Heady Topper - The Alchemist

Viciousknishs

Virginia

4.3/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- pours a medium amber color with a finger of off white long lasting head.

S- huge dank rediculous hop aromas. Big woody floral pine hop aromas blend with a high alpha hop oil aroma. Big cat piss and a note of lemon zest. Finishes with the tiniest touch of honey and malt sweetness.

T- a touch of cracker pale malt flavor hits the palate at first. Huge hop flavor of wood, pine sap, yellow grapefruit and fresh hop oil. Smooth round bitterness with a touch of alchohol on the finish.

MF- slick oily mouthfeel with a medium body and soft fine carbonation.

D- very drinkable and rediculously hoppy. Don't think I'll be able to taste much after this :)

Overall a great east coast DIPA.

Serving type: can

09-26-2011 22:32:22 | More by Viciousknishs

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.3/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Inflatablechair supplied this one at a recent tasting.... badass... finally, I got to try Heady topper.

Pours a hazed yellow.... nice lacing and retention.

Wow... the nose is pretty damn good... citrus zest... grapefruit... tangerine... maybe some lemon.... balanced just slightly by a light pale malt presence.... smells very fresh and very yummy.

Big bitterness up front quickly moves to a palate blast of citrus hops that have a touch of pine in there.... even some tropical fruitiness is accentuated by a slight pale maltiness... very good.

Body and carbonation are spot-on for the style.

Pretty damn good.... If I could get this regularly, it would be a fridge staple.... Thanks a ton Sammy.

4/4.5/4/4/5

Serving type: can

12-27-2011 05:54:09 | More by JohnGalt1

adrock7309

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received a couple cans of fresh HT from BaconSausage as extras in a recent Trade.

Poured both into a Surly pint glass and a bells tulip on two different occasions with varying results.

In the first sampling - one was extremely cloudy and much darker red than i was expecting based on other reviews. The second can was much more orange and clear. Both were adorned by nice white caps

The appearance was the main difference between the two as they both had huge hop blasting noses with heavy citrus/mango pine wafts coming at you.

Flavors i picked up were much different than the nose. I picked up a bit of stale malt hidden behind large grassy citrus hop characteristics.

Overall a great beer and one i wish i had access to.

Serving type: can

02-07-2012 20:08:33 | More by adrock7309

Greywulfken

New York

4.3/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: tried from the can initially (mandated on the can) - "cold but not ice cold" - but then gave in - I had to see what I'm drinking (we are visual creatures): cloudy medium gold beer kicked up a couple of fingers of off-white head from a near-center pour into a tulip. Left some lace behind.

S: mostly hoppy (as expected): floral, herbal, citric, resinous; sublte pale malt in the background

T: again, hop-forward: lots of bitter citrus (is that a contradiction in terms?) and resiny pine; a little tart; bitter not sweet - some undercurrents of honey'd malt; some medicinal notes

M: crisp, slight tartness, bittering, light-to-medoim weight, moderate carbonation on the tongue

O: a good DIPA, but the best, #1 ranked beer on the site? I don't agree. I've had too many great DIPAs and IPAs to jump onboard here (*ducks the hurled vegetables and garbage*). I'd say its a good buy, a MUST try, but nothing to lose sleep over if its not available in your area.

Serving type: can

02-19-2013 22:21:46 | More by Greywulfken

grub

Ontario (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

got this one in a trade with freud. huge thanks man!

22oz bottle. bottled 11/30/2010. sampled 12/11/2010.

pours hazy orangey amber with a big fluffy off-white head. haze is likely due to pouring the entire bottle including the dregs. the head drops slowly and leaves tons of lace as it falls.

aroma is great. there be hops in there! candied grapefruit and orange. pine. layers of tangerine, apricot, and perhaps even some pineapple. light alcohol. white bread, cracker, and a bit of biscuit. caramel. touch of butterscotch hiding in the background.

taste is good. citrus and pine with a solid malt backbone. grapefruit and orange. bit of tangerine. resiny pine. whole wheat bread and biscuit. bit of cracker. light alcohol. just above medium bitterness level. caramel with a bit of the butterscotch that i noticed in the aroma. the other hoppy layers from the aroma are still present, but at a more subdued level. herbal and earthy hop layers start to appear here, giving it a bit of an english dimension to an otherwise american brew.

mouthfeel is great. just above medium body with a nice dry hoppy finish. medium carbonation level.

drinkability is great. the bitterness never overpowers the solid malt footing. the alcohol is almost unnoticed until a little warmth starts to grow in my stomach around mid-glass. nice hoppy depth. i enjoy the balance of this one - certainly not a palate shredder, and not as in-your-face as some, but it's got much more repeatability as a result. good stuff!

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 17:54:26 | More by grub

Florida9

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Dull light brownish-orange in color. Hazy. Forms about an inch of barely off-white head. Good stability, reducing slowly to a bubbly surface coating. Moderate lacing.

S: Intense aroma of spicy, piney hops with some notes of orange and citrus in the background.

T: Light caramel malts with a slight sweetness. Spicy hops. Pine and pine resin. Fades to more spicy hops on the finish.

M: Medium body with lower carbonation, giving the beer a heavier feel to it than it really is. A noticeable fusel spice on the finish.

O: A very good, quite tasty, hop-forward IIPA.

Serving type: can

10-05-2011 12:46:22 | More by Florida9

LSUPT

California

4.28/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

16oz can poured to a Duvel Tulip.

Very aggressive pour yields a 1” white head. Ok retention and some webs of lacing. Very cloudy medium amber with a hint of orange when held to light.

Way too cold when a first poured it but as it warms the nose greatly improves. Quite complex and stronger as it warms: tropical up front, mango and slight pineapple, with a big juicy hop presence and slight pine and malt. Taste doesn’t quite live up to the nose. Grapefruit makes an appearance here along with the mango pineapple and big juicy hops but the bitterness is just not really balanced here it builds and builds and really hurts the aftertaste and mouthfeel but is still pretty good. Low carbonation, medium bodied and creamy.

Overall, this is still an elite DIPA but having this right after Bad Boy did not help its case. Medium drinkability with the odd aftertaste but still up there near the top of the DIPA mountain.

Serving type: can

10-19-2011 07:26:26 | More by LSUPT

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Rogue shaker pint glass.

Big thanks to apollokim for this can!

The big guns keep on showing up for this Super Bowl party! This one pours a rusty tawn topped by over a finger of cream foam. The nose comprises ruby red grapefruit zest, yellow grapefruit peel, orange zest, strong pine resin, light leek, and buttery toffee (think Crunch 'n' Munch). The taste brings in more of the same, though the pine, leek, and citrus peels come through stronger, taking things in an ever-so-slightly bitterer direction. Things are still very well-balanced, though. The body is a lithe medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a slightly creamy feel. Overall, a damn fine, nicely-balanced DIPA. Good times. (Note: We tried this both in the glass and straight out of the can. There was no consensus, as about half preferred the can and half preferred the glass. I was in the latter, though it wasn't a strong preference by any means.)

Serving type: can

02-06-2012 22:26:26 | More by TMoney2591

cps98

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Got a 4-pack from a friend who just returned from Waterbury. Probably as fresh as it comes directly from the cannery.

I did drink ½ of the beer directly from the can as advised but wanted to see the beer color and head so I poured the second half in to a Three Floyds pint glass.

A – A wonderful hazy orange, you can tell right away this bad boy is unfiltered. Poured with a really nice 2 finger white head that hung around for a while. Good lacing was seen all the way around the glass.

S – Smells like freshly trimmed Christmas trees. Pine notes are really heavy, along with fresh cut grass. I do get some citrus in there as well and I would peg it as grapefruit. If you love the smell of fresh hops off the vine then breath deep and enjoy!

T – I was puckered at both ends on this one. Bitter, bitter, bitter…a hop heads dream. After that initial piney bitterness the hop flavors were very smooth. I have no idea what kinds of hops go into this beer but they all played very nicely. There was a light alcohol warmth at the back end that was very pleasing. The malt in the beer is shadowed by the hops but it is there non-the-less.

M – I couldn’t get over how smooth this beer was. A very nice well balanced medium bodied brew. Carbonation was on point and added nicely to the hop explosion.

O – Overall a very impressive beer, so happy I got to try it and glad I have 3 more to enjoy. Not going to share these with anybody. I wish I was able to head to VT more often so I could get this on a regular basis. When they talk of hop shortages I know where they all went, into a can of Heady Topper!

Serving type: can

02-13-2012 17:38:42 | More by cps98

Maxwell

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: The beer pours a yellowed brown, like cloudy dehydrated piss. With a thick bubbly eggshell white head with good retention. Lacing is light and droopy, only lasting for a short while above the head.

Smell: Smell is super strong in piney hops with a slight citrusy tinge. A mellower light malty tinge seems to hide itself in the edges of the smell, but for the most part the smell is dominated with floral hops.

Taste: Super bitter with hops, this beer is achingly crisp on the tongue with just an overwhelming sense of bitter from start to finish. Slight citrusy notes can still be felt if you swish the beer around in the mouth, but overall it is just an overwhelming pine based bitter. I also took a couple pulls from the can, since that is what the can demanded, and was surprised to find more fruity notes being accentuated by the can. While still crisp and bitter I detect better note of citrusy flavor. Overall this beer is very heavy in its hops.

Mouthfeel: My initial sip from the cup was harshly bitter on the tongue. The beer is quite watery and smooth on the mouth. It definitely fizzles with bitterness as is peaks over the back of your tongue. The beer is less harsh when drank from the can, with the fruitier notes causing nice freshness on the tongue.

Overall: Great IPA. Fantastic floral hopping with a great hop-filled taste. This is a beer I would have again. The 8% alcohol content, and high drinkability also make this beer phenomenal.

Serving type: can

05-09-2012 00:27:13 | More by Maxwell

Onenote81

North Carolina

4.28/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Celtic001 for a couple of these sent my way. I was so excited for the arrival of these, that once they were chilled to perfection, they disappeared quickly. Poured into a pint glass. Pours a murky dark orange/gold with a thick lustrous off-white head on top.

Slick yet heavy feel. Lightly oily on the back end. Big bitter pop of juicy hops. Full of lush flavor of bitter fruits, semi-sweet syrup on finish. White peppery "burn" in the midst, but this is bitter all out. Surprisingly an easy finish with such a boisterous profile. Great beer. Not my top IIPA, but by the far the best from a can.

Serving type: can

07-11-2012 20:10:29 | More by Onenote81

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Heady Topper-The Alchemist-Vermont. Ale. Alc. 8% by Vol.,1 pint.

"Heady Topper is an American Double India Pale Ale. This beer is not intended to be the biggest of most bitter. It is meant to give you wave after wave of hoppy goodness on your palate. Tremendous amounts of American hops will creep up on you, and leave you with a dense hoppy finish in your mouth. So drinkable, it scary.
Sometime I wish I could crawl right into the can. Fresh ness and control have always been my main concern when it comes to our beer. We are committed to providing you with an unfiltered and unpasteurized hop experience. Why do I recommend that you drink it from the can? Quite simply, to ensure a delightful, hop experience. The act of pouring it into a glass smells nice, but it releases the essential hop aromas that we have worked so hard to retain. If you MUST pour it into a glass, you may find that some of the hop resins have settled to the bottom --leave them in the can when pouring. This beer is perishable, and at it's best when young, fresh, and hazy. Keep it cold but not ice cold. Drink this beer immediately we are always making more. --John Kimmich, The Alchemist, Waterbury, Vermont."

Bullcrap, it's going into a glass, because I MUST.

It's a hazy one, a deep orange/apricot color, not bright, not golden, but clearly it's own thing. It is what it is. The head is a gigantic, prodigious, brogdignagian thing, mushroom capped, blooming with chalk white froth, lace-leaving and slow to leave. Gorgeous look on it.

Aroma: funky, musty, wicked, and weird. I'm at a loss. Thinking about Belgian yeast, thinking about putting a mare to bed. And then the typical hop aromatics creep out, some orange, some mango, grapefruit. None too bitter, either, not too brash, bold or out of control. Juuust right. A delight for the nose.

Taste: Jumps on the tongue and spills out brilliant hoppy flavor. Tingles the tongue in all right ways. Trickles over the palate, leaving happy hop deliciousness everywhere. …"from the can!"…not as complex, not as …gosh, is there a difference? or are we fooling ourselves? From the can, you get the hop blast, you get the flavor, you get the buzz, it's creamy and palatable…but you don't get everything. It's like having sex with a sock on your man, it's just not bringing it all home, if you know what I mean. I wonder why The Alchemist wants to cover this beer up, hide it in a can? Are they trying to elude the look of the brew, do they think people will dislike the chaos and disarray, the multitude of floating particles, as if it's unnatural and ugly?

Full-bodied, long bitter finish. Really tasty, very satisfying and delicious. Best IPA of all? Naaah…

Serving type: can

04-27-2013 08:10:54 | More by feloniousmonk

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

16oz. can served in my ST tulip (just couldn't bring myself to drink it out of the can). Pours a semi-hazy burnt orange with a rocky, one inch, cream-colored head embedded with tiny craters. Head eventually settles into a soapy skim with a thin, bubbly band around the edges. Some swaths and spots of lacing are revealed during the tasting. Love the nose on this beer - grassy, sweet citrus, earthy rind and a slight peppery quality towards the back; incredibly well-balanced. Taste follows nose - earthy bitterness presents up-front and sweet citrus and a suggestion of apricot follows. Finish leaves a slight residual bitterness between quaffs. Mouthfeel is medium-light with a pleasant, even carbonation that is lively without being prickly. There's also a slightly oily texture. The more I drink this beer, the more I like it. Hopefully it will make it to Southern Vermont so I can get a bit more regular access. This beer is nothing short of fantastic - the balance is top notch, the alcohol is well-hidden and it is just so easy drinking. In my opinion, can tops bottle on this brew.

Serving type: can

09-16-2011 01:23:15 | More by Jwale73

rawfish

California

4.25/5  rDev -10%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

First shot at trying this. Poured into a plain snifter to judge appearance and aroma. Four pack got in a trade with youbrewidrink.

Pours hazy straw yellow with lumps of sediment all over the place. Nice head of white reaches 2 fingers high, decent retention with little flecks of lace.

Nice perfume aroma with a nice mixture of resin, herbaceous grasses and earthy tones. Nice malt sweetness a touch of caramel and doughy. A bit tropical and exotic interesting aroma.

Caramel malt, very doughy and chewy to balance the resinous and grassy hop profile. No citrus yet it's got tropical notes. Really herbaceous with wonderful balance and a steady bitterness.

Finishes dry and a sticky coating that leaves lasting bitterness. Perfect carbonation and the body is chewy and raw.

Very evident why you need to drink this one out of the can, it has perfect balance and comes out of the gates swinging with a unique east coast bold hop profile. Raw and resinous yet well crafted. A beer that is blue collar, steady and bold. Glad for the opportunity.

Serving type: can

04-05-2012 04:41:35 | More by rawfish

tone77

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Many thanks to woodychandler for coming through big time with this beer. Poured from a 16 oz. can. Has an orange/brownish color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is alive with hops and citrus. Taste is also very good, hoppy, citrus and tropical fruits abound, bitter but not overly so, a well constructed beer. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall was a pleasure to drink, worth seeking out.

Serving type: can

05-29-2012 23:28:10 | More by tone77

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

4.25/5  rDev -10%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Can from unknown production date:

Smell: Strong smell of orange and some pineapple. Stronger smell than most brews.

Appearance: I started drinking this out of the can as recommended, but couldn't help myself and finally poured it in my trusty beer glass. There is a ton of shit floating around in this beer! Damn! A nice two finger head with shaving cream thick foaminess is prominent. The head thins as you drink the beer, but this is more than made up for by the awesome lacing that lines the glass till the beer is gone.

Mouthfeel: Somewhat chewy with a bit of weight to it, yet this is a good thing for me as I will drink a lot of any beer, be it light or heavy, long as it tastes good.

Taste: I honestly must say, this is unlike any IPA I've ever had. It has this unique, sweet thing going on in the beginning that I can't quite put my finger on(combo of grapefruit, orange and apple?) and then balances itself out in the end, with a slightly bitter finish that is expected of an IPA.

Overall: Definitely a unique IPA. The beginning of this thing's taste is what sets it apart from the rest for me. It starts off with that unique flavor, then finishes with it gently, and fades out nicely. Give credit to The Alchemist for producing a unique brew that leans toward the heavy side but is definitely drinkable. Good stuff.

Serving type: can

11-10-2012 02:15:36 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

16oz can with about the first 1/4 drank out of the can, the rest poured into a FFF teku glass and consumed today 5/10/13. Thanks to shagens for the opportunity to drink this 3-4 week old Heady.

Aroma: Holy smokes. Soon as I pop the can: tons of sweet honey, toffee, caramel and biscuits.. followed by quite a bit of tropical fruit- mango, papaya with a bit of grapefruit. Big, big whiffs of tropical fruits. If it drinks anywhere as good as it smells, it's a winner. (5)

Colour: Can't tell when it's in the can, but once I pour it into the teku, it looks good. Burnt orange, like the University of Texas' school colours. Pours with a nice thick 2cm white head that slowly fades into a bubbly collar that persists. There are bits of lacing that doesn't really stick around, but otherwise a good looking DIPA. At the end of the drink, I poured out the last ounce of the can to see what the floaties looked like- and its nasty. I see why they recommend drinking it out of the can. I don't dock Alchemist for this though. (4)

Flavour: A bit disappointing after the nose that I get sniffing the can and then the glass. I get a big malt kick up front, with caramel, toffee, honey and sweet bread. But that only sets the stage for a nice-sized blast of tropical fruit which quickly fades away into a bitter citrus finish. Pretty interesting but it just doesn't quite do it for me. Very good, but I don't feel the components come together quite as well as it does in some of the other DIPAs I've had. (4)

Mouthfeel: Definitely not lacking in the department. Thicker side of medium body, excellent carbonation, resinous and coats the palate pretty well with the bitter finish- which is mostly citrus and a bit of tropical fruit. I don't feel any heat at all drinking this. (4.5)

Overall: A very nice beer, good drinking experience but I expected a bit more from it. If I compare the overall "drinking experience", it doesn't hold much of a candle to Pliny. I have to think that if I drank it 2 days old, it may be better, but even if it were hoppier (which would be the only difference between 2 days and 25 days), I'm just not having the different components of the beer blending well together. While it's got its malts and hops in spades and full of flavour, somehow they just don't complement each other all that well. Abrasive, even 3 week old cans, pack even more hoppiness and still brings the malts and hops together into an integrated experience better than Heady. I'll give it a few more tries via trading, but I'm not entirely sure I'll go after this one like I do Pliny. (4)

Serving type: can

05-11-2013 03:00:59 | More by Stevedore

MRsojourner

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

the look outside of the can is super hazy....but what do you expect with this many hops! the foamy light head persisted till the end of the glass.
the smell is citrus and a strange musty aroma.
the taste is not that bitter at all....it's like super hop orange juice that is very drinkable. it keeps you coming back. very easy to drink given the abv level and hop usage. very glad I got to try this and will drink it out of the can next time to see if there is any difference given there recommendation.

Serving type: can

05-09-2013 00:52:44 | More by MRsojourner

kscaldef

Oregon

4.23/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From the can, as instructed. If there's a canning date, I can't find it.

A: Well... it's a can. A fairly attractive one. It appears to contain beer.

S: Sharp piney smell as soon as it's opened, like a freshly cut christmas tree. I pick up a few tropical notes as well. Pineapple and papaya. After drinking a bit, with more space in the can, the tropical scents start to become more dominant. I have to say, though, I think this drinking from the can is a loser on the aroma front, no matter what they claim.

T: Resiny, with fairly sweet biscuit malts. Bitter finish, but not over the top. Really piney. Chewing on a pine branch piney. But, in a good way.

M: On the heavy end for the style, a decent amount of residual sweetness that gives it a pretty mouth-coating feel. Slight drying astringency that balances it out a bit. Medium-low carbonation.

O: Very tasty and stays interesting through the whole can. Having this the day after a side-by-side of PtY and PtE, I think I'd put this above Elder and a bit below Younger, at least based on what my palate has been preferring lately. At another time, I might have found this a little too sweet. I do think that this is taking a hit on account of the can format.

Serving type: can

02-28-2012 04:28:24 | More by kscaldef

mattsander

Alberta (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Drank a few swigs from the can then poured into a snifter (I know, a sin). Can't verify freshness.

A: Very hazy pale orange, lots of sediment. Not an especially good looking beer but then again I went against their very clear specific instructions and poured it into a glass. Looks like homebrew. Beautiful tenacious head and plenty of lacing.

S: Cat pee, floral, citrus fruits. Got to say, the aroma isn't nearly as huge as I anticipated (but I cant verify how fresh this is). Either way it's very nice if a bit oxidized. Smells like homebrew.

T: Tangerines & oranges, some resinous oniony aftertaste. A very nice DIPA.

M: Creamy and very juicy. Extremely quaffable for this strength.

O: A very nice DIPA, though not a pliny-slayer by any stretch. This can probably wasn't super fresh.

Serving type: can

05-23-2012 00:49:39 | More by mattsander

IronLover

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Despite the "directions" I've been conditioned to only drink BMC out of the can. Dark orange-yellow in color, looks like dirty orange juice, and murky. Poured with a short white foam that quickly reduced to a sturdy white cap that left sheets of sticky lacings on the glass.. Pungent citrus pineapple aroma with solid sweet, sticky malt and orange beneath and just the slightest hint of booze. The aroma almost has a feel to it. Like hop resin and dust in the sinuses. Amazing. Thick and chewy feel with dense, rich carbonation that lazily rolls through. Pungent citrus hop flavor from start to finish that are propped up by a strong sweet malty backbone.. Finishes with a lingering pine hop bitterness with a touch of citrus bitterness and booze.

Serving type: can

07-03-2012 22:26:02 | More by IronLover

far333

Connecticut

4.22/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Damn, 8% ABV and 120 IBU's, but totally smooth and tasty. Amber color with a low white bubbly head. Aroma is of citrusy hops. Smooth and even mouthfeel leads to an intense flavor of pineapple and orange peel hops with a hint of peaches. The ABV is subtle and not overpowering at all. A fine web of lacing dances around the inside of the glass. The flavor is consistent throughout the entire glass. This one is real tasty and I ripped through it because I couldn't stand the thought of it not rolling over my taste buds for more than a few seconds.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2004 03:25:38 | More by far333

arizcards

Arizona

4.22/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at the pub in early October.

This brew was served with a one fingered head. It was a cloudy golden amber with a nice lasting head Nose was very hoppy, with a grapefruit and pine sap overtone. Simcoe hops maybe? Taste was a nice blend of hops and malts. Mouthfeel is well balanced malt blending into a nice creamy hop finish.
Overall drinkability was very good as the high ABV was well hidden. This was worth the trip!

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2005 23:03:39 | More by arizcards

bmwats

Louisiana

4.22/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 500 ml bottle into a Heady Topper becker.

A: Cloudy dark amber color. Slight head. No real lacing to speak of.

S: A little malt, very piny.

T: Very piny...the hops pretty much rule the day here. Very subtle sweet note.

M: Pucker-inducing hoppiness. Lingers throughout, very dry.

D: Definitely of the sipping variety.

Atmosphere is pretty solid. Decent appearance, nose is not complex for full. Flavor, the same... not complex, but if you like hops, this is it. Overall, this is a great quaff.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2010 02:32:08 | More by bmwats

mechamifune

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass at the Alchemist

Poured with a healthy .5 in head, cloudy appearance with an orange/golden color. Much "murkier" looking than most DIPA's, but still inviting.

Smell is a whole lot of pine to me... hints of citrus obvious, but the pine really dominates. All in all though not an overly floral DIPA, but still a decent amount to work with.

Taste is lots of pine up front.... finishes bitter but not overly so. Citrues notes throughout, but not overwhelming as with some DIPA's.

Mouthfeel is very smooth, and in turn very easy to drink. Not particularly crisp per se, but certainly pleasant. A very good DIPA.... not in my absolute upper echelon (double trouble, PTE, PTY, and Pure Hoppiness) but just a slight step below it. Certainly seek it out if you're in the area.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2011 02:36:27 | More by mechamifune