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

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Well here's a treat, to review Unearthly and Oak-Aged Unearthly side by side; and all 44 ounces are mine!

Both appear pretty much the same, except that the oak-aged version is clearer, and thus appears to the eye to be just a slight touch darker (there's no yeast in it to reflect light back at you). Other than that, they deliver a deep amber body that has an orange cast to it, and glimmering golden highlights at the base of the glass. The finger-thick, off-white head is creamy and holds pretty well. The original leaves short, creamy mountains of lace rising up above the surface. The oak-aged leaves sheets of thinner, craggy lace that sticks to the glass and stays, where as the original version tends to slide down to near to the level of the head as it goes. Overall I'd guess I'd have to say that the original version has a bit of a better head, but that the clarity of the oak-aged version is generally more enticing.

In the nose, the original Unearthly is decidedly caramelish and malty with notes of pine/spruce and citrusy, and a bit of grassiness and leafiness as well. It's bold and bright, and somewhat sweetish.

The oak-aged version displays some subtle oak (which I kind of didn't expect), along with fruity and citrusy notes; and it's dryer with much less maltiness. I also get a little more grapefruit out of the oak-aged, and some lemon and what I think of as something like a tomato plant - it's vegetal, but in a good way... grassy I guess. And I get more spruce than pine.

As expected, in the flavor the standard version wraps piney, grassy, floral and citrusy hops in a rich blanket of bready and gently caramelish and honey-like malt. The oak-aged version also follows what its aroma suggests, and it's dryer and more fruity, although some raspy pine does appear in the finish. The woody touch is nice. I should also note, however, that even though the original is a bit sweetish, it still finishes fairly dry, with just a hint of doughy malt lingering, and it doesn't build on the palate.

Interesting! They're really like two different beers. The original version is very wide in its flavor profile, whereas the oak-aged is more focused, but with perhaps a touch more depth. Hmmmm....

The mouthfeel for each beer is a little bit different as well, with the original Unearthly displaying a more dextrinous body.

Oddly, both beers display the same bitterness to me, despite the fact that I find the fuller maltiness of the original to be sweeter, and the oak-aged to be drier. The bitterness somehow remains the same.

Both beers have their own charms in the end, and I again have to reiterate how different they really are. I like the fuller mouthfeel of the original, and its bready malt and bolder hop flavors. But I also like the fruitiness and dryness of the oak-aged version, and because of that I think I'd find it a little more drinkable in the long-run (although it seems to have just a little bit more alcohol to it as well). And on that note, perhaps the extra aging time, and surface contact with the oak allowed it to ferment out a bit more. Just a theory.

Conclusion: both versions are really good beers that don't overstep their bounds with too much maltiness, too much bitterness, or too much hop flavor - and yet all of those are present in abundance. Nicely balanced. Nicely rounded. Nicely drinkable. Certainly worth trying!

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2009 22:20:09 | More by NeroFiddled

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Darlk orange, dusky, husky, unfiltered look in this, with a solid creamy off-white cap to it...much carbonation, many bubbles.

Aroma is a delirious mess, a mix of tropical fruits, citrus, pineapple, mango, orange, lime, ...in the coconut, call the doctor, wake him up, he say, DOC-Tor, ain't there nothing I can make, to relieve this bellyache...
Taste: strip the palate clean and make ready for this hop avalanche...or volcanic explosion, or whatever fits your geographical preference, it's a landslide of hoppiness on the palate, a blitz of fruity, citric flavors, blistering pine and pineapple, with greater grapefruit and pithy lemon zest...
Full bodied, with a immense presence on the palate which grabs the tongue and begs it to stay, and this overbearing eminence implores us to consider other aspects, such as...
11% abv???
153 IBUS???
a bunch of other crazy statistics???
what an incredible brew!!! really tests the water for the depths of hops and bitterness, yet staying utterly delicious! Yum meets yum, and then again, yum!
Nie job, So.Tier, very nice job. Just goes to show how many superiorly talented brewers there are, all over the U.S., waiting to show off their amazing abilities.
I always liked Southern Tier, now I have a greater respect...

thanks to Ed from Philly, the DArkOne, for securing my sample.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2006 11:31:11 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a nice amber color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is great! It has a solid malt bill that boasts of pale and carapils malts along with a wonderful hop aroma. It's intensely bitter, but equally stong in malts giving it a warm and balanced scent. The taste is great as well. It has a rich malt flavor that goes down easy and finishes warm and satisfying. The hops are true all the way through and add a kick ass bitter bite which helps hide the elevated abv.. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a damn fine beer that is quite drinkable even with an 11% abv.. It's just another fine offering from Southern Tier.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2006 02:10:25 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a goblet. Beer is orange, dark orange, with a thin white head that leaves some lacing on the glass. Carbonation is tiny bubbles that slowly (really slowly) rise through the beer to the diffuse and broken head on the top. This makes the beer seem thick, I've never seen carbonation rise that slowly. Beer is clear despite being served cold. The bottle recommends 42 degree F. I'm close to that.

Beer smells strong of malt and a lot of hops, smells like a classic DIPA. I detect no alcohol despite the 11 % ABV on the bottle.

Beer is quite sweet with a lot of front palate character. The hops are relatively understated in the first try, no solvents or alcohol flavors to be found. No aftertaste but there is a creeping bitterness at the back of the mouth. Second drink, a lot of sweetness, more mid palate sweet hops, some pine and citrus notes now. Drinkability high especially for the style and the ABV. Mouthfeel is good but I would have liked more connectivity in the mid-palate, something to marry the bitterness in the back with all that malt sweetness up front. A good DIPA.

Time for the Oak Aged one.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2009 03:23:51 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a clear orange color with a large off-white head. The aroma is strong citrus hops. The flavor is citrus hops with some pine in there as well. There is a nice bready malt backbone. Medium bitterness. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

I have now had Unearthly, Hoppe and Gemini and liked Gemini the best of all of them, even though it is a 50-50 blend of the other two.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2010 01:35:29 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a dark amber/copper color with a bubbly, tan, one-finger head. It left behind sticky rings of lace.

S - It smelled very floral and hoppy. Also, some good citrus aroma and had a grassy smell.

T - It tasted of a smooth, subtle hop blend. A nice roasted malt flavor with a citrus kick.

M - It was fairly crisp and very smooth. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This is a pretty good Imperial IPA. I expected better, but it was still good.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2008 01:46:17 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is clear orange in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger off white head that quickly faded away, leaving delicate lacing covering the surface and a thin ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light to moderately strong aromas of citrus and floral hops in the nose along with notes of caramel malts.
T: The taste is similar to the smell but the flavors of caramel malts are more apparent and also contribute some notes of sweetness. There is a moderate amount of bitterness from the hops.
M: It feels medium-bodied and crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. There is some dryness in the finish.
O: This beer has a good balance between the flavors of malts and hops and hides its alcohol very well from the taste. All in all, it’s a solid double IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 02:48:12 | More by metter98

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.97/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On-tap at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a deep amber color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: It has a very intense hops & citrus aroma. There’s really much else to say about the smell except that it was excellent.

T: Very well-balanced blend of hops, citrus and caramelized malt. The hops flavor is certainly the most prevalent as you would expect, but it allows the fruit and malt in as a compliment rather than competing for dominance. The hops remain in a pleasant after-taste.

M: Very crisp, very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, excellent finish.

D: This one is very tasty and light for a 2IPA. This is now one of my favorites. Once you start drinking it, you’ll find it hard to switch to anything else.

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2006 15:35:48 | More by TheManiacalOne

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cheers to JasonA for this one!

Pours an effervescent copper with 2+ fingers of cream colored head. Insane lacing & head retention

S: Resiny hops & breadyness

T: Piney hops, pineapples, & tangerine up front. Leafy hops hit the front of the tongue as this warms, along with a bit of toffee, tropical fruits & biscuitty malt. Finishes with nice pine resin & some caramel & nice fruittyness. Almost pulled a 4.5

MF: Chewy with low carbonation& super balance

Drinks great for the style & ABV, nice DIPA!

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2008 04:11:21 | More by russpowell

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this a little while ago from a bottle and thought it was fantastic. Last summer I took a trip to the brewery and brought home a Growler of it. This beer pours out as a really great looking copper color with a creamy looking frothy head on it. The lacing is thick and sticky. The smell of this is of course hoppy, lots of pine and cirtus in the mix. The taste is very good for any IPA lover. The mouthfeel is sharp and tingley on the tongue. Truely a really good beer here. Looking forward to having this whenever I can.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 14:19:16 | More by Knapp85

Halcyondays

California

4.08/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle,

A: Pours a dark pumpkin skin orange, with a medium lightly off-white head, with good head retention and well above average lacing, I expect this in a Double IPA.

S: Strong off-pine smell, cedar bark, light grapefruit juice.

T: Strong hoppy bitterness, raw pine and bitter melon. Bit of a sweet orange flavour in the middle mixed with an alcoholic bite. Finish has a lot of tropical fruit character and dries out the tongue.

M: Very full-bodied, medium alcohol presence for this style, very dry, resiny.

D: I liked this beer, but it's not one that completely knocked my socks off. Still, it's a great balanced DIPA, glad I tried it finally.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2008 04:42:16 | More by Halcyondays

emerge077

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served cold at 42º as the bottle suggests.

Pours a deep amber jewel tone into a fluted Ommegang glass. Skim of foam across the liquid, spotty lacing. A second pour has better results, two fingers of foam and sheets of lacing.

Fresh hop aroma, with pale malt in there too. Slightly herbal and sweet. Clean and inviting.

First impression is big juicy hops, countered by a deep earthy quality that is intertwined with maltiness toward the end. Grassy, herbal, resiny finish. It feels big, but the alcohol doesn't interfere.

Mildly viscous on the palate, saturated with hop oils. It is really super smooth.
Have one bottle yourself, or share with a friend. This one deserves the praise it gets...On a final note, please send JAH-VA to IL!!

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2007 23:24:18 | More by emerge077

Gavage

New Jersey

4.58/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Appearance: clear orange in color with a long lasting 2" head. The head also has some huge bubbles in it. Few slow rising carbonation bubbles are spotted. Nice lacing.

Smell: pine, grapefruit, and honey are easily picked up by the nose.

Taste: nice strong malt profile with a balanced piney bitterness. Tart grapefruit and sweet oranges are noticeable on the citrus front, and alcohol is definitely noticeable but not intrusive to the flavor.

Mouthfeel: crisp and very dry from start to finish. Long bitter aftertaste that feels like it is glued to your tongue. Heavy bodied.

Drinkability: a superb DIPA that is easy drinking and flavorful. The high alcohol levels knock this down a notch, but this is one great beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2006 21:58:03 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.47/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into fluted glass, as recommended on bottle:

Pours a vibrant amber with a thin head that lasts. Some lacing sticks to glass.

The smell is citric, piney, floral, resiny. Some tobacco leafiness in the back. Caramel, with a touch of honey underneath.

The taste is of chewy hops from the start - citrus/grapefruit with resiny pine. Floral and tobacco leaf notes weave in and out. Resin grows as it warns. This is a hop monster, and yet it has a caramelish malty backing that lends a firm support and gives it quite a bit of balance, while allowing the hops to give a smack-down on the palate. Alcohol amazingly masked, though some warmth shows up in the aftertaste. Resiny finish.

Medium-to-full bodied, it has a great texture - very coating and smooth.

This is one hell-of-a DIPA! Incredible smoothness and drinkability for the style/abv. 153 IBU's show through with a great hop profile, yet with some balance to it. A must-try for hop fans!

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2007 13:07:21 | More by jwc215

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a clear medium orange amber, with a huge dense, creamy white head, which leaves spotty lace as it melts away. Big grapefruit and pine hops aroma up front, followed by a seemingly subdued caramel maltiness. The taste is caramel malt, orange and pine hops, and some warming alcohol. The bubbles are mild, the body is slick, filmy, and sticky, and it finishes totally in line - off-dry, malty and hoppy.

A typically big Yankee DIPA, both in volume, and in flavour.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2009 06:35:24 | More by biboergosum

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A pint glass served on-tap at Al's of Hampden. If you haven't been, get there.

A: The DIPA is golden, clear with a radiant glow. The head neared one half of a finger on pour and lingered gamely for most of the glass.

S: The ale's hop aroma is oily and boozy. Very strong with a near blinding bitterness. Alcohol is present, near the forefront of each smell.

T: Unearthly is the proper descriptor for this ale. It's hop profile is big and bold, throwing off both pine and citrus aromas. Caramel malts don't really do much to the flavor. The hops are a little to muddled for my liking.

M: The hop bitterness is all that you'll notice, coating the tastebuds with an oily bite.

D: I was planning to have two pints with dinner but couldn't choke all of this down. The hops and booze conspired against me.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2009 01:54:57 | More by akorsak

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I don't know where those 153 IBUs are hidding, but this is still a pretty awesome big beer. Overall the taste and aroma were surprisingly sweet. Smelled almost medicinal with a bit of spicey hops coming through. Candy-like malt flavor mixed with citrus hops made up a flavor that came off a little creamy, probably from the red wheat. Maybe the most drinkable DIPA I've had, no hint of the 11% as the beer warms.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2007 06:22:56 | More by tempest

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

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a fogged copper with a creme head. Resin nose with firm pine tones. Flavor is definitely for the hop heads. Thick and well balanced piney hops. Feel is balanced and good. Very drinkable. But keep in mind that you better love the hops if you are going to dance with this one.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2008 23:04:55 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.68/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a clear copper with good carbonation leaving a nice white cap

S: Nose is well balanced but not very aramoatic, more aroma hops could have helped out but I did get some booze and citrus

T: Caramel upfront, citrus, good amount of bittering and pretty good hop presense, finish with a booze kick

M: Slick, sweet, medium body and boozy

D: A step above average but at 10 ABV it kept me from going the extra step to Good.

Serving type: growler

03-26-2011 17:48:25 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nice rocky, cream-colored head. Great sticky lace on the glass sides. Orange amber in color with moderate cloudiness.

Rich, oily alcohol warmth in the smell. Strong fresh hop. Light malt presence.

This is stunningly well- balanced Double IPA. I am used to the hop completely dominating the flavor profile. Not here--there's a solid malt base without the typical high-alcohol oil. Still, the hop is potent making for a powerfully flavorful brew. The body is rich like light cream and the carbonation is slightly low.

This is one of my favorite styles. And now this is one of my favorites within that style.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2007 20:12:59 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to BAs ampzilla and NutBrown.

Pours a nice clean/clear dark golden orange color, nice carbonation, a nice creamy one-finger tan head, lots of sticky lacing afterwards. The nose is malty, hoppy, citrusy, and a nice touch of pines and caramel. The taste is malty/hoppy, with a nice touch of sweetness, a nice touch of grapefruit, slight piney flavor. There's a nice bitter/dry finish. Medium body. Very drinkable, the sight of this brew is very encouraging when poured, awesome color. Highly recommended. Glad I have a extra bottle (ampzilla).

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2007 23:12:29 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a three finger off-white head that fades quickly leaving a very good lace. Crystal clear amber color. Light carbonation and medium bodied. Light sweet piney nose. Flavor follows the nose - sweet piney hops with mild bitter aftertaste. High ABV totally hidden. $5.99 for a 22oz bottle from Beverage Warehouse Winooski, VT.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2009 22:33:16 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a Samuel Adams Boston Lager glass)

A- This beer pours a crystal clear golden-caramel color with a bubbly white head and a strong carbonation of tiny bubbles. The head last as a thin foam for the full beer.

S- This beer has a sweet malty smell with a light toasted note and a big green spicy hop nose.

T- This beer has big bitty green hops with a pineapple weed pungency and a slight earthyness. There is a spicy flavor to the hops at the finish. The smooth green bitterness lingers for a moment after each finish.

M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel with no alcohol heat and a smooth finish.

D- This beer is a nice big IPA with some nice, no citrus, hops flavors and some good support from the sweet malt.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2007 03:36:04 | More by rhoadsrage

Billolick

New York

4.43/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bomber, without freshness or vintage dating. This stunner pours a bright copper shade of amber, clear and glistening. Supports a long lasting, creamy tan head, and leaves thick, sticky and long lasting stringy lacing after a swirl.. Aroma is of goey, oily hops. Lots of grapefruit, and oily hop crunch in the flavor profile here. Full bodied and full flavor DIPA. Smooth and heady brew, alcohol clearly present, but its layered and dovetailed nicely into and within the layers of hops/malty base. Complex, strong, bold and highly recommended creation. Fine sipper/nightcapper

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2006 04:23:56 | More by Billolick