Diabolical India Pale Ale - North Peak Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Champagne Cellars. Very heady lacey orange coloured body. Slightly pleasant aroma. Median mouthfeel, a tad creamy. Very very drinkable tasty C hop orangey IPA. Just a drop astringent in those last drops of the bottle.Kiss of sweetness refreshing. Very good.Drying aftertaste,

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2010 04:00:01 | More by northyorksammy

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

amber with a nice one inch head that formed on top. Decent retention left behind a nice quarter inch layer of sticky lace behind.

Nice citrus/pine blend of aromas balanced against a sugary grain back. Good balance between the two actually. The level of the aroma was also quite decent as it was not hard to pick up or discern between the different smells. orange peel like bitterness that hit pretty quick in the front. Once you moved past that a touch of lemon perhaps, pineapple or grapefruit started to shine through and mixed in with more of a fresh cut grass. A touch of earthen like malted grains balanced out with a candy like sugar. Very nice, not too bitter or overall hoppy on this one, just a nice well balanced IPA.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2011 21:30:08 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.2/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks for sending me this one, Mike.

A: The pour is orange in color with a small white head that fades away quickly.

S: The hop aroma is slightly floral with a little bit of bread. There is a strange apple note to the beer as well as some grassy hops and a mild skunk. The back end has a bit of sweet malt.

T: Starts off with semi-sweet bread and malt. The beer is only somewhat hoppy, especially for an IPA. The same green apple, grass, and just a touch of sweet citrus. There is only a mild bitterness.

M: The body is medium with a medium to high level of carbonation.

O: Pretty lackluster, underwhelming IPA. I wasn't a big fan of this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 23:43:36 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.03/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed from notes.

Pours amber with an off white head and some light lacing. The nose brings out some very light citrus and pine hops with a bit of caramel malt in the background. Taste is of very light hops with some caramel and semi sweet malt. Feel is medium with light bitterness. Overall, just an average beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2010 23:28:59 | More by Thorpe429

brentk56

North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Arrives with a hazy amber color and a modest head that fritters away, leaving just a few shards of lace

Smell: Grainy and malty, with a touch of pith

Taste: Opens with a caramel flavor that moves in a bitter pithy direction by mid-palate; finishes with a grainy bitterness though considerable malt sweetness lingers as well

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low to moderate carbonation

Drinkability: I prefer a drier, more citrusy IPA; this is a bit more like a very hoppy amber

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2010 21:30:34 | More by brentk56

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Wow, I haven't had a beer that smells this much like weed in a while. There's a strong, initial pot aroma, and taste, but not enough flavor until the finishing grapefruit bite. It's not a bad IPA, and it's certainly not your average hoppy ale. Especially if you like pot.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 17:24:06 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A Red Stripe-esque stubby bottle, from Plum Market in AA (she's a whore). From notes on 5-Jul-10.

A: The IPA is an amber, brown-yellow color that remains hazy throughout. That haziness is yeast-driven, as there are many visible particles suspended in midstream in the glass. A good head, over two fingers and requiring two pours, leaves thick patches of lace behind.

S: A hoppy nose, citrusy with a strong caramel foundation. Surprisingly, the malts are strong enough and hold their own against the hops.

T: The IPA is nicely hopped, especially in the leafy, bitter finish. Not to get too far ahead of myself though. Before the hops, the malts stand out, caramely and chewy. They stand up to the hops initially before yielding near the finish. The citrus hops that come through are nondescript at first, releasing citrus but no nuanced flavors. Near the finish, leafiness becomes stronger, more bitter. That bitterness hangs around for a while.

M: The IPA has a low carbonation level, allowing flavors to linger for a little while longer. The hop bitterness really comes on near the finish.

D: A good IPA, not too boozy or weak.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2010 00:40:29 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep copper slightly clouded color pouring with a thick off white khaki tan head forms fine even lacing layers between sips. Aroma is big on the citrus lemon/lime notes really light and not so piney or caramel induced in the nose more of a light biscuit malt profile with some attitude. Flavor is pretty nice juicy earthy/citric hop contents with a nice malt layer breadiness/yeast/and nice welcoming layers of juicy fruit. Makes me salivate a bit between sips, don't mind this at all. Solid Michigan IPA not the top of the hops but it's up there as a solid player. By the way this Diabolical IPA gets style points for having the jackelope on the label. Half jack rabbit half antelope. Drinks way too smooth with a touch of hops and alcohol in the finish, candied hops with sugar coated hops even carbonation as a whole this beer stands up on it's own. Compared to other standby IPAs it's got some work to do, I'd much rather indulge in Two Hearted or Centennial IPA without thinking about it.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 05:00:08 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dang. Real distinct perfume/floral nose on this one. Flavor profile is more floral and smooth. Unfortunately, things drop off very fast after the start. No staying power on this one. The hops are all there, but it falls off very quickly and does not stick around. It's still pretty decent, imo. Just could be bringing a whole lot more; especially in comparison to a lot I've been drinking recently.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 01:29:37 | More by RblWthACoz

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A VERY foamy pour eventually yields a hazed copper color topped with a thick dollop of frothy white head. This maintains a sudsy looking finger or so, leaving back sticky lacing that coats the sides of the glass. The aroma smells leafy and dank with some pine thrown in, which is undercut by an underlying tangy mix of green grapefruit and tight grainy sweetness. Maybe just a smidge of warmth then undercuts that a bit.

Grapefruit and pine give the taste some zestiness across the tongue, which is brought down a bit by a combination of softer fruit accents and the light sweet doughiness of the malt before finishing with some lingering resins and pith on the tongue. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and crisp with some underling slickness and a bit of alcohol warmth on the tail-end. Overall it’s a little over carbonated which isn’t surprising at all considering that big foamy pour.

Despite the over carbonation and this not being the freshest bottle of IPA I’ve ever had, I still though that this was pretty decent. It had some quality hop flavors to it and came off as being fairly well balanced and easy drinking as well. I’d be willing to explore a fresher bottle of this down the line sometime.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 19:11:15 | More by Kegatron

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

3.2/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Stubby! Which is wicked because I though we were the only folks who did stubbies. Thanks grub!

Pours a hazy orange/amber, very thick off white head forms, slowly settles down to a thick ring and layer around the glass, big sheets of lace stick, this looks good.

Smell is okay, very light, some caramel sweetness and citrus hopping, a touch of grapefruit, some herbal character, some light biscuit and floral, not much in the way of hop or malt intensity though.

Taste is alright, nice citrus character, some floral, very light malts, a touch of caramel and some biscuit, bitterness is on the lighter end, goes down easy.

Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with medium carbonation. Decent, but just very muted. Tastes like a decent homebrewed IPA but nothing more, and I expect more from commercial breweries. Thanks Russ!

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2010 23:15:14 | More by Viggo

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Always grateful to my buddy Nate for picking this beer up from his trip to Michigan.

Light khaki head that is an easy two finger thickness. This retains to about one finger through all twelve ounces with sticky lacing. The bubbling inside this copper colored AIPA is very good.

Musty earth and orange hop resin mixed with well toasted barley bread. Caramel and bitter citric and damp earth and pines.

Smooth caramel and Wonderbread crust malt flavors mixed with somewhat musty, piney, earthy, and orangey hop bitterness. The palate is a little oily, but pretty flavorful and sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2011 01:49:16 | More by scruffwhor

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.05/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.5 oz bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada imperial pint. No date or info.

A - The floating sediment in the stubby RedStripe bottle makes it into the golden dirty pumpkin-orange beer giving it small specks of haze. That still doesn't take away from the outrageous plume of carbonation rising to the bone-colored, three-fingered head. Fantastic retention and rocky, dense lace cling mercilessly to the glass!

S - American hop aroma pours from this beer. Tons of well-balanced pine needle and citrusy grapefruit rind eventually mellow out and find their place sharing the spotlight with delicious smelling toasted caramel malts and a dab of raw honey. As it warms, and interesting but nice and unique touch of spice, like pumpkin ale nutmeg, pokes out. It's different and well-balanced.

T - The light touch of nutmeg and pumpkin spice hits the tongue right away which throws me off slightly. Nonetheless, Diabolical moves into a semi-hoppy, more so bitter, strong malt body. Lots of toasted caramel malt overpowers the actual hop flavor just a bit but the finish is wholly hops in bitterness.

M - With an evil little twist to it, Diabolical starts demolishing the palate with delicious bitter hops. Surprising at firs, it mellows out quite a bit towards the end but continues to be dry. Even with a large plume of carbonation in the beer, it remains rather tame in carbonation feel going down, which makes this medium-bodied IPA generally soft and smooth.

D - It took me by surprise at first which I like. Diabolical is a well-balanced IPA that drinks as well as it smells and tastes. It's always nice to grab an unknown beer like this only to find out it's a gem that was worth getting.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2010 12:10:21 | More by BeerFMAndy

tpd975

Florida

3.98/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a murky orange brown with a nice tall rocky off white head. Excellent retention and thick chunky lace.

S: Aromas of bready malt, caramel, pine and grassy green hops.

T: The malt is there up front. Sweet and bready with hints of caramel. The hops are mostly citric with a big bitter green dank finish.

M: Medium in body, very bitter finish.

D: Good I really liked this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2010 21:35:21 | More by tpd975

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.91/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I think this one is real underrated here on BA. I mean, this is an interestingly hopped, crisp and clean, drinkable ipa that is outstanding when fresh. to each their own though I guess. this pours a crystal clear lighter shade of bronze, with a fluffy white head, pure in color and long lasting. the nose is fruity and citrusy hops in equal proportion, with a mix of English style and American barley malt. the caramel factor is low, but its there in aroma and taste, giving a little body and a little class to this otherwise hop heavy brew. the flavor balances nicely between the different hop varieties, bouncing between sweet and bitter and fruity and oily and pungent and mellow. its kind of an all in one brew, stagnated in such a way that all aspects can be enjoyed in isolation. maybe too discordant for some? I liked the punctuation, and I found its feel to be majorly refreshing. medium body, maybe just under, upbeat carbonation, and a crispy finish. magic when ice cold, less impressive as it warms up. give this a try, its something a little different and I liked it a lot.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 21:39:16 | More by StonedTrippin

Brent

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Too bad there is not a category for style points - when I first saw the beer, I assumed it would be a Belgian strong pale ale, playing on the customary devil/demonic theme (i.e. Duvel). I was surprised to see it was an IPA, but 66.6 IBU's and 6.66% abv - clever.

Up front a firm bite of hops grabs hold, with some raw hops oil at the edges and an herbacious character. Nicely balanced malt with a touch of toast. Finish is just slightly rough, but not enough to be a problem.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2011 14:10:10 | More by Brent

alexgash

Connecticut

3.6/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

11.5 oz. bottle.

Partly cloudy orange juice body. Two fingers of thick, creamy, light beige head. Great lacing. Hoppy nose, with notes of pine and citrus. Cookie dough malt and a little fruit as well.

Citrus and pine hop bitterness right up front. Bitterness becomes more astringent and aspirin-like through the palate. Fruit (tropical) and caramel malt fill out, with mild sweetness. Finish is bitter and dry with the ghost of fruit past. Medium-full body with a creamy feel. A little rough around the edges, but not too bad.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2010 02:36:49 | More by alexgash

maximum12

Minnesota

2.33/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Thanks to malty for an in-person trade. Never even heard of this brewery, always good to find a new face in the crowd.

Well, first off, points awarded for the sportin' old style bottle. Very cool. Points removed for the 11.5 ounces. Not cool! But points reinstated for the bottle date, 4/13/10, so this one might be at the edge of its freshness. Pours very IPA, that indistinct orange-faded-cum-red that speaks to the soul of an IPA. The nose is squatting in sweetness, with a bit of an off, sharpyly sour note that doesn't bode well.

My wife pronounces it "has that Rolling Rock aftertaste" which I divine hasn't been meant as a compliment. Diabolical is grainy & gritty as an old black & white reel-to-reel, with a splash of bitterness that doesn't entice any further flavors from the hops. Big malts surge in behind the vague gesturing bitterness, leaving this brew foundering in a bit of confusion.

The hops couldn't have faded that much, that fast, but this brew packs the hops punch of a six-year old. Glad I split this slightly height-challenged bottle with my wife. Dull.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2010 02:07:08 | More by maximum12

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.28/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a snifter. I love the funny little medicine bottle it comes in.

3.0 A: First pour was nearly asll head. It took a long ass time to get a full glass. Opaque amber brown color. Three fingers of off-white, airy froth. Retention is great, but the head itself is ugly. Some lacing left.

3.0 S: Floral and citrusy hop aroma, though the overall vibe is more earthy. Caramel maltiness with a heavy yeastiness. A little soapy. Bready from the yeastiness.

3.5 T: Taste is well balanced with malts and hops. Fairly strong caramel flavor with a strong malt backbone overall. Orange citrus from the hops with some herbal and earthy notes. The yeastiness is again strong, but it somehow works well in the taste.

3.5 M: Medium body. Surprisingly not overcarbonated (and I didn't even aggitate it much). Reasonably creamy and fairly smooth.

3.0 D: Not a bad IPA, but heavy on the yeast. If you like that kind of brew, you'll love this.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 20:27:51 | More by DavoleBomb

grub

Ontario (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz stubby bottle. sampled feb 6/2010.

picked this one up because of the stubby - first stubby i've seen in use outside of ontario in recent memory. pours hazy deep reddish amber, almost ruby when held to the light, with a big dense tan head. the head drops slowly and leaves a thick layer of lace down the glass.

aroma is nice. orange and tangerine citrus. touch of grapefruit. light caramel. the hops are there, but they're not overly assertive and seem almost muted to what i'd expect in an american ipa. slightly toasted white bread. bit of cracker. bit of alcohol.

taste is pretty good. medium bitterness level. grapefruit and pine. light orange and tangerine. slightly toasted white bread. cracker. touch of biscuit. light alcohol. bit of caramel.

mouthfeel is good. medium body. medium carbonation level.

drinkability is good. it's pretty well balanced, but just left me wanting a little more. it's certainly not bad, but some aspects of it seem a little too muted. the aroma is closer to an american pale ale, and the rest of it seems more like an ipa that perhaps sat for a little too long. unfortunately, i think there's just a few too many options in this style and this one isn't standing out as a result. i'd be curious to try this fresh from the brewery and see if it was any different. worth a try though.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2010 23:24:43 | More by grub

prototypic

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Diabolical India Pale Ale is a nice, hazy copper color. It has a distinct orange tint when held to light. A slightly off-white head caps it. It only rises to a finger or so tall before falling to a surface covering quickly. Lacing was a little sticky, but light overall.

The nose is weak in the aromatics department. Needs more strength. There are some light citrus grapefruit and orange notes. Perhaps a little pine as well. Light caramel is present, but it doesn’t smell overly sweet. There’s an earthy quality to it. Smells a little dank if you ask me. Alcohol is blended well. It’s not bad at all, but it’s not quite good either. Needs a bump in strength to move in that direction.

The flavor is alright. Easily a notch above the nose. It starts out with a light, sweet caramel malt flavor. Citric hop flavors of orange and grapefruit taste nice. The orange is definitely the focus. It does have an interesting earthy, somewhat resiny quality to it. It works well with the piney hop flavor that emerges. It is bitter, but it’s not palate wrecking. Alcohol is low-key. Finishes bitter and quite dry. It’s alright. Not bad at all.

Diabolical India Pale Ale has a medium body. Carbonation is active, and close to being buzzy. It’s not quite smooth. Above average sounds about right. It goes down fairly easy, but the resiny, dank flavor grows a tad tiresome. A 12 oz. bottle is plenty.

This is my first beer from North Peak Brewing Company. Overall, it's been a pretty decent experience. Diabolical India Pale Ale isn't bad stuff. It could be improved. A little more strength on the nose, and perhaps a bit less dankiness in flavor would bump it up a notch or two. Not bad though. Definitely worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 02:19:01 | More by prototypic

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a Bruery Tulip glass.

A - Pours a cloudy medium orange with a cream colored head. Two fingers, good retention and lacing.

S - Sweet malts, orange, grass.

T - Lemons, oranges, grass.

D - Good carbonation and body. Tart on the back of my tongue.

O - Sweeter and fruity. Light like a saison.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 07:04:12 | More by HuskyinPDX

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.43/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Purchased from the Jolly Pumpkin brewpub. It comes in a stubby Red Stripe style 11.5 oz bottle.

It pours a hazy peachy amber with a big billowing white head that lasts for a god while.

This one is pretty balanced between the malt and hops smell wise. There is a big hit of sugary pale/crystal malts with a nice kiss of cirusy hops. THe yeast adds an extra bit of twang to the party.

The taste follows the nose. Up front there are a ton of malt flavors . In the end you get a nice blast of bitter hops, but no real depth of hop flavor.

The mouthfeel was a bit too carbonated. The bubbles and biting of the carbonation detracted from the malts and only carried the one dimensional hop profile across the tongue. I love hops but in these types of IPAs where the hops aren't the ain show I would rather the malt be the focus with the hops as an accent.

Overall it is middle of the road for an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2010 00:21:57 | More by crossovert

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.5 oz stubby bottle. Pours a good looking hazy copper color. Rocky head holds for a few, fading to a never ending thin layer. Nice sheet of lace all around the glass.

Slightly piney, earthy and citrusy hop aroma. Some juicy notes, backed by a solid caramel background. Subtle tropical fruit notes as well. A bit of zest.

Solid malt backbone, with a hint of caramel and slightly bready. Juicy hop flavors abound. Leans to the bitter side without being overwhelming. Grapefruit and other citrus fruits in the hops, with a hint of aspirin. Bitterness lingers for a while.

Medium body, good carbonation. Alcohol is hidden pretty well. This is a nice, drinkable IPA, with some juicy bitterness, but not overly harsh.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2011 23:17:40 | More by Bierguy5

Brenden

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours out a mildly hazed copper-orange hue in my glass. The head sits just less than one finger high with good retention and light to moderate lacing.
The aroma is fresh and pure, and one of the more raw IPAs out there. Lots of resionous pine with a touch of herbal and spicy hops notes balanced by a malt that's sturdy and imparts a touch of caramel but lets the hops rule.
The exact same follows for the taste. There's very nice balance as the malts provide some support, but the focus on the hops is never lost even slightly. A touch of grains and caramel linger underneath leafy and pine hops bitterness.
The body is a rich medium-full, fairly dry but not entirely due to the touch of sweetness and grains imparted by the malt. Carbonation is moderate, enough to impart a bite of crispness up front and flow into a smoother sip.
I'm not sure if the recipe's improved, old bottles were being consumed (mine was very fresh), or people are rating unnecessarily low, but this is a very good IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 19:35:45 | More by Brenden