Imperial IPA - Anderson Valley Brewing Company

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.4/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

We pop the top and pour a brew of sunset orange. It holds a two finger head of massive white creamy bubbles. Patterned, soapy lacing is left down the glass as the head disappears at a medium pace. There is a big haze to it, with flecks of microsediment floating about. Carbonation appears slow and minimal. The aroma gives citric, nectary, and sweet floral hops. These mix with pale and borderline wheaty malts, mineral, fusel booze, coiny metallics, tomato acidity, and warmed caramel malt sweetness. With warmth comes orange flesh sweetness. Our first impression is that there is a nice pucker from the dirty, earthy hops, but a strong white sugar sweetness permeates and cuts a bit too deep. As we sip, the flavor opens with bite of baker’s yeast, lemon rind, grapefruit hops, and bitter grassiness. This is quickly cut by sugary sweet caramel malts and a sweeter, fusel booziness that gives more cloy than fire. The peak comes with more peppery alcohol, bready malts, flour, and yeastiness, bittering plastic phenols, and more bite of earthy and citric hops. The latter pulls us to a finish which washes with paler malts with less sweetness, more mineral, and light lactic sourness to full cut any remnants of malts from earlier. The aftertaste breathes of bittered soapy and citric hops, caramel malts, booze, black pepper, chalky flour, and coiny metallics. The body is light to medium, and the carbonation is lighter. There is a smoothness to it, with a cool, wet coating following an initial bittering pucker. There is decent slurp, smack, cream, and froth to the sip. The abv is fine, and the beer drinks appropriately.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the aroma. There was a nice balance to the bittering, citric and earthy hops and the caramel and pale malt mix. The flavoring followed decently, but didn’t seem to blend as well as the aromatics. The sweetness came as a basic taste of white sugar, without really any amalgamation or incorporated flavoring. The hops were similar in a sense of bitterness, but these certainly felt a bit more organic and real. This beer is drinkable and decent, but little more.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 01:50:35 | More by TheBrewo

johntfox

Florida

4/5  rDev +4.7%

05-21-2013 18:43:22 | More by johntfox

DasBoot2112

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%

05-02-2013 04:03:32 | More by DasBoot2112

InfernoBoss

California

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

04-28-2013 16:36:44 | More by InfernoBoss

LSx

California

4/5  rDev +4.7%

04-24-2013 19:58:45 | More by LSx

JWNYC

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

04-17-2013 18:01:29 | More by JWNYC

derkfromwi

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

04-09-2013 03:12:53 | More by derkfromwi

Mattias

Sweden

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

04-06-2013 19:58:01 | More by Mattias

polopaul20

Maryland

4/5  rDev +4.7%

04-05-2013 18:23:56 | More by polopaul20

J10Jordan

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

04-03-2013 18:14:19 | More by J10Jordan

marct

Nevada

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

03-18-2013 00:52:21 | More by marct

Highstplz

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

03-17-2013 21:51:07 | More by Highstplz

phishsihq

Colorado

3.96/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Anderson Valley's Imperial IPA weighs in at a hefty 8.7% ABV and 100 IBUs. The beer was originally brewed to celebrate the brewery's 20th anniversary. It pours a slightly hazy, apricot color with a creamy, off-white head that provides some decent lacing. Citrus hops, mostly oranges and tangerines, provide a wonderful opening into this hop-forward nose. Floral aromas follow as the beer warms, and sweet, bready malt aromas underline the entire olfactory experience. The beer erupts on the palate with floral hop flavors taking the lead. As the flavors progress, sweet bready malt swirls with tangerines and pineapple on the way to a long sweet finish. Sweeter than most Imperial IPAs, the brew is medium bodied with a lighter level of carbonation. Sweet...

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 20:18:04 | More by phishsihq

Curtis

Utah

4.38/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a hazy dark gold, thick foamy head that lasted quite a while. Much cloudier than expected, almost Berliner Weisse or Hefe. Mounthfeel was exceptional. No harsh Hop after bitter. Aroma was fairly mild -could use a bit more. Fruity overtones, not too citrus, slightly floral. Smooth, very smooth The balance is exceptional, nice pale maltyness, blended with tasty hops.. Alcohol kick is fairly good at 8.7... it sneaks up quickly, yet quietly. I've had good experiences with this brewery (Boont Amber is a favorite) and they have impressed again.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 04:45:07 | More by Curtis

Phillyz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.7%

02-12-2013 21:36:42 | More by Phillyz

BogBoyJD

Ireland

4/5  rDev +4.7%

02-11-2013 23:08:56 | More by BogBoyJD

thierrynantes

France

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer bottle (33 cl.) purchased from La Souffleur de Bière, and tasted 2013.

Appearance : amber color, with white foamy head (w lacing).
Smell : hops, malty and spicy aromas
Taste & mouthfeel : malty and dry hoppy flavors, leading with nice bitter finish.
Drinkability : a nice beer in the style American Imperial IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 19:59:50 | More by thierrynantes

CommanderOfAwesome

California

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

02-04-2013 21:43:43 | More by CommanderOfAwesome

marlinsfan4

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

01-30-2013 04:22:42 | More by marlinsfan4

jsanford

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

01-30-2013 02:43:34 | More by jsanford

Huffs

New York

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

01-29-2013 13:40:16 | More by Huffs

BeerBeast

California

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

01-27-2013 22:32:26 | More by BeerBeast

BSW

California

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

01-26-2013 16:55:19 | More by BSW

440kk

Ohio

4/5  rDev +4.7%

01-23-2013 03:56:58 | More by 440kk

spycow

Illinois

4/5  rDev +4.7%

01-17-2013 05:51:03 | More by spycow