Arctic Panzer Wolf - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.35/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled bomber, got to love FFF artwork, served in a weizen glass

A - a clear copper amber with a 2 finger fluffy white head with excellent retention and great thin lacing.

S - strong pine and citrus hops notes with a nice malt presence and a touch of alcohol, this olfactory preview is titillating.

T - starts a little sweet with caramel malts the the hop slam insues, heavy on the citrus grapefruit notes but a nice piney presence as well and a hint of grassy meadow. The hops adventure here is complex and the finish is bitterly bold but not overwhelming with a gret smooth etoh to balance the strong hops

M - medium body, mod carbonation, crisp

O - I really loved everything about this beer. Any DIPA fan should appreciate this brew. I'll be sure to pick another bottle up next time I see it.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 11:01:48 | More by williamjbauer

PhillyStyle

Georgia

4.21/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

22oz bottle:

The beer poured a hazy orange body with a nice, perhaps slightly off-white head, maybe 1 finger, but settled into a thin cap that lasted pretty much throughout the beer. The beer gave off a big hoppy aroma, citrus and pine. The alcohol was noticeable as the beer warmed. The taste was very good, again, big citrus and pine hops, but also some malty goodness in there and I think that I detected a hint of pepper as well. The beer had a heavy feel to it, sticky and a little like syrup. Overall, I would say that this is a really good DIPA, perhaps I would have liked it more, but I am really over the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 20:18:02 | More by PhillyStyle

sleuthdog

Illinois

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

Picked up from FFF yesterday
Poured into FFF Teku glass

Appearance: Very typical looking DIPA with a murky orange-copper color. Pour produced a solid two fingers off white head that did stick around. Talk about sticky...the lacing is very evident on this. It is hazy and I notice some (very slight) floaties.

Smell: Just a shit ton of citrus hops bombards the nose. Grapefruit, orange, mango, lemon and then a caramel sweetness tickles the nostrils. I do also get some grass and pine but the typical FFF hop profile shines here with citrus and more citrus!

Taste: Whew! What a delicious hop bomb this guy is! I get the citrus hops with the above noted (grapefruit, orange, Lemmon, mango) at first. Mid palate I sense some of the sweetness that tries to balance this gem out. Back end is pine and resin hops and that stays well after the swallow. Just a spot on hop heads DIPA!!

Mouthfeel: Well done feel with a great balance of sticky feel and carbonation. Light to moderate in the mouth and goes down way too easy for such a huge DIPA at 9%. Speaking of that 9%, I don't sense it. To me it's very well hidden.

Overall: FFF does it again. They just know their IPA's! I always dig their hop profile in these beers and find them just hard to beat.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 00:29:06 | More by sleuthdog

jdavren

Ohio

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

Beautiful color n the border of golden and amber. Beautiful lacey head that quickly dissipates.

Citrusey and piney nose.

Appropriate and very nice bitterness at the front. Subtle maltiness that belies the 9 % ABV.
Don't taste the expected caramel. Always think a 9% beer that tastes like this is dangerous. Too easy to drink!

Finish as expected for DIPA. Big hoppy bitterness.

Superb beer to my taste. Sad the cask will not last long.

Serving type: on-tap

10-25-2012 00:55:04 | More by jdavren

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

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

22oz bottle.

Pours hazy gold with a half-inch head of quickly dissipating white. A thin bead rings the surface of the glass with a few errant dots of lacing for the duration.

Aromatics are quite pungent and fruity. Grand Marnier, mango, pine, grapefruit, and tangerine peel. Resinous and tropical with spruce dew.

Medium bodied with a crisp, zingy palate. The hop attack numbs the tongue and leaves a lingering gription on the back.

Citrus pith and pine sap starts the palate. Peels and pulp of grapefruit, tangerine, and spruce resin. Bitterness is lightly aggresive but balancing. The malt is light given the ABV, and the beer is dry except for the sweetish fruit.

Finishes with a lingering hop onslaught, warming alcohol, and citrus pith.

Great, big, hoppy beer. More please.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 00:07:21 | More by brewandbbq

gtermi

Texas

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

A: Pours a clear golden orange body with a thick white head that quickly fades to nothing.

S: Strong hop smell. Citrusy and sort of spicy. A bit of sweet malt too.

T: Like the smell, it has a strong hop presence. The hops quickly fade and have a strong sweet malt that lasts for a long time.

M: The beer has a nice thick body and a strong crispness on the tip of my tongue.

O: This is a very nice beer. It kind of reminds me of Sculpin. Very nice

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 04:08:35 | More by gtermi

yamar68

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to cfrances33 for this one!

Hazy pear gold body with highlights of pale straw yellow - healthy two fingers of eggshell head swell to fill the pint, great lacing.

Big fat nose on this one - sweet mango, tangerine, conifer, thick and focused - a slight suggestion of fusel alcohol at the tail. Great smelling beer.

Massive hops are overwhelmed by bitter alcohol, some pine, citrus nectar, dry grains - very dry finish which doesn't do flattering things for the amount of bitterness and alcohol character. I wish this one was dialed back a bit in that regard.

That said, it really is good and I'm very glad to have had the chance to try this one, but I'll take Dreadnaught over this any day of the week.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 23:13:28 | More by yamar68

Gerasimos

Tennessee

4.6/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bomber brought back from Indiana. Enjoyed in a La Fin du Monde tulip.

Appears - cloudy yellow and tangerine; fluffy near two fingers head clings for ages

Smells - huge hops; citrus; biscuit funk; call it hints of earthy apricot

Tastes - of two distinct levels; huge hops and citrus foundation with accents on top of the malty biscuit fuzz; segue is an elegant syrupy sweetness; spikes of hops throughout and standing on the palate afterwards; some alcohol sharpness for kicks

Mouthfeels - clean but full-bodied; the fluffy head a whipped meringue delight; gushing, palate coating

Overalls - get it; drink it; savor it; repeat process as needed; a double fisted hopslam to the palate but beautiful like a delicate flower; any Imperial IPA lover should love this beer

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 22:53:55 | More by Gerasimos

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

4.23/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 22oz bottle into Tulip.

A. Pours a 2 finger head. Great retention. Moderate lacing. Color is a bright hazy golden orange.

S. Big fruity hop smell, mixed with some piney hop aromas as well. The aroma is all about the hops. Get quite a bit of grapefruit along with some tangerine and orange. Has a dry bready malt smell. Is a bit resiny oily on the hop aroma. Overall smells pretty average for a good DIPA.

T. Super smooth and giant amounts of fruity hop flavor.

M. Medium bodied. Average carbonation. Finishes a touch sweet.

O. Definitely in the upper echelon of DIPAs. Drinks super smooth for a somewhat resiny hot smelling DIPA. Another great IPA from 3 Floyds.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 20:38:31 | More by siradmiralnelson

mishtif

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Enjoyed on tap at the brewpub , served in a tulip.

To start off, this is one the most powerful tasting beers i have had.

The smell is a like hops under your nose with a hint of pine and pineapple.

very crisp with a light mouth feel for a imperial IPA a thin head bout a finger

bitter end to this beer that doesnt leave and earthy bitterness to it, with the smell of this i would expect more earth tone notes from it.

cant wait til i get another.

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2012 20:11:14 | More by mishtif

KYGunner

Kentucky

4.18/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

The color of this IPA is amongst the ugliest I've ever seen. I'd say it was a Hefe by the looks of it but one sniff and you know this is all hops. The scent is of pungent pine, almost too strong for my liking. The taste is truly what matters and thats where this IPA truly succeeds. The hops are subtle but noticeable. It's truly amazing how you can have an ale so overwhelming in scent but so subtle and tasteful at the same time. I absolutely enjoyed this and highly recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 02:27:20 | More by KYGunner

boss302

Florida

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

A a little haze on the appearance, but it doesn't detract from a IIPA, nice, but thin head.

S it had a little less hop aroma than I was expecting. There was nothing that detracted from the aroma, just wish it had a little more aromatic aroma. What was there was piney and citrus.

T Crisp, dry and appropriately bitter. Alcohol content is high, but the beer is not sweet or cloying. This really makes the hop bitterness come through and its hoppier than the aroma would indicate.

M Not a heavy beer, carbonation in good, light to medium body.

O I wish I had another!

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 04:28:02 | More by boss302

gustogasmic

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From old review notes, drank sometime in May 2012, not sure about freshness.

A Light burnt orange, golden glow. White head dissipates to a to a ring. Persistent carbonation, big lacing.

S Big pungent tropical aromas- pineapple upside-down cake.

T Orange marmalade, orange peel, apricot meat. Light lingering bitterness.

M Crisp-drinking despite the formidable, initially sticky maltiness. Nice bitter pop at the end.

O Is it fresh? Must know. A very good DIPA but way sweeter and juicier than I usually go for.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 14:38:14 | More by gustogasmic

Durge

Connecticut

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

This looks clear and clean with a bright copper/amber color and a healthy white cover with lots of lacing. The aroma brings a malty pine hop with a light floral complement. Nice. The flavor offers a beautifully blended grass-pine hop bitterness with oak caramel and some alcohol presence. Nutty and a bit leafy. Medium bodied with a soft, well blended carbonation. Very smooth stuff with a little kick. Though it's quite hoppy as I typically like this style to be, there's a bit more alcohol than I like to taste. Nice enough.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 15:33:20 | More by Durge

superspak

Michigan

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

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. Pours extremely hazy golden amber color with a nice 2-3 finger dense off white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Good foamy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of big orange zest, grapefruit, pine resin, lemon zest, pineapple, floral, herbal, grass, and earthy spiciness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity. Taste of big grapefruit, pine, orange zest, lemon zest, floral, pineapple, grass, and herbal spiciness. Good amount of piney bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus zest, pine, floral, grass, and herbal spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Awesome balance of bitterness and sweetness; intense hop flavors, but they are not overwhelming at all. Extremely minimal amounts of cloying bitterness. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly creamy and sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an outstanding DIPA as expected! Big intense hop flavors that are very balanced; and very smooth to sip on. Highly enjoyable and delicious!

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 04:07:01 | More by superspak

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle, no dating

A - Pale gold, hazed, some floaties, thick white head has good retention and lacing.

S - Bright, floral hop bouquet with some grapefruit flesh, Not too much in the way of pine aroma in this one. Some booze as it warms.

T - Follows the nose, but with a huge caramel sweetness mid palate, finishing bitter, but not palate-wrecking. Abv is apparent, maybe too much so.

M - Full body, medium carbonation, boozy, thick hop oils, finishes with some hop oils coating the mouth.

O - Good, it stays bitter, but the booziness is just too strong, not hidden well for a 9%er.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 00:19:04 | More by garuda

MeowTom

4.45/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Wonderful pour of a slight haze darker in color, a little light for a DIPA but still nice. There is a good head to it that sticks around and is almost lacy in texture.

S- Holy hop pants of fire. I could smell it while it sits on the table while I'm a couple feet away. Once I put my nose in it though it was hops hops and more hops. It smells like I just opened a bag of hops.

T- It's on par with Hopslam with the amount of hops that hits the face. It taste like I'm nawing on a piece of pine tree and I love it. The hops are sharp and crisp just sit on the tongue and really kick ass.

M- It's a medium body a little light, but still has a lot of mouth feel. Carbonation is very well done and compliments the over all beer.

O- Very well done FFF, it really is like FFF to have a DIPA that just kicks your ass with hops. I know this isn't for everyone, but if you are a hop head that likes a ridiculous amount of hops in a beer then look no further.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 23:24:38 | More by MeowTom

mltobin

Connecticut

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

Just was getting a bag ready for a different trip and dug out some notes from a trip a few months ago to Milwaukee.

Arctic Panzer enjoyed on-tap, served in a goblet. The appearance is amber, golden notes with a small white head. Its` nose has citrus, malts and a nice sweetness to it. A good amount of hops, but certainly nothing overboard. Mouthfeel is towards heavy, bitterness in the finish. It is a pleasant aftertaste, though one that I found was helpful to have bread nearby to enjoy with. A very good DIPA from FFF.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2012 01:11:27 | More by mltobin

ErikSkidmore

4.98/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This was my first imperial, since this imperial I have had a few and this one will definitely kill your taste buds with hops!!

A: The beer pours, what I would consider a little light for being an imperial IPA, it almost looks like an APA to me. But color doesn't mean too much as I have noticed with more beers I have had. The head is not too big considering its ABV.

S: Right away, the hops slap you almost melting your nose hairs right out. Extreme citrus, some grapefruit. Very piney and quite bitter even on the nose.

T: Hops, hops, hops and more hops!! Tons of hop bitterness, very piney, extreme citrus and it finishes very resiny. Definite pallet ruiner. Excellent for a hophead.

M: Medium-bodied, definitely a sipper.

O: Overall, this is a very good imperial. I was more than impressed with it. It was a little pricey, about 10.99 for a 24 oz bottle from the local beer store, but it is worth it.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 19:00:29 | More by ErikSkidmore

dpodratsky3

Georgia

4.18/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bomber poured into nonic pint glass

A: bright but hazy dark gold to orange in color, color is very vibrant, head is like a down blanket and clings to the glass like a soapy car wash

S: smells like hoppy fruit juice, tropical fruits galore, like all high abv beers, as it warms the alcohol comes out

T: 3 Floyds just has their hoppy beers down pat, it's a good balance of juicy fruit and pine hop flavor and tongue tingling bitterness, personally I don't taste any malt flavor, but I know it must be in the background because this beer is perfectly balanced, by that I don't mean 50/50 hops and malt, I mean that I get the hops that I expect in a big IPA but it doesn't overwhelm

M: one thing that pus me off of some DIPA's is that they feel sticky and heavy, this one does not, it doesn't accomplish this by being overly carbonated, which isn't good either, the attenuation was just perfectly designed/monitored

O: I've been really building this beer up and don't get me wrong, it is an amazing beer, however I feel like it fills the void between an IPA and a DIPA, 3 years ago this would be an awesome DIPA, but now with so many newcomers that are bigger, stronger, and just loaded with flavor this comes off as a hoppy somewhat-one dimensional very strong IPA...but that one dimension it has is amazing

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 02:43:54 | More by dpodratsky3

zac16125

South Carolina

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

22oz bottle poured into a snifter
no born on date but I believe this was picked up from the brewery approximately 3 weeks ago.  

Thanks to Hopsmatt for sending this one over in a trade. 

A: Pours a hazy apricot orange with 1.5 fingers width of sea foam white colored head which dissipates down at a fairly slow rate.  Leaves small patches of spotty lacing.  

S:  Lots of tropical fruit sweetness, with mango, apricot, and overripe banana.  A slight resinous aroma, and some booze, a significant tart characteristic is noted at one point.  Aroma is very unique for the style.  

T: Flavor is different from the aroma.  Resinous notes and big piney bitterness are the main players here, along with a significant sweet component that is quite unique and I cant even place.   The banana characters from the nose come out as well, which I don't think Ive ever picked up in a DIPA before.  Some grassy notes, and a fair amount of booze.  Interesting palate profile here.  

M/D: Carbonation is one the higher side of the spectrum, which I personally dont like, but it settles down as it warms.  On the fuller side of medium bodied with a somewhat syrupy mouthfeel.  ABV is kept in check very well and drinkability is very good.  

O:  Id say the best thing about this beer is how unique it is for the style, especially  the aroma and to a certain degree  the flavor as well.  Overall though, in a style that procudes a lot of home runs, this one is pretty middle of the road in my book, but I give it bonus points for its unique qualities.  I am glad I was able to try this, but in the future if I make an effort to obtain a FFF DIPA its most certainly going to be Dreadnaught.  Definitely worth trying though, if you are a fan of the style.  

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 00:48:52 | More by zac16125

cooler4life

Quebec (Canada)

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

Picked this up in Chicago on one of my journeys.

A: Poured a fluffy one finger head that settled to a small island of foam in the middle. Some streams of carbonation can be seen rising to the top. Color is a tangerine orange. Some sediment can be seen floating around the glass. Lacing and retention appear to be on the lighter side.

S: Citrus, vanilla, grapefruit, floral. Really balanced for this style. Light and airy.

T: Tangerine, lemon wedge, and HOP POWER. My palate is dominated by hops almost to the point of cringing from the bitterness. Some butterscotch, pine cone, and fresh cut grass round out the flavor. The boozy burn hits at the end to finish me off.

M: About perfect. Just enough carbonation and stickiness to keep the party going.

O: Cracked this one open to celebrate a new chapter in life for a sibling. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 05:04:53 | More by cooler4life

cfrances33

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Mark in South Bend on 8/12/12, served in a tulip.

Pour: Mostly clear pale bright orange with two fingers white head. Great lacing.

Smell: Oranges, grapefruit, pine. A nice honey sweetness.

Taste: Huge bitter grapefruit and orange. Really bitter. A nice pine in the background. Orange flavors takes an orange rind spiciness. Honey sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Super bitter, almost too much so, even for me. Still, goes down easy, and no hint of alcohol.

Overall: A great DIPA from Three Floyds, though not quite as delicious as Dreadnaught.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2012 23:44:48 | More by cfrances33

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a tulip- pours a bright golden orange color, somewhat hazy, two finger head, doesn't stay very long, only a few spots of lacing.

Nose is very hoppy- citrus and pine. Grapefruit, lemon, balanced evenly with the pine. Lovely.

Taste is consistent- grapefruit up front, followed by a little bit of pale malt, then great resiny bitterness and pine hops towards the end. Has a long, dry finish. Excellent.

Great mouthfeel as well- light, closer to medium body, moderate carbonation, a great does of resin. I really like this one- it's fresh, and it definitely lives up to the Three Floyds reputation. Try it if you love hops and see it!

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 01:13:09 | More by Hopdaemon39

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

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

Whenever I saw this beer on the shelves, I passed it by – a DIPA that had no bottle date was never appealing to me. This time, though, the cashier assured me that the bottle had been sitting there for “no more than two or three weeks,” so I finally pulled the trigger. Cheers to (hopefully fresh) beer!

A: Pours with quite a bit of chill haze over an orange juice-colored body; this one has been refrigerated for most of its lifetime. Head is all off-white bubbles, sudsy as can be. Small chunks of bubbled lacing.

S: Starts with a blast of resiny hops: grapefruit, pine, mango. Grains are syrup-heavy, with lots of caramel, biscuit, and dark honey; standard for the style. Moderately potent, but not 100 IBU strong.

T: Thick palate with a bold taste of chewy malts: lots of sweet, natural caramel tastes and grainy bread. Big malt backbone, but with an earthy touch to it all; fortunately, it’s more graininess than sweetness. Lightly toasted tastes transition into heavy hop resins, full with pine and grapefruit rind tastes; quite dark in its bitterness, only showing traces of light, flowery tones. It’s really impressive how wonderfully the hops and grains are balanced, shown by how mild the aftertaste is: the finish is really just a touch of herbal dryness. It leaves me wondering how such a brutally hopped beer can end so peacefully.

M: A pop or two of carbonation is felt as it goes down, but not much else. Full-bodied is the word here, and it’s very well-done.

O: One hell of a DIPA; I enjoyed it more than their beloved Dreadnaught. I have a feeling that it wasn’t perfectly fresh, but I definitely liked what I got – and one of the signs of a great beer is that it can stand the test of a few weeks’ time. Would definitely buy again.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 00:25:57 | More by BarryMFBurton