Duet IPA - Alpine Beer Company

Duff27

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Little less than an inch fall white head. Body is a bright light orange, very clear. Lots of effervescence. Good lacing.

Bright piney citrus here in the whiffs.

Floral hops, very refreshing. Nice malt backbone, drink ability is high.

Medium mouthfeel. Carbonation blends well with this beer.

Pretty good Ipa here, very drinkable. Hats off to Alpine. Thanks kawilliam82.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 23:43:34 | More by Duff27

coldriver

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bomber purchased at the brewery April 6 (yes it was a very Good Friday!) pours a clear medium amber with decent head and lacing. Aroma is thick resin grapefruit, pineapple, and bready malt. Taste is a nice subtle blend of all sorts of fruits - grapefruit, peaches, apples, lemons, etc nicely balanced by the malt. Mouthfeel is fairly light carbonation which is a good thing considering the flavor subtleties, with dry finish. Overall is high quality IPA from a high quality brewery.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 02:27:52 | More by coldriver

rawfish

California

4.1/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours stunningly clear copper hue. Very small half finger of white head from a smooth pour. Tiny wisps of lacing on the glass with below average retention for the style.

Full wholesome bready malt with a touch of sweetness cloaked with a steady orange citrus and pine hop aroma. Pretty standard stuff here for a west coast ipa. Nice and attractive but certainly not different.

Malt lightens up considerably here to provide less of the bread to almost a delicate wafer flavor. Pine, sandalwood and floral hops, very uplifting. After the drink there is a distinct bitterness that dries and vanishes nicely along with some alcohol.

Light on it's feet, this one floats like a butterfly w/o the sting from the bee. Carbonation is there but compliments the drinkability as does the body. Bitterness and alcohol all but disappear from the palate leaving you ready for the next draw. It can't get any better than this.

This ipa grows on you the more you drink it. A finesse fighter with perfect balance and feel. Doesn't throw hoppy haymakers but draws you in until you submit. Alpine really knows how to craft a hoppy beer, meticulous and expertly built.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 02:48:41 | More by rawfish

sweemzander

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz. bottle poured into a nonic. Thanks to Shane for the bottle!

(A)- Pours a clear bronze color. Produced a nice cap of white froth. Good retention. Good lacing too.

(S)- A bright and fresh citrus profile. Pineapple, lime, lemon, and even some grapefruit. Subtle pine, but otherwise just a bright citrus zest of a profile.

(T)- A bit backwards to the smell. More woody pine in the taste. Not as bright of a citrus profile than the smell was either, but it is still there.

(M)- A good carbonation level. A nice balance too, though clearly not as vibrant, crisp, or fresh as the smell was.

(D)- Definitely an above average IPA, though it was a bit of a letdown when the smell was so great, but the rest of the beer failed in comparison. Nonetheless, a solid IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2012 22:41:44 | More by sweemzander

Murrhey

Montana

3.45/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured on-tap at Alpine Beer Company in Alpine, CA. Reviewed from notes.

A- Thin white head. Low retention rate and no lacing. Pale golden color with high clarity.

S- Heavy citrusy hops. Grapefruit, pine and other light smells. Several kinds of hops detected.

T- Hop-forward, bitter and citrusy. West coast IPA for sure.

M- Thicker feel for an IPA, smooth.

O- I found it to be a slightly above average West Coast IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2012 22:38:16 | More by Murrhey

quirkzoo

Colorado

4.4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to ehammond1 for tossing this one in.

Pours a light golden color with 1 finger of fluffy white head. Boom, the aroma is all over the place. Some definite grapefruit and tropical fruits up front with just a touch of pine behind it. I was expecting more pine from the simcoe hops but this one is very well balanced. The fruitiness really opens up on the nose as the beer warms up, I start to get some peaches and apricots after a while. The taste is more of the same with tons of oily citrus fruits balanced with just enough malt for a dry bitterness and a smooth mouthfeel. Overall a great westcoast IPA, everything I have had from Alpine has been top notch and this one is no different.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 15:04:17 | More by quirkzoo

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.16/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

22oz bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a clear golden color with two fingers of dense white head.

S: Citrus and floral hops mix very well together to create a nice hop aroma. Bready malts and a touch of caramel help balance the hops.

T: Hop flavor is quite strong, floral hops are now strongest with an underlying citrus flavor that goes very well with a dry, yet slightly bready malt base. I really enjoy how the floral hops mix with citrus. There is a sweetness to help balance, but the beer remains fairly dry. Bitterness is kept fairly low.

M: Medium thickness with low, creamy carbonation.

O: A very nice IPA. The floral hops are quite nice and an underlying citrus flavor goes well with a low bitterness and moderate sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 14:57:16 | More by coreyfmcdonald

crossovert

Wisconsin

4.88/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

650ml bottle.

It pours a deep gold with hints of orange and a foamy white head.

The smell is unique for an IPA I think and I really enjoy it. There is a lot of tropical fruit, specifically papaya, which I hate the taste of but love the smell of. It has this deep vinous characteristic with white grapes. This smell goes perfectly with the warm weather outside.

The flavor is just refreshing and thirst-quenching. Tons of green grapes in the flavor along with tropical fruit hints with pineapple and passion fruit, and an assload of citrus. I love these two hops, just love em. There isn't too much acidity though which lends it to being even more spectacular. The malt backing is subtle and the bitterness is medium.

I have had single hop brews of both of these varieties, but put them together and you get this absolute beast.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 04:36:41 | More by crossovert

spicelab

Australia

4.4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber with big thanks to BdubleEdubleRUN.

Near translucent golden honey, uncharacteristically light for an IPA, with a large porous white head that drops over a few minutes with some snail-trail lacing and a slightly raised ring. Quite a fast bead.

Dank and zesty aromas of sweaty grapefruit, candied tangerine, rockmelon, green waste and pineapple sharpened by snappy, floral tones. Very smart.

Similar tropical goodness receives a spicy, herbal twist before transitioning seamlessly into a dry, spearminty bitterness. Classy.

Light but zingy carbonation feeds the medium bitterness nicely, which coats the palate while being anything but harsh. Awesome.

Running out of superlatives for this brewery. Another IPA that pretty well epitomises skilful brewing and execution. Works on every level.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 11:00:10 | More by spicelab

silentjay

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a glowing copper with a slight hop haze and a sizable almost white head that sticks around for a while and laces very well.

very hoppy aroma with plenty of peppery spice and a floral characteristic balanced with the bitter citrus and pine. a slight malt sweetness lies behind that, but barely makes its presence known in the aroma.

definite simcoe flavor of grapefruit mixed with pine. behind that comes a bit of an herbal/spicy/floral flavor. a good dose of bitterness arises and some tropical fruit flavors mix with the malts to contrast with some sweetness. a pretty diverse array of flavors.

medium bodied with some prickly carbonation and a touch of resin left behind with a slightly astringent aftertaste left behind on the palate.

I enjoyed it. Not as much as I had hoped, but a beer I would definitely drink regularly if available around here.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 06:54:31 | More by silentjay

jegross2

Illinois

4/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewing the Duet IPA from Alpine Beer Company. Alpine and Kern are quickly emerging as Russian River's biggest threat to steal their crown as the top producer of west coast IPA's.
Score: 90

I received this beer as part of a trade in early January 2012 courtesy of BeerAdvocate user LieutenantSours (thanks for the hookup!). No freshness or bottling date, which is always a dangerous proposition for IPA's. Served in a Surly Darkness snifter and enjoyed on 02/21/12.

Appearance: Pours a bright golden honey color that falls somewhere between translucent and transparent, but closer to translucent. There is some flaky sediment floating around, but not nearly as much as there was with the Alpine Nelson. Two-plus fingers of off-white soapy head at pour gradually and penultimately settles into a thin foggy layer atop the glass for awhile, ultimately settling into a thin ring around the glass. Excellent lacing (oily and frothy), excellent retention. 4.5/5

Smell: Tons of bright tropical citrus aromas here. This beer is quite odorous; I could smell it very clearly while pouring it. Fresh apricot, grapefruit, pineapple juice, and mango dominates the complex and slightly floral citrus element of the aroma. Behind the citrus is earthy "dark" pine tree smell and "sticky" pine sap resin. A little spice is mixed in there too. This one really gets my olfactory system running. 5/5

Taste: Very malty and oily hops flavor. Much maltier and more balanced than expected given the nose. Perhaps at nearly 50 days old, this one is past it's freshness prime. That would certainly explain the lack of hoppiness and bright citrus on the palate. Nonetheless, this beer is still tasty and refreshing (unlike some of the other, older IPA's that I have had). Malty orange juice, creamy pineapple, earthy pine, and mellow hoppy bitterness. Finishes and lingers with a moderately bitter "fresh pine" and flat orange citrus flavor that reminds me of a super mellow Heady Topper type flavor. The finish/linger is really interesting, but maybe I am over-thinking this one. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus bodied, medium-plus carbonation. Very smooth and super oily mouthfeel. Mellow bitter finish. 4/5

Overall: A very solid tasting and excellent smelling single IPA. I will have to try and get my hands on another bottle and drink it fresher once my cellar dwindles down. I really should have consumed this one a month ago when I had the Half Acre Daly Double.

Recommendation: A much more balanced IPA than most, with a robust IIPA-like aroma. Unless you are completely averse to hops, seek this one out.

Pairings: Steak served with caramelized onions.

Cost: $11.99 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 02:00:17 | More by jegross2

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle: Poured a light amber color ale with a super large white foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma consists of pure lupuline with floral notes of citrus and grapefruit. Taste is also dominated by some of the most delicate floral hops aromas I have encountered with fresh citrus notes. Malt base is dry and although discernable doesn’t take away any attention from the hops profile. Body is about average with good carbonation. Those guys are probably my favorite IPA brewers.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 19:18:56 | More by Phyl21ca

OTB

California

5/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

From my haul last week at Alpine. Super fresh having just been bottled. Pours a beautiful yellow orange with a nice one inch thick pale white thick head that clings to my glass leaving intricate lacing as I sip down. The nose is a tropical fruit salad in a glass, mango and pineapple and lemon lead the way before being chased down by the super intensity of the Simcoe and Amarillo hop explosion, just amazing nose. Flavors of tangerine, mango, grapefruit and lemon peel attack the tongue with a balancing act from the malt to deliver an amazingly balanced brew. The mouth is crisp, refreshing and lively from the perfect carbonation, it begs to be gulped, but don't, nurturing this brew brings out a plethora of Flavors and complexities for those who sip. I am an unabashed Alpine head and am in San Diego on a weekly basis on business so I am fortunate to drop in for lunch and refills and get to try a lot of Alpine beer. This along with Nelson, Pure Hoppiness and Exponential Hoppiness are world class ales that I hope all BA folks get a chance to drink at least once.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 01:29:13 | More by OTB

CliffBrake

New Hampshire

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

Thanks to breaks808 for the hook-up.

Bright orange color with very fine carbonation that produces only a very small head, even with an aggressive pour.

Mild citrus and biscuit aroma - inviting and complex but not substantial. The taste however has layers and layers to wade through - papaya and other tropical fruits, grapefruit, pine, with just the right malty backbone to provide balance but not detract from the hops.

Elegant mouthfeel as is typical of Alpine IPA's - refined and pretty. Overall this is an awesome IPA - one I would be glad to have regular access to. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 13:35:02 | More by CliffBrake

PatrickSwayze

California

4.83/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Very clear light light orange with a long ass lingering froth dome. Poured from a bomber

S: Gorgeous citrus notes that are crisp and cunning like a JCVD spinning jump kick. 

T: A wonderfully deep complex hopped up IPA that works so damn well. Oh man its really just so damn good. Badass citrus notes of lemon with a light vanilla tone on the back end.

M: Not extremely dry like other IPA's I've had but this one just seems to full perfectly drinkable.

O: An amazing IPA like all the others from their lineup. A must have. 

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 04:16:44 | More by PatrickSwayze

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the brewery.

Dark gold, nearly clear beer with a fluffy white head and tons of sticky lacing.

Heavily aromatic; big citrus and dank, resinous pine. Orange fruitiness. Noticeable sweetness and a pungent bitter punch.

Citrus, pine, strong bitterness abounds. Lots of orange, pineapple and grapefruit. Just a touch of sweetness and a subtle underlying maltiness playing a supporting role to the wonderfully fresh hop flavors.

Medium-full bodied, medium carbonation, feels smooth, creamy, and rounded. Crisp finish as well. Top notch.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2012 18:25:37 | More by tobelerone

pperrecone

California

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

poured a nice bright golden yellow.

smells of dank pine followed by nice tropical citrus fruit.

Taste is super on point dank pine and lots of tropical fruit. nice balance of hop bitterness and malt. defiantly a west coast IPA. not just a bitter over hopped beer but a nice complexity of hop layers of flavor. Pat knows hops and how to use them.

Body is nice and dry.

Overall this is one the best IPA out their. Thank God I live in SD so I can drink this year around.

Serving type: growler

01-17-2012 06:57:46 | More by pperrecone

bashiba

Iowa

4.33/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a deep golden yellow a touch cloudy with a nice light sticky white head.

The smell is very nice, classic simcoe, big citrus and fresh green hops with a bit of pine.

The flavor is very fresh hopped, nice green and citrus flavors, light bit of biscuity malt comes through as well. Clean, and surprisingly not bitter.

The mouthfeel is smooth, creamy, and resiny.

Very nice, a great hoppy IPA without emphasizing bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 23:20:52 | More by bashiba

Blakaeris

Iowa

3.8/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours hazy golden yellow with a creamy head that slowly dissipates to a thin soapy sheen.

Aroma is rich orange and grapefruit, along with a good bit of piney hop.

Taste is grainy toasted malt with hints of brown sugar. Then the pleasantly fruity hop quality steps in. Finishes relatively sweet with only a mild piney hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with some hop oil slickness.

Overall a pretty tasty IPA. Plenty of dry hopping to create a fantastic nose.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 23:20:35 | More by Blakaeris

tjkinate

Texas

4.15/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I love this little west coast brewery!

A: 2 fingered white foamy head that displays great retention and lacing atop this completely transparent golden bodied brew.

S: A bit subtle, sweet candied malts are at the forefront and are followed by floral citrus notes.

T: Toffee flavors are nice, but more sweet than I usually look for in the style. The hops make a return and really help balance the beer on its way out with tropical fruits and citrus flavors.

M: Well carbonate leaving a crisp feeling following each tasting.

O: Another great entry from one of my favorite breweries.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 02:23:53 | More by tjkinate

peacebone116

California

3.98/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a 650-mL bottle at the brewery and drank a week or so later, 8/22/11, from a tulip glass.

A: Slightly hazy light orange with nice finger of cream colored head.

N: Pine, orange, and a slight hint of sweet onion.

T/M: Earthy floral bitterness hits first. An accompanying light malt flavor offsets this with just the right amount of sweetness. The mouth feel is oily, with a light to medium body.

This is an excellent beer with a interesting hop profile; very unique. It is crisp and clean and quite delicious.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 00:36:13 | More by peacebone116

bonkers

New Jersey

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

I was lucky enough to get this in this years secret santa. I poured from a bomber into a SA perfect pint glass, deep orange pour with a very big white head, some lacing. Lots of fresh pine and citrus on the nose. The beer is piney and has notes of grapefruit, and tropical fruit. It finishes with a light lingering bitterness. The body is medium, above average carbonation. A very good IPA, lived up to the hype.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 11:20:47 | More by bonkers

merc7186

New York

4.03/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Id like to thank TRODERSARK for this beer.

I had this beer poured from a bomber into a pint glass.

A: Golden Straw Hue with continuous bubbles from bottom, Extremely Foamy White Head (even after I ate some of it, it headed back up more), Passes Most Light, Good Foamy Lacing.

S: Floral, Piney, Mild Citrus

T: Floral, Mild Citrus, Mild Malts

M: Too Much Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Bitter

Overall, a great IPA with a nice taste but way too much carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 03:21:37 | More by merc7186

jdhende

Illinois

4/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a very nice golden orange

S: Citrus and spicy hops hit you upfront. The bottle states that Amarillo and Sincoe hops are used.

T: Similar to the smell has lots of citrusy flavors too it such as grapefruit and mango. Very hoppy which I enjoyed, but finished really bitter for my taste.

M: Really dry taste that lingers.

O: A nice beer which I was happy to get the chance to try. Very drinkable for the ABV just a little too bitter for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 02:33:52 | More by jdhende

Jayli

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Acquired from mthomas84 via SS '11 so a big THANK YOU goes out to him! This puppy has been on my wants for over a year.
Poured in to a pint glass
And celebrating my birfffday!

A: This beer pours a translucent gold color with a one finger of white head. Head recedes somewhat quickly and leaving minimal spots of lacing on the glass.

S: Nose is big grapefruit and pine with an undercurrent of caramel malts.

T: Taste starts with a lot of spicy pine notes. Mango, tangerine, and pineapple come in. And under current of caramel gives a sweetness throughout. Grassy notes come in before a big wave of grapefruit zest hits.

M: Medium body, medium carbonation, oily and slick body.

O: Goes down easy, very tasty, not too filling, well hidden kick, very nice representation of style. I've been chomping at the bit to try some of these Alpine brews and was NOT disappointed!

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 03:20:58 | More by Jayli