Outburst Imperial IPA - Pyramid Breweries, Inc.

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

CookstLiquor

British Columbia (Canada)

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

Poured from a 650ml bottle. This 2XIPA pours a deep orange colour with a nice bit of fluffy white head. There are some typical hop-heavy pine and orange peel aromas on the nose, with plenty of sweet caramelly malt, as well. The taste offers up tropical fruit flavours and ample sweetness. There's a surprising lack of bitterness on the finish, which would help balance it a bit. Tasty if not a little on the sweet side.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 22:05:46 | More by CookstLiquor

TheHoppiest

Ohio

3.45/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a tulip glass. Bottle bears a stamp on the neck label, "Enjoy by 072012". Pours a slightly hazy honey amber color, with a 1" head that leaves bubbly lacing down the sides as it reduces. A thin lid of foam remains on top.

Smell is faintly malty and sweet, with very little citrus or hop aroma. Given that this is an imperial IPA. I am surprised at the lack of aroma coming from this beer.

Taste is sweet and malty, with a slightly astringent middle and a sticky sweet finish with a hint of hop bite. A bit of alcohol and grape flavors are present as well.

Medium bodied, there is still enough hop bite to leave the tongue feelng a bit of tingle and burn as this is sipped.

I know the beer is not old because of the date on the label, but if I hadn't seen the "enjoy by" date, I would have sworn this was a beer past its prime. Then again, my experience with Pyramid thusfar has been that, while it was a trailblazer for craft brewers, ultimatley it has failed to keep up with the quality demands and standards of the industry. Just prior to this beer I had a Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster, and would happily trade this for that in a hearbeat.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 01:55:57 | More by TheHoppiest

ngeunit1

California

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

A - Pours a fairly clear copper-orange with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of grapefruit, tropical, and citrus hops with some sweet caramel malts and a bit of pine hop.

T - Starts off with some grapefruit and other tropical and citrus hops with some bitterness and some sweet caramel malts. Through the middle, some lightly bready malts come through with some pine hops and some more bitterness. The finish is a mix of tropical and pine hops with some bitterness and a bit of sweet malts.

M - Medium-plus bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a dry and bitter finish.

D - Very drinkable. Good DIPA with a nice hop profile and pretty good balance.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 04:30:02 | More by ngeunit1

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

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

P:   A murky golden orange topped with a thin layer of airy off white head that vanishes quickly with wet translucent lacing. 

S:  Toasted sweet malts, potpourri, orange zest, leather, fruit pectin, papaya, clove, pineapple and a cherry on top. 

T/M:  Toasted  malt base, a tad of carmel sneaking in, grapefruit rind, spicier and more floral than the nose.  A creamy medium-full body with timid carbonation Finishes dry and slightly boozy with lingering bitter citrus rind and fresh pine.  

O:   A good imperial IPA that delivers a great drinkability and aggressive but smooth hops. The sweet caramel malts is a bit of a twist but not unpleasant.  Not one of my top favorites but a solid brew overall. 

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 03:47:02 | More by Hopswagger

gabedivision

New York

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

Poured to a tumbler glass from a 12 oz bottle

Pours a crystal clear golden amber, big fluffy 2 finger head that dies down and turns to a bubbly froth that lays over the top. Sticky, dank, piny notes big on the nose. Mango, peach and fresh cut orange also present. Mango, peaches, grapefruit, all on the tongue. Slight alcohol breaks in, sweet and juicy with a hint of caramel malts. This beer is mediuim bodied, very juicy, and bitter. Overall, this beer really suprised me, very easy drinking DIPA, full of flavor, not overwheamling but good and well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 01:07:53 | More by gabedivision

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Aroma has pungent notes of hop inspired madness appears in body a golden apricot orange hue of deep amber malt goodness. Full on off white head forms thick with a delicious layer of complexity coming in once again. Aroma has huge apricot citrus layers of hops to balance out malts from the past. Flavor has big pink fruits and other tropical notes hanging out with the initial hoppy flavor going on. In fact it's quite bad, between big malts and alcohol layers, a medium bodied carbonation flows thick. WIth the overall mouthfeel bringing in a thick flow of harsh carbonation. Not my favorite beer by any means but it is what it is.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 20:34:17 | More by WVbeergeek

zeff80

Missouri

3.55/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out a clear, orange color with golden highlights. It had a small, white head of bubbly foam that was short-lived and left very little lacing.

S - It smelled of sweet citrus fruits - orange, pineapple and grapefruit. Some caramel aromas, too.

T - It tasted of sweet caramel and some slight bitterness. Orange and grapefruit flavors came through, too.

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

O - This is an okay Imperial IPA. A little too sweet, but still pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 22:28:33 | More by zeff80

FickleBeast

New Jersey

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

12 oz glass poured into a nonic

Pours a mostly clear orangish color with two full fingers of fluffy foam. Aroma is nicely hoppy, predominately tangerine, pineapple and other sweet citrus flavors.

First sip is very sweet initially, followed by a rush of hop flavor, then a bitter kick in the teeth, and then finishing with a lingering hop flavor. Quite complex and good. Nicely balanced with both sweet and bitter flavors coming forward. There is a real rush of sweet tropical fruit flavor.

This is a very nice beer. I appreciate the multiple levels of flavors. Alcohol is disguised nicely, and the bitterness doesn't overwhelm.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 01:41:38 | More by FickleBeast

barnzy78

Illinois

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

12oz bottle, pours orange/copper in color, frothy ivory colored head holds very great retention and leaves thick, chunky lacing all the way down the glass. Aromas are sweet with caramel, juicy floral hop, pineapple, mango, honey filling the nose. Tastes are sweet up-front with caramel, pineapple, mango, some piny hops in there with grapefruit present as well. Finishes dry and somewhat bitter, but balance is key here - sweet and bitter, goes down well. Mouth-feel is meduim bodied, creamy, smooth. Overall, wow! Pyramid came through with this one. This is a brewery I have tended to avoid with a history of beers being sub-par to me. This one was exceptional!

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 17:11:55 | More by barnzy78

yesyouam

New York

4.35/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pyramid Outburst Imperial IPA is a clear, dense, light copper ale with a dense, creamy sand colored head that has excellent retention and lacing. It has a hoppy aroma with notes of grass, flowers, tropical fruit and bubble gum. It's pretty full bodied and foamy. It goes down smooth but leaves the mouth a little trashed. It's quite bitter and a little sweet with caramel and a hint of star fruit. There's a resiny bitterness that leans toward juniper and lasts long after the swallow. This is really jam packed with flavor. If you're ready for a good smack in the mouth, strap in and drink this!

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 14:37:20 | More by yesyouam

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an A-B flute on 5/24/12

Enjoy by 053112

Slightly hazy honey amber color with a huge expanse of foam - three fingers to the brim on the glass and a pile of bubbles beyond that. The head dissipates over time leaving scattered lace.

The aroma has notes of bread, hints of sugar cookie and faint caramel topped off with oily hop resin, dry pine and a smattering of citric tones. There is a touch of yeast, too. The hops come to the foreground come sipping time with a slick, oily feel accented by some blended tropical notions and a touch of piney bitterness on the finish. There is a bready, grainy backdrop, but the needle is tipped more in the direction of the hops. The body is medium-full; certainly not over-bearing. Carbonation is comfortably on the low side. There is just a hint of alcohol.

This isn't close to the best Imperial IPA out there, but it's enjoyable enough. I have to give Pyramid credit for keeping it at 8.5% abv, which is admirable for the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 23:17:51 | More by Ryan011235

ThickNStout

Georgia

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

12oz bottle from Crabapple Bottle Shoppe (Alpharetta, GA). 2.49. Best enjoyed by 8/3/12- that's no problem for me. Served in a Terrapin snifter. 

Pourss vibrant clear orange with 1.5 finger off-white head. 

Nice citrusy hop nose. Orange, mango, pine and sweet bread. Rather pleasing. 

Taste delivers on those citrus hops. Bitter orange rind, grassy pine, mango, biscuit and a cut if booze. Booze is just a tad strong- not at all an unpleasant trait but I've had several imperial IPAs with higher abv that is far less noticeable. 

Medium mouthfeel with moderate to strong carbonation. That nice tingle helps produce a long sharp bittersweet hop aftertaste. 

The guy at the store may have oversold this a bit but I'd certainly drink it again. I was assured a "perfect balance" of hops and malts. It's got some nice hops in it but personally, I'd prefer a tad more malt sweetness to add body and counter the sharp bitterness. Far from the best imperial IPA around but it's still quite enjoyable. 

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 04:59:48 | More by ThickNStout

russpowell

Oklahoma

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

Pours amber with 2 fingers of pearl colored head. Good head retetntion & lacing

S: Pineyness & grassyness, some breadyness

T: Follows the nose, along with grapefruit up front. Orange peel& grapefruit as this warms, some dryness & breadyness as well, plus a bit of caramel. Finishes with grapefruit & pineapple, & a nice crispness

MF: Fairly chewy, subtle carbonation, nice balance

Drinks easy, a fairly nice DIPA

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 03:05:22 | More by russpowell

Durge

Connecticut

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

A dark and hazy amber/tea color with a modest off-white head and decent lacing. The aroma brings an interesting sweet grassy-herbal hop and mild maple malt. The flavor leads with the sweet maple and follows quickly with the herbal hop bitterness. I get bright grass and near mint highlights. Malt and nut bread. This is medium bodied with polite tingly carbonation for a solid feel with a hint of alcohol. Not as intense as the best doubles but a happy hop brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 02:59:43 | More by Durge

LXIXME

New Mexico

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

Poured from above the glass about an inch or so gave this beer a super big off white head that slowly died above a clear honey copper colored beer.

A light soapy sour citrus hops with a pretty descent amount of pine tree aroma with just a tad bit of a light sweet malt creeping in.

Dry light bitter citrus, pine sap, and a light sweet caramel malt taste, a well balanced IPA taste, quite enjoyable.

This medium bodied beer finishes with a with a dry aftertaste with some bitter citrus hanging around.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 00:10:19 | More by LXIXME

julian89

Georgia

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

Poured from bottle into plastic tasting cup at work (I know, classy right?)

Appearance: Clear dark yellow colored ale with a small white colored head.

Smell: Strong hops with a crisp evergreen scents of pine, spruce, and cedar. A fairly strong malt scent.

Taste: Nice hops balance, hits you with evergreen mix on the middle palate, finishes semi-dry with a warming from the alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Light body with medium carbonation.

Drinkability: A quite decent DIPA. Very well balanced and seems like a good "stronger" beer for this time of year.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 12:23:18 | More by julian89

coldriver

Texas

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

12 oz bottle pours a deep amber with minimal head and lacing. Pine and citrus hop aroma with bready malts. Pine, grapefruit, and apricot hop flavors, with sticky sweet bready malt backbone. Medium carbonation, dry finish, not too keen on the oversweet aftertaste. Overall this is not a bad DIPA from Pyramid.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 18:11:40 | More by coldriver

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz Bottle from Total Wine Las Vegas NV for 1.99

Appearance - Slightly hazy amber/copper colour with an average size frothy/fizzy off-white coloured head. Hard to make out the level of carbonation and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for only a few minutes.

Smell - Malts, caramel, hops, grapefruit, apricots

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste hops, malts, and caramel. There is a bit of grapefruit, oranges, and also some pineapple and a hint of apricot/strawberry flavour. It ends with a malty and fruity aftertaste with quite a lot of hop bitterness.

Overall - A good beer for hop heads, but it seems to be lacking a little bit taste wise. It's closer to a IPA than a DIPA for me. I'm not sure how fresh my bottle is so maybe that has something to do with it. Still glad i tried it, but I'd reach for something else next time.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 18:05:23 | More by spinrsx

TempeBeerMan

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a nonic pint.

A – Crystal clear amber with a 1 and a half finger head of creamy white suds. Good lacing. Solid head rentention.

S – Strong aroma of cut grass, dank resinous hops, white bread, and citrus.

T – Big, lush, fruity hops upfront with hints of apricot, pear, grapefruit, and even a little banana. Mid-palate features malt dough reminiscent of white bread, and earthy hop dankness. Finishes slightly peppery. Everything works together well. Refreshingly sweet.

M – Good firm body and medium carbonation. Alcohol comes through just a little in the finish. Nice.

O – A damn good DIPA. Very lush and if you favor sweeter, more fruity DIPA’s instead of tongue peeling bitterness, this could be the IPA for you. I’d buy again.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 22:52:03 | More by TempeBeerMan

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

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

A - Pours a clear red hued, amber body. 2 fingers of of eggshell head that forms a collar with thick lacing.

S - Pine, candied grapefruit, tangerine, orange, caramel malt, hints of banana esters

T - Juicy fruit gum, passion fruit, citrus peel bitterness, caramel malt, pine hops, finishes with floral and pine bitterness.

M - Medium body, medium carbonation.

Aroma is very juicy and tropical. The flavor is good too but doesn't match the nose. Surprisingly good IIPA!

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 21:54:31 | More by StaveHooks

ArrogantB

Colorado

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

Picked this up to fill out a mixed sixer and I was a little surprised that I actually liked it. Nice orange color, not much head. Smells like hops but nothing overpowering. Taste is nice, bubblegum, pine, mint, alcohol, a hint of malts in the back. The alcohol is a little astringent on the tongue but for $1.69 this was a decent DIPA that I might buy again.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 04:22:14 | More by ArrogantB

yamar68

Minnesota

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

What a nice surprise. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from this one. It pours a nice hazed tangerine with appropriate slightly off white head, good lacing, minimal beading. The nose is big on tropical and citrus bits, dense indica character. The taste carries a lot of the same attributes with the addition of some terrific caramel. This is a great IIPA, not at all what I was expecting.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 03:52:51 | More by yamar68

ZAP

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Not on the Mount Rushmore of DIPA's but a very solid and affordable offering.

Some perfumy hop aromas.... pine and also some tropical fruits to a lighter extent...

The flavor is nicely balanced and has the classic DIPA malt load I look for leaning to the caramel bread flavor....hops lend a light to medium bitterness and more of a piney/resiny flavor...

Body is a little light for my liking with a DIPA...feels more like a regular strength IPA.

Don't get me wrong. This is not Hopslam or Hoptimium or whatever from Sierra but this is definitely worth buying for the price point....about half the price of those and not half as good...I'd say if those rate 100....this is more like a 78...

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 01:02:41 | More by ZAP

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a medium to deep copper/amber color, small head, and barely detectable carbonation.

S - Orange and citrus is detectable and subdued but buried beneath a wall of earthy toasted caramel malt; there's also a trace of tobacco aroma.

T - This is one of the more balanced D-IPA's that I've had. Earthy herbalness, a little minty, some tobacco, and toasted caramel malt monopolize the palette with slight citrus fruit and pine surfacing at times.

M - There's a little bit of alcohol effervesence and the finish is dry with a light medium body. The mouth is left with a coating of thin herbal pine bitterness and alcohol residue.

O - A decent D-IPA, but too herbally for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 20:30:19 | More by jzeilinger