Third Voyage Double IPA - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

StoneTSR

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

APPEARANCE: A nice lighter mahogany color with a fluffy white head that receded at a slower rate than most do, but didn't last forever as I have seen from some beers with such a nice head to start out. Lacing is caked on to the back of the glass, covering a good 65% of the back of the glass.

SMELL: Some caramel hides behind a pretty big, bitter hop aroma. A hint of pine and other woody flavors creep in as well.

TASTE: Wow. I was not expecting much, but this is a pretty tasty DIPA. A lot more pine and caramel on this one than I expected given the nose and the bitterness is just right, building as the glass fades away.

MOUTHFEEL: A nice stickiness, but with a decent, tickling sparkle to keep it from being too mouthcoating. A sweeter start with a dry finish really make this feel as well balanced as it tastes.

OVERALL: A fairly impressive offering from Sam Adams. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one going in, but I am pleasantly surprised and will certainly reach for this one again at some point in the future if they brew it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 06:40:50 | More by StoneTSR

jbarletto

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%

05-18-2013 14:50:36 | More by jbarletto

Ajlvt

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +8.7%

05-18-2013 11:46:54 | More by Ajlvt

guzzleacoldone

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%

05-11-2013 01:19:28 | More by guzzleacoldone

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.86/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle purchased from BevMo in Menlo Park, CA.

Pours a lovely clear deep amber-gold colour, with a full, fine and persistent head of creamy-white. Lacing is steady, thick and rich. Body has some weight behind it, very pleasantly, with some large-bubbled carbonation. It looks very good indeed, what a good DIPA should look like.

Nose is a little weak: soft, leafy hop characters cradling a structured malt presence, reasonably well put together, but not particularly strong or aromatic. There's some baked bread aromas, some lemon and rosewater from the hops and a faintly sharper herbal or peppery note. It's all quite pleasant, and reasonably well balanced, but it's just not that exciting.

Taste is similar. Very nicely balanced malt and hop characters are nonetheless muted, leaving a ghostly impression of bitterness and richness without actually creating much in the way of true full flavours. Light, biscuity tones, oily bitterness that fades quickly, some leafy, slightly herbal vapours on the finish. Feel is smooth and light: pleasant.

Look, this is a nice beer, and maybe I'm just an idiot for wanting a Double IPA to punch me in the face from start to finish—but I do believe that's what a DIPA should do. This is well-structured, pleasant and easy drinking, but compared to the most flavoursome examples, this feels a little banal.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 00:15:15 | More by lacqueredmouse

eulerthegrape

California

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%

05-10-2013 16:00:33 | More by eulerthegrape

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%

05-10-2013 15:22:24 | More by twenty5

clay23

New York

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%

05-09-2013 01:23:18 | More by clay23

dalepryor

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev -11.7%

05-07-2013 20:40:08 | More by dalepryor

Herky21

Iowa

2.75/5  rDev -25.3%

05-05-2013 16:11:45 | More by Herky21

Ernest78

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +8.7%

05-05-2013 00:06:04 | More by Ernest78

ALLMUCH

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -18.5%

05-01-2013 04:36:11 | More by ALLMUCH

FliryVorru

Alabama

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%

04-29-2013 17:51:40 | More by FliryVorru

Celtics76

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%

04-25-2013 17:58:35 | More by Celtics76

davemathews68

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%

04-23-2013 14:53:41 | More by davemathews68

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%

04-23-2013 06:17:09 | More by Kelp

Mattyb79

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%

04-22-2013 14:36:15 | More by Mattyb79

mgroothuis

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%

04-22-2013 01:39:05 | More by mgroothuis

argock

Virginia

3.31/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a 22 oz brown bomber into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass. No obvious freshness date. Purchased at Wine Warehouse (Charlottesville, VA) for $7.99.

A: Crystal clear medium-amber with 3-finger off-white tightly bubbled head with decent retention and clingy lacing all down the glass.

S: The aroma is floral but weak. There are some minor grapefruit and honeysuckle aromas. I smell almost as much caramel malt as the hops.

T: The flavor fits the "balanced" DIPA category, but the hops presence is still not what it needs to be, as it is characterized mainly by bitterness without a lot of hop flavor. There are flashes of honeysuckle, lemon peel, grapefruit, and herbal/grassy notes, but the main flavor is moderate bitterness combined with fairly sweet caramel maltiness. Not cloying but pretty heavy crystal malt contribution. Almost drinks like an extra big red ale rather than a DIPA as there is a bit of toastiness to the flavor. Needs less crystal malt and more committed dry hopping for aroma and some flavor to move it off of average for me.

M: Pretty slick and dry in the feel with active, moderate carbonation and medium body at most. Does drink light.

O: Just a ho-hum effort in the DIPA category from SA. Underhopped and overly sweet. Not really what you are looking for in the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 04:28:25 | More by argock

secondtooth

Indiana

3.31/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Rich amber, with a huge head of off-white suds. Thick walls of lace. Nice!

Nose is crisp citrus hops all the way. Not bad, but not remarkable, either.

Taste is strong -- with plenty of acid and bitter notes. I get more citrus and pine tones, but there's also a thick malt backbone, balancing this big beer out somewhat, though it's still heavy on the palate. Alcohol bite is evident at finish, as well.

Solid IPA here, but not one I'd return to.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 12:57:09 | More by secondtooth

dertyd

California

4/5  rDev +8.7%

04-20-2013 07:28:10 | More by dertyd

Hardcore

Hawaii

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%

04-18-2013 01:11:28 | More by Hardcore

SloppyJoeWasAMan

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%

04-14-2013 20:13:44 | More by SloppyJoeWasAMan

jmgault1

California

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%

04-14-2013 05:57:31 | More by jmgault1

alex_hart

Massachusetts

3.08/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

appearance: dark auburn with a half finger head and good lacing throughout.

Smell: bitter hops, sweet malt, spice, and something wierd I cant put a finger on. A little off-putting.

taste: much of the same with alot more of the sweet malt coming through at the front and hopps coming through at the back of the tongue.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied with a slightly oily linger.

Overall: this is alright, but not really what I was hoping for with this style. Not a huge recommend.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 03:38:39 | More by alex_hart