Duet IPA - Alpine Beer Company

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.26/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

a beautiful golden/copper pour with 3 fingers of bright white fluffy head giving off ridiculous amounts of lacing while slowly dissipating.. lots of visible carbonation. a really pretty looking beer. the aroma of hops is blowing my mind right now. from a foot or so away i get a huge hit of simcoe, the closer to the nose it gets, i get a nice piney/grapefruity scent.. lots of sweetness/caramel. the flavor is simcoe up front, totally. the second i put the glass down after the first sip, i start tasting sweet malt and start getting floral hop notes and light refreshing grapefruit like citrus. a very nice refreshing ipa and quite honestly very mellow on bitterness for the aromatic hop bomb it is! a lovely beer all around, really happy i got to taste some alpine brews finally. the mouthfeel on this is MADE for summer. highly carbonated, medium body.. refreshing, but not lacking on flavor one bit. this is a damn great ipa.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 00:32:55 | More by facundoCNB

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4.46/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Review adapted from notes taken 5/31/13

Big thanks to Goblinmunkey7 for sharing this bottle

Appearance: Golden copper with a slight chill haze - pours with a fluffy white head, fades quickly to a small cap, leaves a few streaks of lacing

Smell: Somewhere between absurd and mind-shattering - honestly, this smells like some kind of tropical fruit juice - explosive tropical notes, including pineapple, mango, tangerine, and ruby red grapefruit - straight-up hoppy resins and aromas, like sniffing a fresh packet of hop pellets - some light, pale, and caramel malts in the back - extremely clean

Taste: Hoppy, in an extreme way, yet not aggressively hoppy - absurd amounts of melon, pineapple, and tangerine - extremely fruity and juicy, yet not sweet - medium level of bitterness, spot-on for the style - some pale and caramel malts in the background, not particularly notable - very clean

Mouthfeel: Medium body, very smooth, adequate carbonation, could be a tad more crisp

Overall: Unrelentlessly awesome

This is one of the finest IPAs I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. It figures that it's so hard to get. This was American Craft Beer 2013 pre-fest beer #1. And honestly, it may have been better than anything I actually sampled at ACBF. Curse you, Alpine!

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2013 16:04:02 | More by angrybabboon

Ri0

Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to Chris for picking this up while visiting CA. Poured 22oz bottle into teku glass.

A - Pours a cloudy copper/orange with a thin half finder head. Not sure why there isn't more carbonation? Almost no ring remains after head is gone. Some lacing present.

S - Smell of citrus, grapefruit, and tropical notes. Floral and sweet bready malts are present.

T - Not quite on par with the aroma. Good floral, tropical and citrus flavors from the Amarillo hops. This has a nice sweet and bready malt backbone to even it out. It is not a big hoppy IPA by any means, which I like. Bitterness is minimal on the finish compared to others.

M - Carbonation is lacking in this bottle (age?). Light to medium body that is somewhat slick and oily.

O - I had higher hopes for this and I think age was an issue with this bottle (no date) after reading the other reviews. I can imagine what this is like fresh, but I didn't get that experience. It still was a great beer, but not world class. Would definitely like to try it fresh some day.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2013 21:44:50 | More by Ri0

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.53/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Alpine Beer Company - Duet IPA

Got this one thanks to a trade.

Look - Pours a slightly hazy orange to copper to amber with a small foamy head that dissipates quickly and leaves lots of lacing.

Smell - Aroma is grapefruit citrus and a hint of bready malt, but the hops take center stage.

Taste - Big grapefruit citrus punch that gently fades into floral and leaves a slight sweet bready malt.

Mouthfeel - Rests sour citrus and very dry. Great drinkability. It's actually a bit of a gulper from the dry element. Light and crisp. Slight stomach warmer.

Overall - This is one of those times where one dimensional is a compliment. Grapefruit citrus blast, no bull.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 16:41:08 | More by JMScowcroft

JohnG190

New York

4.68/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance - Beautiful clear gold with a white head that quickly dissipates to a thin wispy cap with nice lacing.

Aroma - redolent of citrus and flower petals.

Taste - spicy bitter hoppiness balanced wonderfully by a sweet malty backbone.

Mouthfeel - medium body with moderate carbonation. Finishes dry.

Overall - a very well crafted ale that is worth the trouble tracking down!

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 22:23:54 | More by JohnG190

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to KWMiles for the bottle.

Appearance: Slight chill haze on a dark gold/light copper color. Head is small and bright-white. Drops to a tiny wispy cap with a small collar. Splotches and spots of lacing.

Smell: Citrus, pine, and a slight spiciness. Loaded with tropical fruit. Solid malt backbone pushes some biscuit notes along with a slight caramel malt sweetness. Deeply floral, like.crazy flower petals. Almost perfume. Almost cotton candy in the back. Light pale maltiness as well.

Taste: A crazy blend of Amarillo spiciness coupled with a solid bready and sweet malt backbone. A bit of caramelized malt sweetness. Slight biscuit finish. Some lingering bitter pine needle. Oily with some hints of ruby red grapefruit. Some slight candied malt sweetness as well. Very mellow and balanced, like seriously. Some grassy notes. Crazy floral.

Mouthfeel: Mediumish to light body. Moderate carbonation. Nice and clean. Slightly dry finish.

Overall: We can sing the hits.

Another stellar Alpine beer. A damn drinkable IPA with enough west coast flair. So very drinkable and balanced. Winning.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2013 17:50:44 | More by Goblinmunkey7

EliotRosewater

California

4.79/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Poured from bomber into glass. Purchased direct from the brewery about 2 weeks prior to opening bottle.

A - Amber, golden hue. Very little head that quickly dissipates.

S - Citrusy, grassy hops. Beautiful.

T - Great malt to hop balance. Not overly bitter, but just enough to provide balance. Grapefruit up front with some herbal notes.

M - Not a ton of carbonation but just enough to do the trick. Otherwise, good mouthfeel.

O - One of the best IPA's I've ever had. I has this the day I picked up from the brewery and it was even better. Within a two week timeframe, the hop character subsided just a tad but this is still a killer beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 03:09:07 | More by EliotRosewater

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.64/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Beautiful hazy, golden-yellow with a big fizzy, frothy, bright white head. Good lace and retention.

S: So floral and juicy. Huge resiny hops. Like freshly bloomed flowers. Pretty sticky and pungent. Some pine and freshly cut wood. Every aspect of a hop you want to taste in an IPA. So well-rounded.

T: Even more amazing than the nose which I didn't think would be possible. So fragrant and floral. Fruity, juicy, citrusy, woody, resiny, piney. Everything! A delicate but full-flavored IPA that has so much to love about it. Unbelievable.

M: Perfect amount of carbonation with a perfect amount of dryness and perfect body and feel. Top notch. Amazing bouquet of flavors explode on the palate and leave a very pleasant taste.

O: Not much I can say other than I was blown away. I knew how great this beer was going in and I knew Alpine is one of the best when it comes to IPA's but this was a dream. So incredible.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 00:11:41 | More by Gatch

Hendry

Vermont

4.78/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Thanks to Thecherryman for making this Alpine bomber a reality, and a super fresh sample at that. Distribution is limited on Alpine, so getting a hold of these despite the 2012 increase in production is a chore unless you live in Southern Cali.

Pours halfway between a clear and cloudy off orange hue with a 1 finger soapy white head that lasts a few minutes, lacing is adequate.

The nose is very juicy in a tropical sense yet there is a distinct malt bill in there that prevents it from being an all out hop bomb. Pineapple,nectarine, and lime tones invite the first sip.
While Duet is a hop forward IPA, there is a terrific balance of bready malts in there with the tropical fruit juciness that just works, plain and simple.

Flavors are matched by the inviting nose: the Amarillo and simcoe hops are well chosen and put forth delicious flavors that are complex and multidimensional. Carbonation is lively and well suited for the style, sort of a medium body that is somewhat sticky and oily.

The aftertaste is pleasant, never bitter or boozy, and lets you know the hop selection was well thought out. Very highly recommended, Duet proves to be tough to acquire given their lack of distribution as are other Alpine offerings.This is a world class IPA I would be glad to drink again, and I am looking forward to the arrival of more Alpine varieties to taste and review.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 03:25:25 | More by Hendry

Cubatobaco

Virginia

4.56/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

My first Alpine beer

A - golden orange color with an 1/8" head and a lacing that slides and sticks to random portions of the glass. A good amount of carbonation flows upward through the hazy glass slow enough to count the bubbles from a single stream.

S - Loads if grapefruit up front, followed by a good amount of peach, tangerine and even banana. Hints of pine and other tropical fruits linger.

T - The taste echoes its aroma above. Pine and grapefruit are the major components of the flavor followed with malty sweetness, pineapple, and floral hop bitterness.

M - very smooth with a remarkable, lingering finish. Light carbonation and mouth coating.

O - Very balanced! It displays everything an IPA should be. This company is just getting started! I will look forward to all of their releases.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 00:43:26 | More by Cubatobaco

arfenhouse

California

4.46/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: Clear copper with white head. Good retention and some lacing.

S: Floral hops and peach upfront. Pineapple, oranges, and pine needles. A bit of sweet malt in the background.

T: Peach, pine, and tangerine. A small spicy hop in the middle. Ends with a small malt sweetness. Pine and tangerine aftertaste.

M: Medium bodied and medium carbonation. Could use some more dryness.

O: Reminds me of Sculpin sans dryness. Very good single IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 07:23:44 | More by arfenhouse

RaulMondesi

California

4.69/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Raul finds himself in glorious ecstasy. It may be called "Duet," but Raul is enjoying this bad boy solo, in his garden, and listening to the fountain as it blissfuly drips in peace.

A few days back, Raul went to the joint, the spot, the honey hole: Alpine (because he could). And ohhh goody gumdrops is Raul sure glad he did!

Like Cary Grant entering a train tunnel with Eva Marie Saint, this thing pops! A beautiful darkish orange haze is met by textures and flavor that would make a water-boarding seem like a day at Wild Rivers just to get to one. At first that initial zap! wasn't there, but Raul was quickly rest assured when he realized that this was a single. And just like Raul himself, Duet is single, sexi, and ready to mingle.

Hop on this! Hop on this good!

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 02:59:10 | More by RaulMondesi

edproctor

California

4.8/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A- pours a nice golden hue with a fingers worth of white creamy head.
S- fresh, juicy tangerines, ripe peaches, grapefruit zest, mango, and a nice light bready sweetness.
T- mimics smell, some pineapple in there too. Lots of fruit up front, followed immediately by that hoppy bitter punch in the palette.
M- medium bodied. Coats the tongue as it goes down, leaving a nice hop film over the palette.
O- this is a great beer! Everything I want from an ipa. Smooth, nicely balanced, and very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 09:04:57 | More by edproctor

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.26/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A-golden amber color with a nice white head and decent lacing

S-grapefruit, tropical fruit, pine, floral, hints of orange and slight sweetness

T-pineapple, grapefruit, malt, slightly sweet, floral, moderately bitter finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth

O-very nice IPA with a good range of flavors, in spite of the "duet", I prefer Nelson

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 13:12:03 | More by MDDMD

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.41/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to BeerThirty for the bottle. My first beer from Alpine. Tasted 20 March 2013.

Pours a very clear orange. A gentle pour to leave the yeast in the bottle, doesn't produce much head at all. What's there is white. Decent lacing.

Smell is great citrus and tropical fruit aromas. Big grapefruit, more on the sweet side than the tart. Juicy and full, nicely sweet beneath the hops. All together, it's smooth, well-rounded, and cohesive.

Taste is full of positive flavors, nothing off. Lately I've had a lot of IPAs where the most noticeable characteristics are negative, so even neutral would have made me happy. But there are lots of good things in here. Picks up where the smell left off, pleasantly but delicately sweet, like just the right amount of honey. A little tropical fruit layered on top, with just a soft twang of grapefruit rind bitter in the back. Balanced, leaning to malty, but with enough hops that I don't forget what it is.

Feel is exactly what it should be. Medium-bodied, just the right amount of stick, keeping the flavors around just as long as I want them to. Carbonation is spot-on as well. Tough to get much better.

This is a top-notch IPA. Balanced, a bit more malty than hoppy as IPAs go. But the malts and the hops are both excellent. And it's got enough fruity hops that I certainly can't complain about calling it an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 04:00:54 | More by zeledonia

AlexFields

Tennessee

4.23/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a medium amber color with a decent sized frothy white head.

Smells of big juicy hops--orange, peach, maybe some lemon and lime, even banana. Mmm.

Taste has more pine and bitterness, less sweetness and fruit, still a lot of citrus and peach. Some spice, some floral notes, mainly citrus.

Mouthfeel has very nice carbonation, pretty good feel overall. Very easy to drink.

Great IPA. 8.6/10

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 01:34:43 | More by AlexFields

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This beer poured out as a nice golden color with a massive foamy white head on top. There is a bunch of floating particles in this as well. The smell of the beer has a big hoppy fruit aroma. Some sweet pineapple and peach aromas make this beer really nice. The taste of the beer has a slight pine flavor with more fruit flavors like peach and grapefruit. The mouthfeel is smooth, nicely balanced and gently carbonated. Overall this is a very good IPA. Really enjoyed this.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 02:52:54 | More by Knapp85

SirBentham

California

4.71/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Appearance- A nice golden, orange color
Smell- Clean Floral and citrus notes.
Taste- One of the most balanced IPAs you can find. perfect amount of hops, citrus and bitterness.
Mouthfeel- Medium bodied and nicely carbonated.
Overall- This one of the better IPAs out there in my opinion. I prefer it over the Pure Hoppiness and Nelson.
This is a smoother, more balanced IPA. Maybe not the best for people that prefer heavy double or triple IPAs. This is one of my absolute favorites.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 21:47:54 | More by SirBentham

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.45/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to queens1130 for including this in along with my last box of Bruery RS stuff!

Beer pours a slightly hazy gold with a fluffy white head. It's got a really aromatic aroma that has both big floral and citrus notes with a light biscuity malt aroma backing it up. The flavor here is really excellent both the floral and citrus aspects of the nose come through very nice into the flavor, and the malt backbone is just enough to balance the flavor, but very minimal. It's got a little bit of sweetness up front and then has a nice bitter (but not too bitter) hoppy finish. This beer is exceptionally easy drinking! Mouthfeel is light-medium bodied with a really nice carbonation and something almost sticky about it - impressive. Overall, this is a damn good IPA from Alpine and one of the best single IPAs out there right now. It had been a while since I'd had it last and I'd forgotten just how good it was.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 00:26:55 | More by starrdogg

rlee1390

Indiana

4.48/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Translucent yellow orange, two finger head that barely leaves behind some lacing.

S-Lots of floral notes, some citrus. So much hops, but never seems overpowering.

T-Floral and citrus hops. Ends with a nice bitterness. Some toast/buiscit notes. Balance is amazing. The hops flavors are never overpowering.

M-Medium bodied, hop resins and nicely carbonated.

O-What an IPA. One of the best out. Not as good as Sculpin but still out of this world.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 16:32:30 | More by rlee1390

Drunk_And_Sarcastic

California

4.6/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass from a 22 oz bottle.

A - Clear light yellow to orange.

S - Grassy and floral hops. Lots of citrus. Some sweeter bready malts.

T - Starts with some amazing orange and grapefruit flavors from the hops. This fades to a lingering pine and resin taste. The middle has a nice amount of sweet malts, incredibly balanced.

M - Maybe a tad on the thinner side for an IPA. Still has some oily and sticky characteristics.

O - This an amazing IPA. Alpine are the masters of creating amazing IPAs. I would like to do a side-by-side comparison of Duet and Blind Pig as I feel they share a lot of similar qualities. Overall, this is a world class IPA that is easily in my top 10.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 03:06:33 | More by Drunk_And_Sarcastic

TWStandley

Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on NYE, poured from the bottle into a pint glass. Split with futureobrew.

Appeared a beautifully clear light orange/yellow color with a two finger paper white head.

Smell is phenomenal. Grapefruit, lemons, oranges, pine. Nice sugar/honey scents to back up the bitterness. Very fruity!

Taste is incredible. This is one of the most balanced "fruity" IPAs. Tastes like a fresh Florida grapefruit.

Mouthfeel is refreshing without being too thin. Alcohol is hidden. Bitter finish is backed by a nice malty sweetness.

Overall this is incredible, and I would take this over Pure Hoppiness any day. One of the best "single" IPAs I have ever had.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 23:39:06 | More by TWStandley

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

thanks to evilc for this awesome extra! thanks chris!

poured into cascade tulip.

Appearance: clear and glowing soft golden bodied beer. 1 finger of thick white head. Not much lacing to speak of and drops quickly to a thin ring around the glass.

Smell: Fruity, citrusy, grassy, and floral hops. Orange rinds, lemons, and peaches. Tropical fruits. Hint of resinous pine. I dont think this beer is brewed with rye, but I get a rye like spiciness in the nose.

Taste: Hop profile is mild to moderately bitter. Peaches, orange rinds and grapefruit notes upfront. A hint of fruity, grassy, tropical fruits, and floral notes in the middle of the beer. Just like in the nose I get a hinting of rye spiciness...yet again I dont think that any rye is used to brew this beer. The finish is full of pine, lemon and grapefruit rind. The finish seems to linger on for a long time and never becomes overbearingly bitter.

Mouthfeel: low end of a medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. This beer is really drinkable IPA. The ABV is not really apparent even at 7%. It honestly reminds me of an APA. The beer is really bright and refreshing. Carbonation is spot on.

Overall: The thing I love about this beer is that most IPA's beat you over the head with brutal bitterness. This beer has just the right amount of bitterness and big hop flavors without overdoing it. You can easily drink a whole bomber of this beer yourself. Really great complexity from this hop profile. This beer is like hop candy. I am a believer that Alpine has some seriously legendary hoppy beers. Duet is no exception to the statement.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 06:27:41 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

bomber into 2011 SAVOR. no bottled on date that i can see. brought back from the source.

A: bright, rich blond body. white head. tiny bubbles cling to the edge. head retention isnt great, nor is the lacing.

S: rich american hop aromas. cantaloupe. lime. sweet. vanilla beans.

T: starts fruity. but softly, not over the top citrus flavors or anything like that. more of a peach flavor. maybe some pears as well, but a soft peach would be the best way i could describe it. hardly any bitterness.

M: carb is a bit mellow in my opinion. wouldnt hate a bit more. the body is hardly medium. almost light. just so drinkable.

D: the best part. this stuff lacks so much in the bitterness component and just blasts with fruity hop flavor. totally refreshing and super drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 01:18:09 | More by Jimmys

zac16125

South Carolina

4.63/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

22oz bottle into a pint glass
no born on date but picked up from the brewery less than 1 week ago

A big thanks to harink for sending this one over in a trade!

A: Pours a crystal clear light straw color with just under 1 fingers width of bright white head that quickly dissipates down. Looks like a pilsner, so it loses points. Leaves tons of lacing though to win those points back.

S: Huge aroma. Tropical fruit sweetness with pineapple and mango, juniper and dank resinous pine, hints of lemon zest and orange rind. Hints of the sweet malt backbone. This is very well balanced, with a lot going on for a single IPA. Smells delicious.

T: Like the nose, there is a great balance of flavors. Sweet malt, juniper and pine, pineapple. Its dank, resinous, sweet and citrusy all at once. Faint piney bitterness lingers for a long time after each sip. Packed with flavor, yet so well balanced. Just excellent.

M/D: Very smooth and creamy for an IPA, coats the palate nicely. Medium body, perfect carbonation. Drinkability is great. Impressive mouthfeel for the style.

O: Overall, what a fantastic brew. Certainly one of, it not THE best single IPA Ive ever had. Seek this out, a must try. Very glad I got to try this and can't wait to try to Nelson thats sitting in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 15:42:48 | More by zac16125