YuleSmith (Summer) - AleSmith Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A big beer. Very hoppy and lots of alcohol and some spices such as nutmeg and cinammon in there. Maybe I'm not such a big fan of double IPA's or more likely they are as a group overrated by the hopheads. Well malted to take the edge off the bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2005 04:03:53 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.93/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Lightly foggy nectarine with honey colored edges. My usual pour produced a surprisingly large cap. As it settles, I can appreciate its magnificence. The firmly creamy foam is pale gold in color, with a cobbled upper surface that maintains contact with the pint glass in multiple spots. When the sticky foam bridges break, they leave a beautiful array of lace. What's not to love?

The nose is a hophead's dream come true. I remember wishing the Winter release had less caramel malt and more pale malt. Summer has granted my wish (kudos to the brewery for giving us two versions of the same great beer). Beautifully pungent American hops fill the atmosphere with sweetened pineapple, white grapefruit, candied orange peel and Scotch pine. I'm actually beginning to drool.

YuleSmith Summer is one of the most delicous, drinkable DIPAs that I've ever had. The only thing keeping the Winter release from perfection was, again, the use of a hefty amount of caramel malt. Which, by the way, turns it into an Imperial red ale (just ask the brewers). Both versions are great, but I slightly prefer this one.

I'm not sure how old the bottle is (it's definitely from *this* summer), but I expected a shade more hoppiness. Don't get me wrong, it's a tongue abuser par excellence, it just isn't as 'in your face' as I remember the Winter version being. When the brewery calls it balanced, they aren't that far off the mark.

The prodigious malt backbone contributes very little flavor. I'm reminded of sugar cookies and honey-like malts, though they're in the background. The foreground is occupied by wave upon wave of sunshine bright, C-hop deliciousness. Again, pineapple, grapefruit, orange, (and now) lemon fill every nook and cranny on every last taste bud. A minimal alcohol presence is easily ignored.

The mouthfeel isn't the perfection that the other version was, but then a lot of time has passed and a lot of beer has been consumed in the interim. It's midway between medium and full (for the style) and is a fraction too carbonated to be considered ideal. Time is beginning to soften things up very nicely.

AleSmith is a permanent member of my 'top 10 American craft breweries of all-time' on the strength of IPA, Speedway Stout and both versions of YuleSmith. Not that the rest aren't worthy, but those four are four of the finest ales that I've ever had the pleasure to drink. Bottom line: I can count on one hand the number of DIPAs that are better than YuleSmith Summer.

Reviewed sometime during the summer of 2008. I don't recall the exact date since there weren't separate entries at that time for YuleSmith Summer and YuleSmith Winter.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2007 22:33:01 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

5/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Ok so this really does get my first perfect 5! It was the 2007 red and blue bottle. Poured a dep hazy amber with a big billowing white head that was so sticky it literally collapsed on the inside but the top and sides stayed together. Big time lace and alot of carbonation coming up from the bottom of the glass. The smell was hoptastic, hey a new word. Such a deep citric smell. Lots of grapefruit and orange, with a touch of pineapple and Lemon thrown in. The taste was out of this world. Bigtime hoppy IPA. Not alot of alcohol taste, well covered up. But soo sticky with hop resin and orange and grapefruit taste. It was rediculously fresh tasting and feeling. Unreal smooth and great dry finish.
This really deserves a 5. I ha really liked the winter edition, but this was absolutly the perfect Double IPA. Not too harsh, but yet harsh. Strong but not upfrontly so. I am going to get as much as I can, and being in South Carolina that will be no easy feat. This was easily the best of the style I have ever had and I will hold all future up to it until it gets put down. Now I need to find a 5 in a Pilsner!

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2007 18:34:09 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.53/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Hazy pale gold/yellow color with one finger of fluffy white head.

S: Citrus hops (mostly grapefruit and some lemon) and tons of pineapple. A fruity sweetness.

T: Grapefruit twang, pineapple, a nice bitterness but it certainly doesn't stick around long.

M: Nice medium body, slick mouthfeel.

D: Great fruit character, which I wasn't expecting. A most tasty beverage.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2009 21:58:03 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

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

Summer 2009 Version

Pours a golden color that is slightly hazy and has a good white head. The aroma consists of some floral hops that ride behind a bunch of fruity citrus hops. The taste is quite hoppy, but not nearly as much as I would have expected from the nose--everything is well integrated, it just needs to be taken up a notch or two. The body is medium with good carbonation. Good drinkability overall, but not quite as good as some of AleSmith's other offerings.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2009 20:52:02 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Winter version.

Appearance: Pours a clear, reddish-amber body with a fizzy, off-white head.

Smell: Hardy aroma of caramel malts and succulent, juicy hop fruitiness with full notes of orange, grapefruit, pineapple, and apricots.

Taste: Rich, thick caramel malts with an energizing jolt of sweetness. Tropical, citrusy hop flavors with a burst of bitterness to match all that malty sweetness. Finishes bittersweet, with a touch of spicy alcohol showing.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Slight stickiness to the mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Crammed with plenty of malt, hops, and booze, but it was an ease to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2008 03:26:45 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.55/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Summer Version:

Appearance: Pours a clear honey color with a rocky white heat that leaves chunks of lacing

Smell: Fruity aromatics, with caramel mixing with the grapefruit

Taste: Opens with a sweet caramel base that adds a citrus and earthy element by mid-palate; after the swallow, the earthy flavors build in bitterness and provide a long-lasting, bitter but candy sweet finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation and some warmth

Drinkability: Very nicely balanced; the citrus makes this clearly a hot weather version vs the barleywine character in thw winter version

Winter Version:

Appearance: Pours a hazy amber color with a massive, big bubbled beige head that drapes the pint glass with sheets of lacing

Smell: Huge caramel malt and piney hop aroma; the alcohol is well-disguised, but with this aroma, you can tell it's there

Taste: Assaults the palate with a blast of piney bitterness with a strong caramel malt presence underneath; after the swallow, the sweet flavors build and balance the pine into a long-lasting finish

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and creamy with moderate carbonation; alcohol warms the gullet on the way down; close to a barleywine, in fact

Drinkability: Just fantastic with all the elements I seek in a DIPA; compared to the summer version, this one has more depth and complexity

Thanks, ppoitras, for the opportunity to taste these side by side

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2006 18:59:22 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

3.63/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Tony's Darts Away in Burbank, CA.

Summer 2012 vintage.

Pours a slightly hazy honey yellow with a foamy orange-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy swaths of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of citrus fruit, citrus zest, and some grassy/hay hop aromas. Taste is much the same with a slightly funky flavor on the finish. There is a medium amount of bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but it smells better than it tastes in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2012 04:55:08 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle: Poured a deep copper color ale with huge white head with pretty good retention. Aroma of deep citrus hops with a strong presence of semi-sweet malt. Taste is totally dominated by the mix of citrus hops and strong caramel malt. Body is just above average and carbonation is medium. Alcohol is well hidden. While this is not a bad beer, I feel that it is a bit too one-dimensional and would probably have been happier drinking their regular IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2005 14:45:52 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.45/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Undoubtedly a great IPA. The beer is bursting with hop juiciness, flavor, and aroma. Grapefruit, orange zest, lemon-grass, and pineapple are all over the map and put the thumbprints on all aspects of the beer. In case it missed you, this is an opidome of West Coast beers. Soft, delicate, caramel malts give a modest backdrop to the hops with a very well attenuated character that gives creaminess but not boldness. Fruit esters do much the same with a complimentary assist to the hops.

But all is not perfect- the alcohols take on a paint-thinning character that sometimes blend in well with the hops and disguise as bitterness, but other times give the impression of nail polish remover. Somewhat fusal in character, this hurts the mouthfeel and drinkability. Shame, because this beer is nearly flawless otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2006 02:48:58 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I have sampled this treasure a few times in the past and thanks to my new Buffalo BA buddy Orfeu I have a bomber to myself.Poured a deep hazed burnt orange/peach with a creamy 2 finger head that stays for the whole way down with a brillinat ring showing thru and globs of lace left as I drank more.Honestly what can be said about great it smells deep resiny piney hop with notes of apricot and lemon pith in my mind there is not a beer out there that has such a complex hop profile,a big sweet brown sugar elemant show thru as well.The malt must be really packed in this brew to keep at least close to balanced because there is just such massive amount of hop flavors,apricot shows thru with a touch of overipe pineapple and then the oily,resiny character come thru with a hefty sweet malt base showing thru making it almost sticky.Has a great creamy mouthfeel texture it just glides down in near perfection,this maybe the standard American DIPA with its huge hoppiness and big sweet malt backbone just unbeliavable.

This was the summer release not the more recent fall/winter release.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2006 00:02:32 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Yulesmith 2002 ...tasted one year later. A hazy, deep amber-copper body reveals very fine bubbles rising slowly towards a huge, rocky head of ivory colored foam. The head retention is impressive, and it maintains an island of rocky foam throughout the pint. The lacing initially leaves wide, creamy rings and sheets of lace; but they eventually die down to lesser-but-still-thick rings of lace! It gives a very impressive appearance despite its cloudiness (which can be somewhat excused as it's bottle conditioned). The nose is bold and resinous with clear notes of sappy pine, grapefruit rind, flowers and grassy hops over a sweetish, bready, caramelish, and biscuity malt. It's creamy and smooth across the palate with just a mild tingle on the tongue at the outset due to its full body and exceptionally fine, moderate, and natural carbonation. The flavor, however is what's really important, and this brings the 3 already on-base home!!! Its rich, caramel-soaked malt offers enough doughy and bready sweetness to stand up to it's bold hop flavor (which reflects the aroma). It's exceptionally well-balanced, satisfying and efficient with a dry finish that leaves it surprisingly drinkable considering its bold character. Certainly worth trying!

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2003 04:15:44 | More by NeroFiddled

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.72/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Is there any finer thing than Christmas in August? I'm sure there isn't...
Peeled off the red foil wrapping, like a present on Christmas morning, and I'm ready to pop the cap...Appearance is murky, even violently carbonated at first, then settles to reveal a bright orange, topped with a thick, luscious layer of creamy, off-white froth. Looks very, very good!
Aroma: sweet and fruity, plenty of citrus, grapefruit, tangerine, peach, apricot, lemon, orange, and more, a bit of pine, too...awfully nice.
Taste....mmmm, mmmm, mmmm! Full mouthfeel, tangible, firm presence on the palate from the first sip, graps the senses from the lips and the tongue and the throat, and coats all areas with this great, citric, juicy hop flavor, just slaps it up and down, until no section is left unfelt by this feeling. Lush, majestic dominion over the mouth, perfectly dominates, and there's no denying, and I have to admire it, in fact, I outright adore it!
Every sip thereafter sends another wave of this delicious vibrant hoptastic taste washing over the tongue and every other inch of the cavern called the mouth, tart, yet still very fruity, and a touch sweet, though never considerably.Malt is solid and sure, and where hops are felt in full on the palate, the backbone is still considrable and adds much to the pleasure of the brew and to it's ease of drinkability.
Wow.
This truly ranks in a class of it's own.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2004 10:56:42 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.05/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a gold color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a smooth, malty aroma that boasts of pale and bisquit malts as well as a nice hop presence. It has a wonderful breadlike character. The taste is good. It has a well balanced taste. The malt bill offers up an elevated abv. as well as a nice bisquity feel. The hops add layers of bitterness that reach well into the finish and beyond. It's not over the top, but it's well done. The mouthfeel is excellent. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a good double IPA. It's not as good as I thought it would be, but it drinks well nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2007 21:05:29 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Breweries really should avoid naming two different beers the same thing and hope that seasons will remove any confusion, because it doesn't. This is the firework one (the photo should be changed on this website to clear up any additional confusion). Received as an extra in a trade with stawn. Thanks. Beer poured into a snifter.

Beer is orangish to yellow and has a slight haze to tit. Forms a two fingered white head of small to medium bubbles. Head completely coats the sides of the glass with lacing. Carbonation is moderate and steady. Feeds the head well.

I'm sitting about a foot from the beer and I can smell it from here. Big hop aroma, a slight yeast funk, the yeast did not completely settle out of the beer and when I popped it they floated back up into the beer. Oh well. There is some malt sweetness in this beer as well. Very strong, citrus hop aroma.

Beer is medium bodied and has a good hop flavor in the mid-palate, definitely citrus hops. The bitterness is not bad. This beer is less malty than many DIPAs I've been trying lately and this is good. Drinkability is really high. Beer is not overly sweet. I fear that the hops may have diminished in this beer, I should try and get one of these more fresh than this but there still is significant bitterness. The reason why I think it may have faded is there is a slight sulfur aftertaste to this beer that I attribute to fallen hops. Overall its a great beer and this sulfur flavor is mild and not distracting. There is basically no aftertaste but the bitterness does grow the more you drink. I think the body and feel of this IPA a lot.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2010 01:29:16 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to kaiser81 for sending me this bottle.

The beer pours a hazy golden color with a white head. The aroma is piney and resiny hops and not too much else. Definitely a DIPA. The flavor is an incredible and varied mix of hops. In addition to a little bit of bready malt, I get hop flavors of pine, resin, pineapple, papaya and oranges. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A great beer that lived up to the hype.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2010 02:35:02 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.3/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, golden-orange color with a one-finger, white head of foam. It left sudsy patches of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of pine, citrus, and bubblegum. A toasty aroma in the background, too.

T - It tasted of strong pine flavors with spicy bitterness. Good toasty malt backbone with sweet caramel.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry, clean finish.

O - This is a very tasty double IPA. I'm glad I finally got to try one.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 00:57:33 | More by zeff80

MasterSki

Illinois

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

Consumed from my Kuhnhenn tulip.

A - Much lighter than winter Yulesmith, almost the color of pineapple/peach juice. Off-white creamy head - just as much as winter. Definitely bottle-conditioned.

S - More citrus - very tropical with hints of pineapple, ripe tangerine, mango, passion fruit. Nowhere near as much pine or malt.

T - Very similar to the smell. Much more hop bitterness and refreshing tropical flavors. Again, the floral/pine/candy elements of the Winter version are not present.

M - Creamy, smooth - viscosity is one of my big sticking points, but this one is spot on in that regard. Carbonation is there, but not overwhelming. There's a definite hop resin character that stays in your mouth and complements the bitter aftertaste.

D - Even though this clocks in at a hefty 8.8% it drinks just as well as some lighter IPAs and red ales.

Another fine Alesmith brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2008 20:40:29 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.7/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Summer 2005 release, Sampled July 26th, 2005
This beer is brilliantly clear and pours a full reddish copper color and is topped by a frothy, light tan head. The aroma is full and hoppy with notes of fresh cut herbs, pine, grapefruit, and bergamot. The beer is sweet up front with a hint of cinnamon mixed in with the abundant hop notes. There is also a good maltiness to this beer, which really helps to hold the hops in check and provide some sort of balance. The hops are sharp and biting from finish to end. As the beer leaves my mouth a slow spicy sharp astringency begins to build for a good half minute span. This beer is still just damn good, so well balanced between the aggressive over the top hoppiness and a solid maltiness, which while definitely playing second fiddle, is still present enough to contribute and tame some of the hop notes.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2005 04:41:46 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

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

Summer 2006 release poured from a 22oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light amber with a large foamy off-white head that fades very slowly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is very rich with hops, caramelized malt & citrus.

T: The taste brings an initial burst of hops bitterness, then the balance of caramelized malt and citrus sweetness. The hops return in the finish and linger in a mildly bitter after-taste. This is one of those beers that achieves balance by having the different flavors battle each other for dominance rather than other beers that try to achieve balance through harmony among the different flavors. While harmony can be nice, the battle is a good thing in this case, as it causes each flavor to rotate in being prevalent in a given sip.

M: Very crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, slightly sticky finish.

D: The complexity of the taste makes this one very drinkable. It’s not very filling and has a good kick. This one is well-worth drinking for a long time. I could certainly go for another bomber after polishing off the one that I had.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2006 22:01:36 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured out as a really nice looking yellowish copper color with a thick looking white head on it. The lacing was very good on this beer. The smell was so hoppy, I loved the aroma on this brew. There wasn't too much else besides some pine and citrus gushing out on the nose. The taste of the beer was very good too, All the hop qualities from the nose transfered nicely to the tongue. The mouthfeel wasn't heavy but around medium. The feel also left ya with a dry mouth which makes you need the next sip. Overall a really nice IPA.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 19:31:16 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.33/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Will do a separate review for the summer version I just acquired! Review date 11-13-08

5.0 Pours honey colored with 3+ fingers of chunky beige colored head. Superior lacing & head retention

3.5 S: Citrus hops, breadyness

5.0 T: Grapefruit, breadyness, pineapple, honey malt & pine sap up front. Grapefruit, earthy hops, more honey malt as this warms, plus leafy hops & passion fruit. Finishes with tropical fruits, honey, & much grapefruit

4.5 MF: Chewy, moderate carbonation. warming sensation kicks in half-way through the bottle, good balance

4.5 Super drinkability, I liked this version a bit more than the winter version! This seems for fruitty/hop assertive. Different beers easily. Superior DIPA

2007 version pours an orange hued amber with 4+ fingers of billowing sand colored head into my La Chouffe snifter. Crazy lacing & super head retention

s: Bourbon barrel & herbal hops as this warms

T: Herbal & leafy hops, plus huge breadyness up front. Fruittyness, boozeyness, piney and grapefruitty hops as this warms. Finishes piney with cakeyness, brown sugar, dryness & a bit of booze hotness

MF: Chewy as all hell, skews a little hoppy, minimal carbonation

Drinks fair for the abv, not one to session on, a bit too hoppy & chewy, but a great holiday treat. Wish I could get this around here

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2008 03:49:27 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

4.53/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz. bomber, 2007 summer edition, procured at the BevMo Irvine.

A: Dark amber, almost red, with an extremely large billowy head which surprised me at first, but then really enjoyed it, almost like a bottle of Duvel.

S: A beautiful soft citrus, this really dominates the smell, but it is heavenly, a beautiful brisk fragrant scent.

T: The taste is very good, citrus hops dominate, with tangerine and grapefruit, some malt in the back, metallic at times, but quite tasty.

M: Smooth, could be called hop juice, chewy hop bitterness, nothing is over the top, it is really well balanced for a Double IPA.

D: A great production, immensely drinkable for its size, I just wish it wasn't so damn expensive, even in California, it's $5.69 a bottle, if you're lucky.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2007 04:38:30 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: hazy dark orange in color with a one finger head that slowly falls to a thick surface foam. Some light lace develops.

Smell: caramel, pine, and grapefruits are easy to detect.

Taste: caramel, big pine tones, grapefruit, and alcohol are most noticeable. Somewhat hidden fruit sweetness lingers in the background. The biting hop bitterness is showcased here.

Mouthfeel: medium-heavy in body. Lightly crisp throughout. Very long lasting bitter aftertaste.

Drinkability: a nice slow sipping big beer where a few glasses are doable but will hit you in a single session.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2009 16:14:54 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is the "winter" (Green with red):

Thanks to PhxHorn for this!

22 oz. bottle, poured into snifter (that I accidentally broke when just about finished - and almost cried over the couple of ounces that were left :( )

Pours reddish amber with a very large rocky off-white head. Trailing lace sticks. A fluffy, turning rocky, head is almost too much. Eventually it falls to a lasting frothy cover.

The smell is very piney with citrus notes. It has a strong caramel/toffee backing with some bread and even a hint of plum.

The taste is of pine with caramel and toffee. There is plenty of hop spicing (even in June) with some breadiness and fruitcake. A "holiday" DIPA for sure! Sweet maltiness as big as the bitter hop presence with a fruitcake "Holiday" twist! These guys really show brewing as an art-form! Alcohol barely shows, with just a hint of welcomed warmth (again - even in June!) The sweetness that intertwined with the bitterness gives way to a dry finish.

The feel is just about full-bodied with lively carbonation that keeps it from being thick. Things are bubbly and moving, but not at all fizzy.

A "holiday" ale the way I like it. Very hoppy and malty, but not syrupy or thick. This is truly a DIPA that doesn't cross over into BW as some do (BW is a great style, too, but I'm thankful for DIPA's such as this that stick to the style it promises to be!)

Another winner from AleSmith, a brewery that really knows how to use malts and hops to the fullest without being overbearing! I wish this were available in my area, and will be seeking the "summer" version, for sure!

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2009 03:21:28 | More by jwc215