Outburst Imperial IPA - Pyramid Breweries, Inc.

ebrauser

Utah

3.58/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle to a Pyramid pint glass! How perfect.

Appearance: Depp copper with a white head that leaves little lace immediately, but more lower in the glass.

Smell: Earthy hop oils, sweet malt, a little peppery spice, and the hint of alcohol.

Flavor: Hop bitterness in the front with a strong malt backbone. Hops are grassy with a very small citrus twang and no floral notes. Finishes semi-dry with crisp sweetness and lingering grapefruit tones. Hops are not as complex as could be, but the malt support is great, something I thought lacked in pyramid's 'thunderhead' ipa.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, without the huge hops of some DIPAs. Probably one of the easier drinking doubles that I've had, and my favorite beer out of Pyramid to date.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2011 05:29:57 | More by ebrauser

scootpolute

Washington

4.03/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

P: 12oz brown bottle into a cone pint glass.

A: Clear golden amber color... Nice heady start. Three fingers high of dense head...good lacing.

S: Piny, minty and lots of citric hops on the nose...

T: Smooth and slick with a full-ish body. Bitterness is aggressive but not abusive, hop flavor jumps from herbal / tobacco to pine resin to mint to citric...

M: Nothing hot here, alcohol is noticeable for sure but it does not get in the way...with some noticeable malts; slab of bread, toasted a bit. Finishes with a nice balance, big hop flavor, lingering bitterness, malts, as well as the alcohol warmth.
D: I was pleasantly surprised Pyramid 'pulled-it off' with this one!! Living in the Seattle area for over 12 years, Pyramid has sort of dulled-out for a while (with the immense competition they’re up against)...I'd also like to point out (and show my appreciation) that this beer has the 'BIG' hop flavor as the focus. Some of the recent DIPAs I have had have focused on malts (rather than hops), disappointingly getting fanfare for being original...I'm appalled...Malts do NOT characterize IPAs, hops do...(period)...and that's why I'm thankful for living in the Pacific NW (aka hop-land)!! Chasin' Cheers :~)

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 20:26:39 | More by scootpolute

jmvecchio1

Missouri

3.78/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

L - Clear amber with an a small off-white head.

S - Citrus, light tropical fruits, pine, and a small amount of mint on the nose. The more I smell it, the more I enjoy it. The nose isn't intense, but it's pleasant.

T - Pine and earthy bitterness up front. There's a slight amount of citrus through the drink and on the swallow there's a minty characteristic. You get some hop oil bitterness lingering on the tongue long after you finish your sip. I don't taste a lot of the alcohol, which is impressive for a 8.5%.

M - Smooth and medium mouthfeel.

D - It's a good beer. Put I was underwhelmed at points. For the price point (8-9 bucks a 6) you can afford to knock a few back in a sitting without feeling guilty.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2011 01:07:32 | More by jmvecchio1

mpedara429

Massachusetts

3.34/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Opened the bottle with a bottle cap opener only to find out it was a screw top. Fail.

A: Poured out a slightly hazy amber color. Less than a finger of white head. There was very little lacing and head retention even with a vigorous pour.

S: Pine, grapefruit, and floral/herbal spiciness along a toffee malt backbone

T: Very much like the smell. I'm getting more citrus like orange in the taste.

M: Medium body that is very chewy with medium carbonation.

O: Interesting concept. It feels a lot like a budget IPA, but it is imperial. The spiciness in this one makes it a bit unique. Not great, but not bad either. I could see myself wanting to bring a six pack of this to a party or something.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 03:14:20 | More by mpedara429

timtwoface

British Columbia (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another tasty ipa...nay, dipa...from pyramid brewing. I'd never herd of this particular flavour until I stumbled across it at the supermarket and I was glad to pick it up. I'm already a fan of the thunderhead ipa, and ts one is even tastier and hoppier...which I enjoy. It doesn't set itself apart from the other ipas and dipas I've had as far as flavour or appearance or smell - it's your classic delicious hop bomb. I guess what I did really appreciate was the very affordable price point for the style of beer - under $8 for a six pack. I really love affordable but tasty beer. Give it a try some time if you are a fan of the ipa style.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 19:09:50 | More by timtwoface

sam_bliss

Washington

3.59/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into New Belgium globe pint

A- Amber and dark orange. Filtered clear with an off-white head that thins after a minute.

S- Citrus hops mostly. I like the fruity yeast. There's plenty of alcohol present - mixed with the lemon it almost reminds me of some cleaners I've used.

T- Super roasted malts well balanced with evergreen and grapefruit/orange hop taste. A little charcoal and some caramel.

M- Thick with a little palate-stick. Kind of a leftover syrup feel but the carbonation and hops leave a nice tongue-tingle

O- Better than I expect from Pyramid, which tends to be second-tier craft beer. This is a high alcohol beer that doesn't taste like most IPAs with ABVs above 8% - it is sweeter and more fruity but as a result of the lightness the alcohol taste is relatively unmasked.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 05:06:20 | More by sam_bliss

betsona

Indiana

3.35/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A- Clear copper color with a finger plus worth of off-white head. Head dissipates into nothing. Have one snake looking lace on the glass. No visible carbonation.

S- Very light citrus hop smell. A little tropical fruit/candy smell. Not getting much malt. Nothing that woos me off my feet.

T- Smooth malt start followed by a mild bitterness. Is extremely subdued all the way through. The back of the beer provides a nice piney bitterness. Is not hot in any manner. Straight forward and nothing that overwhelms.

M- Light body with minimal carbonation. Kind of flat. Slight bitter lingering taste.

D- The price is right. I think I may pick it up for friends that prefer mild IPAs. I will probably pick up a few more to try again in the future. Hard to pass up a Imperial IPA at $1.70 a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2011 19:48:15 | More by betsona

dball

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The Outburst was a great price for a solid imperial IPA. It's not the best I've had but it's good for $8 a six-pack. Not sure if this was a sale price or regular price. I would certainly get this again. It is only the second Pyramid I've had. The other was the winter seasonal and it was good as well.

The color is a little more clear orange/gold that I would expect. It tastes like it would be a bit more cloudy in color. The head settles quickly and the beer doesn't have a creamy feel. It bites like an IPA should but the hops aren't overwhelming. It's flavor is not the greatest but again for an imperial it's worth the $8.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2011 00:43:59 | More by dball

bstave

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle (best by 5/17/12) poured into Dogfish Head tulip pint glass.

A- Copper with white 2 finger head. Dissipated to a thin ring around the glass. Not much lacing.

S- Grapefruit citrus and nice caramel malt aroma.

T- On the sweeter side of an IIPA. Hops do shine through mainly on the back end. Nice bitter finish.

M- Medium to heavy mouth feel with low to medium carbonation. Pretty smooth.

O- At $6.99/6 pack, I believe this is the BEST IIPA on the market. A very satisfying beer that is on the sweeter side, similar to many East Coast IIPAs. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 05:07:42 | More by bstave

machostacos

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip glass. Bottle says enjoy by May 25, 2011.

A: Bright amber/orange, slightly hazy, with a half-inch cream-colored head that sticks around for a while. Darker than many DIPAs, but delicious-looking nonetheless.

S: Balanced. Nice solid malt backbone to hold up all those hops. Lots of juicy citrus and floral hops sit comfortably atop a sweet caramel and slightly bready malt base.

T: The malts are really evident here - toasty caramel (almost Creme Brulee-esque), a little nutty, buiscuty. It's a delicious platform for hops - citrusy, floral, and quite bitter. It finishes bittersweet (emphasis on the bitter), a little juicy from the hops with that slightly puckering bitterness (though it's not offensive at all - invites another sip.) The balance here is fantastic, though tipped more towards the malts.

M: Full and chewy, a little oily and slick, with medium carbonation - just the right amount. Finishes a little dry. Very nice.

O: This is a fantastic DIPA, and certainly a nice change from the "I only exist to destroy your mouth with hops" DIPAs that I've had recently. This is a very well-balanced beer, rich and flavorful in all the right places. For $1.99/bottle at my local store, it's a steal. I should have bought a six-pack!

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 00:25:41 | More by machostacos

Thingus

California

4.38/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Live tasting, bottle poured into my brand spankin' new Duvel Tulip :D

Appearance; pours a copper-orange color with two fingers of fine straw colored head... Retention is good, with about a half of a fingers worth of head hanging around (that laser etch is really workin it's magic!!) with good lacing on the glass.

Smell; notes of pineapple, orange and mango, other generic citrus fruits and hints of pine.

Taste; is like the smell on steroids!! The flavor is ratcheted up to 11 on this one!! They named it rightly, calling it outburst! Pineapple, orange, mango, lemon and grapefruit rinds with hints of pine on the finish (just enough in my opinion, Im not huge on pine in my ipa's, I far prefer citrus)

Mouthfeel; this is bright and lovely with good carbonation, slight effervescence with a finish that hangs around for a bit, a good amount of bitterness...

Overall; WOW!! I received this on a trade recommendation from a good friend (Thanks Steve!!!) and it knocked me for a loop!! I feel like this beer is underrated for sure, the only beer by Pyramid that I've had previously is the Haywire and that caused me to pass on other offerings from this brewery, after Outburst, well I'll be revisiting their other beers!! I definitely recommend this one!!

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 05:27:53 | More by Thingus

marcellaproust

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Translucent dark butterscotch hard candy color. Quickly fading 2-3 cm head, coarse bubbles. Carbonation strong. Very light scent--hop on the floral side. The taste is fronted with an IPA cut with smoothness; some kind of sweetness. Not malt syrup but what I would describe as the raw sugar, not processed 'brown sugar' but brown sugar taste of those blocks of raw sugar you can buy in Asian markets. That said, the more time that passed and I struggled to name the sweetness, the less the sweetness, the more the hoppiness. More floral than citrusy; not vegetal per se. Body and toward the finish: silky mouthfeel, dry finish but fading hoppiness and peppery. A totally delightful and refreshing difference from tediously, brute over-hoppy IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 04:02:16 | More by marcellaproust

BillHilly

Washington

3.95/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Rustic imperial IPA appearance, 2 finger head, dissipates to a nice ring

S: Nice sweet & piney hops

T: First sip dries and preps the palate, excellent balance on the malt and hops

M: Light on the carbonation, hides the ABV quite well

D: Outstanding imperial IPA for $7 a sixer...worth a shot, in fact, I'll be buying more. My favorite from this brewer so far...

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2011 22:49:31 | More by BillHilly

inthebeeraisle

Oregon

2.68/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Had this on tap at the Mactarnahan's taproom. 16 oz. pint glass.

A: A pretty flat looking beer without much bubbles. Pours a orange hay color.

S: This beer smells like real grassy hops. A big aroma that brings you back for more. Intriguing.

T: A hoppy beer with little sweetyness considering the ABV. Not enough balance to get me excited.

M: This is a dense feeling beer. The grassy hop flavor lingers long enough that I wait a little while between sips.

D: I wouldn't order this beer again. Glad I tried it, but unimpressed overall. Just too much lack of malt backbone to go with the big dense hop flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2011 00:16:05 | More by inthebeeraisle

BaronRogue

California

3.7/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear golden copper, minimal lace.

Smell is nice, big but not quite as overwhelming as some IIPAs, approachable (definitely the main theme here).

Taste is really good... really nail-on-the-head apricot and peach flavors, next to no bitterness. Just insanely drinkable. Feels great in the mouth, not as chewy as it could be but still pleasant.

Overall, it's pretty floppy for an IIPA... however, it's still an amazing beer. Approachable from every angle, I'd love to try this one tap some time in the near future.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 06:49:37 | More by BaronRogue

lighthabit

Oregon

3.74/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

great head, dies down to a solid thin layer, leaving sticky lacing (it gets a 4 for the lacing) all the way down the side. deep orange color with a hint of garnet. up front oily hops, citrus but not much in the grapefruit range, which i rather like. nose has some minty/bready something-or-other fighting with the fruits that throws me off a bit. good body, again, a pleasant oiliness/thickness that make s it stand out from others i've had. especially at this price, a great one on which to stock up.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 03:40:53 | More by lighthabit

RattleheadKV2

New Mexico

4.03/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First review. Poured into goblet.

A - Pours a nice copper/honey color with about a 1 1/2 finger of head, with decent retention. No lacing to speak of whatsoever.

S - Hops! Just as any good IIPA/DIPA should. This one's got lots of citrus notes, grapefruit, orange, pineapple, with a hint of pinyness in the background.

T - Again hops! Just like the smell, huge citrus flavors, of grapefruit, orange, pineapple, ect... There's a bit of malt in there providing a very, very faint bready taste. Finishes fairly bitter.

M - Medium bodied, with a crisp finish, quite drinkable.

O - Great IIPA especially for the price! I picked mine up at the local grocery store for $7.99 for a 6-pack. Pretty good deal for 6 IIPA's, will deffinitely have to pick some up again.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 05:40:02 | More by RattleheadKV2

SFrankBrew

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle pours a hazy orange with a foamy white head that laces well. Grassy, hoppy aroma with plenty of pine and citrus. Taste has plenty of bitter hop with a grassy, pine and citrus finish. This Imperial IPA is in line with a regular Lagunitas IPA. Worth a try. It looks like Pyramid is finally getting away from all the Hefe's they have.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 19:48:18 | More by SFrankBrew

superdavex

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Wow Pyramid. I never expected such a perfectly balanced, drinkable Imperial IPA from the same people that have been giving us such mediocre "craft" beers for so many years. I bought a sixer on my way home for the first time a few weeks ago and cracked the first and before I knew it, around 5 hours later, I had dusted of all six and was feeling exactly like I just drank 72 ounces of 8.5% beer. In other words, I was pretty messed up.

Now, knowing how dangerously drinkable this latest and greatest concoction is from the newly very respectable people at Pyramid is, I try to limit myself to three or on occasion four of these for fear of having to deal with the following day not in top form. This has become a weekly challenge lately as this is the best quality budget beer out there for about 7$/six IMHO. Thank you very much.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2011 04:36:26 | More by superdavex

constantine_272

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A: Copper in color with mostly white foam. Sticky foam, but most of it disappeared quickly. Decent carbonation.

S: Straightforward hop and citrus. Not much else there that I'm getting.

T: Nicely balanced considering the high alcohol. Tangy strong hop and lemon notes the a bit of roasted grain to balance it out. Good zest unless from the carbonation adds tanginess without bitterness. The taste finishes off with a bit of orange peel.

M: Pretty good here. The bitterness is good but it still maintains some lightness. Nice balance for 8.5% alcohol.

O: Overall it's hard to give a beer with this much hop and this much alcohol a great score. It felt one dimensional at first but then I discovered the orange peel flavor halfway through which kept me interested and gained back a few points. In the end though, it just wasn't for me. The hops cover most of the booze, but at the cost of complexity.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2013 02:25:20 | More by constantine_272

hickmancase

California

4.22/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from the variety pack.

A: Looks like an IPA. Slightly sticky two-finger head. Doesn't quite look imperial.

S: Great flowery, hoppy smell. Almost as pungent as Port Brewing's Whambo (one IPA whose nose I cannot find a match for).

T: Great taste. Excellent hop profile. Can't believe such an excellent offering could come from this bigger brewery.

M: Can't remember.

D: Excellent. After offering a friend the last of the four bottles, I actually snuck it away in my pocket for myself. What a jerk!

8/10

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2011 20:05:55 | More by hickmancase

Hopheadjnr

4.28/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a stella chalice.

A...pours with a slightly hazy amber color with an off white, low head.

S...citrus, hops, alcohol and fermented apricot. Excellent aroma for the style
T...the bitterness is there, balanced by a sweet bread maltness. Tasting the apricot that was on the nose and a noticeable alcohol is present but expected.

M....just where it should be. Easy to drink, perfect carbo. Very nice.

O...this is a nice, easy to drink brew. To easy for the abv. Lacks a little something in overall complexity and the finish is a little long for the expected bitterness with this style. Overall, an excellent buy at $8 a sixer. Buying this again on thanksgiving.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 02:52:05 | More by Hopheadjnr

Hopalong29

Ohio

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear copper in color with slight head and minimal lacing.
Nice aroma of citrus and some peppery spice.
Hoppy, citrus and slight malt sweetness.
Somewhat drying mouthfeel.
Not my favorite but would definitely put in "won't let you down" list.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2011 02:12:37 | More by Hopalong29

RyanTeeter

New York

4.18/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Drank from a bottle via a pint glass.

a: The appearance was transparent however not crystal clear. Slight haze to it. Vigorous pour led to a thin head that disappeared within a minute.

s: Wonderful aroma. Full of citrus and floral hop. Wonderful smell - could not get my nose out of the bottle.

t: Great taste. Sweet flavor paired perfectly with the bitterness of several hop flavors.

m: Mouthfeel truly added to the overall flavor as flavor rushed into every crevice within my mouth. Slightly heavy feel to the tongue, flavor lingers just long enough to allow time in-between drinks.

o: I am not always an IPA fan however this Pyramid Outburst Imperial IPA was fantastic. It wonderfully balanced the intense hop flavors with their blended malts to truly give a wonderful experience.

Currently my highest rated beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 01:41:18 | More by RyanTeeter

thebeerisgood

Indiana

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

Aroma: Citrusy and floral with lightly toasted malt

Appearance: Deep orange/amber with a light frothy white head that dissipates quickly

Taste: Bitter, citrusy and overall very hoppy. Grapefruit and pine are also pretty noticeable, then balanced off with caramel and toasted malt

Mouthfeel: Mild carbonation, crisp and clean, finished dry.

Overall: Not bad, not great. The alcohol is barely noticeable, I could drink a couple of these before my taste buds start to scream.

Notes: Dry hopped. Uses 2-row, munich, caramel malt, along with nugget, chinook, Centennial and simcoe hops

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 01:12:50 | More by thebeerisgood