Dreadnaught IPA - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

MacQ32

South Carolina

4.61/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Huge thanks to boilermakerryan for sending this my way!

A - Pouts a golden orange (slightly amber) - fairly clear with a full finger+ of caramel colored head, very dense, smooth looking foam. Lacing is fantastic.

S - Sweet juicy fruits and citrus (mango, apricot, pineapple, peach, lemon) with a somewhat surprisingly sweet caramel malt backbone.

T - So much going on. Consuming at what I estimate to be ~50-55 degrees. Initially tons of juicy tropical fruity flavors (mango, peach) mix with a fairly intense, somewhat astringent bitterness. Very quickly after the citrusy (lemon/pineapple) and slightly spicy flavors kick in. Then the sweet juicy fruits seem to come back a bit and mix with the citrus. A hefty sweet, fairly sugary malty backbone compliment the flavor from beginning to end. The more I drink the more the flavors mix together more at once - which I'm really enjoying.

M - Medium bodied+, appropriately carbonated, somewhat of a sipper, although still quite refreshing.

O - Many strong flavors combine but find a way to balance themselves out extremely well. One every DIPA lover should try for sure.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 16:56:53 | More by MacQ32

cvm4

Mississippi

4.33/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Pours a bright citrus/golden in color with an eggshell head. The body is hazy and not clear for my bottle.

S - Lovely citrus hops peaking through. Can seem slightly candied but there's an array of pineapple, apricot, mango, etc. Very juicy.

T - Bitter hops to start off with and follow with a caramel malts. The citrus is there but somewhat candied because of the sweeter malts. Ends with a bitter finish.

M - Smooth, juicy, sticky... Good amount of carbonation to go with the medium bodied beer.

O - Really a well done Imperial IPA that hits all the right notes.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2013 00:09:45 | More by cvm4

Hendry

Vermont

4.39/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slight apricot color, mostly clear and with a fine two finger creamy off white head.

Aroma is quite hoppy, with peaches and apricots coming to mind, but in a candied state rather than fresh picked. There is an underlying syrupy sweetness that overrides the hops.

Taste follows the nose: the bitter hops are present only for a moment as your palate become awash with a candied sweetness and alcohol bringing up the rear. There is a lingering bitterness that still carries the sweetness on the sides of the palate

Mouthfeel is syrupy sticky,brisk carbonation, slightly prickly,warming alcohol.

Overall, this is reminiscent of Permanent Funeral, but with a candied fruit presence and a more pronounced caramel malt presence. A really nice IIPA, but a bit too heavy in the sweet malt department for my tastes despite the big hop presence. Doesn't rank with Lawson's Double Sunshine or Heady Topper. 3 Floyds makes some great beers, yet Zombie Dust is the standout for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2013 03:57:30 | More by Hendry

Bosoxfan20

Missouri

4.4/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

My wife surprised me with this one. Told me it got busted in the shipment, but then slow rolled me as she handed it to me a couple weeks later. Sneaky

A- Dark gold. Much lighter than you would expect from an imperial. Huge 2.5 finger off-white head. Awesome retention and lacing. The pale color is the only noticeable knock here from an otherwise impressive looking beer.

S- Aroma jumps out of the glass like an imperial should. Huge mango, pineapple, apricots and some lemon. Lots of citrus notes. Juicy as hell as the 99 ibu's smacks around the olfactory.

T- Hop forward from the nose. Hops all over the place, but then the bready caramel malt starts kicking up a fuss. Not overly sweet or earthy like some of the style can be. Balanced. Bitterness comes back again, accompanied by the slight warmth of the alcohol.

M- A true highlight. Feel is impeccable. Smooth, dry, velvety on the palate. Goes down easy...too damn easy. No acidity whatsoever.

O- Hype...yeah. Lives up to it...yeah. Not an overly complex IPA, but nearly flawless. Still couldn't put it ahead of PtE or Hopslam, but it sure gives them a run for their money.

Spiegelau IPA glass

No bottled on date that I can find, but we all know this beer doesn't sit on the shelf long.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2013 16:41:47 | More by Bosoxfan20

KFBR392

Illinois

4.24/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Beautiful head on the pour, which subsided but was present while drinking. Tons of sticky lacing on the glass as I enjoyed this one. A perfect bright orange color which has all the look a DIPA should.

Smell: A ton of bright citrus. Tangerines and pine really jump out of the bottle. Earthy resin tones are noticeable on the undertones. The hop bitterness is distinct. The high alcohol content adds a sting to the aroma that keeps the drinker on their toes.

Taste: Grapefruit and pine greet the palette right away. A very smooth hop presence comes in first on the body and then the hop bitterness settles in on the palette. Again, the bright citrus sets in and really packs a punch on the aftertaste. Waves of bitter hops and alcohol sting continue on long after drinking.

Mouthfeel: Clean but certainly is memorable. The high IBU's do not destroy the palette on the mouthfeel as much as one would expect.

Overall: One of my favoirte DIPA's. I bought this one right from the brewery so it was incredibly fresh with tons of hop presence. No doubt that this brew showcases the hop mastery that FFF has.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2013 04:38:26 | More by KFBR392

JamesShoemaker

New York

4.18/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

22 oz bottle purchased from the brewery yesterday. No bottling date, but no doubt they keep things fresh. This is my third DIPA from FFF (Permanent Funeral and Arctic, the other two); so far Zombie takes it.

A - good looking beer, dark oranges, ochers and ambers. A little sediment in the bottle, but it doesn't get kicked up on the forced pour. Slightly over an inch of foam recedes slowly, carbonation evident from the bubbles rising from bottom to top.

S - there's something off here. I keep searching for the hop/malt heavy notes, but I get this weird, wheaty, lager aroma right up front. Some sweetness on the back of the nose. It's definitely not unpleasant, but it's not what I expected.

T - the weak nose is even stranger after the taste, which is really strong. The hop profile is either extremely well-blended or completely unilateral, I can't tell. It hits first as honey and sweet stickiness, later fading pretty quickly into bitterness. The bitterness lingers with the malt, which isn't as caramel-heavy as the bottle suggests. Good, I like beers that take me on a journey.

M - the bitterness lingers a little too much. The alcohol, though high, doesn't play a role, but that's understandable given the IBUs. A little sticky.

O - this is my favorite DIPA from FFF so far, and it's available all year, so I'll be sure to pick up a bottle when I make it down to Munster.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 02:26:18 | More by JamesShoemaker

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.09/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle which should be relatively fresh since it just showed up on the shelves just this past week. Poured into New Belgium snifters and shared with a friend today, 5/19/2013.

Aroma: Dank and grassy. Smelled sweet honey and bread, with earthiness surrounding it. Pretty decent nose, but not the most pleasant and juicy fruity, like Permanent Funeral is. (3.75)

Colour: Pours a hazy golden orange body with some minute sediment scattered throughout. The head is heckuva fluffy, filling up 3cm of glass and takes 5-10 minutes to recede into a thick 1cm white film. Lots of sticky lacing. Appetizing if not for the tiny sediment flakes floating around. It reminds me a little of Goldschlager... nasty! (4.5)

Flavour: A little citrus, but mostly malty breadiness with a good bitter pine and grass bite. As it warms up, you can feel increasing heat along with an increasing straight up dank sweetness- I like the sweetness but not so much the heat. Pretty good but not mindblowing. (4.25)

Mouthfeel: Pretty smooth medium bodied beer that comes down well. Resinous, coats the palate in pine and earthy bitterness at the end of the swallow. Good carbonation, tasty but not out of this world. (4)

Overall: Pretty good DIPA. It's a bit more drinkable, but not explosively hoppy compared to APW. I remember this beer being a bit better on draft at FFF when I had it last year; it was smooth, hoppy and sweet all at once. It is not a hot mess like some DIPAs can be, which is a nice plus in my book. More balanced than APW, even fresh. Solid DIPA but I'd take a good number of it over Dreadnaught- like Pliny, Heady Topper, Sosus, Permanent Funeral, IIPA, etc. Very good DIPA but FFF makes better beers. (4)

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 02:59:56 | More by Stevedore

JohnnyMc

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This gets compared with Arctic Panzer Wolf a lot...will it be better?

Pours out a very clear golden orange with 3 fingers of white head.

The aroma has huge hop notes; peach, mango, apricot, papaya, citrus with a slight hint of floral notes too. There is some definite caramel in there along with bready notes.

The taste is also definitely hop forward. There are big notes of mango, peach, apricot, papaya, grapefruit and some orange peel with a bit of pine. There is a pretty solid malt backbone too with big notes of caramel and some bread as well.

The body is medium and the mouthfeel is crisp and clean. The ABV is pretty hidden and only has some warmth as it goes down.

This is a fantastic IIPA with a good amount of balance, but I still love Arctic Panzer Wolf over this. This is a great beer, but I'm not one for balance overall and love an assault of bitterness. Still definitely worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 00:55:53 | More by JohnnyMc

writerLJBerg

Oregon

2.59/5  rDev -41.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

On tap at Apex for Gigantic Beer Week.

A: Clear copper color with bubbles drifting throughout. A thin ring of white head.

N: Dried leaves, pine, damp moss. Biscuit and a hint of pineapple. Not very strong, and not really all that appetizing.

T: Really, really sweet. More of that damp grass. Pretty sweet and then astringent. Where are the hops?

M: Oily and heavy. Lots of alcohol. Needs a lot of work.

O: Really unimpressive. Not wholly undrinkable, but I've given this beer three chances now, and it's been a complete let down every single time. Pass.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 04:37:14 | More by writerLJBerg

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.81/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I know im supposed to be all drooling on the floor and stroking this brew, but it just didn't hit the spot for me like I expected it to. sometimes the hype does you in from the start. this pours a slightly hazy orange bent color, some copper hues, and a couple inches of lasting white head. the nose isn't as hoppy as I expect it to be for the style, its quite fruity up front, slightly tropical, without much bitterness at all. more English style malts in there too than I think the style warrants, which turn into a weirdly sweet finish as far as the flavor goes. the hops are big and juicy, but they aren't bitter or high alpha in the way the alpha king was (that one is definitely worth its hype!). the hops just sort of melt into the malt, which is fine and good, but in a double ipa I want them a little more pronounced than this. fuller bodied and well carbonated, but my mind has already been made up. this beer was disappointing because of all the hype, but that doesn't stop it from still being a top quality brew, it just fell short of that all time status. overall I appreciate the fruity elements and the bigger grain bill, it also hides its alcohol content expertly, but it just doesn't come out hoppy enough to fit into the style very well.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 21:07:49 | More by StonedTrippin

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.16/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

We pour a brew of shining golden-pumpkin orange. It holds a massive two finger head of batter colored bubbles, showing excellent retention. The bubbles are soapy, cakey, and thick, leaving mountains of lacing clinging around the glass. A faint chill haze is noted, without sediment. Carbonation appears to be average. The aroma is bright and fusel, with sticky grapefruit and nectary hops and stinging booze wafting from the time you crack the bottle. Sweetness also comes in the form of warmed honey, pear, pineapple, and coconut shell, while bittered, grainy balance comes from graphite, heavy raw caramel malts, lightly toasted pale malts, sourdough breadiness, and spicy plastics. With warmth comes a curious tomato, garden fresh acidity. Our first impression is that while the beer is initially spicy, and ends with an onslaught of bitterness, the bulk of it is very nicely balanced. As we sip, the taste begins with cold vanilla cake, grapefruit and herbal hoppy bite, oily tree resin pucker, tannic lemon tea, and mango juiciness to cut. Pushing to the peak is more balanced sweetness of white sugar, nectarine, solidly pale malts, and leafy greenness. The finish breaks through quickly, giving proud revival to the initial bitterness of citric hop rind, mineral earthiness, fusel booze, plastics, pseudo-oaky-herbalness, and those same aromatic caramel malts. The aftertaste breathes bitterly of big booziness, phenolic clove and plastics, copper, bready yeast, pale malts, musk, and grapefruit rind hops. The body is on the full side, and carbonation is lighter but nicely contributory. The mouth is coated with oily slickness and sugary sappiness, with quickly following astringency and boozy pucker. Each sip gives nice slurp, smack, cream, froth, and pop, with the lips left sticky and satisfied. The abv is appropriate and warming, and the beer drinks as more of a sipper.

Overall, what we liked best about this beer was its upfront spiciness and bitterness through the flavoring. This was due to not only the herbal, earthy, citric, and raw resiny hops, but also due to the equally as dirty plastics and grit littered about the grain bill. Despite all this, the balance through the center of the sip showed great sweetness to balance, aiding ease of drinkability. The nose also shows decent balance, but as in the nose, the booze comes way, way forward with warmth, pushing you back a bit. This beer is naught for the faint of heart, and while it may not sip the quickest, it is definitely in line with what we’ve come to expect from Three Floyds.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 22:06:35 | More by TheBrewo

Bones10

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz. Bottle my friend gave me today at lunch.

I was super happy when I was randomly given this today. I am very fortunate to know some young and single beer advocates who travel to breweries and am thankful for the overwhelming kindness they show when sharing. Three Floyd's is great, Dreadnaught is not, I repeat, not a bigger version of Alpha or Zombie as I'd dreamed. That said, I like it for its uniqueness. It has some intangible quality that my palate can't pick out yet (I'm new to IIPAs). It is boozy and not as hoppy as I'd have thought, but there's a taste (caramel?) that I need to keep drinking. I may revisit when I convince Mike to share another. It is WAY easy to drink for the ABV, beware! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 02:31:21 | More by Bones10

dougfur

New York

3.83/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Pours a nice orange straw color, with a little haze and a small head. Smell is mildly hoppy with alcohol. Taste is pretty much the same. The hops are really understated, though it is pretty bitter and there's a fair amount of booziness too. Mouthfeel was fine, maybe a tad over carbonated and syrupy, but fine. Overall, this beer was dissapointing, given it's BA rating. There is really no individual quality for me to be impressed with. It's a perfectly good, but not remarkable high-alcohol DIPA. I'll try it again if I get the chance, but only to see if this bottle was just a dud, or old.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 23:45:52 | More by dougfur

nrs207

Pennsylvania

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

A - Hazy golden orange. Fluffy white head. Pillowy and sticks around for a long time. Leaves a nice lacing down the glass.

S - Fruity hops. Definitely citrus and tropical fruit. Not really much earthy or pine notes. A little sweetness from the malt.

T - Mostly citrus notes. Not really any alcohol to speak of. Some nice fruitiness here, along with a nice sweetness from the malts. Not really any booze to speak of.

M - Easy to drink at 9.5%. Moderate carbonation. Pretty smooth.

O - This is a good beer, but it's not really a great beer. There's nothing too special about it. FFF is overrated for me, and while ZD is awesome, this just doesn't really do anything special. For the price, it's not worth buying in my opinion. There are plenty of other beers that are at least twice as cheap I'd recommend more.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 22:46:45 | More by nrs207

B-Stein

Massachusetts

4.85/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A - Poured into a tulip, apricot/deep golden color, solid white head which settles after a few minutes leaving tons of lacing behind that stick to the glass and create little floating islands.

S - First smell is amazing ripe mango and pineapple is unmistakable, very tropical and fruity (wonderful). Bringing nose closer to glass can smell some grain notes very subtle, mostly smell hop profile.

T - Carmel sweetness from the malt hits first followed by an enjoyable high carbonation which lifts the tropical hop aromas to the nose and provides a flavor sensation of sweetness and tropical hop flavors. A pleasant hop bitterness starts to coat the mouth, not aggressively, but in perfect balance with roasted malt flavors and ends with a gentle alcohol warming. Both sweetness and bitterness extend in unison until meet with another taste.

M - Medium body with a bit of slickness which is cut by the carbonation. Tends to coat mouth with a tiny bit of alcohol tingle.

O - Goddamn this beer is AWESOME, pungent tropical hop flavors with a solid complex malt profile. This beer is bad ass.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 21:29:32 | More by B-Stein

Qwest_35

Florida

4.85/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Thanks to Mpayne5 for letting me taste my first Dreadnaught. This beer pours a beautiful orange haze. The aroma is full blown pineapple, peach, mango, pine. Taste is outstanding and hoppy! Bittersweet and crisp! This is what I am looking for in a DIPA! Mouthfeel is very interesting, harsh but smooth on the finish, highly drinkable which is dangerous! Overall a very good DIPA with all the bells and whistles. Get this stuff at all costs!

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 20:35:26 | More by Qwest_35

drrone

Utah

4.58/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - A great golden yellow color. Good amount of Carbonation. 2 fingers of off white head that left great lacing.

S - The hops come through loud and clear, with hints of grapefruit. I don't personally pick out too much mango. It has a good malt structure with a touch of caramel that sneaks through.

T - Great hop experience. I trickles over my taste buds with a piney, resinous hop river of goodness. A good amount of malt to balance it out.

M - Easy to drink with a medium body and a nice amount of carbonation.

O - Very good IIPA. It lives up to it reputation. It is nicely balanced. It reminds me a little of Ruination by Stone. I hope to have this again in the not too distant future, unfortunately I got it in a trade and it not readily available around where I live. Try if you have the chance!

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 18:19:03 | More by drrone

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.36/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served from a bomber into a Smutty pint.

Appearance- Clear orange/gold with quick one finger head that lasted shortly. Pretty standard IIPA.

Smell- Big piney/grassy hops. Some peach and white grape smells. Light maltyness.

Taste- Piney/herbaceous hops up front which leads to light fruity hops surrounded by a nice malt backbone.

Mouthfeel- Mild viscosity. Super smooth and crisp. Light detection of booze

Overall- Very nice double IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 17:08:58 | More by Seanniek91

CloudStrife

New York

4.6/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle split and poured into a snifter.

A: pours a slightly hazy golden amber with a 1 finger sense white head. Average visible carbonation. Definetly some lacing on the sides of the glass.

S: what a bouquet of hops. Amazingly pleasant. It makes me think of a candied hop. Very fruity citrus with a great malt backbone to even it out.

T: To quote the bottle "a hopheads dream" it has a strong hop bitterness that comes off very pleasant. A great citrus and floral blend. Just a touch of malt in the background to provide some sweetness.

M: medium body with ample carbonation. Has the nectar like mouthfeel I look for in a good IPA. Booze is fairly well hidden in the hop bitterness.

Overall a phenomenal brew. Can understand the hype of this brewery a little more now. A must try for any hophead.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 00:52:45 | More by CloudStrife

kevanb

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

650ml bottle poured into a Three Floyds Teku glass.

The beer pours a nice copper color, clear complexion with a few bubbles rising to the top of the glass. A nice, soft, cloudy white head rises out of the glass, nearly 2 fingers high that has nice retention and leaves behind a nice amount of soapy lacing. The aroma is very fruit forward, notes of mango, pineapple and tart grapefruit with earthy pine behind it, very resinous, some caramel malt character provides some sweetness and alcohol lingers behind. The flavors are very nice, tropical mango, tart grapefruit and lemon, tangerine sweetness brings out some pineapple flavors as well. There are some floral undertones that sneak out as well before the caramel malt and alcohol sweetness take over the finish of this beer. The body is very nice and full, coats the mouth well with a fairly dry bitter finish.

Verdict: A very nice Double IPA from Three Floyds, but hardly a 'not normal' beer. The sweetness and high octane alcohol hinder this beer a bit and make it harder for the bright citrus and fruit flavors to really shine. Still, this is a very worthy brew that is very much worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 01:43:09 | More by kevanb

hosehead83

Ohio

4.54/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 'bomber" bottle into a standard pint glass.
Cloudy gold in color,with a big fluffy head of off-white foam.
Aroma-Big whiff of tropical fruit and hops
Taste-Tasty onrush of pineapple, mango and orange comlpemented with bold juicy hops. Nicely balanced and drinkable for the high ABV. A must for all hopheads.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 15:46:52 | More by hosehead83

MCain04

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

22 oz bottle for $11.49 poured into a 12 oz Bell's Tulip

A: Opaque orange/amber color with 2 finger eggshell white head, good retention and lacing.

S: Citrus, grapefruit, floral, but overall not terribly aromatic.

T: Quite bitter. Floral and citrus hops, a touch of sourness, very little alcohol heat, not really malty.

M: Smooth, good carbonation, full body, dry finish, a little sticky.

O: Very good DIPA, well rounded and enjoyable. Glad to have had this more than a few times.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 04:38:57 | More by MCain04

SerialHiker

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours an almost amber golden color…it’ s light golden on the bottom and a dark caramel golden on the top…capped by just off white head about a finger width thick…tons of bubble action in the middle, I can also see some floating sediment…when I swirl it around, the big bubble head tightens up into a nice thick tiny bubble/foamy head…a good lookin’ brew…(4.25/5)

Smell: Fresh and zesty citrus hops, tons of lemon, grapefruit and pineapple…I’m also getting a bit of piney resinous hops aroma as well…balanced nicely by rich caramel malts which hold their own with the freshness of the citrus hops…it’s lively, but I wouldn’t call it overly aromatic…it’s nice though…(4/5)

Taste: Yum! Tons of flavor, holy moly! The first sip is a blast of robust earthy/piney resinous hops flavor and sweet/caramel/toffee/earthy malts…it’s a liquid kick to the face…great flavor…there’s a creaminess to the flavor that is very nice and smoothes out an edge or two…some lemony citrus bitterness shows up towards the end and also a bit of orange peel…it’s a earthy/slightly caramel malt heavy IPA for sure, but everything has a genuine freshness and balance that creates an outstanding flavor…as it warms, the alcohol heat becomes more apparent…(4.25/5)

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body…light to medium carbonation…robust and chewy, this brings heavy earthy bitterness to the palate and well into the after taste…there is a light citrus bitterness also in the background but fades to the dominance of the robust earthy/piney feel…(4/5)

Overall: This is an outstanding brew…one part west coast IPA, one part rich caramel and toffee malt, creating something unique and delectable…it’s definitely a robust I.P.A. and I can feel all of it’s 9.5% ABV, but the flavor is so enjoyable…this is a very popular beer around Chicagoland and I can see why…I highly recommend going to the brew pub/to go store, their beer is much more affordable buying it directly from them…plus you get the freshest product possible…this beer is is a leader in the field and should be sought after by hop heads everywhere…if you see this and haven’t tried it or are travelling down 80 through Indiana, this is a must get…a perfect brew to sit back and relax with after a hard day of work or on a sunny day sitting hanging on the porch…pick up two of these because one is not enough…(4.5/5)

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 18:26:01 | More by SerialHiker

csparace

Illinois

4.31/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Picked this bad boy up right from the pup. I have mixed feelings mainly because I remember a more gratifying experience with this beer. Still definitely an awesome beer. I wonder how much circumstances effect my beer experiences.

Smell (4.75) – Super fruity. Orange and a lot grapefruit. Its more of a sweet fruit as well. Not quite as hoppy as I expected it to be in the nose. Some wheaty hint.

Appearance (4.50) – Wow. Huge frothy head. Lighter golden orange with a slight hue to it. A good amount of carbonation coming to the top. Head subsides quickly and a nice lacing appears to start. Great lacing as I go.

Taste (4.25) – Big initial hop presence without a huge crunch. Caramel is immediately present to me. The hop crunch comes later towards the end of the body with some sweetness. After a few sips I can find the grapefruit notes a little better, but they're still not as obvious as the smell had me hoping. The bitterness of the hops really sticks around for a while, quite pleasantly.

Mouthfeel (3.75) – I get a lot of sugary sweetness from this. Alcohol is hidden well, but there is the slightest, and I shouldn't even write about it, slightest hint of boozyness. The carbonation isn't quite as gratifying as I would have liked.

Overall (4.25) - Obviously a really solid beer. I'm mostly disappointed by the mouthfeel of the beer, as it isn't as gratifying as I usually get from FFF. The smell is downright awesome - fruity armageddon. Looks the par, and tastes a bogey. Its as complex as I would have liked.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 05:24:59 | More by csparace

Efay

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Color is a hue of pale goldenrod. Small amounts of lacing, and retention of head that leaves about half a finger worth of foam.

S- Strong dominant pine smell, with some grapefruit and light amounts of tangerine. Also get some grass.

T- Flavor starts with light amounts of pine that complements the biscuit-like malt. However, the bitterness of the pine increases over time and ends with drying your mouth. Ends with some grapefruit.

M- Light body but high carbonation. This is an easy drinker.

O- A solid beer from Three Floyds. I'm not a big hop guy but the alcohol in this makes it easier to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 20:53:09 | More by Efay