Twin Sisters Double IPA - Left Hand Brewing Company

atsprings

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer poured a hazy amber with a great lasting head that left spotty lacing on the glass. The aroma was dominated by citrus hops followed by pale malts. The taste was a wonderful balance of hops and malts. The tastes danced together nicely on the palate with both showing their presence back and forth. The hops were certainly there, but the malt kept them from overpowering. The beer was medium on the palate and the alcohol was well hidden. This is a great DIPA for anyone who appreciates great balance, not just an overload of hops.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2007 05:15:13 | More by atsprings

clayrock81

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a somewhat brownish body with two-finger head that slowly dies and leaves lace patches. A sharp, pungent citric hop aroma along with some caramel and other malts. Medium-bodied with a husky body that's dry as the citric hops pack a wallop and there's also a bready, caramel malt sensation for a little bit of sweetness. Overall, the beer is less fruity and on the more dry side of DIPAs. A dry, crisp finish as the alcohol complements the beer and I find this a quality after-dinner sipper.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2010 12:53:26 | More by clayrock81

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-very hazy deep orange color, decent two fingers of a slightly off white head leaving a pretty nice lacing on the glass

S-sweet malt up front that is immediately followed by a light smell of grapefruit

T/M-smooth and oily, slick down the throat, bitter hops hit right away followed by a sweet caramel malt, finishing with a slight amount of citrus

D-very average DIPA, its relatively balanced but the alcohol shines through

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2009 16:51:27 | More by cpetrone84

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Review from BeerAdvocate magazine Vol. II Issue IX:

From their "Big Mo" series, this big-ass, bottle-conditioned India Pale Ale is brewed with Rocky Mountain water, malted & flaked barley, malted rye, hops and yeast. Wait, if this is a Double IPA, and IPA stands for India Pale Ale, what's with the redundant "Ale" on the label?

Bright light-golden color with a touch of cloudiness; topped with a tight white, creamy foam lacing. Big green hop aroma, hints of vegetable, soap and spicy rye notes, pine resin and a deep, sweet alcohol. Smooth. Super creamy, fluffy and silky. Full and even. Semi-viscous, near syrupy at times. Sweet up front with a fresh malt character, followed by some caramel, tapioca, overripe pineapple, candied fruits and rye spice around the edges that segue nicely into the hops--which are big with flavor: bitter greens, sticky hop oils, ashy resins and dried leaves. Warming, spicy alcohol. Mouthfeel goes a bit coarse as things warm.

The hops, while certainly present and intricate, seem to get lost in the sweetness; which along with the big fruitiness of this beer, gets a bit too cloying for us.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2010 17:12:34 | More by BeerAdvocate

Pencible

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This poured a hazy light copper with off-white head. It smelled like a blend of orange, grapefruit, floral, and pine hops, with some sweet honey malt. It tasted like a mix of creamy orange and bitter grapefruit and pine hops, with honeysuckle and a bit of sweet yeast. It was thick with some carbonation, and had a lasting and very bitter aftertaste. Overall this beer had great flavor that nicely balanced bitterness with sweetness. Nothing was too complex about it, but the flavors were all very clean and delicious. It had great body too, and hid the alcohol pretty well. This was a highly enjoyable beer, better for sipping due to its very strong flavors.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2008 17:07:58 | More by Pencible

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.24/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium coppery amber with a fine one finger white head with great retention and lacing. Nice aroma of piney and lightly herbal hops and bready malt. Flavor of extremely well melded pine and citrus hops with sweet caramel malt and stone fruit. The flavors are so well balanced that the hops do not seem very dominant until the finish, which is long lasting piney hops and a mixture of caramel and biscuit malt. Extremely creamy and mouth soothing texture. I was a bit taken aback on my first sip, because the hops seemed very subdued, but as the initial malt subsided, the hops revealed themselves nicely. This is not a hop bomb, but instead a well balanced, very malty imperial IPA. Nicely done and different. Not for those who don't like malty IPAs, but I really like it.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 03:08:29 | More by LiquidAmber

claspada

New Jersey

3.18/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Aroma is somewhat subdued with mild pine mixed with carmelized malts to balance it out, nothing really note-worthy here.
The tastes begin with strong orange peel, tropical fruitiness, and a rough pine and herb to give it a good punch. As prevalent as the malt was in the nose, it lacks in the taste making this too overly bitter for me to enjoy more than a pint of. For as much alcohol as in this, the sweetness is not very detectable, which some people enjoy, but I do not because I like a more balanced DIPA. Overall this is a bitter bomb, which is not for me, but is loved by many.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2011 14:41:03 | More by claspada

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Golden with a touch of orange; head pops up big time and lasts nicely with splotchy sheets of super-sticky lacing. This is looking good.

Cascade hops dominate the nose; this smells something like a 'roided-up Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Not as potent as some DIPAs but it smells quite nice..and unbalanced.

The flavor is very unbalanced; more like hop tea than Budweiser. Which I dig.

Very bitter; tons of alpha acids, even though they don't impart a ton of hoppy flavors. Really, there's not a ton of flavor here at all. Some sweetness sneaks in before the bitterness hits hardest; a touch of peppery rye is a nice, well, touch.

A prick of alcohol that's hard to distinguish from the hop finish. In other words, pretty strong kick at the end. Medium thickness, just about right for style, although the hop presence seems to bring down the chewiness a little bit - it's a little oily.

I found a non-cork/cage, 22. oz version of the Twin Sisters for about half the price of the 750mL bottle. I would never pay $13 for this beer, but it's not a bad mid-range bomber of hop elixir.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2008 03:16:46 | More by BretSikkink

allengarvin

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a half-liter mug, this beer pours out a cloudy orange-brown color with a solid, fluffy head atop it. Aroma smells of resin and grapefruit rind. Sweet, very lightly caramel malt flavor, followed by a huge burst of citrusy hop flavor. Bitterness isn't as high as many double IPA's, or even normal IPA's, but there's hop flavor out the wazoo. Dries out quite well at the end. Good creamy body.

Excellent double IPA example

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2006 03:24:01 | More by allengarvin

wagenvolks

Texas

3.6/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bomber into a Duvel chalice.

Pours a surprisingly pale, golden-orange body with a nice clarity and a sluggish carbonation level that fuels a well-retained inch of bone white head. Thick lacing coats the chalice, as expected per the style, but the hue of this IIPA is still throwing me off. The aroma develops a pleasant booziness that underlies notes of white grapes, lemon, grapefruit, caramel, and a hint of mint leaf.

Maybe I got an old bottle (says 2008 bottle conditioned...bought it a week ago), but the hops seem subdued in comparison to the sweet, nearly overpowering toffee and caramel malt notes. A bit of piney hoppiness powers through on the finish, leaving a bitter resin aftertaste that's grainy and wooden. Mouthfeel is on the thicker side of medium, with a low carbonation level and a viscous-creamy consistency. Overall, Twin Sisters was somewhat of a disappointment, but then again, many of Left Hand's brews follow along those lines.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2009 02:51:51 | More by wagenvolks

CrellMoset

Virginia

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

On tap at Brick Store, Decatur, GA. Served in a shaped pint glass.

Appearance: A clear, filtered orange amber body that sports an off-white head of average retention that fades into a ring of bubbly lace. Lacing is streaky and a little weak.

Aroma: A grapefruit, orange zest, and pine needle assault on the senses - very sweet, as well, with lots of honey-like, simple sugars. It's very pungent and distinct, if not terribly complex.

Taste: See above, really. The taste is very similar to the nose. It's not too terribly bitter for a DIPA, and instead is very balanced - that same strong, sticky sweetness in the nose keeps those alpha acids in check. Most of what's here is that sticky, fruity, oily hop presence, however, also very similar to the nose - tons of orange, pineapple, grapefruit, and resiny juniper.

Mouthfeel: Fine-to-medium bubbled, medium to full bodied, bubbly, crisp and textured, and although a little thick and syrupy, probably not nearly as much as it could be.

Drinkability: Just a nice, well-balanced though not terribly complex west coast DIPA. Some nice flavors and aromas going on here, and I'm glad I got the chance to try this one on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2008 19:18:48 | More by CrellMoset

aerozeppl

New York

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Standard hazy copper color. Tons of lacing.

S: Really nice nose on this beer. A mix of wet hopping and a close floral relative to the hop. Just a really nice hop nose. No hints of malt or anything else. Just hops.

T: Starts off with a sweet bitterness.As it gets further back on your tongue it goes into a different wave of bitterness. At the end it has that weird it is so hoppy it feels like my throat is closing in on itself and salt is being thrown on it. Sweet. There is barely any malt to hold this animal back.

M: Sticky medium body. Low carbonation.

D: This is one bitter DIPA. Glad I split the bomber. This would really kill your taste buds flying solo. If you are a hophead who has ruined your taste buds this one is a must try. Not bad but I want more citrus hops then bitter hops.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2008 01:58:42 | More by aerozeppl

Pegasus

Texas

3.55/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Dark, hazy orance, with a modest white head, which fades fairly quickly. Thin, scattered lacing adorns the glass walls.

Aroma: Substantial medicinal hop notes in the aroma, as well as lots of caramel, and sweet alcohol.

Taste: Opens with a strong wave of citric and medicinal hops. Against this, there is a strong backbone of very sweet caramel malt. As the taste develops, the hops and the malt play off against each other, with the hops ultimately triumphant. At the end of the taste, there is a lingering medicinal bitterness, which vanquishes any remnant of the malt.

Mouthfeel: Very soft and full, quite pleasant, with a dry finish.

Drinkability/notes: A nice example of the style. It would be interesting to pair with barbeque.

Presentation: Packaged in a twenty-two ounce brown glass bomber, served in a Chimay chalice.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 14:44:16 | More by Pegasus

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First note, this is a bomber, not a corked and caged 750 ml.

Slighty hazy yellow orange body with a lively dense snow white head of micro micro bubbles. Good tight lacing.

Aroma is heavy on pine and fruit, but more apricot than the familar grapefruit and orange.

A sweet malty strip down the center is quickly engulfed by a truck load of fruit. Clean finish. what is not there is any real sort of bitter hop bite at the swallow. Not even at IPA levels let alone a DIPA, as this is billed. Alcohol is totally hidden.

Smooth creamy mouthfeel. Really good drinkability for a 9% ale.

A tasty fruity piney ale and if you like your ipas that way, without any bitter bite, it could be your thing. Others may see the DIPA label and be unbitterly disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2009 04:41:23 | More by RonfromJersey

BeerSox

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bomber into nonic. 2008 bottle conditioned.

Cloudy golden amber hue with a thick two finger light tan head that settles to a thin bubbly cap. The settling head leaves a solid wall of lacing.

Light fruity aromas with a sharp citrusy bite. The malts give off a bready background aroma. Overall, the aromas are relatively light for the style.

Lots of sharp, grapefruit-like, slightly tart hops start off the flavor, and pretty much takes over. A slight amount of toasty malts come through. Full bodied with the carbonation on the higher side. The finish is the lingering hops.

A pretty drinkable DIPA, goes great in a pint glass.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2008 02:21:25 | More by BeerSox

HardTarget

Texas

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

Bottle Inspection: 750 ml (1 pint, 9.36 fl oz. to you and me) caged and corked brown bottle. 2006 bottle conditioned. Stubborn wire and cork pulled March 15, 2008. A small sticker on the front claims 9.0% abv. Let's see what's under her party dress... GASP! 9.6% abv! You hussy!
The back brags of 11,428 IBUs. Let's see...

Aroma: Nice blend of caramel and toffee malts, subdued earthy hop notes.

Appearance: Bright amber color with creepy transparency. I can read through this with easy, but the text is distorted as if through heavy old glass. Thin cap holds and laces.

Flavor: I think I held this one too long. The hops have faded out to a mild earthy citric, like orange pith. The malt is full and yummy and there is enough bitterness to keep this well in balance. The overall impression is closer to an English Old Ale. Still a very pleasant and drinkable brew, just not a hop bomb in any sense of the word.

Mouthfeel: Medium heavy body triggers a chew. Carbonation is restrained but present. Texture is a bit slick.

Overall Impression: Well, I broke the rule of tasting one before I aged one, so it's hard to tell where this went. At this point (March 15, 2008) it's a nice brew with no signs of oxidation, but the hops are all but gone. Still, this would probably hold at this level and gain even a bit more malt complexity with another year or two.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2008 05:20:22 | More by HardTarget

Phelps

Arizona

3.1/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Enjoyed from the bottle into a small plastic glass during a recent tasting of double IPAs. No freshness date, so no way to tell how old this guy is.

Pours a dull, coppery orange, perfectly clear, with a half-finger head of off-white. It quickly recedes to a very filmy top layer and ring, leaving spotty lace.

In the nose: grainy malt, saltine crackers, flowers and a bit of dried orange peel. Rather sweet, but it strikes interesting balance with the substantial malt character.

The flavor exhibits an increased English hop bitterness; it's rather earthy. Orange peel, light mango, lots of crackers and honey also appear. Not overly bitter.

Rather soft and kind of syrupy across tongue. Numbing, hot alcohol. Medium massaging carb with light fizz.

The only thing that makes this beer seem like a double IPA is the alcohol content. It isn't bad -- just not too impressive.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 22:19:07 | More by Phelps

EgadBananas

Louisiana

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2006 vintage. Corked and Caged 750ml bottle.

Excellent pour. Dark orange, hazy and opaque. Spongy yellow/beige head of two fingers forms and laces nicely.

Aroma is of biscuits and bread, light malt sweetness, and surprisingly for the age, some citrus in the back.

Taste is rich and malty, not thick and syrupy as I would have suspected. Light bready sweetness, nutty, and mild citrus notes. Finish was slightly bitter and citrusy, which was a nice surprise, again, due to the age.

Feel was creamy, still nicely carbonated, medium bodied, and slick.

Drinkability was solid. Finishing the fifth won't be hard.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 01:40:23 | More by EgadBananas

Drew966

Florida

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

Twin Sisters Double IPA pours a hazy orange with an off white head from a 750 ml corked and caged bottle. The aroma has quite a bit of malt and a fair amount of citrusy hops. The taste has quite a bit of malt, this bottle has been cellared for about nine months, and I think that either the hops have faded a bit, or they just weren't very strong in the first place. They are obviously present, but not as strong as I would expect for the style. Alcohol is quite noticeable too, and it comes close to overpowering at times. Not the best balance for a DIPA, enjoyable overall, but the alcohol cuts down on the drinkability. And very expensive by any measure.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2008 03:27:46 | More by Drew966

adamette

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Live review. Poured from the brown bomber that I bought at Wine and Beverage Depot in Mentor a few days ago for $7.99 into my silver rimmed Orval goblet. No observed "best by" date.

A Brief light brown creamy head over a medium to dark caramel opaque body that reminds me of a dark butterscotch candy. Good look. 4.0

S Surprising barley notes along with elevated hops that I expected. The sweet malt smell is higher than I expected and higher than most beers in this style. Interesting. 4.0

T Mmmmm. Sure enough there is a nice honey like syrupy malt sweetness that predominates with a hops bitterness that, thankfully, is not overwhelming and not long lasting bitterness. Instead, there is a nice gentle bitterness. The barley presence that I detected in the smell continues to be significant as this beer has a strong barley grain taste to it. I find it interesting and good. 4.0

M Some bitterness, as mentioned, but this is a rather "workable" bitterness that shows its presence but does not dominate and overwhelm everything else (a pet peeve in the style). This remains a "big" beer with the significant malt sweetness and bitterness. A lot of that is expected in this style. 4.0

D Not really good. That is common for me in the style, though. The bigness, the sweetness, the (in this case mild) bitterness and the elevated ABV all drag the drinkability down for me, but it is certainly on target for the style. 3.0

Notes: This review marks an end of my reviews for a while. I dedicate it to my own Twin Sisters, Lauren & Evelyn, with whom I will be spending more time.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 02:07:31 | More by adamette

arizcards

Arizona

4.03/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a 750 ml bottle at Sportsman's at the beginning of August for $12.49.

Beer is orange-copper in color and poured a very nice off white head that is sustaining very well. Nose is malty and well spiced by citrus with a hint of alcohol. Taste is well balanced. The malts in this brew are not too sweet and it is balanced nicely by a generous amount of hops. Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied and goes down fairly smooth. Overall drinkability is good. They did a nice job disguising the alcohol although i suspect one will be more than enough!

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2006 22:57:01 | More by arizcards

Beaver13

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle, corked and caged. Pours a clear (until the last pour) copper with a decent yellowish creamy head that retains well and laces the glass.

The aroma is sweet bready honey and some fruity piney/grassy hops.

The flavor is sweet melon-ey malts followed quickly by a decent bitter earthy hoppiness. It has a pretty clean finish with little aftertaste, and the alcohol is very well-hidden. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with decent carbonation.

Overall, it's a decent DIPA. The flavor profile is kind of simple though - there's not a lot there. It's not really worth the price - I'd take Hercules over this any day of the week.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2006 04:23:12 | More by Beaver13

yemenmocha

Arizona

2.53/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A very slight haze, but otherwise a middle of the road amber color. Generous head retains well, very light textured head at that.

Nose is on the weaker side - not a lot of big aromatic notes that scream at you. I detect a clean, light citrus such as lemon peel. Very light.

Flavor is alcohol. Oh, besides that... well, let me retaste... Ok there's some hops too, but mostly warm alcohol flavor with a tinge of malt in there. Finish is very warm, from the alcohol. Why was this bottled in such a special way? Shouldn't have made it to production, IMO.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2006 22:46:42 | More by yemenmocha

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.85/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got this at De Bierkoning in Amsterdam.

From a bomber into a snifter.

APPEARANCE: Pours a medium, fluffy looking, off-white head with good retention. Color is burnt orange, totally clear, with medium carbonation evident. Head slowly fades to a good foam cap leaving immediate lacing down the sides of the glass. A slight wisp and ring remain, leaving some nice lacing as well. Good looking.

SMELL: Sweet pale malts, notes of pine, honeydew melon and pineapple. A nice fruity nose, but it could be a little bolder.

TASTE: Pale malts and some biscuit notes. A little sweeter than the norm, with some honeydew melon and pineapple. Hints of pine and some hop bitterness come through near the finish. A big, lingering aftertaste is piney with some bitter hops. Pretty good really. It's not a bitter, hop bomb, but it starts out with a sweet malt component at the beginning, and slowly transitions to a bitter, hoppier finish. Nice.

PALATE: Medium body and carbonation. Creamy on the palate, goes down fine with a bit of a burn after the swallow, and finishes slightly mouth-coating.

OVERALL: Pretty decent brew really. It's not a bitter hop bomb, so don't expect that, but it's a tasty, interesting, maltier version of a DIPA. Dare I say, it's a more "balanced" interpretation. The taste profile starts out plenty sweet, showcasing a strong malt backbone, and later moves to the bitter, hoppier act after the swallow. Tells a story, like a beer should. Give it a chance if you see it. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2010 11:29:09 | More by Jeffo

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bomber poured into an imperial pint

Pours a slightly cloudy orange amber with little bits of yeast floating around. A large, orange infused 2 finger rocky head bubbles up and recedes slowly. Large rings of lace find their way to the bottom of the glass.

A very sweet malt base with a grapefruit, orange and grassy hop profile that can't seem to get over and through the malt. A touch of alcohol is present in the nose.

Grassy, earthly hops with lightly sweet toasted malt and a piney hop finish. There are a good amount of hops here, but it really falls short of most dipa's out there. The balance is a little out of whack. Almost like a malt lovers dipa.

Slick and oily mouthfeel. Good carbonation, medium body.

Drinkability is ok, just a little too sweet for me. It really started to bother me towards the bottom of the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2008 21:54:24 | More by ColForbinBC