Arctic Panzer Wolf - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

Lintyfresh

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy yellow with a small head.

Smell is huge on hops, from citrus to grapefruit to piney. The taste follows along with the smell, and is more bitter than anything I've ever had.

Mouthfeel is fine, the medium body feels pretty light for the flavor, but it works.

The bitterness makes this a sipper, but a bomber isn't hard to finish.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2010 05:41:19 | More by Lintyfresh

expression

Wisconsin

4.9/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is a seriously beautiful beer. I haven't written a review here yet, so please give me a little slack. Tried this beauty @ the Comet Cafe in Milwaukee, WI. Wow. I didn't expect such a big hop drop to finish so smooth. I admittedly drank 2 right off the bat, and with an alcohol rating this high, it was a bold choice at one in the afternoon. It looked gorgeous served in a goblet, and went great with my lunch. My bartender told me it doesn't usually make it out of the brewery, but I haven't looked into that claim. Really good stuff. If you're a fan of Gumballhead, try to get your hands on this.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2010 04:49:26 | More by expression

rtepiak

Poland

4.15/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a rather floral double. Heads is sticky candy. Not voluminous but leaves many spots of lace. Nose of subtle pineapple citrus and floral pine. Mix of citrus candy and intense pine dry bitter. Leaves a dry quality of the tongue its so floral. Like an excess of perfume. On the zesty dry side of doubles. No rich malt sweet. Clean and crisp.

Serving type: on-tap

09-09-2010 22:54:08 | More by rtepiak

yeahnatenelson

Illinois

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

Appearance -- Pours a bright amber, slight haze, with one finger of white head that soon dissipates.

Smell -- Grapefruit, pine resin, tropical fruit, and bready malt.

Taste -- Differs slightly from the nose: Pine hop character dominates, with tropical fruits, tangerine, and bready malt. Finish is assertive with bitter pine resin. Lingering taste of resin and grapefruit.

Mouthfeel -- Medium in body, moderate carbonation, a bit slick.

Drinkability -- There's certainly some commonality between this and Dreadnaught, but this is less tropical fruit dominant and more pine. All in all, I prefer Dreadnaught, but this was certainly no slouch.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2010 01:54:59 | More by yeahnatenelson

salvo

Indiana

4.55/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A: Cloudy, yeasty swirls in golden tan under a quarter inch of head that dissipates quickly to a sheen of lace.
S: Rich hoppiness that reminds me of pineapple more than citrus or pine: sweet to tart.
T: Huge, overpowering flavor that complemented the mussels in the brewpub after I had eaten them: I think it would interfere with any meal short of spicy chili or kimchee.
M: Another chewy malty thick FFF offering that makes me wish it was a little lighter so I could think about ordering another.
D: I wouldn't want more than the flute it was served in, but what a way to end a tasting!

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2010 00:00:16 | More by salvo

Spica66

Indiana

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

After waiting 15 minutes for people to leave on Saturday night so that we could be let into the brewpub...

On tap from a 7 oz snifter:

A: Yellow-gold, a little hazy, white head with very little lacing.

S: Oh boy!!! I smell citrusy, tangy hops. In fact, I can almost taste them with my nose. There is a pineapple-sweet aroma as well.

T: Very citrusy hoppy flavor, but definitely some malty sweetness as well. I was surprised by how well balanced this brew was. From the smell, I thought hops would be the only player, but whatever hop they have used gives way to the malt easier than say in a Dreadnaught.

M: Nice and creamy. Very nicely done.

D: Very easy to drink. In fact, I was bummed out that the only bombers that were available to take home were the six that I had reserved early in the week. And no growler pours allowed, either!

I hope that I can find some more on the shelves around here so that I can share the joy with our trading community...

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2010 12:28:35 | More by Spica66

hansgruber

Indiana

4.38/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

on tap at the brewpub into a snifter

Cloudy orange-yellow body with a one finger head.
Spotty foam across surface with collar foam, minor lacing 

Citrusy hops, malt, piney and earthy too.
Getting a bit of fruitiness in there as well from the hops

Hop bitterness hits like a freight train!
Very hoppy with the citrusy part shining through and the malt subtly there in the background. Long finish from the hops and bitterness and slight sting of alcohol perhaps too.   

Carb high initially but settles down to a much nicer/appropriate mouthfeel.

Really like this beer.

My palate has been left this beers hapless victim.   

Serving type: on-tap

05-31-2010 22:08:33 | More by hansgruber

mynie

Indiana

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

On tap at the brewpub, ~12 ounces poured into a snifter.

Pours dark and hazy with not very much of a head. Darker than Dreadnaught but just as murky.

Smells like lots of hops. Spicy hops, like a blend between pine cleaner and majoram. That might not sound too appetizing but it's actually pretty great; the only drawback is that there's nothing really balancing out the hop aromas and, while the aroma is good, it's not quite complex enough to fully carry a double IPA.

Tastes like lots of hops--dried, green seasoning hops--with just a little kick of pale malt keeping things honest. Resinous pine starts things out, dripping of sap, but then it falls quickly into a dryer, spicier middle with nodes of thyme and oregano, then ending on a wee little bit of bready sweetness. Good, but it could use some greater malt or yeast complexities to help balance out the hops, or really anything else big or interesting that might make it worth the price of admission.

Well brewed with no off nodes or syrupiness, but it's nothing compared to their Dreadnaught.

Serving type: on-tap

05-31-2010 20:33:35 | More by mynie

Sean9689

Illinois

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

I've had this a bunch of times on-tap at Three Floyds. Just getting around to reviewing it now. Poured into snifter.

A - Pours a hazy golden color, white head, some lacing here and there with a very thin cap.

S - Uber hoppy, blast of bitter, grapefruit, some sweet malt.

T - Similar to the nose. Super hops/bitterness, slight sweet malty notes, bitter finish that sticks with you until your next sip.

M - Light but leaning towards medium, soft carbonation, oily finish.

D - After a couple of these, I'm good to go. Although I like this one, I prefer Dreadnaught. That said, it's nice to have another DIPA on-tap to choose from when you don't want Dreadnaught.

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2010 16:39:01 | More by Sean9689

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a bright orange with a bit of hazy and a nice white head. Smells of grapefruit, citrus, and pine with a little bit of malt sweetness. The taste was of intense bitterness with plenty of citrus hops coming through. A little bit of alcohol heat in the taste, bringing down the mouthfeel a little bit, but still pairing fairly well with the hoppy dryness. Good drinkability for a beer this bitter. Surprise, surprise, another very solid hoppy offering from FFF.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2010 18:20:00 | More by Thorpe429

beertooth

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the brew pub. Served in a goblet/tulip glass.

This beer is a glowing golden orange. It isn't crystal clear, but it's not super hazy.

The nose is lush grapefruit, juicy oranges, sweet malts. It's a huge citrus bomb.

The taste follows the nose. Tons of citrus. Not as bitter as I'd expect from the nose though. Very juicy citrus notes, sweet twangy malts. The alcohol is hard to pick up on, but it's a little warming.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and a little slick with a low level of carbonation.

An excellent DIPA from Three Floyds. It's on the level with Dreadnaught and worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2009 21:33:13 | More by beertooth

PrinceDarren

Illinois

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

Just tapped yesterday at Bavarian Lodge in Lisle.

Strong aroma of pine, resin and grapefruit. Also a slight odor of cologne and soap. Tastes the same. Moderately bitter hops, citrus, lightly sweet and lightly thick, but manageable. Easy enough to drink. Slightly resiny aftertaste but does not dominate too much.

It is like a slightly milder version of Dreadnaught that has been wet-hopped.

I would describe this as a 50/50 blend of Three Floyds' Broodo and their infamous Dreadnaught.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2009 03:24:17 | More by PrinceDarren

quinnsi

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served into a pint glass at Sheffield's

Appearance is slightly hazy with a golden orange color and nice white head which fully dissipates.

The nose is total grapefruit with some mild lychee fruit hints as well.

Wow, is there grapefruit extract in there? I'm getting so much of it, and not much else. The hops are intense, and the finish is quite bitter.

Had this been served to me in a tulip instead of a pint glass, it may have served the beer better. As it was, one beer was more than enough for me.

Overall, I think this is a wet dream for some hop heads, but to me, it's a bit out of whack. Makes me appreciate Pliny that much more!

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2009 04:50:36 | More by quinnsi

jjayjaye

New York

4.72/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I sampled this one on two separate visits. This review is considered back to back after a tulip of Dreadnaught. It pours a hazy light peach amber color with a huge foamy off white head that resists fading and leaves spotty patterns of Belgian lacing behind. The smell is aggressive and the fruity pineapple, peach and tangerine aroma is mirrored in the taste. Medium tangy body and creamy mouth feel enhance the drinkability. Full flavored, the fruity pineapple peach tangerine hoppiness was worth the trip!! I could drink these all afternoon. Highly Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2009 01:06:39 | More by jjayjaye

GbVDave

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a pint glass at Sheffields 10/31/09. Extra special thanks to HeatherAnn and joe1510 for the assist!

A: Served a hazy, coppery hue. 1 1/2 fingers of creamy, off-white goodness that stuck around for quite awhile and left rings, gobs, and specks of lace behind.

S: Major hop bomb. I picked up pineapple with a large chunk of pine thrown in for good measure. Lurking in the background was some sweet caramel but it was almost entirely trounced upon by the hops.

T: I enjoyed how the hop flavors see-sawed between bitter, resinous pine and juicy, tangy pineapple. Instead of being a muddled mess of over hopped flavors there was excellent balance. Once again, that meek little caramel flavor darts around and adds a bit more balance before the hops completely step on it. Wonderful!

M: Big juicy and sticky bitterness coats the entire inside of my mouth helping to develop a huge long lasting bitter hop finish.

D: Another in an impressive line-up of DIPA's from FFF. The well hidden alcohol made this damn near gulp-able. It's that scary good...really!

Serving type: on-tap

11-01-2009 13:16:29 | More by GbVDave

thedrewski86

Indiana

3.95/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this the other day over at FFF on tap. It's a very expensive pale ale ($7 a snifter). I had to try it since I make it a point to always try something new when I'm there. It had a nice, hoppyness to it, typical piney smell. Good golden color, Three Floyds did not let anyone down here. It's got that kick in the ass that all their beers have, not for the weak of heart! While I enjoyed this immensely, I would not get it again when their Dreadnaught IPA is always on tap for $2 less. Honestly, the Dreadnaught is stronger and has much more hoppy bang for the buck than this.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2009 20:16:18 | More by thedrewski86

rudylaw

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap @ Local Option.

Pours a glowing orange, especially in the back glow of the bar. A solid, two finger head with rocky foam. Good retention.

Smells like a citrus wonderland! Pineapple and orange with some piney, woody notes as well. Maybe a hint of cotton candy? Sure, why not.

Tastes the same, is super refreshing and has a nice tropical nature to it. This is another powerful, almost overwhelming FFF DIPA. There's too much alcohol to be considered easily drinkable, but the one glass I had was incredible.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2009 22:39:41 | More by rudylaw

FrognutUnl

Michigan

4.38/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- golden amber in color,decent white head that leaves a considerable amount of lacing in its wake.

S - Aromas of grapefruit and pineapple dominate with a fair amount of resinous pine mixed in.

T - Thick with piney resin flavors backed by a generous amount of bready sweet malts and the flavor of grapefruit pith.

M - Medium in body, with a thick sticky finish

D - Where'd the glass go? Seriously delicious, what else can I say

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2009 00:29:26 | More by FrognutUnl

RyWill

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Local Option, poured into a tulip.

Appearance: Hazy golden yellow/orange with a 1-2 finger sticky, frothy slightly off white head. Original head only sticks around for a bit but leaves lacing all the way down the glass.

Smell: Intense hops and citrus. Not really any other way to describe it. It's a delicious combo of grapefruit and piney hops. The alcohol isn't too evident at all.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Not as bitter as expected. Some caramel that didn't come across to me as much in the smell balances the massive hops well. Add in the citrus and you have an amazingly smooth beer for the style. It certainly leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, but it doesn't stay with you as long as some other DIPAs. Mouthfeel is super chewy, creamy, medium bodied with not too much carbonation

Drinkability: I ordered this off the board at Local Option having no idea what the ABV was and if someone had told me 9% I would have been blown away. Incredibly drinkable for the amount of alcohol. A telling sign is that my girlfriend, who usually has a tougher time with high ABV, super bitter DIPAs, had one and loved it. It wouldn't be hard at all to get through a few of these.

Amazing stuff. So amped to have had the chance to try it and might just have to head back to Local Option tonight to get some more.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2009 18:02:20 | More by RyWill

bluemoonswoon

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Stopped by this evening on a whim because of the latest news on this beer. Served in a snifter.

A: The snifter seems to cut down on the available head space for this beer, seems better served in a tulip...oh well. Like dob said, pours a hazy peachy orange color that has very little head, but I am putting the lack of such because of the glass it is served in, does leave some good lacing behind which isn't and shouldn't be that surprising.

S: The hoppiest beer I've ever smelled? The hoppiest beer I've ever smelled. This thing is some kind of hop mutant, just about the most grapefruity grapefruit rind you could ever imagine, it's like someone took a grapefruit, did their best to smash it into a dixie cup saw how many pine needles they could shove into the mess on top of that. Eff!

T/MF: Like the description says, this beer is a palate wrecker, don't plan on drinking any beers unless it's this one afterwards because there is no way you are going to taste anything other than hops after drinking this. This beer is so hoppy the flavor almost starts to seem unreal, like it was so heavy on the bitter citrus fruitiness and pine that the whole thing started to seem fake and began to taste like Fruit Loops with orange juice poured on top of them. It does not sound that appetizing written down but the overall bouquet of hops and over the top flavor profile moves this beer beyond mere description.

D: I'm not going to lie, this beer ain't all that easy to drink. At a certain point I wonder when a new flavor is going to try an poke its head out, maybe some kind of malt sweetness, nuts, darker/sweeter/mellower fruits, but none of that is found here, it is just an all out hop assault and if you are not careful you could end up in a palate wrecked wasteland, but damn if this beer didn't knock my socks off.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2009 04:58:16 | More by bluemoonswoon

MasterSki

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Three Floyds! Served in a tulip/snifter glass.

A - Poured with a finger of eggshell foam that leaves tuns of sticky sheets of lacing. Hazed dark orange-brown color. Gonna give the head volume the benefit of the doubt, as the bartenders are trying to fill the glass here!

S - Intense piney hops, some tangy citrus (grapefruit, lemon, etc.), a touch of booze, some dankness in the background. More bitter and hoppy than Dreadnaught, with less tropical and caramel flavor. I don't dig this quite as much - the pine and booze are pretty fierce - but it's still pretty good.

T - The taste is actually better, which is somewhat unusual. The alcohol is hidden better, and the moderate amount of bready caramel helps balance things out a touch more. The bitterness shows up in the finish and lingers a decent while. It's not as palate destroying as I expected.

M - Medium body, light carbonation tingle, lots of residual hop resin and oily goodness. Some nice warmth after a few sips. Spot-on for a DIPA.

D - Not as insanely drinkable as Dreadnaught but still pretty enjoyable. I'd have a tough time with a growler of this stuff, but a few pours is definitely possible.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2009 21:24:37 | More by MasterSki

zjungleist

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Rich copper color with a reasonable white head. The smell was the best. Definitely lots of citrus hop aroma, and at a certain point, the smell took on a grapefruit/candy note that was very specific but I could not place. The taste was a assertively bitter with malty sweetness present. The mouthfeel was a touch syrupy, but not heavy and certainly enjoyable. Drinkability was good, but its a 9%, very bitter beer, so it can only be so good.

Serving type: on-tap

09-13-2009 00:59:55 | More by zjungleist

kojevergas

California

2.95/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

"Imperial India Pale Ale." Less than three weeks old. 1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with interesting label and art and distinctive colorful branded pressure cap served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Acquired in a trade with the very gracious tcman128 - thanks again, buddy! Expectations are quite high given the brewery and its reputation.

Served cold, straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a four finger beige colour head of nice soft complexion, good thickness, nice cream, slightly frothy consistency, and good (~4-5 minute) retention for the high ABV. Sticky consistent even lacing clings to the sides of the glass as the head recedes. Body colour is a transparent yellow-copper. Vibrant. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Spot-on for the style. I'm looking forward to trying it.

Sm: Floral hops are dominant, with some accompanying light grapefruit and soapy hop character; this may have spent too long in primary. Pale malts. Caramel is a bit too present. Some piney hop character. No yeast character or alcohol comes through. Tangerine. Mango, pineapple, other tropical fruit hop esters. Not ideal choices of hops for my particular tastes, but decent for the style. Clean and pleasant. An average strength aroma.

T: Mango, pineapple, tangerine - all tropical fruit hop esters, and not to my tastes for the style. Too sweet, with a caramel malt undertone. Light grapefruit. Hop bitterness does come through, compromising the balance. Clean. Not a fan of the sticky malty aspect blended with the sweet fruity notes. The pineapple in particular really kills the flavour profile for me; I'm not liking the hop choices made here but I can see where others with different tastes would really enjoy this. Pine. Light bready malts. Old orange juice comes to mind. I'm really just not big on this type of hop character.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Good thickness. Overcarbonated. Sticky. Chewy. Suits the flavour profile decently. Clean. Decent presence on the palate. Sugary. Good body.

Dr: This one just wasn't for me personally, but I don't doubt that it's brewed well. It's largely redolent of old orange juice mixed with tropical fruit notes that don't at all appeal to me - whether in an imperial IPA or not. I didn't find it well-balanced and I won't be having it again, but it does hide its ABV well and I'll happily finish this bottle by myself. Glad to have tried it, but it's just not suited for my personal tastes. Disappointed in the beer, but not for any issues with the quality of the brewing. Looking forward to trying more Three Floyds' IPAs which are hopefully more what I'm after in an imperial IPA.

C

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 05:54:24 | More by kojevergas

writerLJBerg

Oregon

3.69/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Apex for Gigantic Beer Week

A: Golden color with a semi-opaque look. Fluffy white head.

N: Pineapple, mango, pine, and caramel. Pretty solid nose for hops but it's not terribly complex either.

T: Fairly sweet once again. Lots of dried pineapple and some pine, but there's no mid-level to this. Biscuit and a slight bitterness. Better balance to this, but it's missing a certain...special..something.

M: Dry and medium-heavy. Sticks to the palate without destroying it.

O: A good beer I'd drink again, but it's not outstanding in its style.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 04:43:14 | More by writerLJBerg

sita3081

Minnesota

4.04/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

very bitter. very malty. overpowering fruit and citrus taste. Almost overwhelmingly fruity taste at the beginning. slightly mild after taste. alcohol very well hidden. Delicious beer; I would definitely recommend trying this one. I head it is 10x on-tap.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 20:51:42 | More by sita3081