Gunslinger Double India Pale Ale - Crown Valley Brewing & Distilling Co.

garuda

Pennsylvania

2.03/5  rDev -43.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

12 oz brown bottle, and for as much packaging as the 6-pack came in, you think there could be some kind of freshness date somewhere, but no...

A - Mostly clear pale gold, small white head that has little retention and little lacing.

S/T - Malty. Thick, heavy caramel malts dominate nose and taste. Some floral aspect to the nose, but nothing else in the way of hops. Same goes for the taste, with some floral charaacter, but then its just all rich caramel, butterscotch malt. Finishing overly sweet with an alcoholic bite. Faint grapefruit tastes arise as I continue to sip. Alcohol presence is way too high for the abv.

M - Medium body, low carbonation, and definitely undercarbonated. Feels watery by the time it goes down.

O - Overly sweet, not very bitter, poor mouthfeel. Won't be getting this one again.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 23:16:06 | More by garuda

timbuktu1344

Pennsylvania

2.15/5  rDev -39.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

When I looked at the reviews of this beer it struck me that far too many of them were from the Philadelphia area for a beer brewed in Missouri. I bought this beer at Total Wine and Spirits in Claymont, DE. I suspect that the other reviewers did the same. The buyer for Total Wine owes everyone $10, because this beer was a waste of money. I'll admit, I should have known better than expecting a passable DIPA for $9.99/6-pack. I was hoping to find a diamond in the rough.

A-Medium golden with a two fingers worth of head.

S-Malt sweetness. Very little aromatic hoppiness here. Not nearly enough hop nose for a DIPA.

T-Way too sweet. Very malty. The beer lacks any balance. I'll admit to liking hop forward beers, but this beer's claim to be a DIPA is based only on color and ABV.

M-Average. It might be syrupy, but it could just be it's overall bad taste affecting my perception.

O-This beer isn't worth it. I know that price point and style could lead someone to put this 6er in the cart, but please put it back on the self. Never again

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 03:41:53 | More by timbuktu1344

mempath

Pennsylvania

2.33/5  rDev -34.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

very nice appearance...sticky, beautiful lacing that looks like splash marks...thick then thins out in a sort of fractal manner. nice. deep golden color...more opaque-ish than hazy.

very sweet pronounced nose. hops, yeah, but more like nitro-malts.

taste: very 'balanced'...for a split second...hops and malts pretty much 50-50. but the lightspeed transition to finish falls apart....the hops depart and the sweetness takes over. and it lingers. the nose really suggests the taste that follows...this is the last bottle from the 6-pack and so it's is my last visit to the Crown Valley Saloon for the moment. and--at bottle #6--it's still a bit too sweet and sticky. rather cloying. if anything this needs to be paired with food. it did go well the other day with hashbrowns-n-eggs the other day. just too sweet for my taste. on target sort of with regards to style, but it's a matter of balance. the taste makes it feel thick, but it's really rather thin and easily quaffable. be careful at that ABV...overall, worth trying a bottle to compare. don't waste it on the 6 pack or more unless you like sweetness. there's just not enough hop blast here to make it worth it. maybe it needs a slice of orange.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 20:21:05 | More by mempath

Minkybut

Virginia

2.86/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

I poured this IPA into my tumbler at 45 degrees. Christmas trees jumped out of the bottle when I did. The beer poured a giant white head. The beer was cloudy and smelled like a forrest of spruce. Hoppy taste out the butt. Waaay hoppy. Did I mention it was hoppy. NO, I will not buy again. A great Christmas beer if you do not have a tree.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 14:00:19 | More by Minkybut

zeff80

Missouri

3.05/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Poured out a clear, copper color with a two-finger, off-white head of bubbly foam. It left thin rings of sticky lace on the glass.

S - It smelled piney and grassy. Lots of sweetness, too.

T - Very sweet and malty. Strong toffee and some caramel flavors. Some piney bitterness, but not enough to balance out the sweetness.

M - This beer is a little sticky and chewy. A medium bodied ale with chewy body.

O - This misses the mark for me. Too sweet and malty for a Double IPA.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 00:59:14 | More by zeff80

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This beer tastes very much like the Big Bison Ale I just tried from these guys. Which is, odd. This is somewhat more spicy though, with a bit of a bitter bite going on. Unusual muddled citrus going on. Kind of salty. I don't really have much to say about this beer. It's just kind of there.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 06:05:22 | More by RblWthACoz

Gavage

New Jersey

3.24/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: pours a hazy orange color with a 2" head that falls to a spotty surface covering.

Smell: light citrus and a bit of hop bitterness comes through to the nose.

Taste: caramel, light grainy malt sweetness, soft grapefruit, some orange, and a moderate bitterness are the main flavors. Some alcohol is detectable.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied. Lightly crisp throughout. Aftertaste is short lived.

Overall: a bit of a let down as the flavors are a bit singular and not cohesive. Definitely a lighter double IPA overall. One is more than enough in a session.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 17:24:41 | More by Gavage

TCgoalie

Michigan

3.28/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy straw yellow color with some scummy white head. Some lacing...not bad.

Lots of pineapple and a pinch of apricot in the smell. There is a bitter rind like scent as well.

The taste is fairly one dimensional...funky citrus. Plenty of buscuity malts as well.

The mouthfeel is the best aspect here. Super chewy and full feeling.

Not great but not terrible either.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 00:35:46 | More by TCgoalie

mjpolzin

Wisconsin

3.43/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Came as part of a beer club I am enrolled in. I like double IPAs and this was a pretty solid beer but I thought it was average relative to other DIPAs so hopefully my score reflects that. I thought it was lacking that citrus, pine punch that a good DIPA should have and instead was a little sweet.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 03:08:34 | More by mjpolzin

TheSarge

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured this one into a regular pint glass, and the brew makes a solid two finger thick off white head, and the body is copper in color with mild haze.

Not verh fragrant, just a soft bouquet of a faint floral quality.

The brew tastes of candied orang slices with some consolidation of the sugar. Some rind mixed in there too.

Feels full in body, slightly chewy, and a little warm in the end.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 17:44:37 | More by TheSarge

khensley

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got this from a friend who does a beer of the month thing. 12 ounce bottle. Poured a bit over-carbonated, smell was overpowering piney. Head never left, even though it took me forever to drink. At cold temp. the beer was very bitter without the hop taste (more bittering hops, less flavor hops??). As the beer warmed up, the flavors of toffee and toasted bread took form and the bitterness was muted. Not as boozy as I would have estimated. Tastes a lot my IPA homebrew, bitter without the citrusy hop flavor I love (which makes it average).

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 06:36:50 | More by khensley

tweeder263

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours out a golden thick beer , with a light 1 finger thick head .Smells surprisingly balanced, sweet and hoppy. Taste is also balanced, advertised as 93 IBU theres plenty of malt sweetness to keep everything in check. Mouthfeel is nice and thick, something i expect in a heavy beer such as this. Overall a good DIPA, priced right, something to have once in a while.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 00:41:29 | More by tweeder263

kneeland

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hello hops. Plenty of malt too. I've never been a fan of IPA, but double IPAs work for me for some reason. It has a medium body, it goes down really smooth. Very translucent with a copper orange color. I think the head will last longer than I have the glass. Well done Missouri.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 22:03:09 | More by kneeland

bmwats

Louisiana

3.74/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a footed tulip.

A: Cloudy golden hue. Plenty of rising effervescence. Pours about a 1 finger, bubbly, white head. Settles fairly slowly. Spiderweb lacing.

S: Sourdough bread, honey, orange citrus.

T: Woody hop character accentuated with a slightly sweet and fruity component.

M: Thick and syrupy. Crisp. Aftertaste of steel and dried orange peel. Dry finish.

D: Bitterness and high alcohol content will dictate a slower pursuit.

Atmosphere is pretty good. Pretty good head, and some nice lacing. Nose is sourdough, honey, and citrus. Earthy or woody hop tone makes up the base, slight sweet and fruit components balance it out. Overall, this is a good quaffl

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 05:22:41 | More by bmwats

Winston_Smith

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this bad boy on tap at The Blue Agave in Belleville, IL on 12/6/12.

Appearance: Pretty deep burnt golden orange coor with two fingers of head and fantastic lacing until the beer was gone. Hell yeah!

Smell: Hoppier than Bugs Bunny with some citrus undertones.

Taste: Super hoppy like you'd expect, but pleasantly balanced by the remaining grapefruit citrus and other flavors.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body that I was surprised to feel for a DIPA. Nice carbonation.

Overall: I'd try it again. It was a pleasant experience for an IPA fan. I'd like to give it another shot because I may have been a bit drunk.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2012 18:29:41 | More by Winston_Smith

Kitt

Delaware

3.88/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 1.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a light golden, somewhat unfiltered, with very little head and virtually no lace.

Aroma of rich, over-ripe citrus, blended with maple syrup. Quite appealing - I'm picking up banana, peaches, and apricot.

Taste: rich and eclectic malts similar to overall aroma. Hops fade in and become momentarily strong but rapidly dissipate. For a double IPA, the hops are quite mild overall and of a very tame bitterness. I prefer a much more bitter taste than this IPA offers but oddly enough the hops are well balanced with the rich and flavorful malts.

Mouthfeel: heavy viscuous, almost syrup-like, and lightly carbonated. Reminiscent of a very heavy barley-wine.

Drinkibility: Honestly, I feel like I am eating this beer it is so heavy! ABV is not overwhelming for a double IPA - 8.3%. I find that rather pleasant in itself.

Overall this beer is like a heavy barley-wine mixed with a mild IPA rather than a double. It's a fairly unique combination and worth a try. The beer is best saved for a single desert serving as the richness and heavy nature undoubtedly limits the drinkibility. I can't find much to complain about this un-usual double IPA yet it's not really my style. I prefer a more bitter double IPA, less fruity, and a bit lighter with higher ABV. But I'm glad to know this beer and I would recommend it -- if for nothing else it's unusual combinations.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 02:51:02 | More by Kitt

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This poured out as a slightly hazy orange color with a nice white head on top. The retention is good as well as some lacing on the glass. The smell of some moderate hops on the nose.. a mix of earthy and citrusy. There is a bit of malt sweetness as well. The taste has a bit of pale malts and a touch of spicy citrus in the finish. The mouthfeel is pretty thick, it's got a good body to it with a decent amount of carbonation. There is a bit of boozy heat too on this which is kind of surprising. Overall I thought this was a pretty good DIPA. Not the best by any means but still not bad.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 04:47:40 | More by Knapp85

Casedogg43

Indiana

4/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle opened nicely chilled and very fresh.
Beer of the month club, pleasant surprise.

This is just a very solid DIPA
Nice aroma to entice you, plenty of hoppy grapefruit flavor.
Somewhat balanced, and short on maltiness aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is terrific for this style. And I dare sat that in going to have another one right now!

Cheers

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 02:42:46 | More by Casedogg43

ubenumber2

Arkansas

4.5/5  rDev +25.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle into a pint glass , crystal clear pale beer with a heavy thick white 2 finger head and super nice lacing

Smell is a mixture of citrus , piney and earthy hops with a hint of malt in there

The mouth on this beer is amazing , thick and heavy for the style but enough carbonation to finish it off

Taste starts off sweet and finishes bitter , very well balanced beer , the hops and malt really come through

Overall I think this a great double IPA , great aroma and taste. I will be buying more

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 00:58:44 | More by ubenumber2

billmbeer

New Hampshire

4.8/5  rDev +34.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow, Pow! Just tried this beer from my beer of the month club shipment and this is a biggie hoppy incredible double IPA. More hops than the Easter bunny on Easter! Great mouthfeel, nice 2 finger frothy head retention. Aroma is a bit overwhelming, but makes sense from the high IBU's in this one. From a small brewery in Missouri. A great beer!

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 16:51:39 | More by billmbeer