Double Galaxy - Hill Farmstead Brewery

ngeunit1

California

4.65/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a murky yellow-orange color with a finger of frothy white head atop. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice thick lacing.

S - Aroma is full of citrus and tropical fruits with lots of grapefruit, pineapple, and mango. There is some sweet caramel malt mixed in along with a bit of lemon and orange zest.

T - Starts off strong tropical fruit hop flavor with lots of grapefruit and pineapple with some bitterness. Through the middle, more bitterness comes through with even more topical fruits and citrus flavors with some orange zest, mango, and stronger pineapple, with a bit of sweet caramel malt. The finish is a mix of orange zest, lots of tropical fruits, bitterness, and a touch of caramel malt.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a zesty, dry, and bitter finish.

D - Very drinkable. The hop profile is incredible with the tropical flavors strong from start to end. The bitterness is really nice as well. Great showcase of the Galaxy hop.

Serving type: growler

04-15-2012 03:25:16 | More by ngeunit1

islandboi8204

Hawaii

4.45/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2L growler split two ways.

Pours a hazy peach color with a small head that settles and leaves lacing down the glass.

Smells of grapefruit, orange, sweet vanilla and topical fruits in the background.

Tastes similarly, lots of grapefruit and lemon ring. Some caramelized sugars and tropical fruit flavors. Initially quite bitter, but sweetens as it warms.

Medium body, medium-low carbonation, a hoppy dry finish. Super drinkable and creamy mouthfeel.

Overall, a great hop very forward DIPA. Incredibly drinkable. Half the growler was delicious and I could have had a few more glasses. Alcohol well hidden. Great balance of hops, sweetness and citrus.

Serving type: growler

04-15-2012 02:14:10 | More by islandboi8204

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.8/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to CliffBrake for the growler.

Pours a hazy unfiltered gold with a small white head leaving excellent lacing.

Smells like a tropical paradise. Loads of pineapple, mango and a nice dankness.

Flavor is what I've come to expect from galaxy hops slowing becoming one of my favorites. Juicy tropical fruit with a nice pine bite at the end. Perfectly balanced.

Juicy without being sweet and typical HF lower carbonation leading to that mouthfeel. No alcohol burn at all.

I'm an unabashed HF IPA lover, but this is still one of the best I've had. Amazingly complex for a single hop beer and goes down way too smooth.

Serving type: growler

04-12-2012 23:42:25 | More by jmarsh123

hooliganlife

Missouri

4.15/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

thanks to chippo33

750ml growler

pours cloudy murky dull orange and burnt gold. nice inch or so of creamy white head. some lacing and decent retention.

very tropical and fruity. mango and orange dominating. some grapefruit hidden.

similar to nose, very fruity and tropical up front. through the finish a citrus and pine bitterness emerges and finished this. faint malt.

a bit chewy with a mild to moderate carbonation. drinks easy.

pretty good overall, very straight forward with emphasis on the hop.

Serving type: growler

04-12-2012 22:23:46 | More by hooliganlife

codysjb

Florida

4.33/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hill Farmstead Galaxy
Poured from a HF growler which I bought on 3/21/2012 into my glass (date 4/11/12).
A: Pours a brown/orange with a large head. Cloudy but uniformly so.
S: Lemon zest, some pine and citrus notes. Overall a simple but great IPA smell.
T: Musty, some citrus and some hop very balanced and a little malty.
M: Hops and malt fills the mouth all of which are good and balanced.
O: A great IPA. It would have been better fresher, but no worries. I would drink this on a weekly basis the only problem is there really nothing that particularly seems to stand out to me and it’s way too far out of the way to buy this when nothing stands out.

Serving type: growler

04-12-2012 03:33:12 | More by codysjb

tewaris

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass. 750 ml growler split with a friend.

While super hazy, looks are 4/5 all things considered. Somehow doesn't invoke the feelings of yuck that Heady Topper did in spite of being similarly murky. Not much by the way of aroma: slight papaya, rotting leaves, pine and resins.

Taste? Goddamn this goes goes down easy! Bitter and dry but still creamy owing to the low carbonation. Very smooth. There is a good malt backbone and even that has character; very juicy with elements working in unison. Bigger body than their Society and Solitude 3, but still very easy to drink.

4, 3, 4.5, 4.5, 4

Serving type: growler

04-07-2012 03:41:58 | More by tewaris

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml growler, picked up at the brewery last weekend.

Pours a hazy bright orange color, with one finger of white head. Great lacing and retention. Looks inviting, for sure.

Smell is quite fruity, with undercurrents of grainy malts and hoppy bitterness. Grapefruit leads the way for sure, but the galaxy brings forth some unique juicy tropical fruity aromas. Pineapple, something pulpy I can't put my finger on. I like it.

Taste starts out with grapefruit citrus, then has a wave of I-don't-know-what. Almost nutty. Finish is grapefruit peel bitter. Unique, but in a way I wasn't really expecting, with some surprising flavors mid-way through. The bittering comes off a bit strangely, and peaks quite late. And I get much less of the tropical fruit here than I did in the smell. It's good, but doesn't have quite the depth, variety, or balance I find in the best DIPAs.

Medium-bodied, long bitter finish, spot-on carbonation. Not as sticky as many DIPAs, but good.

A very good IPA, definitely showcasing many aspects of this hop. Doesn't bowl me over, though, in the way that, say, Abrasive does. Looking back on this review, I barely mentioned the malts. Didn't mention their absence either, though. Clearly they're the supporting cast, and they do their job by not being noticeable.

Serving type: growler

04-02-2012 02:47:35 | More by zeledonia

durrrr

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on tap recently at Blackback pub in Waterbury, Vt.

The beer pours a murky, cloudy, light yellow/gold color. Very unique color and appearance for a DIPA or any beer for that matter. Rustic looking. Less head than other Hill farmsteads... maybe 1 finger or less.

The nose is unique and inviting. Very fresh and loads of tropical fruit smack you in the face. The most tropical smelling/tasting beer I have experienced. I got mango, pineapple, passion fruit and orange. There is some citrus but less noticeable.

The taste is similar to the nose. lots of juicy tropical fruit hops lead, with some mild/medium bitterness that transitions to a creamy and smooth finish. Not much malt apparent and the alcohol taste is well hidden -- two things I really like in a DIPA.

The mouthfeel is pretty good. medium carbonation right at the beginning of the sip and beginning of beer, slips to mild carbonation for most of the experience. A little less that i prefer. Very creamy and smooth with nice bitterness and hops dancing around the taste buds.

Overall another fantastic hop creation from Hill Farmstead. Very unique tropical flavor profile which is very cool. I'll look for this one to try again soon!

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2012 14:16:05 | More by durrrr

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.48/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Sean for sharing this one!

Pours a fizzy beige head. Color is a hazed dull golden orange.

Aroma: Mango and grapefruit. Huge fruit profile. Floral, earthy, and fresh. No malts show here. Lots of hops, however.

Taste: Again, mangoes up front providing a sweetness. A light amount of grapefruit citrus. Floral and pine hops. Fresh and earthy. A touch of honey. No malts again.

Mouthfeel: Bitter and smooth. Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends sticky.

Overall, this was a solid dipa. No malts showing which was awesome. Tons of great hop and fruit flavors. This is up there with the best.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 14:02:21 | More by mothman

brystmar

Texas

3.28/5  rDev -29%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On draft at Blind Tiger, billed as Double Galaxy. Really looking forward to this one!

Strongly hoppy, piney aroma. Assorted of citrus fruitiness hides in the background. Flavor profile is nearly a palate wrecker, though, as it unloads wave after wave of sharply flavored hops onto my taste buds. No malt in sight; balance be damned! Again: mild citrus in the shadows if you can find it amongst the overwhelming hops. Plenty of lingering bitterness after swallowing.

Might be the first West-Coast-style DIPA from Hill Farmstead, and certainly the first that lacks balance. Reminds me much more of a Single IPA than a DIPA due to the absence of a malt backbone, and I dislike Single IPAs for exactly this reason. If you like hops with your hops (and then more hops on the side), you're gonna love this one.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2012 05:09:51 | More by brystmar

CliffBrake

New Hampshire

4.55/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very cloudy amber orange color with a very modest head that leaves a few spots of lacing.

Big fruity and spicy hop aroma is very inviting. Oh there is mango, grapefruit, melon, maybe a touch of strawberry. The Hill Farmstead signature great smell is all there!

Flavor is also full on hops - tropical and citrus fruits mixed with a bit of pine and spice on an appropriate malt base that lets the hops have all the limelight.

Medium body, slightly chalky and definitely mouthcoating. Although this is a big beer with a lot of flavor, it still feels fresh at the end of the glass and is very gentle for what could be a palate wrecker - really amazing in that regard.

Rustic with a big intense hoppyness. Seek this one out!

Serving type: growler

03-24-2012 17:10:31 | More by CliffBrake

musicforairports

New York

4.7/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on-tap at the Blackback Pub in Waterbury, Vt. in a stemmed Hill Farmstead glass.

Very cloudy and light gold in color. Definitely unfiltered. Small head and some huge lacing.

Aroma of dank tropical fruit--mango, pineapple, passionfruit, some citrus.

Tastes like tropical hop juice. Big orange, pineapple and passionfruit flavors. Minor catty flavors. Little to no malt notes. The hop flavor is a great showcase of Galaxy hops. This beer lacks the usual pine/earthy/citrus-rind hop distinctions.

Mouthfeel is medium in thickness, creamy and mildly carbonated. It goes down like nothing, but doesn't feel like water, either.

Hill Farmstead nails every hoppy beer they make, and this is no exception. It may be the best IPA or DIPA I've ever had.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2012 15:33:50 | More by musicforairports

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on tap at the Armsby Abbey during Hill Farmstead tap takeover. Reviewed from notes.

A - A Nice golden hazy pour with a rocky two finger head that leaves massive side lacing.

S - Dank hops, citrus, must. Very sharp and enjoyable.

T - Dank citrus (orange) hops, light sweet malts. Super well balanced with the fruits and juicy orange. Very nice.

M - Very nice carbonation here. Not too bitter at all and the ABV is incredibly well hidden.

O - Overall this is a very, very, very good beer. That orange stands out so nicely almost like fresh squeezed juice. Delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2012 01:58:40 | More by rudzud

Hojaminbag

Colorado

4.58/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Hill Farmstead Galaxy Imperial Single Hop IPA has a hazy body that is a mix of orange and yellow hues. The off-white head is thin yet very solid looking, and the retention and lacing are both pretty good.

The aroma is very nice. Lots of citrus, passion fruit, a little bit of leafy hop flavor. Just a hint of pale malt lingers in the background.

Galaxy hops rock. The best way to prove that point might be by trying this IIPA from Hill Farmstead. The flavors are extremely juicy and fruity, with an array of citrus flavors that are not dominated by grapefruit. Hints of passion fruit and lemon also come through. The bitterness is low relative to the hop flavor, and relative to the style, moderate is the strongest I could describe it. The malt is very understated, with just a hint of cracker and bread from what tastes like a malt bill lead by pale malts. The finish has some more hop flavors, with a grassy, fresh taste to them and a little bit more bitterness.

The body is very nice, with a smooth creamy feeling and just a little tongue-rattling bitterness.

This is a IIPA that is worth seeking out for fans of the style, as it is one of the few best that I have ever had. Hill Farmstead absolutely crushes hoppy styles, and this and Ephraim are prime examples of that.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2012 23:07:16 | More by Hojaminbag

spdyfire83

Ireland

4.75/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

122nd Review
Growler to snifter

From notes. Thanks to CharlieMurphy for sending this amongst other HF treats in a wonderful trade!

A: Burnt orange. 2+ (frothy white) fingernail head on medium pour.

S: Earthy and hoppy with loads of citrus fruit...you name it has it - mango, guava, orange, pineapple, passion fruit, papaya, etc. Hugely inviting!

T: Oh so nice! The wonderful citrus fruit in the nose is perfectly balanced with earthy hops and smooth bitterness. Simply perfect! No joke.

M: Medium bodied with perfect carbonation.

O: Beautifully balanced beer! Another wonderful beer for these folks. So smooth and easy to drink it's almost dangerous. Luckily there was a group of folks to help enjoy the growler; otherwise, it might have been tempting to enjoy it over a day or so by myself. Will definitely seek this out again!

Serving type: growler

01-22-2012 20:05:12 | More by spdyfire83

ghostwalker

Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Growler driven back from Vermont by me. Also sampled at the Three-Penny, Armsby Abbey, and a sampler at the brewery. Just outstanding every time!

A: Perfect golden straw body with a huge white head. massive lacing.

N: Sharp citrus liquid sunshine nose. I want air freshener that smells like this!

Flavor is incredulous hop juiciness to the nth magnitude! Serious sunshine on my tongue with citrus character on the order of fresh squeezed orange juice.

Mouthfeel is thin, slick, slightly toothstrippy. Medium carb, hides it's ABV well.

Overall is just outstanding! My favorite IPA ever...maybe.

Serving type: growler

01-07-2012 23:48:01 | More by ghostwalker

seanwhite

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hill Farmstead Galaxy, paid a visit to the brewery in Greensboro Vermont and cannot wait to go back. Billed as "Double Galaxy" and sold at $9 per 750ml bomber (plus $3 cost of the capper bottle).

Appearance: This looks great - super orange-amber-hazy. Classy and rustic, with a bit over one finger of white-and-bubbly head, very frothy. Good retention and solid lacing.

Smell: Super fresh and full of the best of citrus.

Taste: Super citrusy and carbonated, sticky around the roof of the mouth. A fresh, orange and zestful taste and tropical feel.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, flavor and carbonation.

Overall: Another great beer from HF!

Serving type: growler

01-04-2012 02:36:15 | More by seanwhite

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.85/5  rDev +5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On-tap at Armsby Abbey. Reviewed from notes.

A- Yellow orange body with a big white, creamy and thick head. Great retention and size. Unlimited lace makes the glass almost opaque.

S- Again, HF with very fresh hops. More of a sharp citrus-forward feel instead of any sweet fruit. Citrus mixes with grass, floral, pineapple and general grain.

T- Hop bomb flavor, big notes of mango, orange, peach, lemon zest, grass, strawberry, grass and floral. Don't know what it is but this reminds me of a farm somehow, grassy and grainy malt mixture. Some sweets.

MF- Creamy moderate thick body, tart and a bit bitter. Smooth overall feel.

Amazing Double IPA when it comes down to it. Awesome peach and mango feel. Shaun really competes with any good hoppy beer, Heady, Pliny, Alpine etc.

Serving type: on-tap

01-02-2012 21:02:07 | More by cbutova

billab914

Virginia

4.47/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml swing-top growler poured into my Southern Tier tulip. It poured a pale, yellow orange color that was a little reminiscent of pineapple juice. A thick, frothy, white colored head filled the top two inches of the glass and clung to the sides as I drank it.

The aroma has a juicy, citrusy hoppiness to it with notes of grapefruit, pineapple and mango. Nice range of hoppy flavors coming out in it, and I really liked the tropical fruit notes.

The taste shows more of the juicy, sweeter, tropical fruit notes to it up front. Towards the finish more of a bitter, citrus rind, grapefruit flavor starts to take over and linger into the finish. I get some piny, resiny flavors lingering in the finish as well. Nice range of hoppiness to it.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with carbonation being moderate. Overall I thought it was a great beer. It was a very flavorful and easy drinking beer. It had a great range of hoppy flavors to it but more importantly it really managed to balance the juicy, sweet flavors with the bitter, resiny flavors nicely.

Serving type: growler

01-01-2012 01:13:07 | More by billab914

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tap at the Armsby Abbey Hill Farmstead takeover.

Light fizzy 1/2 finger head, soapy lacing, super hazy carrot wheat color.

Nose fresh hops, light musty resin, pine, citrus, very light malt, tangerine, peach etc.

Taste starts grainy and malty, then earthy hops, light floral, then citrus galore, light tropical fruits, tangerine, mango, even slight pineapple, hint of pine and resins, light malty sweetness but little balance. Big malts and bitter hops, would be astringent if it wasn't for the malty sweet balance. finish is fairly bitter, little sweet but dry, hint of fresh pale malt, more hops, long pine and reason, lots of fresh tropical fruit hops late, and gets boozy as it warms.

Mouth med bodied, good carb.

Overall nice, big hops and malts, nice malty balance overall, a bit on the boozy side, decent tropical fruits and citrus hops, overall not too heavy but a sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2011 23:45:08 | More by jlindros

Damian

Massachusetts

4.93/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Drank on-tap at Armsby Abbey, Worcester, MA
Served in a snifter

The beer poured a super cloudy, peach color and was topped by a small, flimsy white head. Spiderwebs of lacing coated the glass.

The aroma was amazingly fruity and pungent. Tons of tropical fruits, including mango, papaya and pineapple. Super strong notes of peaches and apricots. Lots of tangerine juice as well. Pure hop nectar in a glass!

Intense peach and apricot notes also appeared in the flavor profile. Dank and resiny with a slightly floral hoppiness. Some honey was apparent, along with a touch of caramel malt sweetness (just enough for balance). Ruby red grapefruit came through on the crisp, slightly dry finish.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied. Smooth, creamy and supple on the palate.

Galaxy Imperial Single Hop IPA is a ridiculously hopped yet super smooth and drinkable double IPA. It is definitely one of the top three versions of the style I have ever sampled and one of my favorite beers overall.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2011 16:57:26 | More by Damian

Florida9

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Cloudy dark amber in color. Forms a huge, off-white, bubbly head. Good retention and some light lacing.

S: Hugely aromatic. Oranges, mandarine, tropical fruit, passion fruit. Sweet tropical fruit.

T: Reminiscent of the aroma, but, unfortunately, toned down a bit. Light to mild sweetness. Orange, citrus, and tropical fruit with a mild-moderate bitterness.

M: Medium to heavy bodied. Light to medium carbonation. Somewhat creamy or velvety.

O: A very good beer. Absolutely drinkable, though I did find the aroma to be more inviting than the flavor itself, but this is a minor flaw.

Serving type: growler

10-19-2011 02:24:12 | More by Florida9

iadler

Minnesota

4.55/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to spdyfire83 for bringing this growler to the tasting. I've been wanting to try some HF for a long time, and was stoked to see this. Poured into a snifter.

A- Pours a slightly hazy orange with a frothy two finger heads that slowly dissipates leaving gobs of lacing.

S- Ripe juicy passionfruit, lemon, mandarine, pineapple, mango, peach and a good chunk of caramel malt.

T- Matches the aroma with a boatload of tropical and citrus fruits, floral hops, a bit of pine and the perfect amount of the caramel malt to provide a perfectly balanced DIPA.

M- Medium carbonation and body with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel that finishes slightly dry. Perfect.

O- In my notes, I wrote smooth about 5 times and that is really what this beer is. A perfectly balanced DIPA that keeps the bitterness in check with the right amount of caramel sweetness. I was not let down by the hype surrounding HF IPA's and I'm craving to try more.

Thanks again Bryan!

Serving type: growler

10-11-2011 01:02:55 | More by iadler

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Rattle n Hum last month. The beer was served as a 12oz pour in a tall thin glass.

Galaxy Imperial Single Hop IPA pours a somewhat clear dark orange. There's a little bit of soap colored foam crowning the beer, but it's unremarkable both in terms of head retention and lacing. The nose is a little bit weak, but what is there is very nice, redolent of passion fruit and other tropical fruity notes. Each sip opens with a pleasant swirl of caramel, before a very smooth bitterness rolls in mid palate. The same fruity notes from the nose comprise the back end, and it's not as subdued as the nose is. The body is nicely dialed in, sturdy enough to support the hops, but not at all overbearing. The carbonation is nice and active, the bubbly nature really accenting the hops. I really enjoyed this beer, and specifically the flavors/aromas from the Galaxy hops. I'll be sure to check these hops out for my own brewing purposes in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2011 06:05:51 | More by axeman9182

Cavery

California

4.22/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Growler courtesy of Barnesy148927; thank you very much for getting this out to me. Hope the Expo Hop made it worth it!
Filled ~ 8/13/11

Poured from Swing-Top Fill to Oversized Wine Glass.

A: Deep bread crust orange/yellow with some bold foam sitting over the beer like clouds. Really very lofty foam that leaves rain drops of lacing as it recedes. This is a very deep orange/persimmon jam in the glass. I would say marmalade, but it's much thicker and darker than that. Organic raw honey look that makes me excited to taste.

S: Huge tropical fruit character that exhibits those more unusual fruits: Passion fruit, Mango, and a bit of guava with rind. A bit of tangerine citrus mixes with lemony zests. Though I would say the only thing very citrusy about this is the zesty spritzy essence, while the smell character is actually tropical in a slightly unusual way. This reminds me a bit of the Kern River IPAs in the nose. Which I think are some of the best smelling beers on the planet.

T: The taste is a bit more ordinary than I would have hoped (It's single hop, I know, but I can dream). A really rounded grapefruit rind and connective tissue flavor that lingers closer to mandarin oranges/clementines. A very light bitterness that doesn't come off harsh in any way whatsoever. There's a big "oily" character to the flavors that I can't quite pinpoint, but it soothes over any potential room for alcohol to peak in the flavor. Oily flavors mix with alcohol to create a cloak for the alcohol.

M: Okay, this mouth is phenomenal. This is so buttery and so creamy I can hardly believe it came out of a growler. I'm very glad that it's held up this well, but really this is just an outstanding lightly bursting bubble mouth that just slips down the throat like some delicious broth. Even if the taste wasn't that good, the mouth feel would make this crushable for me. Fortunately the flavor is good, and the mouth almost convinced me it tasted better than it does. light burstings of small bubbles match a silky slipper nectar mouth.

O: It's impressive to see what HFS can do with a single hop DIPA, but I have to say I felt teased. The look and the smell gave me that same sort of build up that non-fresh Just Outstanding IPA does. It looks awesome, it smells fantastic, it tastes.... not quite as good. Don't get me wong, exceptionally well made, but it doesn't compete with its other characteristics. Before you light the torches and cry blasphemy, let me just say that this is still just a single hop DIPA. Galaxy tastes good, but I still want a cocktail of hops in my glass. All things considered, this is super good. I just wish more was there in the flavor to compliment the amazing aesthetics and feels. If nothing else, this beer makes me want to try ephraim quite badly. If HFS can do this well with a single hop series, then I've got to know what other potions they can concoct. The brewers up there are certainly masterful in their creations, I just want to know what they can do beyond the limitations of a single-hop. A good beer where the flavor stood out far too much as the weakest link.

Serving type: growler

09-04-2011 02:08:01 | More by Cavery