Maharaja - Avery Brewing Company

MCain04

Illinois

4.29/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

22 oz bottle for $7 poured into a 12 oz Bell's Tulip.

A: Orange and fairly clear. Cream-colored 1 finger head with good retention and lacing.

S: Mostly tropical with strong mango, grapefruit, and orange, a little floral and pine notes tag along.

T: Citrus hops are present but malt character is quite apparent. No heat to speak of and the taste lingers well.

M: Thick and syrupy, but smooth with moderate carbonation. Not a very dry finish.

O: Hop aroma and taste was very good but too malty and syrupy to be great. Excellent overall, but not world class IMO.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 04:35:11 | More by MCain04

SerialHiker

Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pours a deep caramel brown and orange color…transparent, it looks filtered, I don’t see any sediment floating about…a thin layer of off white, mix of big bubble and small bubble head…it dies down a little to quickly, but swirling it around brings it back to life…(3.85/5)

Smell: Pineapple right off the bat, I could smell it while I was pouring…tons of light, zesty tropical fruit, orange, tangerine, mango…of course it’s back with mildly sweet caramel malts…tons of pineapple…it has a fresh and zesty aroma, very much hop forward…(4.25/5)

Taste: Hmm…sweet caramel malt beginning, comes in very smooth and creamy…the hops seemingly sneak up, first attacking the outside of my tongue with lemony citrus bitterness…real hops flavor and bitterness come very late, almost exclusively after I swallow…there’s a piney resinous taste that I definitely feel now, but can’t say I get when the brew is on my palate…I do get a touch of alcohol heat, but it does work well with the flavor…the mildly sweet, caramel malt last throughout the majority of the sip and really only fade in the after taste…as it warms, the malts do fade back a bit and the pineapple citrus/piney resinous hops flavor take more control bringing more fresh, citrus bitterness to the fore…a very malty I.I.P.A., but outstanding…(4.75/5)

Mouthfeel: Medium body, with medium to full carbonation…it does fluff up bring lemony citrus bitterness to the palate…chewy, smooth and zesty…tons of piney resinous bitterness in the after taste…(4.5/5)

Overall: This is an outstanding beer, one of the best brews I’ve had in a while…a great thing about living in Chicago is that we get great beer fresh…it’s really an underrated beer town, people around here love their craft brews…anyways, this is a fantastic brew that I was able to pick up in one of Chicagoland’s many Binny’s outlets…I knew it was fresh and wasn’t passing up the opportunity to try this renowned brew…in fact, I bought two and I’m glad I did, for the bottle says it’s “Extremely Limited”…I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I was willing to take my chances…turns out, I made the right call and will enjoy my second bottle with a friend…I couldn’t recommend this more, this brew is strong and flavorful and certainly lives up to the hype…get this beer fresh, drink cold and relax…(5/5)

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 18:23:26 | More by SerialHiker

Immortale25

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Dogfish Spiegelau glass. Label says Release No. 17 2013

A- Pours a clean copper color with a full two fingers of light tan head that retains for a very long time before eventually becoming a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a large bump of surface foam. Webs of lacing stick to the glass and stay there.

S- Somehow bright but earthy at the same time as far as the hop aroma goes. Piney, grassy but also with an equal amount of citrus. It's also quite musty with a toasty malt presence backing it all up.

T- Wonderfully balanced with the resinous hops playing the main role but the bitterness is kept in check wonderfully by the toasty malt. Somehow, the alcohol remains at bay as well with only the key flavors showing. Quite outstanding.

M- Very oily and slick due to the hops. Semi-bitey, medium carbonation and a body leaning towards the fuller side of things for the style.

O- It's been years since I've had this and I like it much better now that I'm more well acquainted with top-notch IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 04:54:00 | More by Immortale25

SlothB77

Virginia

4.54/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Bomber poured into a glass.

A: Dark gold, half a finger, not much lacing. It even looks smooth.

S: Lots of tropical fruits. Pineapple, passion fruit, grapefruit, orange. Just amazing tropical aromas here. Lots of florals.

T: Lots of tropical fruit. Just bursting with pineapple and grapefruit. Honey sweet and grassy dryness.

M: Medium-body, medium-low carbonation, medium acidity. No charred or burnt aftertaste. A slight syrupy smoothness.

O: Just an amazing beer. When i first smelled it, I had a really good feeling about it. This is why IPAs are my favorite type of beer.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

02-28-2013 01:18:44 | More by SlothB77

geoffpm

Massachusetts

4.59/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

The last time i tasted a Maharaja , i found it cloying and overly sweet but the new JAn 13 batch is amazing. Not a lot of citrus from the hops but a ton of forest floor.

Dark golden in color with a head that disappears quickly with little lacing .

Really bright bitterness on the first sip; then a lil sweet malt but not overpowering. Incredibly smooth then a the hops hit again. No sense of high alcohol even though it's over 10%.

I would love to try this on tap to see if it translates well to keg.

One of the best Dipa i have tried. Oh i wish I could get mercenary from Odell here in MA.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 20:43:29 | More by geoffpm

jmaharaj

Maryland

4.6/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Beautiful amber color with a bright orange glint. Head doesnt pour overly thick but seems lively and lingers. Absolutely wonderful aroma! Big grapefruit and citrus rind. Earthy tobacco notes, wet hay.Smells like a cirus orchard after rain. That grapefruit isnt just hints or notes its the whole fruit- rind, pulp, it smells like a ripe grapefruit was just cut. It smells somewhat thick on the nose. The malt doesnt do a whole lot for the aroma but the hop profile is so complex, from fruit to earth, spicy to damp, that is smells balanced.
Equally wonderful on the tongue. That grapefruit is as potent as promised, it engages the tongue while the earthy notes keep everything grounded (no pun intended). the malt is simple and sweet, but this beer doesnt need it to be much else.
Very good mouthfeel. Thick and oily, its coats the tongue.carbonation is noticable but not overly lively. As the beer finishes the overt flavors subside and for a moment the malt sweetens and then a vicious bitternous closes things down.
This is one of the best beers I have ever had.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 00:27:37 | More by jmaharaj

AdamHart22

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

22oz bomber into a tulip. Purchased by my wife because "it has a cool bottle."

A - a nice, deep, copper color. Resembles amber when held to the light.

S - little bit of booze up front. Grapefruit, mango, and other citrusy goodness. The nose has some depth to it and is quite pleasant.

T - Excellent. Really high quality. There is a lack of malt balance in the nose but the beer is extremely balanced and for a high ABV IPA its not too hop forward. Very well done.

M - None of that unpleasant overtly pine after taste. A bit too syrupy but I am being picky here.

O - I'm glad my wife liked the bottle! You can't go wrong with this IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 00:11:48 | More by AdamHart22

timc100

Illinois

4.84/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A: Clear dark amber with a super sticky cream colored head. Great looking beer

S: PUNGENT Huge sweet grapefruit and caramel. Ripe fruits - mango, pineapple, apricot. Incredibly vibrant tropical flavors.

T: Huge grapefruit/tropical fruit and caramel sweetness. Big bitterness at first, then balanced by rich sweetness. Incredibly rich and full - vibrant flavors and lots of complexity.

P: Huge! Sticky, chewy, smooth, full. Amazingly smooth

O: Just a huge imperial IPA, but a bit of an overload. I feel the nuances of the hops were lost in the malt overload - could pass as a hoppy american barleywine. Really enjoyed it, a bit too boozy

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 05:34:15 | More by timc100

mpedara429

Massachusetts

4.34/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured out a crystal clear amber color. Two fingers of fluffy off white head. Good lacing and retention.

S: Resiny pine, tobacco, grapefruit, pineapple, and caramel malt.

T: Boozy and has a hard bitter bite at the end. After sifting through bitterness and alcohol, notes of pineapple, biscuit, orange, and grapefruit can be found. Nice malt backbone.

M: Medium body with a lower than average carbonation for an IIPA. This one has got a slightly creamy body.

O: A very strong offering in the IIPA category. I think it has just a little too much bitter bite (it also is 102 IBUs), but I would definitely recommend this beer to any hophead because it has a very complex nose and taste.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 03:23:27 | More by mpedara429

nrs207

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Probably the best part about this beer, which isn't knocking it, but it really is a thing of beauty. A nice golden orange and on the darker side for a DIPA (although with how huge and malty this brew is I'm not surprised). Nice 1 finger creamy slightly off-white head. Leaves a decent lacing.

S - There are definitely some citrusy and piney hop smells, but I also get a lot of sweet malt to back that up. Light alcohol smell.

T - Again, sweet malty backbone to along with the initial bitterness and carbonation sting. I use sting as a good term. I enjoy it considering after it you get a nice hop flavor and sweet malty finish. Not a lot of alcohol taste, which I really appreciate for a 10.4% DIPA. I always find the high abv DIPAs to be incapable of hiding booze like stouts, but I've definitely had boozier stouts at this alcohol %. Really solid for a a balanced and maltier DIPA.

M - Nice and smooth. Good amount of carbonation, with a nice malty aftertaste that sits well. Still a fairly dry finish from the hops.

O - I think this is the one of the best DIPAs I've had that goes for balance. I can't get enough hops, and while this would seem like a devastating hop bomb to newcomers, it's more of a balanced take to the style in my opinion. I really do enjoy it because it's got a nice hop profile and a nice malt profile to go along with it. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 22:59:22 | More by nrs207

philerman

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Purchased a bomber on Superbowl Sunday and fridge-aged since then from Batch 17 (2013). ABV appears to be dialed up one notch (bottle says 10.4%). All the hype over Hopslam and I think this is every bit its equal, maybe a bit less fruity but has the same drinkability. Goes down easy and doesn't disappoint. A true winner from the Rocky Mountains and definitely in the rotation.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 22:00:26 | More by philerman

Anker13

District of Columbia

4.41/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2/16/13 Avery Brewing Company | Maharaja | 22oz Bottle

Appearance- brilliant deep copper, off white creamy head, lacing, beads of CO2

Aroma- The aroma is pleasantly subdued. Doesn’t smell like a hop-bomb, but it also doesn’t smell like a pushover. Dank hop aroma, earthy with a little pine, slight yeasty aroma, bready malt character as well

Mouthfeel- light co2, kind of oily and viscous, slightly coating, warming

Taste- Really well balanced, surprisingly malty. It’s a fairly complex DIPA, you brace for the bitterness but it never really hits you too hard. Earthy and piney hops make way for a juicy malt center, rounds out with another wave of hops.

Residual- Pleasant aftertaste, the right mix of sweet and bitter

Overall- This is unlike most DIPAs I’ve had. Not saying it’s the best one out there, but it carves out its own identity. Tough to really put my finger on what makes it unique. Perhaps it’s the interplay between the strong malty backbone and the light hearted bitterness. Thoroughly enjoying this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 23:19:10 | More by Anker13

Dope

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Release #17, 2013. So 3-4 weeks old-ish?

A: Pours a clear deep amber. Big fluffy light tan head. Head fades so slowly that I am honestly bored. 10 minutes go by and there's still 1/4 of the head left. Quite heavy lacing, some nice streaks and blobs everywhere.

S: Huge hops that I can smell before I even pick up the glass. Very resinous. Pineapple and grapefruit. Some pine, but it's the lesser hop aroma here. Lots of caramel.

T: More huge hops. Big wash of bitterness along with it. Again, grapefruit and resin. Pineapple much more subdued here. Bit of pine, more towards the middle. Malt is surprisingly decent, mainly bready with some decent caramel. Bitter grapefruit, resin and pine in the finish as the sweetness of the malt fades away. Mouth-coating hop oils, especially in the finish gives it a slick, oily sensation and it's also a bit drying.

M: Fairly heavy but the hoppiness breaks it up. As mentioned, oily with hops, particularly in the finish. Leaves a coating between sips.

O: Great DIPA. It's a big one for sure, both in hoppiness and in the malt. It's kinda like Devil Dancer light in a way (I don't know why that stood out in my mind but it did). Lots of big, sharp hop flavors and aromas and with a huge malt base to back it up. Honestly balanced pretty well but then again I am pretty neck-deep in hops most days. To a newbie it would probably be overpowering (I remember having this years ago, it was almost undrinkable). Great beer for the hop lover.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 04:43:03 | More by Dope

Beantownron

4.81/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Amazing IPA never disappointed by the maharaja. Always get the citrusy grapefruit notes and right upfront with the hops. finishes nice and dry.tasty as hell! love it! I give it an A + top 3 IPA's all time. Avery is quickly becoming one of my favorite breweries . it's like they can do no wrong.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 08:13:19 | More by Beantownron

tectactoe

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours a nice copper and amber color with some shockingly excellent clarity; a light beige, creamy, fine-bubbled head tops this one off and leaves little bits of lacing on its way down the glass. Big-time pine and citrus hits your nose right away; mild pineapple, grapefruit, orange zest. The hop profile is lightly peppery, piney, and leafy. As it opens up, it becomes more weed, dank, and pungent. The hop bill is met with an equally powerful malt bill; sweet, toasty, steely caramel and light brown sugar on the nose. Again, there are some light spices, mostly reminiscent of white pepper, floating around in the aroma.

The taste hits big with a uniquely pungent and sweet hop flavor, alongside a faint cinnamon and white pepper spiciness. Upon tasting, the hop profile seems to be a little more floral and perfume-like than the nose would have you believe. Caramel malts are present, and heavy at that, maybe almost too powerful for a DIPA. Sweet bread and butter also comes alive thanks to the hefty malt bill. There's a nice sharp bitterness brought in from the leafy hops, followed closely by a nice, counterbalancing sugar-coated grapefruit flavor. Little bits of citrus sift into the aftertaste with a dying leafy and floral flavor from the hops. Medium-thick body with middle of the road carbonation.

Decent DIPA, although maybe a tad overrated in my opinion. Little heavy on the malt, I would've liked to see a little more hop flavors jumping out, although the hop profile was pretty unique in its own right.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 23:31:11 | More by tectactoe

Honus1

Ohio

2.48/5  rDev -41.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Split a bomber with a friend. I have been looking for this for a while. Apparently in the wrong places. This one was bottled early in 2012. The look was there, but man was the nose off. The taste was worse. All the loads of hops that every raves about were all oxidized. Like a bad overhopped American barley wine. This was a drain pour. I will have to revisit a fresh bottle, then I will re-review. Lesson learned. Check the date before you buy!

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 18:57:59 | More by Honus1

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

A: Clear amber with one-and-a-half-finger, off-white, creamy, foamy head that lasted several minutes and left a nice film. Great lacing.

S: Caramel malt, heavy pine, and citrus.

T: Moderate sweetness and solid hop bitterness. Very malt forward and very hoppy at the end. Solid bitterness with a hint of alcohol. Floral and citrus hops.

M: Medium bodied with fizzy carbonation. Kind of thin.

O: This beer looks and smells phenomenal. It is balanced with a very bitter finish. The mouthfeel was a bit thin, but other than that, great Imperial IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 01:01:13 | More by SolipsismalCat

Joshpu

California

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a duvel glass.

A: Poured an amber looking color. About a finger of off-white head. Medium amount of carbonation, and the beer is clear. Nice lacing.

S: It smells like sweet citrus and piney hops. Smells just like a west coast IPA. Also a malty backbone, fairly sweet smelling.

T: At the front it tastes very malty but definitely getting the hop characteristics on the end. I get the citrus hop characteristics. Just a tad bit of alcohol on the end, more warming feeling than the actual alcohol taste.

M: Full bodied. Definitely a sipper. Honestly its more malty than it is hoppy to me. Pretty dry aftertaste though.

Overall its a good beer. I prefer less malty DIPA's but its still good. I think it fits the style pretty well. I really don't get alot of the alcohol. Pretty well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 08:07:16 | More by Joshpu

TheCondor

Missouri

4.4/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I was in the store picking up some sausages and ground beef to make chili. Been meaning to pick up this brew for a while now, finally did. Side poured with standard vigor from the bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance - Cool packaging, like the name behind the beer and for the series as a whole, the "Dictator Series." Cool concept. Pours a nice amber color, semi-transparent, with a one finger, mildly soapy white head. Lacing is excellent, retention is average.

Smell - One of my favorite parts of the beer. For a DIPA, this has an unusually strong malty, caramel nose to it. There are of course your piney, citrusy hops as you would expect, but the sweet malts really surprised me. Very good nose.

Taste - Much like the nose, very surprising indeed, in a good way. The strong sweet malts come first, washing the palate with a caramel flavor, while the hops do not make their appearance until towards the end of the drink. The hops are mildly bitter, floral, and there is an absolute dividing line between the malts exit and the hops entrance. Hell its like drinking two beers at once.

Mouthfeel - Nice alcohol burn, some hop bitterness sticks with you for a while. Fairly well carbonated. You can certainly tell, on the finish, this is a high ABV beer.

Overall - This is an excellent beer, a very unique interpretation of the DIPA style. I really enjoy DIPA's (or any of pale ale styles) that do not try to overwhelm the drinker with pure hop power, but actually have a flavor and balance to them. That being said, this beer, as I mentioned, is literally like drinking a strong malty beer combined with a DIPA. It has such good flavor. Highly recommended, will drink and buy again.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 21:03:32 | More by TheCondor

jvillefan

California

4.66/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: A beautiful golden yellow body with a nice thick ivory white head.

S: Plenty of citrus in the front of the nose but not over powering. There is subtle but balanced caramel on the finish.

T: Great and rare balance in a high ABV IPA. There is a citrus/grapefruit flavor on the front and then it seamlessly transitions to a subtly sweet caramel and toffee finish.

M: Amazing there is both great carbonation and body. Spot on.

O: Great beer. Well worth the price. Get this beer if you are a fan of IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 16:22:30 | More by jvillefan

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

3.88/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

June 2011 Bottle

Appearance: Looks like an imperial to me. Amber with a 1 finger white head and some lacing.

Smell: Strong, sweet, caramel malts upfront as would be expected for an IPA aged this long.

Taste: Malty, malty, malty. I didn't realize this was LAST year's batch until after the fact and oh, boy. I'm sure this tastes totally different/better fresh. It's not awful, but the hop presence is pretty much nihl at this point.

Mouthfeel: Not the most exciting feel but considering this is an old batch I'm not gonna crucify it.

Overall: Have to try a fresh one this summer and re-evaluate. Still not awful by any means, but there are several aged imperials I can think of that I prefer to the taste of this.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 02:58:00 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

DRyan

Texas

3.74/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Served at about 50 degrees in a Ranger Creek tulip

A: Ruddy orange with a strong white head that recedes semi-slowly and laces really well
S: Hoppy up front, piny and a little citrusy, with a strong malty sweetness in the background
T: Hops hit you right away with a strong bitter kick, followed by a bit of that sweetness from the nose. The aftertaste is all hops and some alcohol burn. Could be a bit sweeter to balance the extreme hoppiness.
M: Smooth, with really really fine carbonation that tingles the mouth.
D: Not bad. Could be a bit more balanced, could hide the alcohol better, but overall a very nice IIPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 02:05:20 | More by DRyan

Yoda22

North Carolina

4.89/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- Crystal clear copper with 2 fingers head and some light lacing.

S- One of if not the best beers i've ever inhaled. It's like they immersed a Christmas tree and a bunch of citrus/mango into it after fermentation. As it warms up you get a little sweeter/boozy character but it's pleasant not overpowering.

T- Just an amazing taste with plenty of malt to balance out the huge hop presence (and over 10% ABV). Bitter and sweet at the same time, very piney. A little alcohol bite at the end is the only thing that took me from a 5 to a 4.75 but really at 10% is that even fair?

M- Smooth, balanced, light...a little creamy. Coats the mouth well. What's not to like?

O- This is in my top few beers of all time. Had it once a year ago on draft and loved it (but it was 3 beers in and I didnt get a chance to review it). Had to wait a full year to get it again (make it seasonal Avery!). Well worth the wait. GET. THIS. BEER.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 22:13:31 | More by Yoda22

EkimGram

New York

4.85/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance: 22oz bottle poured into a large snifter. Colour is a translucent orange-brown. Small head fades very quickly to an extremely thin layer. The beer turns opaque as it settles. No visible carbonation.

Smell: Aromas in general are strong; floral and citric hops, sweet and bready malts, barley, and alcohol mixed with some spices.

Taste: Incredibly balanced flavours of piney hops, strong sweet malts, a sweet taste of brown sugar or nutmeg, and a warming alcohol bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, velvety texture, strong carbonated bite, finishes sticky.

Overall: The balance is simply amazing. This brew succeeds in having a strong hop flavour but is perfectly balanced by the malts. Delicious, strong, and very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 05:11:19 | More by EkimGram

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review adapted from notes dated 3/12/2011.

Appearance: A mild haze on a deep orange, pushing amber, colored beer. Head is fluffy, creamy, and maintains a decent size for a minute or two. Drops to a small, rocky, loose, cap and fluffy collar. Big sticky lacing.

Smell: Big on hops, big on malts. Big attempt at balance? Hops are oily, loaded with pine, some minor herbal and floral notes. Mint pushes through as well. Some tropical notes (pineapple mostly). Malts are sweet, pushing caramel, and carry a big toasted element as well. Big sweetness is only slightly tempered by the crazy oily hops.

Taste: Aggressive snap of oily pine up front. Big notes of citrus mingle with the tropical elements. Vaguely hay-like and grassy, with an underlying herbal component. More of that mint. Big alcohol kick throughout keeps the beer warm and a little sharp. Very sweet. Big caramel and biscuit malt flavors coupled with a solid toasted element make for an interesting malt backbone. Balanced in that extreme way. Both elements are so far to either side they almost hit middle, which barely makes sense.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and slightly creamy with a drying finish from the alcohol. Body runs perfectly medium with a slightly higher carbonation than I would expect. It doesn't hurt, but it doesn't help.

Overall: This beer attempts to subjugate your tongue with mixed results.

A huge beer with just not enough overall balance to really shine. Aggressive malt and hop profiles are often at war and come out a little worse for the wear. Individually the components are great, but together they just don't mix and leave me a bit confused, but not unhappy.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 18:53:56 | More by Goblinmunkey7