the beer much better though. Tasty beer, but it may be a bit over the top.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 01:02:21 | More by ThePorterSorter

Bubba83

California

3.98/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks so much to Kegatron for hooking me up with this much sought after beer.

This was shared at a tasting tonight with largadeer, nickd717, alfrantzell, chswimmer, dabecassis, and Arbitrator.

Poured a nice looking vibrant orange with good clarity and a bright white, small head with decent sized bubbles. Propped up into a fairly good sized head when swirled in the glass, and had good retention and nice lacing. Really nice to look at.

The smell reminds me of Stone 14th a bit, I get some kind of british hop character, with a bit of stinky cheese. Following that up is a good bit of pine, spice, and earth, maybe some floral notes, but no real citrus or tropical fruits at all, which I have to admit I was hoping for. There's a little bit of caramel too, and overall it smells pretty good, but I wanted more of the vibrant aromas I'm used to from a fresh hoppy West Coast DIPAs.

Tastes much like the smell, caramel at first, but not too long before it melds into a bunch of pine, earth, and spice. It's actually pretty dank and has a nice piney flavor, but it's not rounded out by the citrus or tropical fruit flavors that I love so much. If this beer had those flavors as well, it could be out of this world.

Feels quite nice. Medium body, well carbed, and oily/smooth on the tongue. There aren't many DIPAs that I've had which trump the mouthfeel on this one. No problems here.

Overall it is definitely a complex DIPA that I would recommend everyone try. I have to say though, for my tastes, I really want more of a vibrant fruity profile with more citrus and the like. It drank pretty well for an 8.7% beer. The bitterness didn't really get cloying or anything like that and I didn't taste alcohol character at all. This is probably the highest rating I could possibly give for an IPA/DIPA without the citrus/tropical flavors, so if that's up your alley, you'll like it a lot.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2010 05:32:38 | More by Bubba83

largadeer

California

4/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks, Kevin!

Amber hued, fairly clear and nicely carbonated. A finger of head tops the body and retains nicely. Good, albeit standard, appearance.

Very aromatic, the hop profile has an earthy, herbal, grapefruit/orange peel quality. There's a substantial crystal malt backbone that lends moderate sweetness. This smells good, but it not as bright/clean as I like my DIPAs.

Intense hop flavors hit the tongue first; grapefruit, resin and bitter herbs. It's largely dry thanks to the sharp bitterness, but a strong crystal malt flavor cuts through and contributes mild caramel sweetness. Medium in body, this is quite drinkable. The finish is very firm and bitter, decidedly East Coast-style with its bitter, borderline astringent aftertaste. A good beer, but not terribly complex or memorable.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2010 04:14:22 | More by largadeer

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Batch 74--Bottle 28 of 72.

A-Bright copper kissed golden yellow with a thin, off-white head that held on strong and left spotty lace.

S-Sharp, spicy hop notes up front with mild biscuit sweetness aiding in support. Light floral character and tropical fruit goodness in the background.

T-Sharp, biting, spicy bitterness up front with an impressively sweet creamy backing. Fruitiness is very subtle in the background.

M-Medium-light to medium bodied. Super crisp and sharp with a LONG lasting bitter bite. Without question the most impressive aspect of this brew.

D-Nice, and well made for sure but not quite my preferred style of DIPA. I love the biting sharpness but miss the fruit. For those that love the spicy bite, but that's not me.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 22:09:49 | More by Deuane

WeisGuy

New York

4.05/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle shared by sarro - thanks, Kyle!

Pours a hazy, deep orange color with a one-finger, frothy white head. Head retention is decent and lacing is good. Huge grapefruit and citrus notes on the aroma with lighter pine and danky smells. Aroma is reminiscent of opening a bag of hop pellets (Simcoe?). The taste has more malt presence than expected with the strong grapefruit hops being backed up by some caramel and biscuity malt as well as some pine resin. Make no mistake though, this one is all about the citrus hops. The bitterness is strong up front but is more mild on the finish. The alcohol is well-hidden on the finish, but the hops kind of trail off a bit early. A bit light-bodied on the palate with moderate carbonation and a moderately dry finish. Drinkability is pretty good with the malt providing just enough balance to the hops and the alcohol being well-hidden. Overall, this is really good stuff that is harmed a bit by the truncated finish. I'd love to try more stuff from this emerging brewery.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 21:44:13 | More by WeisGuy

MasterSki

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to mikeyv35 for this one. Served in my Kuhnhenn tulip. Batch #139, Bottle #4 of 96.

A - Pours with three fingers of creamy orange-tinged foam that slowly dissipates to a thin cap leaving behind glass-coating lace. The body is a slightly murky orange color with a faint reddish tinge to it.

S - You can definitely tell this was the July batch as opposed to the September one. It has that slightly cheesy faded hop aroma going on. However, once you get past that, there is a fairly intense bouquet of flowers, pine, herbs and spices, earthiness, and light citrus peel. There's a fairly hefty crystal malt backdrop that imparts caramel and lightly toasted grains.

T - The taste initially starts with some nice toffee and citrus sweetness, then quickly morphs into palate-bruising bitterness and light burnt sugars. This is a distinctly East Coast DIPA - the hop choices are all fairly high in alpha acids, and the malt backbone is surprisingly solid for a 8.7% beer. Still, it's held up amazingly well after circa four months.

M - The body is medium-full in density, and fairly smooth in texture. Extremely dry finish with tons of residual hop oils and resins. Alcohol is well-hidden, but bitterness gets to be a touch aspirin-like after a while. Carbonation is decidedly medium, and supports the beer nicely.

D - I hope I get to try this fresh at some point, because I'm guessing it's an absolute beast. Beyond the near barbaric bitterness level, there's nothing to really stop someone from having a few pours of this.

Edit: I had a fresh bottle and it tasted very similar. Kudos for holding up so well, but the grassy and floral character isn't totally my thing.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 19:03:17 | More by MasterSki

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.15/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to DonFrap for the bottle.

Pours a dark orange color, with a 2+ finger of off white head leaving nice sticky lace. Arome was nice, with juicy citrus, pine needles, resinous, with touches of floral hops. Taste was bitter, but never daunting, citrus, some tropical fruits, and pine resins. Slightly crisp medium body.

And excellent and easy drinking DIPA!

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 14:54:24 | More by EgadBananas

younger35

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Just received this brew in a recent trade with BeerTruth. He's definitely gone above and beyond this time. The first Lawson's Finest Liquid I had was the Maple Nipple and it rocked. Can't wait for this one. Drank from my Stone India Pale Ale flute.

Rare Batch #74. Bottle #29 of 72

Appearance- Pours a super clear orange yellowish with a nice two fingered fluffy white head that has some super duper staying power. A nice cap and collar remains the entire beer along with loads and loads of thick sticking ring like lacing.
Smell- Wow, this is a 'dank' one as the kids say now-a-days. Fairly heavy on the hay and dirt as a deep earthiness is really the name of the game here. Some pine sneaks in too as does a bunch of heavy spring grass. I honestly don't get much fruitiness other than maybe a touch of grapefruit which is surprising considering the Amarillo and Cascades used. Maybe sort of a crackery maltiness in which to support this hoppy goodness but the nose is just full of dank earthy hops.
Taste- Starts much like the nose with an earthy sort of bitterness that is, well, dank. A bit more fruit in the taste than in the nose as some grapefruit and bitter orange peel show. Maybe not a whole lot in the way of pine sap but the grassy qualities are quite evident. The beer is sneakily bitter but a bit of caramel malt is definitely noticeable. It's light for sure but has some subtle toffee qualities. I get a touch of alcohol but nothing crazy. The finish is bitter and lightly fruity and earthy. Good stuff.
Mouthfeel- Lighter body that nears medium with a light creamy carbonation that finishes nice and dry. I could probably use a touch more carbonation but I should just shut my mouth and enjoy.
Drinkability- Excellent Double IPA that I'm surprised doesn't get more attention. It's definitely not a west coast IPA with a bit citric fruitiness but it's a great change of pace. Perhaps one of the best 'change of pace' IPA's I've had (for lack of a better term). So earthy and ripe, great beer. You were right Adam, thanks man!

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2009 14:18:09 | More by younger35

jrallen34

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml mottle 90 of 96, batch 176, drank from a perfect pint glass... The beer is a dark hazy peach with an off white head, ok retention and lacing... We had this after Ephriam so the taste and aroma seemed really light, however still refreshing and more drinkable than the E. The aroma is light floral hops, a little sweet overall, grass finish. Not blowing me away but seems sessionable. The taste is not at all like a dipa, tastes like a regular ipa with the higher alcohol content, no alcohol or pine at all. The front is swet with grapefruit and toffee with a floral finish, light bitter finish that is nice. I'd like to have this again without the residual effects of Ephriam lingering. The best Lawson's I've had to date but nothing to go crazy trying to get.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 23:59:28 | More by jrallen34

jbertsch

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bronze in color with a white head.

Aroma is huge with a pungent mix of hops that cover just about the entire hop aroma spectrum. Citrus, earth, spice, wet and dank.

Flavor delivers a punch of hops to the face. It's like raw hop flower petals coat your tongue. Earthy hops with a tinge of bitter lemon are the most noticeable hop flavors. Malt backbone is slightly sweet with a noticeable booze kick that lingers along with some bitterness on the finish.

Mouthfeel is prickly and full bodied. Good amount of carbonation.

Hopzilla is not for the faint of heart. The hops own this beer. The volume is turned up on all aspects loud and clear. The description on the bottle states its a "monster of an ipa that terrorizes your taste buds." I agree, buck it sure is fun and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 00:37:20 | More by jbertsch

dtmets84

New York

4.23/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into my HF snifter.

A: Pours a dark orangeamber color with 2 inch white head and great lacing.

S: Mmm mm hops.

T:Bitter biting hops on the front. the back seems to smooth out and really balances it well.

M: Mouthfeel is sick and leaves the hop taste in the back of my throat

D: Lawsons can do no wrong. I have chinookr and 40th anny in the fridge will have to crack those soon to compare.

Would seek this guy out again.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 22:11:20 | More by dtmets84

celfan

Vermont

4.25/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Lots of juicy mango/apricot/passion fruit tasting IPAs dominating the ranking these days. Not this one. This is an old school, in your face, cascade hops, bad breath IPA.

At first I thought I was getting a strong booze taste, but I think the heat was coming from the hops. Admittedly, I'm more of a Heady Topper/Double Sunshine guy, but this ale kept my interest. There was just enough citrus taste to take the edge off and I did enjoy it.
I probably wouldn't get it again, but I won't let my personal taste influence the ratings - this is a nicely made ale and I know a lot of guys who prefer this style. The combination of oily texture and combination is spot on - a Lawson's trademark.

The good news is it took me three times as long to drink this as a Double Sunshine, And the wife won't be drinking any of this either. She can handle the citra hops, but this is a man's drink that would bring out her stinkface.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 02:09:33 | More by celfan

merc7186

New York

4.28/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber into snifter glass.

A: Hazy Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head, Great Lacing

S: Grapefruit, Piney, Bready

T: Grapefruit Rind, Piney, Biscuits

M: Great Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Drying, Mildly Bitter

Overall, A great DIPA with a good hoppy taste that isn't over powering.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 00:59:25 | More by merc7186

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Huge thanks to koopa for sharing this treat with me!

Pours a hazy, pale golden orange color with tangerine edges and a 1.5 finger white head that slowly fades into a lasting ring.  Spotty lacing left behind.

Dank, earthy hop aroma with resinous pine needle, grassy hops and a strong citrus/tropical fruit presence.  Pale malt backbone with hints of biscuit, graham cracker and straw.  Lots of mango, grapefruit, pineapple and orange peel character but it's balanced by the earthier hop notes and subtle malt backbone.  

Medium bodied with a blast of earthy, piney hops countered by sweet citrus and tropical fruit notes.  Grassy, dry and resinous with hints of curaçao, blood orange, grapefruit, pineapple and mango countered by a pale malt backbone.  more earthy than sweet but still very well balanced with a delicious hop profile and just enough malt.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 01:45:07 | More by corby112

andrewinski1

Maine

4.3/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Bendurgin for sharing. Poured into a wine glass. The color is orange/melon. There is a small white bubbly head.

The aroma has a great dose of hoppy pine; that's about it. It's potent and great.

The taste if full of zesty piney hops. There is a lingering bitterness in the finish. This is a tongue bruiser. There is mild malt sweetness, but it's hard to detect beneath all the hops.

This is super tasty. I love it.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 02:52:14 | More by andrewinski1

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First had: bottle from Waitsfield Market, Waitsfield, VT

Golden-apricot color, cloudy, with a large puff of foamy white head that retained well, leaving doily lacing on the glass. Hoppy nose, of course, floral, tropical fruit, citrus, pine. Taste was a nice mishmash of floral and fruity, lemon, orange, pine, pineapple, apricot, fruit blossoms, fresh grass, overlaid on a solid sweet, pale malt base. Crisp and dry, with a bitterness that lingered into the aftertaste, moderate carbonation, medium body, and just a great IPA overall.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 06:55:51 | More by Rifugium

bonkers

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I was very excited to see my cousin Jeff picked this up on his recent trip to Vt. We split the bottle 3 ways, into snifters. Deep orange pour with a 2 inch head, good lacing. Typical DIPA aromas, pine, grapefruit. The beer was very balanced, lots of pine and citrus, moderate/high bitterness. The finish lingered. The body and carbonation level were where I think they should be. Well constructed brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 17:00:28 | More by bonkers