GUBNA Imperial IPA - Oskar Blues Brewing Company

mactrail

California

3/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Light amber in color. Pleasant foam in the little Morte Subite globe, but no lacing. Hot and spritzy on the tongue.

Some sweetness, even on the sugary side. Hops are intense. Holy grapefruit peel, Batman! Mouthfeel is thin, hot with alcohol, and sharp. Big fruity aroma with flowery hop bouquet is actually quite nice.

This is a take no prisoners style that may appeal to hop nazis. This thing is a zinger. I can't think of a sharper, more paint-remover example of a DIPA. I'd call it off balance and out of control. I will say, though, that a swig from the warm can that was left out all night was less intense and the hop aromatics were more accessible. From the 12 oz can.

Serving type: can

09-12-2012 06:00:34 | More by mactrail

blackcompg

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from their 12oz can, canned on 8/17/12...

Appearance - Poured a finger of creamy eggshell head, body is crystal clear, and is a brilliant lighter orange color. The head recedes pretty quickly to a creamy cap, but is leaving a circle of nice lace after every sip - zebra stripes at the end of the session - gorgeous!

Smell - Grapefruit, pineapple, plums, touch of white grape, fruit cocktail juice - very fruity and citrussy nose.

Taste - Oh my goodness, very much like the nose, this begins with all sorts of sweet fruits - white grape juice, fruit cocktail juice, papaya and mango. This quickly transitions to tangerine and both yellow and ruby red grapefruits, the finish is grapefruit pith and peels, and a little pine long into the finish.

Mouthfeel - Nearly medium mouthfeel, huge flavor, but not sticky or syrupy at all for such a big beer. Carb is on the lower side of medium, but is so unique - it starts very smooth and foaming, but then develops a crispness and ends with lots of little edges at the back of the tongue and the throat, but feels very nice and absolutely ushers in the pungent hop nuances and a touch of dryness at the end of the quaff.

Overall - This beer is all about transitions and progressions, and I love them. Starts out on the sweete side with fruits and citrus, then goes to semi-sweet citrus, then to bitter, then to dry and almost ouckering. Even the carb has a wonderful transition/progression to it. The flavors are all bod and delicious and work so well together. Very complex. The flavors are balanced in that they work so well together, and the transitions must be experienced. It's on the pricy side for a 4pak, but I will always have this one in my fridge. Try this one for sure - can't wait for Ten Fidy to come out :o)

Serving type: can

09-10-2012 03:37:20 | More by blackcompg

Justin_Neff

Ohio

3.18/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Deep caramel color, medium carbonation

S: Rich, sweet smell. Not heavy floral or hoppy aromas.

T: Caramely, robust flavor of sweet malt to begin with a hoppy finish.

M: medium body feel

O: overall I'd say this is 3 out of 5. The epitome of average for an imperial IPA. Could use more hop character and a little lighter.

Serving type: can

09-08-2012 01:34:49 | More by Justin_Neff

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz can poured into a pint glass at fridge-cellar temperature.

L – Pale amber color with a 4-finger white bubbly, pillowing head. Really nice retention and awesome lacing. It was clear with a good amount of bubbles until I poured in the bottom sediment. The haze eventually settles and makes the beer clear again.

S – Caramel and bready malt and lots of hops with grapefruit and orange aromas, as well as a little bit of marijuana and the onion that everyone is always talking about with Summit hops and this beer in particular.

T – Starts off sweet with caramel and bready malts and citrus flavors. Hop bitterness begins to pick up around mid-taste and continually builds all the way to the finish with grapefruit, marijuana, and onion notes.

F – Medium-bodied with not much carbonation, a sticky and chewy mouthfeel, and a bitter and dry finish. Complex hop bitterness lingers in the throat for a nice amount of time and pairs well with the very subtle and slight warming sensation from the alcohol.

O – I like this beer. I don’t think the onion flavor is off-putting at all; in fact I think it adds a level of uniqueness in a world where most DIPAs are dominated by citrus, tropical fruits, or pine aromas and flavors. This is highly drinkable for a DIPA at 10% ABV. I’ve only had good beers from Oskar Blues so far, and this is one of them.

Serving type: can

09-07-2012 04:28:13 | More by BlackBelt5112203

vic21234

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz can poured into a snifter. Canned on date of 8/17/12, pretty fresh stuff. This will be my first beer from Oskar Blues, as they just started distributing to my area last week.

A- Pours a cloudy orange with about two fingers of white head. The head retains for awhile. Lots of sticky lacing is seen along the sides of the glass.

S- Grapefruit, citrus and pine are most prevalent in the smell. The grapefruit brings an overall sweetness to the aroma.

T- Up front is a sweet malty beginning, amost caramel-like. Then comes the hops: the piney resin is noted most for me in the taste in regards to the hops, but some citrus is in there as well.

M- Medium bodied, well carbonated, very bitter and finishes dry.

A good DIPA to try, but nothing too memorable.

Serving type: can

08-28-2012 00:29:19 | More by vic21234

jsulko

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Can poured into a tulip glass

Pours a cloudy orangish color with a slightly off white head.

Smell is heavy with citrus more towards the grapefruit side.

Taste has some of the citrus coming through but not as much as you would expcect from the smell. Alcohol comes roaring through on the finish.

Another good DIPA but the price point will not make it one of my go to beers. This beer is running $16 for a 4 in Chicagoland.

Serving type: can

08-27-2012 03:30:46 | More by jsulko

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. can into a snifter. The bottom of the can has a 08-17-12 brewed on date and the phrase "cram in face hole." I'm just about to do that...

Pours amber with golden and orange highlights topped by a off white two finger head. Decent head retention and some sticky lacing. Pine and grass notes with some undiscernable spiciness. Very unique taste, pine, spruce, and fresh cut grass with an edge of spiciness possibly from the rye malt, finishes smooth with piney hops bitterness and booziness somewhat blunted by the abundant malt. One of the largest malt backbones I can remember, medium carbonation, and on the lighter side of full-bodied. An extremely unique IIPA/DIPA that proves that every brew in the style doesn't need to be a citrus bomb.

Serving type: can

08-24-2012 03:32:50 | More by chanokokoro

colforbin73

California

3.05/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

this is a drinkable dipa that at 10% abv WILLL get you hammered. but if you are looking for the sensation of NOT getting hammered then move on....

the pour is decent, cloudy but translucent golden amber liquid that puts on a decent head and leaves some lacing. the aroma is boozy, and to be kind herbal, but i might also use "chemically". it is an aroma of intense hop oil mixed with booze.... resinous boozey pine

did i mention booze? soory, as far as taste goes --- it leaves an intense alcohol presence on your palate. i could eat a bunch of taco bell right now and i would be tasting this piney booze in 30 minutes. did i mention it;s a tad boozey.

overall, less booze, more DRYNESS, a little more grassy malt flavor and this might be OK... but i am overwhelmed by a boozy banana split here, with an after dinner sweet liquor mixed in. sticky sweet boozey residue on lips.

do the MALT LIQUOR PEOPLE know about this? rename this stuff TIGER BUZZ and put it in a fluorescent green and orange can and you have a winner!

Serving type: can

08-23-2012 04:21:47 | More by colforbin73

ChiPool

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured can (dated 7/23/12) into Dubel tulip. Reviewed on 8/22/12.

I think this is my first DIPA from a can. I'm all for the trend! I really wasn't sure what to expect here. Pours lighter than I thought, but I suppose several DIPAs have that pumpkin hue. Creamy white head on this one: looks quite inviting. Nothing too noteworthy on the aroma: I was expecting a bit more burst. If anything, I get a bits of that yeasty, uncooked bread smell (faint). Much more on that palate than on the nose: bitter, citrusy hop flavors are present, in a strong way. Very smooth: the 10% very well hidden here. All that is misssing is that little "hook" on the finish that makes a few other brews in this class great.

Overall: really enjoyable, well above average. I'm hearing that OB is coming to IL, but haven't seen it yet. Compares favorably to Double Trouble & Ninja v Unicorn.

Serving type: can

08-23-2012 00:10:05 | More by ChiPool

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

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

Reviewed from tasting notes.

Has the fairly typical hazed orangish-amber color with a brief flash head and no lacing for a high ABV IPA. At first whiff upon cracking open the can there is a relatively strong blast of green onion / garlic but given about one minute of settling down in the pint glass, the garlic pulls back in intensity and allows the aromas of grapefruit and tangerine over toffee malt and earthen mustiness to shine through. The flavor is a lot more spicy and dankly resinous than the nose had me expecting, but it was a pleasant surprise. Starts out very slightly to the drier side of your typical IPA but finishes slightly on the sweeter side in the finish, tapers off with a light onion and alcoholic heat rising up in the aftertaste. After letting the glass warm up for a while I get some additional flavor nuances of green leafy herbal and mint tones in the midsip rounding things out. The malts present as a balancing palette of spicy rye and graham crackers. Medium body thickness and carbonation levels.

Serving type: can

08-02-2012 20:10:44 | More by WastingFreetime

kemoarps

Washington

3.9/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a standard straw with a minimal white head that falls quickly, with minimal lacing as I drink.

The nose is immediately floral, with a pine coming behind that. Fresh but biting (especially the alcohol)

almost a butterscotch sweet underlies the dominant hops. Piney and citrusy. Can taste the 10%.

Smoothe and warming, I like it. the alcohol is not terribly well hidden, but it works.

harrumph

Serving type: can

07-26-2012 05:19:31 | More by kemoarps

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz can into Tulip.

A. Poured 2 finger head. Thick lacking. Good retention. Color is a vibrant hazy orange. Nice color.

S. Hops, tropical fruit hops. Thick hoppy aroma. Caramel malt sweetness lies beneath. Get a nice tropical punch in the nose off of this one.

T. Smooth and drinkable, for a pretty hoppy resiny DIPA. Big hop flavors come out right away. Grapefruit and a little pineapple. Bitterness on the back of the tongue.

M. Pretty thick mouthfeel. Medium/full bodied. Lingers with some bitterness.

O. I liked this one. Nice hop aroma, and flavor. Got a lot of tropical fruitiness, which is what I like in my DIPAs. Overall I would have to say this is a pretty solid offering.

Serving type: can

07-23-2012 00:03:50 | More by siradmiralnelson

JRed

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Cloudy orange with immense white head that stays for the duration of the drink. Big aroma of bubblegum, papaya, citrus, soccer field. Big flavor: citrus, grapefruit by the shovel load, grass, pine, booze. Thick body with little carbonation, a real smoothie mouthfeel. Chewy, smells great, flavor is a bit overwhelming with the lack of crispness.

Serving type: can

07-20-2012 02:42:11 | More by JRed

CloudStrife

New York

3.63/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz can poured into a snifter. Canned on 06-06-11@12:59

A: Pours a very hazy bright light-orangish yellow with a 1/22 finger white head. To opaque to even see any carbonation. Didnt leave any lacing.

S: Very citrus bittering hop up front. Also a fair amount of sweet fruity malts. Also some pine from the hops. Mostly hop dominant.

T: Hits you with a bitter hopslap that transforms into some sweet malts, an alcohol flavor kicks in, then a lingering hop aftertaste.

M: Slightly sticky and syrupy texture gives it a nectar like quality. Alcohol is very warming. Full bodied, low on carbonation.

Overall I really like how its focused on one type of hop. However summit may be just a tad too bitter for my likes.

Serving type: can

07-13-2012 01:37:49 | More by CloudStrife

Greywulfken

New York

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: rich gold with a medium head that fades fast but leaves lotsa sticky lace

S: faint citrus and wood, earthy yeast and hops

T: butter, pine, butterscotch, caramel maltiness

M: rich and chewy, fairly thick, creamy

O: a different DIPA - perhaps that explains the "good" rating - it isn't as prominently citrusy or bright as the more popular DIPAs - has a much duskier/earthier taste and feel than most of the other DIPAs I've had - it reminded me of a pale American strong ale, but I thought it was great tasting and hearty drink, just perhaps not as aligned with the style as some would expect.

Serving type: can

06-30-2012 19:00:17 | More by Greywulfken

julian89

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this beer at Brick store pub in Decatur, GA.
They're have a series of rare barrel age brews that they receive with collaboration and due to the fact that Brick Store is a world renowned pub.

A 2010 Barrel aged GUBNA from tap to Pilsner glass.

Appearance: Pours out a barely translucent hazy orange-gold body with a foamy cream 1/2 inch head with not much head retention and minimal lacing. Pretty color though.

Smell: Hoppy bitterness with toasted light grain. Oh so citrusy, strong lemon, grapefruit, and orange zest not juice. It's very pungent.

Taste: Medium to high ABV hits the nose and taste buds simultaneously. The bready yeast taste is pronounced and gradually increases with settling and temperature. It's oh so hot down here in Atlanta. The bitterness gets almost unbearable when it sits.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body with a creamy, viscous feel. Medium carbonation.

Overall: This one was great at the start, but digressed with time. Meh, worth the try but I won't return. Oskar Blues has generally great beers, this one did not wow me.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2012 23:10:39 | More by julian89

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

3.58/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. poured into DFH signature glass. Canned about 6 weeks ago.

A - Pours a slightly hazy burnt orange color. The head is a half finger of very dense white carbonation. Dies to a thin film and leaves great speckled lacing.

S - Dank resinous hops, tangerine, and a sweet molasses malt backbone. Aroma is powerful, but not particularly impressive.

T - Starts full and sweet with some bready malts. They soon give way to a hop assault with combination or roasty pine (that's a new one!) and tangy citrus. A hint of scallion in there as well. Aftertaste is very bitter and lingers. As I drink more and my tastebuds acclimate to the unique hop profile, it seems more and more balanced with the malt becoming more pronounced. Pretty good.

M - Very slick on the tongue, leaving a tingly coating. Went down very quickly which I credit to a combination of drinkability and the thirsty feeling each sip leaves me with.

O - This was my first time trying GUBNA, although I have heard many things positive and negative. Six weeks old wasn't ideal, but it is probably the youngest I have seen it in my neck of the woods. I rate it as a middle of the road DIPA from my experience tonight. I have heard it is a different beast when fresh, on-tap, so I will certainly seek that out before I make final judgement. From this particular tasting, I think it is not worth the price-tag in a crowded style. Pretty good, not great.

EDIT 9/16/12: Located a two week old can and found the aroma and flavors to be improved significantly over the older version I previously had. It had a little it more of the scallion hop bite and dank aroma.

Serving type: can

06-25-2012 01:32:21 | More by NoLeafClover44

JDizzle

Indiana

3.78/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz can into a pilsner glass.

Pours cloudy copper that is bright with a white head.

It smells fairly good, but not the best. Really hoppy, malty, and spicy. Really fierce smell on this one.

Taste is a hop blast to tongue with a little malt backing. It's really bitter!!

Mouthfeel is good with just that right amount of carbs. It's creamy with a medium body.

A good DIPA that doesn't dissapoint. Glad I found it on vacation. The 4-pack went down pretty easy. Paid $13.99

Serving type: can

06-14-2012 02:54:06 | More by JDizzle

BostonHops

Massachusetts

2.73/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12oz can served in an oversized wineglass.
canned on: 04/23/10

pours a hazy dull gold tone with 1/2" to an inch beige/off-white head. OK retention given the strength of the beer; decent lacing.

despite the lapsed time since canning i get a big hoppy bouquet of citrus and floral/herbal with a malty backbone. a bit - a bit - of onion and a touch of booze. flavor follows with a noticeable dropoff in the hops department (unsurprising). and while the resulting flavor profile is more malt-forward, it's not bad. the remaining hoppiness is citric and floral, and there's a touch of honey evident. as it warms though it takes on an unpleasant characteristic that i can't quite pin down but find... hmm... bad.

medium-full bodied with average carbonation. OK, drinkability-wise. will definitely have to grab a fresh one and re-review with differences. as it stands now, it's a very mediocre beer.

originally reviewed: 03-01-2011

Serving type: can

06-08-2012 01:47:46 | More by BostonHops

klkatz

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

appearance is a cloudy amber... perhaps unfiltered...

smell is good out of the can... citrusy, hoppy... strong

assertive... seems a little unbalanced, which is what I'd expect from an Imp. IPA... but amazingly balanced for a beer with 10% abv

MF - bitterness sits with you for some time like a good cigar.. .a sip every 90 seconds or so oughtta do it...

love Oskar Blues for their brotherhood in the craft beer industry... right on brothers... right on...

well done.

Serving type: can

06-08-2012 00:23:16 | More by klkatz

HoppySailor

Maryland

3.78/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

This was my first attempt at a canned IPA. I must say that my eyes have been opened and I am no longer a bottle snob.

Right to the facts.

12 ounce can poured into a New Belgium snifter. Canned on August 5, 2011. This one was well past the shelf life.

A- This was a beautiful IPA. Perfect orange color with a nice fluffy white head. The only reason this was not a 5 is that there was little/no lacing. I love it when an IPA makes a steady stream of bubbles from the bottom from start to finish. This one did not dissapoint.

S- TBH I did not smell much here. I smelled a slight note of citrus (orange peel and grapefruit mainly) and pine. I am on medication for a sinus infection though, so I rated this average on smell even though I thought it was rather weak.

T- Even with my senses dulled from medication, I could taste this beast. HOPS. HOPS. MORE HOPS. The Munich malt and Summit hops made this thing the most bitter IPA I have tasted. I cant imagine how bitter it would have been if it had been fresh. A little bit of pine and citrus with a slight malt backbone. Like DFH 90 without the sweetness. Left a strong bitter aftertaste.

M- Almost perfect. No mouth burn at all. No throat burn. Just smooth, creamy taste and feel.

O- I need a fresh one, but I really enjoyed this DIPA. It was my first can, and it wont be my last. To the people who slammed it here - I can't believe we had the same product. And mine was nine months in the can.

Serving type: can

06-05-2012 16:56:36 | More by HoppySailor

acevenom

Louisiana

4.78/5  rDev +27.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to EgadBananas for providing this can. Poured into a pint glass. Pours light, cloudy golden orange with a tall, creamy off-white head that retains very well. The head dissipates slowly, leaving some lacing on the side of the glass. Some lacing is left on the side of the glass during consumption. There are aromas of sweet malt and citrusy hops. There are some piney hops in the aroma as well. It's a very bright smell. The flavor is dominated by intense citrusy hops and sweet malts. Some of those bitter piney hops come in at the back end. The aftertaste is bitter, but pleasing. The body is full with adequate carbonation. It is smooth, but also thick and creamy. The drinkability is very high. Overall, this is an excellent beer and another great offering from Oskar Blues. Try this DIPA if you can find it or trade for it.

Serving type: can

06-04-2012 22:31:20 | More by acevenom

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.78/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a snifter glass.

Appearance: Slightly hazy amber with a tint of gold, whit head is slight thin coming off a hard pour maybe rising to maybe 1/4".

Smell: Very very light caramel smells good but very light.

Taste: Complex and probably the easiest tasting IPA if not "strong" beers I have had. Little floral taste with an after taste a bitter.

Mouth: Medium and easy to drink. Incredibly sticking after taste.

Overall: Bought this on a whim because I was so impressed with Oskar Blues G'Knight and this one falls a notch short. I really like it but they set the table with G'Knight the best way I can say it is this is Robin and G'Knight is Batman. Not a bad thing...drink up, Salud!

Serving type: can

06-02-2012 00:21:25 | More by BlurryVisi0n

Drinkerofales

California

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Cloudy orange gold with a huge light ecru head, that leaves tons of lacing and retains rather well.

Smells of pine and grapefruit, the barest hint of malt, and not just a bit of booze.

Tastes as well of pine resin, bitter pithy, grapefruit citrus, constant bitterness through out.

Feel is full bodied, and overly thick and viscous. While it is smooth, it has a sharper finish with a huge punch.

I enjoyed the canned version much more, as there is no vegetal aspect. G'Knight, however, is much better.

DOA

Serving type: can

05-30-2012 07:20:53 | More by Drinkerofales

herman77

Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Dark, dark yellow with a bit of orangish/amber. Fairly clear. Fluffy whit head. Pretty good lacing.

S: Sweet malt backbone with a bit of citrus and tropical hops. Then comes some herbal/earthy hops, onion and garlic! I'm guessing the nose has faded since this is from 11-17-11...

T: A bit of tropical fruits and sweet malts up front. Huge malt backbone on this. I have heard of people talking about onion in garlic in some IPAs before and this is the first time I've found it in an IPA. Its more on the backend, but it's there just a bit... Kind of strange, but good. Heard this can happen in a single hop beer. Not as hoppy as I thought it would be, but it's probably because of the age.

M: On the high side of medium, soft carbonation, feels nice and slick, almost creamy.

O: Not bad. Need to try this fresh since it's just over 6 months old. Pretty good drinkability considering.

Serving type: can

05-24-2012 00:55:58 | More by herman77