Unearthly (Imperial India Pale Ale) - Southern Tier Brewing Company

lackenhauser

Maryland

4.8/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Great orange color to this beer. Sizeable head when poured. Spilled a bit and it feels like a sticky mess. Big ole hop aroma-resiny and piney. A huge blast of malt and hops in the flavor. A real tongue stripper of hop bitterness. Syrupy sweet, malt body to it. Just a great balance between the two. Extremely citrus like. Great body. No trace of 11% here. A very agressive, hoppy beer and done damn well. Along the lines of Moylans Hopsickle. A great blast of hops, malt and beer all around.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2007 02:34:38 | More by lackenhauser

CDBeerDisappear

Ohio

4.8/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Not a lot of difference between the bottled and draft versions. Nice amount of head and good lacing. Aroma is typical of a DIPA. But he taste is out of this world. If you love DIPA’s like I do and haven’t tried this one do yourself a favor and get this. You WILL NOT be disappointed. This beer lives up to its hype.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2008 23:35:13 | More by CDBeerDisappear

srobertson59

Ohio

4.8/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 oz. bomber into a snifter:

A - Pours a crystal clear amber/orange with a very small head. Sheets of sticky lace form instantly.

S - Huge blast of citrusy hops to the point of smelling juicy! A small amount of dark fruit sweetness lingers after the hops.

T - Oh Wow! This has got to be one of the most balanced IIPAs that I've tasted. It's almost like listening to an exceptional sound recording where you can focus on whichever instrument you like, but the overall mix is never lost (sorry...being a musician, this makes sense to me). You can pick out every flavor point, but not be saturated by it.

M - Thinner than the flavor makes you think. Carbonation is only there to clean the tongue and never gets in the way.

D - This is right up there with my favorites. This is an extremely accessible IIPA since everything is so well blended. At an 11% ABV, this one can fool you. Alcohol is never detectable; even as the beer warms. Throw caution to the wind as this one could be over-imbedded easily!

Excellent IIPA. This one may overtake my 2nd place prize (currently given to Avery's Maharaja). I must have MORE!!!!

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2008 00:02:54 | More by srobertson59

SPLITGRIN

Kentucky

4.8/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A carbonated honey amber colored body has active bubbles on the body leading up to a rocky two finger light tan head. Leaves scattered lace as it slowly fades. Nose is blasting with citrus and woodsy piney hop character wraped up with a noticeable hot alchol presence. The first sip brings well balanced hops rolling over the tongue to create a creamy feel that is amazingly smooth. A high level of complexity is shown on the palate with nice malt balanced richness, and hop created sweetness. There is a steady bitter feel but it is welcomed and warm with just a touch of alchol which is amazing considering its 11% alchol. As I continue to drink I continue to love this beers balanced sweetness, richness and bitter feel. This is an awsome achievement of craft beer. Drinkability is of the chart for this level of alchol. Mouthfeel is slightly thick and full of desire. A very very good brew. Goes great with Danish blue cheese.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2008 19:25:29 | More by SPLITGRIN

bloberglawp

Quebec (Canada)

4.8/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Demcorhip sent me this one for CanBIF4, thanks man!

At 11% avb, its only problem (or solution) is that 3 pints will most likely send me to the land of slurring oblivion...

Pour a medium orange with a frothy white head, laces wonderfully and head retention is unbeleivable for a high avb ale.

Aroma of hops, citrus, floral and fruity. Very much like hop wallop and alfa king. Also some malt sweetness as well.

A very DIPA flavor of raw hops, wet fresh stiky hops and a solid malt backbone. Very little hop astringency, a pure hop nectar.

Sickning good, I think I'll have 4 pints.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2008 22:41:18 | More by bloberglawp

Wackyfoot

Oregon

4.8/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bomber from Gary's in Madison, NJ. Burnt orange pour with a small but never ending head. HUGE hop aroma and a wonderful citrus and caramel flavor. One of the top 5 beers I had on my vacation on the east coast, and I am very happy to have learned fairly recently that I can pick up some Southern Tier if I'm willing to venture to Washington.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2008 06:20:14 | More by Wackyfoot

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Again the only way to enjoy ST around here is to find it cheap on tap. Paid 5.50 for a 10oz pour.
A - Light amber in color with an inch of stick white head.
S - Ow wow the glorious citrus and grapefruit hops tickle the nose with a malty backbone.
T - OMG was the best imperial IPA I ever had! This stuff would be a nightmare if you had a couple of bombers but it went down way too quick and for a big hoppy beer it was really balance. Loved every drop.
M - Dry but drinkable this brew was the perfect texture.
D - Must... have... more before the keg taps out I hope to have it again at Smoking Joe's but maybe I will drop 10-11 dollars on a bottle. It's that damn good.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2010 19:28:07 | More by DrDemento456

hero27

Iowa

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bomber.

11% abv & 153 ibus....uhm, yikes.

Burnt, clear amber color...sticky lace sitting on top. Carbonation seems to struggle to get to the surface.

Bold hop aromas of grapefruit, oranges, and fresh pine needles. The citrus comes through as well as any DIPA out there, and really makes this beer stand out from the crowd.

and the taste...ok, now i see what all the hype is about...this is fantastic. Grapefruit & citrus lead the charge, with a heavy caramel malt backing them up. Dry hopped with Cascade, Centennial, and Chinhook...God bless them. You can taste the fresh hops, but the bitterness manages to come across without making the beer too rough to handle. Slightly syrupy, but very creamy and smooth all the way down.

Mouthfeel is perfect. It somehow carries this beastly brew to each tastebud while staying crisp & ultra smooth.

Almost a perfectly constructed Imperial IPA in my book, and a new favorite of mine. Right up there with Dreadnaught.

Got one bottle from wcudwight & one from MrBURTON55 (and I'm not sure which one I'm drinking, I'm just damn glad I've got another one left!) Thanks to you both!

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2007 03:22:21 | More by hero27

madmanjf

New York

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I initially had this on tap down in NYC, but now have it regularly in bottles.

This beer packs a whallop. Coming in at 11%, you'd be surprised how smooth and deceiving it can be.

Clear, hops and malts well-balanced, this imperial IPA is a gem.

I find it similar to English style IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2007 13:33:01 | More by madmanjf

ccrida

Oregon

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Per the label on the 22oz bomber, I poured this into a flute glass - actually, Michael Jackson's Summer tasting glass, which is a tulip shaped flute. Unearthly is a clear copper orange, with a thick, 2 finger light khaki head, with a nice texture and leaving lots of clingy lace.

The nose, ironically, is very earthy hops, grassy, a touch piny, with a nice sweet malt background, that hints at alcohol without being boozy. As it warms, the hops get musty, almost b.o. like, but not as off-putting as that might sound. Worlds apart from the big pungent fruity west coast IPAs I've been drinking of late, but not bad, just different. I give it bonus points for it's subtly, being that this is such a big beer.

The taste is more malt dominant, semi-sweet, and while there's no question this is incredibly hoppy, it's just so incredibly smooth and balanced. There is like a watered down bourbon quality to this beer, tasty without the bite, and a while it is bitter towards the end, it finishes rather cleanly. This is defiantly my favorite big IPA, which is ironic because all my others favs are more west coast style. But I just love the subtlety of it, so incredibly well done. Like most IPAs, I agree with the label that it's better served cold, in this case cited 42F.

The mouthfeel is very nice, neither thin nor syrupy, perfect for any IPA, let alone a huge one.

This is just so good, I can't think of a more drinkable DIPA, or possibly big beer period. This is the first time I've had it in a bottle, which is quite nice. While I prefer a fresh keg, I don't have the luxury here in OR, so I'll take the bottle smuggled back in the suit case!
I'll never forgot the first time I had this beer, at the Sharp Edge in Pittsburgh, it was the manager Brett's recommendation. As I waited for it, I saw the price on the menu and thought jeeze, manager's choice I'll bet! Then I got it and was just floored, so fucking good! I only had it on draft a couple times after, and now I finally get it again, in the bottle, after a trip back east. Seek this one out, it's a phenomenal.

*Irony note, I just saw I gave it the exact same score on draft and bottle*

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2007 05:51:31 | More by ccrida

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance - a solid sunset orange with great clarity. A finger of creamy foam leaves a thin blanket of lace behind.

Aroma - zesty pine and orange. Good intensity, nice and steady.

Taste - big caramel malts, followed by monstrous hops, bursting with orange and pine. Prickly on the tongue, alcohol smoothing things out on the swallow. Residual bitterness of grapefruit and background toasted grain.

Mouthfeel - slightly heavy, medium carbonation; let's the flavor through just right.

Drinkability - absolutely delicious.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2008 20:38:30 | More by brewdlyhooked13

Nicked

Maryland

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Can't say enough about this brew... great taste! Southern Tier really constructed this brew well. Can't believe it's 11% ABV with such a balanced taste. Alcohol is masked well. Would recommend highly! Mouthfeel was syrupy and refreshing. Finish is smooth... left me anticipating another sip!

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2011 17:13:01 | More by Nicked

JamnesCameron

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter. Pours a clear, medium copper with a two fingered light tan head. Head drops quickly, leaving a nice collar of foam and some lacing.

Aromas of big piney, citrusy hops. Oranges, pink grapefruit, smells like a Starburst orange candy. Some malty sweetness hangs out in the background.

Flavors of explosive hop bitterness, citrusy, orange, grapefruit, some pine and mint. Big caramel maltiness backs up the bitter punch. Finish is very long, with orange hop bitterness lingering long into what can only barely be called a fade. Begs for another sip.

Mouthfeel is big, chewy malt, mouthcoating hop bitterness. Carbonation is spot on. Some alcohol burn as it warms. Bitterness turns drying about halfway through the first glass.

Overall, this is an outstanding DIPA. Nothing too harsh or grassy. Very nice balance.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 01:34:01 | More by JamnesCameron

divineaudio

Michigan

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

bomber shared with my girlfriend.
tulip glass.

a - pours a translucent amber color with a rocky finger of light yellow head. after calming, i get a thin film that leaves thick rings of lace in the glass.

s - grassy sweet malt, fresh baked bread, notes of honey, citrus, cherry.

t - wow. so much going on here. starts off sweet, almost carmelly, then moves into massive hop character. notes of orange, grapefruit, berry, honey and pine all crop up before fading into a lightly bitter finish. barely any trace of the alcohol content.

m - firmly medium with lighter carbonation. exceptionally smooth.

o - honestly i was pretty blown away. it certainly is appropriately titled. this beer just vaulted into my top 3 favorites for the style (rounded out by dfh 90 and hopslam). worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 15:19:54 | More by divineaudio

UpToMeBeer

Colorado

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Wow. Got to try this last night-- a rarity out here in Colorado. Reminded me of Oskar Blues' Gubna. A hazy cloud of orange. Dank, hoppy aroma, which translates to one hell of a taste. Piney, complex hop profile. Starts off semi-bitter but goes down smooth and a hint of sweetness on the finish. Resinous and semi-sticky feeling in the mouth. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 03:17:12 | More by UpToMeBeer

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Split with a fellow BA london101 at D's Sixpack, where it was sampled at nearly cellar temperature...next time we'll start it a bit cooler and let it warm up. Either way I love Southern Tier and I may be a bit biased here but let's review. As we pour it appears a nice vibrant copper amber colore with a full tan off white cream head leaves even bars of lacing with each sip. Aromatics hit you in the face with big floral and citrus hop combo grapefruit and green raw hops flood the senses along with a woody charred tone and big malty caramel tones with alcohol letting it's presence especially near cellar temp. Flavor profile is big with upfront bitterness more fresh hop juice flavor candied with the sweet caramelized sugary malt layers with a bitey herbal citrus hop character it all flows nicely together. Intense and aggressive hop profile can't wait to sample again there's layers of flavors yet remains somewhat balanced, weird? Mouthfeel is big bodied creamy textured oily with hop resins for certain even but sturdy carbonation to back up the high gravity. Drinkability is money, another quality hopped up creation from upstate NY thanks to Phinn and Matt especially the one that is still there I can't remember at this time, good stuff great double IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2006 22:13:26 | More by WVbeergeek

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Great beer, and my favorite beer from Southern Tier so far. I really wish this brewery success. Their beers are all quite good, readily available in the markets they serve, and a good value. Somebody there knows what they are doing. On to the beer.

Pours amber with a short head that fades to a very thin cap. Some slight lacing. I'm not too worried about thin heads in an 11% double IPA, though. Smells of honeyed malt with a good dose of citrusy and floral hops- delicate and flower-like. Well balanced with the ample malt there in a supporting role for the very fresh smelling hops. The taste is absolutely beautiful. A very slightly floral sweetness begins the flavor parade, which then gently merges into a complex citrusy and floral hop bitterness with a nice touch of pine on the finish. These hop flavors become more herbal as the beer warms and opens up. This is one fresh tasting beer!. The mouthfeel is incredibly creamy and quite soft. Amazingly integrated and drinks well below the 11% abv. Deliciously drinkable despite the high alcohol. Like many great beers, this is complex and changes a good bit in the glass. The substantial malt balances the complex hop flavors well while preserving the purity of the hops. Beautifully clean and vibrant.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2008 16:04:07 | More by Georgiabeer

Metalmonk

North Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Love when a brewer gives all the details you could possibly want (IBUs, plato, detailed ingredient list, etc.), like these guys or Rogue. But 153 IBUs was pretty much all I needed to know to get my tongue ready for a potentially ripping good time. (Thanks to msubulldog25 for this bottle.)

Pours a burnt copper/orange that positively glows. The head is inch-thick and lessens to half that in a minute's time. The aroma pulled me in so quickly that I forgot to look further (or taste) for quite some time: Candied oranges, fresh pine sweetness, lemon/ginger...all probably emanating from the hops, which are alive and kicking in the glass. Now *this* is a hop wallop. Some alcohol heat helps brighten the aromatic glow.

Surprised and glad that the hops do not overwhelm everything else in the flavor. Malts create a bed of firm, candy-like sweetness and caramel-like texture for the hops to play off of. The depth of flavor is enormous, as is the balance, the hops being playful rather than destructive. All detected aromas are here in the flavor, with a lot of juicy cinnamon-taffy and melted butter succulence as well. Not sure how old this bottle is, but I'm guessing it's got some age on it. I think this was the right time to drink it. And where's the alcohol? It's incredibly well-incorporated at 11%.

Together with a ridiculously creamy mouthfeel, this just became one of my favorite double IPAs of all time, if not my favorite. It's so insanely delicious that it's easy to forget how big it is. As the label warns: "To underestimate Unearthly is to trifle with the mysteries of the universe, so please consume wisely." ie. this is so drinkable as to make fools of otherwise responsible beer enthusiasts. So I don't rate the drinkability anything other than "good", because this is clearly a special-occasion sipper. That's no complaint. This is truly exceptional.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2008 18:27:46 | More by Metalmonk

stulowitz

Iceland

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Clear golden with thick froathy head. Has a beautiful shimmer.

Sm - Citrus heaven, apricots.

T - Awesome. Solid D IPA. Bracingly bitter. Great, complex hoppy taste.

M - Perfect! Dead on!

D - Way too drinkable for an 11 ABV beer! Seriously, one has to be careful!

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2008 20:01:41 | More by stulowitz

JizackFH

New York

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured a deep amber color with a small off-white head that left excellent lacing as it fell. The beer appears to be thick.

S - It smells sweet and there is a definite smell of caramel. There are also smells of pine, dark fruits, some citrus, and a slight alcohol scent. Smells a lot less hoppy than I thought it would be, but it is not a disappointment. This smells great.

T - Very sweet as to what I am used to in a DIPA, but it is a pleasant surprise. There taste matches the nose. There are notes of caramel, dark fruits, citrus, alcohol, pine, and a little bit of a roasted flavor.

M - This has a medium body, but its leaning towards the heavy side of the spectrum. It has low carbonation and goes down very smooth.

D - It is very drinkable for an 11% ABV beer. I picked this up thinking that it was going to be a hop-bomb, but I was very wrong and pleasantly surprised. It is a bit of a slow sipper, but it is very approachable and goes down very smooth. I will definitely be picking this one up again.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2010 01:31:56 | More by JizackFH

mcowgill

Massachusetts

4.72/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - This beer pours a great clear amberish color with nice creamy head that lasts awhile.

S - Citrus hoppy aroma but also very present malt aroma as well. It doesn't have an intense hoppy aroma. I was surprised by this.

T - This is a very well balanced tasty brew. The oily hops are huge but the malt is there balancing it all out.

M - Medium bodied, fairly carbonated, and smooth.

D - This is one very drinkable beer considering the ABV and the fact that it's a huge IPA.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2006 18:21:40 | More by mcowgill

rabsten

West Virginia

4.72/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Okay, I just reviewed the bottled version. I swung by Fat Head's on my way out of town a couple of weeks back and it was available on tap. I had to try it again; I''m glad I did.

Poured into a fluted glass, the head was minimal so as to maximize the serving size but was still impressively thick and sticky. The smell was somewhat subdued as compared to the bottled variety, but still extremely floral and piney.

The Flavor was superior to the bottled version, showing more balance: while the hops were still massive, the malt was actually present. Mouthfeel was thinner and much more pleasant. The 12oz serving was just about a perfect size, as well. Very drinkable.

A very good beer in bottles became a great beer on tap. If you ever have a chance, do yourself a favor and get a glass. You'll be glad you did.

Serving type: on-tap

10-27-2006 03:17:28 | More by rabsten

soup35

New York

4.72/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle

Luminous copper color with a pretty normal looking head.

Strong hop aroma with a bit of spicy-peppery hints.

This aggressive DIPA has a musky floral intense hop taste. It has small hints of dried flowers at the back of tongue. A complex, strong, powerful beer with a strong hoppy finish.

Southern Tier did a great job on this DIPA…probably my favorite Southern Tier beer.

If you are into your IPAs and DIPAs, you will definitely like this beer.

The bottle lists the ABV, platos, IBUs, and malts and hops…AND even the temperature and glass type to serve this delicious liquid. It’s the beer that keeps on giving!

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2006 13:38:29 | More by soup35

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.72/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A great Imperial IPA, I started to realize that alot of brewerys are going for the high octane IPA, but the Unearthly is balanced and would never guess that it is 11.7%. A great beer for the hop lover (153 IBU's). It does get a bit pricey for a pint, but having more than one of these might be a bad idea. Although, it is that good where 2 or three would be tasty, just a bad idea though.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2007 21:39:01 | More by OWSLEY069

dsa7783

New Jersey

4.72/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

650 ML bottle purchased for $5.99 from Gary's in Madison...
Heard that this was the ultimate IPA, so I was eager to give this one a shot...
Upon opening the bottle, I was greeted by a strong and sharp presence of powerful hops, so I figured this was going to be one hell of an Indian Pale Ale...
Pours a hazy, cloudy, murky, deep-dark amber, golden hue with an impressive-sized foamy and frothy head which exhibited remarkable staying power before slowly dissipating and leaving an intense amount of lacing around the glass...
As mentioned before, a whirlwind of strong hops is definitely present, bursting to the point where you can actually smell the sweetness of the brew pouring through with rich caramel and vanilla nuances...
Top-notch, excellent taste... this beer certainly lives up to its hype and is one of the best American IPA's I have ever sampled, a rich, creamy, thick, and ultra-sweet sample tempered by a slight touch of hop bitterness and loaded with sugared-caramel flavors along with a hint of vanilla and honey...
Excellent creamy and rich mouthfeel, and one of the best factors of this beer include the fact that the hefty ABV is hardly noticeable behind an ultra-rich conglomeration of deep, thick, creamy flavors that burst through...
One of the best Southern Tier brews I've sampled... A must for all hop-heads and definitely recommended...

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2008 23:44:26 | More by dsa7783