Apocalypse Cow - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a New Belgium snifter. The pour is a hazy apricot color with a thin white head and a little lacing. The nose is spectacular. Like many FFF IPAs, you get a smorgasbord of ripe tropical fruits. I get peaches, oranges, grapefruit, and some lemon. I just love the way FFF IPAs smell.

The flavor is also wonderful here. I get fresh bread and marmalade up front, then a nearly perfectly balanced rush of hops that provide flavors of lemon, orange, and some pineapple. All the while, there's a nice caramel-like sweetness lingering in the background (must be the lactose). This is NOT a hop bomb, but the hops are certainly there. Mouthfeel is firm and a bit creamy. The finish is superb. Dry and just a little sweet. Despite the ABV, there isn't a trace of booziness.

In my opinion, nobody makes IPAs quite like Three Floyds. The bitterness levels are spot on and the hop blends provide aromas like nothing else. This one is like a slightly sweeter version of Dreadnaught. Fans of that beer, as well as Bells Hopslam (and who isn't a fan of that?) should feel at home here.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 17:47:42 | More by deadonhisfeet

BuckeyeSlim

Ohio

4.31/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

22 oz. bomber acquired on 6/9 from the FFF brewery counter poured into a NB snifter.

A - Pours a pale gold into the glass. A three-finger head of very dense eggshell-white foam sets up quickly and takes it sweet time slowly dissipating, leaving healthy rings of lace around the sides. Even after 10 minutes, there's still a solid covering of very tight foam across the surface. Held to a full-spectrum light, the beer is a soft but rich orange-golden sunset and quite cloudy, with a trail of bubbles rising from the center of the bottom faintly visible. Nice legs on the glass when drinking.

S - Big floral hop notes up front, almost like smelling a fresh bag of weed. Behind those are notes of straight-on resin and grapefruit. Lightly toasted malts with hints of light caramel step up from the background. As it warms, I get the sense of hops on sweet cocoa, which is the first the lactose contributes to the nose. Warming also balances the citrus with the floral more evenly, and orange and lemon zest appear. It also really mutes the volume.

T - Very true to the nose. A smooth blanket of lightly toasted malts delivers pronounced floral hops mixed with light caramel, and the hops are quite dry and bitter. The sweetness from the lactose sneaks up after the initial punch, as does a bit of tang from the citrus hops, and suggests pineapple. The ABV is completely hidden in this beer; it don't even get a warm glow in the tummy, although by the end of the glass, the buzz is there. While the finish is dominated by the hops (and this is really where the grapefruit and orange zest is asserted), the sweetness from the lactose is never lost amongst them.

M - A bit fizzy at first, there's a foundation of milky smoothness across the tongue on the quaff that's finished with a closing crispness. It's a quite uncommon combination of sensations. Moderate carbonation provides a decently well-defined body that's tends toward the lighter side. Structure is solid, lush, and well-integrated and communicates high-quality ingredients. Finish is clean, with only faint echos of the hops along with just a touch of the lactose on the sides of the tongue.

O - This is an extremely well-crafted, luscious brew that's tweaked with the lactose for an offbeat effect, and is done so successfully because of all the bitter floral hops along with the resin that need balancing. I'm not sure malt alone could have pulled this off. It's not an obvious recipe, but I'm glad FFF tried it, because it really works. My only regret is that because it sounded so experimental, and was $10 / bomber, I only picked up one. If you get the chance, don't make the same mistake. Buy several and turn your friend onto a brewing twist that's a home run.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 03:22:37 | More by BuckeyeSlim

jdobe13

Ohio

4/5  rDev -5.7%

06-19-2013 02:14:49 | More by jdobe13

deuce9259

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

06-19-2013 02:11:11 | More by deuce9259

ehammond1

California

3.44/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Bottle (2013)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, Hugonaut13!

A gorgeous, sticky IPA. Cloudy dark orange with a persistent, creamy, big-bubbled, near-white head. Leaves the glass simply coating with sticky, irregular, messy spiderwebs of lace. Gorgeous.

Sweet, candied orange peel in the aroma along with biscuit and sweet caramel. A bit of alcohol is present in the aroma on deeper inhalations. Certainly hoppy, but this beer's heft and strength may become it's downfall. To go along with all those hops are big malt additions, lots of sweetness, and a definite booze presence. That being said, what is there to expect with an 11% ABV DIPA? Even the best of the style have some warming presence.

As with the aroma, the flavor is bold, big, and sweet. Lots of hop bitterness, sweet, candied grapefruit zest, caramel sweetness, along with some toasted biscuit, and a sightly astringent alcohol character. The flavors actually come together quite nicely, but the lingering finish is what detracts overall, for me.

Medium to full bodied for the style. Thick, sweet, and slightly syrupy.

I'm glad I got to try this, but it's not a devastatingly good beer, like I was hoping it might be. Solid, sweet, big, and bold are all words I would use to describe this beer. That being said, I will hungrily devour the entire bottle and be more than happy to do the same to another.

For the haiku portion of this review, I present to you:

Apocalypse Cow
Please come out and take a bow
You ain't no fat sow

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 02:07:09 | More by ehammond1

nheinzie57

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-18-2013 00:24:13 | More by nheinzie57

HopLuva

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

06-17-2013 23:43:39 | More by HopLuva

kidzord

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

06-17-2013 22:07:05 | More by kidzord

TargaFlorio

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-17-2013 16:20:51 | More by TargaFlorio

Bigtwin

Michigan

4/5  rDev -5.7%

06-17-2013 02:42:16 | More by Bigtwin

NSK79

Illinois

4/5  rDev -5.7%

06-17-2013 02:15:13 | More by NSK79

DyingBreed

Indiana

4/5  rDev -5.7%

06-17-2013 00:28:14 | More by DyingBreed

anticipation23

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -5.7%

06-16-2013 18:27:00 | More by anticipation23

JakeMorgan13

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-15-2013 23:09:47 | More by JakeMorgan13

rlee1390

Indiana

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A-Cloudy orange, nicely carbonated two finger head, with some lacing

S-Toast, malt, the lactose is present an interesting. Rather citrus and floral as well

T-has some malt, ends with citrus and floral hops. The lactose is present, and makes the balance interesting. Has a nice bitterness to it.

M-Medium bodied, nice carbonation, hop resins

O-The lactose is a very interesting addition to the beer. Not sure what to think if it yet, but the combination makes it worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 19:08:46 | More by rlee1390

CesarLopes

Illinois

4/5  rDev -5.7%

06-15-2013 02:44:03 | More by CesarLopes

Jimmyp7010

New York

4/5  rDev -5.7%

06-15-2013 00:42:39 | More by Jimmyp7010

assman79

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

06-15-2013 00:23:33 | More by assman79

MajorBuckeye

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-14-2013 20:11:09 | More by MajorBuckeye

chippo33

Vermont

4/5  rDev -5.7%

06-14-2013 04:35:54 | More by chippo33

Imperial_Sapient_Groat

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-13-2013 18:20:58 | More by Imperial_Sapient_Groat

yamar68

Minnesota

3.96/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big old thanks to hugonaut for another winner!

Sort of a hazy pear body with a frothy eggshell head that quickly swells to fill the glass. Sticky webs of lace form all around the glass.

Intense citrus hops fume from the glass. Candi sugar, melon, some tropical fruits... really nice I think. I'd never guess that this one hovers around 10%...

It takes an unusual turn on the palate. The sharp citrus flavors are cut with a medicinal kind of astringency. Marmalade, vanilla, pale fruits, pineapple... nice complexity. It's unique, that's for sure. I wish the bright hop aromas would translate more clearly on the palate though.

Very glad to finally try this one - thanks Tom!

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 22:39:21 | More by yamar68

csparace

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

06-11-2013 17:59:23 | More by csparace

goblin7704

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-11-2013 16:17:57 | More by goblin7704

tfar2112

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -17.5%

06-10-2013 02:47:46 | More by tfar2112