Unplugged Imperial IPA - New Glarus Brewing Company

bevenson

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up the previous week in New Glarus. No date on bottle, but was purchased a mile from the brewery so I'm assuming it's really fresh. Poured into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass.

A - Straw yellow and clear with a rocky off white head that stands for several minutes before falling to the sides of the glass. Looks perfect.

S - Strong pine and grapefruit comes out immediately when poured, with a little tangerine coming in from behind. Light alcohol evident in aroma (the pleasant rose aroma, not the hot "we had fermentation problems" aroma). Low bready malt aroma with thankfully no sweet caramel in aroma. One thing too many DIPAs overdo is adding to much crystal malt; we'll see if that carries over to the flavor.

T - An assault of hops as pleasantly expected. Strong bitterness with an equally strong hop flavor. Woody, resiny, grapefruit, pine are the main flavors with tangerine and peach in the aftertaste. I don't know what hops he used, but it must have been every American variety the brewer could procure. A bready, biscuty malt flavor is in the background to remind you that there is something other than hops in this beer. An appreciably dry finish with a hearty hop aftertaste.

M - Moderate carbonation with medium body. Alcoholic warmth becomes evident way too late in the glass. Very, very smooth DIPA.

D - To date, the best DIPA from the Midwest I have had and a rival of Pliny the Elder. Abrasive Ale is too sweet, Hopslam is too rough. This one is assertive enough to be a DIPA and doesn't mess it up with too much sweetness. I hope New Glarus brings this one back again. Now I'm off to find some extra sharp cheddar to go with the rest of this glass.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2011 00:58:11 | More by bevenson

Sparky44

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.7%

03-27-2013 01:23:37 | More by Sparky44

spycow

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.7%

03-10-2013 18:29:39 | More by spycow

brandoman63

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

01-15-2013 15:12:04 | More by brandoman63

eawolff99

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -2.7%

08-27-2012 02:27:11 | More by eawolff99

Davit

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

08-03-2012 10:32:48 | More by Davit

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

4.28/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

IPA pours a golden clear color with very little head. The smell contains a strong aroma of hops, but has a sweet floral sent. The taste is very well balanced, has a nice floral hop taste, on the bitter side but not crazy. The easiest double IPA i ever had, very easy to drink, but still has a nice full underwater flavor. Overall a very nice Imperial IPA, not as strong and bitter, but well balanced, full of flavor, and has a sweeter fresh taste.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 02:38:50 | More by vette2006c5r

LoraxLager

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

06-15-2012 15:40:47 | More by LoraxLager

Hophead101

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-06-2012 02:56:50 | More by Hophead101

beergod1

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a cloudy amber with a big off white head that stays well and laces the glass in sheets. Aromas of oranges, some grapefruit, and underlying caramel malt. Flavor is well balanced between grapefruit hops and caramel malts giving some orange flavor, some pineapple, good grainy notes too. Nice balance and good medium body. 10% abv is covered completely and the bitter dry finish leaves you wanting more even after the glass is empty. Of course...Retired.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 20:24:23 | More by beergod1

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%

01-16-2012 05:20:29 | More by ygtbsm94

Grebdioz

Texas

4/5  rDev -2.7%

12-27-2011 11:37:57 | More by Grebdioz

Beertracker

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev -2.7%

12-16-2011 19:45:45 | More by Beertracker

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A buddy brought a bunch of samples from New Glarus. The IIPA pours an attractive slightly hazy golden orange with a decent white head leaving a nice lacing. The smell includes a interesting herb followed by citrus and a strong floral and malt notes. The taste brings more of the nose along with a bitter refreshing bite that combines with a strong malt. The mouthfeel was full/medium body. Not quite as high in abv as some IIPAs but was very nice.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 13:36:44 | More by WoodBrew

Florida9

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Slightly cloudy golden in color. Forms a moderate-sized white head. Decent retention. Minimal lacing.

S: Quite aromatic. Strong blend of grapefruit and pine with a bit of malty toast in the background.

T: Appreciable toasty malt body then grapefruit, pine, and a little pine resin. Then citrus, lemon, and a little orange, but the orange is overpowered by the grapefruit and pine. Herbal hops and alcohol linger on the finish.

M: On the lighter side of medium with a strong, biting bitterness. Medium to lightly heavy carbonation.

O: Yes! I never figured Dan would produce a beer like this. Maybe not totally West Coast, but pretty damn close, with a in-your face aroma and stinging bitterness. Not the clean, subtle beers NG typically produces, but a damn fine beer indeed.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 22:40:36 | More by Florida9

david131

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a very light orange-yellow liquid with a thin and splotchy yet creamy white head. A little bland looking for the style.

S- A massive amount of pine up front followed by some grass, mint, and fruitiness. There is a bit of a malt backing, but it is only there as a formality.

T- Sweet malt with a nice piney hop aspect. Simple, sweet, and bitter.

M- A bit oily and smooth with a dry finish.

O- Definitely on the forgettable side for the style. The piney aspect is great, but other than that there is not much else going on.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 04:19:54 | More by david131

augustgarage

California

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Many thanks to northyorksammy for a box of Wisconsin. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into my Dogfish Head oversized snifter.

Bright gold and gamboge liquid is clearly unfiltered and topped by a lasting creamy ghost white collar and archipelago of micro-bubbles assembled at the surface. Delicate sandy arcs of lacing.

Grapefruit and pineapple in the nose - not quite tropical overall. Pure clean malt. Faint herbal notes as well.

Unapologetically powerful malt bill, though stays away from caramel notes so as not to impede the delivery of potent hop flavors. Menthol, watermelon, subtle pepper, and pine/citrus C-hops blend perfectly - crisp bitter refreshing profile overall. Finishes dry, bitter, and slightly herbaceous.

Medium-bodied, actively carbonated, and brisk.

Not a style I'd expect New Glarus to excel at, but this is the peer of the majority of top-tier hop-head-oriented examples available in SoCal. Worth seeking out for sure.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 01:59:05 | More by augustgarage

sholland119

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to maximum12 for the chance to try this one again, and review it!

A-Clear gold with just a hint of honey, some nice pooling of a white head and good lacing.

S-Juicy, juicy hops. This is the freshest bottle I have had of this one. Sweet citrus and pine. Luscious.

T-Sweet malt complements the sweet fruity hops quite nicely. Hop presence is solid but not overpowering.

M-Medium bodied, surprisingly light on the tongue. Nice carbonation.

O-I am a big fan of this one. ABV is a bit higher than I like but the alcohol is extremely well hidden. Really nice.

HV

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 01:33:52 | More by sholland119

Jason

Massachusetts

3.3/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz brown bottle with no freshness date.

Color: Clear pale gold.

Smell: Orangey, leafy, aspirin, fresh mint, papaya, alcoholic esters and a honey-like maltiness.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Creamy body draws in the smoothness. Hop bitterness is very aggressive. Citirc rind, peppercorn, warming alcohol, mint, leafy resin and some dry bready malt. Hops don't let up so easy either. Tropical fruit, yeast and hard lingering hop in the bitter finish.

Overall: Hops are clearly the show stealer here, perhaps too aggressive as with each sip there is no recovering … just more hops.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 01:25:55 | More by Jason

beagle75

Iowa

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.
According to the label this 'IIPA' is 9% abv.

A: Clear, orange-golden color with one finger of diminishing white foam head. Light lacing remains on the glass and bubbles rise through the column in clumps rather than streams.

S: Bready and vinous, with retreating hops that lose their tropical fruit and citrus notes within five minutes. The qualities are remarkably clean, advertising well the malt profile to come in the taste. No alcohol is detected.

T: Begins off-dry, with bright and acidic bready malt that is crisp and appealing, if not particularly deep. Hop aromatics are restrained early, showing a fairly wide spectrum of flavors (dominated by grapefruit citrus and pine) but not shouting about them particularly loud. Soft malt is retained into the middle, where fruit flavors are delicate and vinous. Bitterness is moderate in the finish and slightly astringent, with some new grapefruit peel and lemongrass as well as a marginal lean toward the sweet also happening late. No alcohol is detected.

M: Medium viscosity, simultaneously delicate and exciting on the palate allowing the drinker to note that the acidity is more tasted than felt, with low carbonation.

D/O: This is a very interesting DIPA that comes across as malt-forward, owing to a feather-light (for the style) backbone of English malt that is striking upon its deconstruction. It is just as enjoyable when taken as a whole, with a soothing texture that adds to the experience. While it might not turn too many heads as a limited-release, almost any Midwestern brewery would be lucky to have this beer as its well-rounded DIPA for all seasons.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 17:42:10 | More by beagle75

vitrael

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Hazy golden brew, just a little darker than a Weizen, with a small white head.

S: Huge pine and lemon hop aroma, like a Christmas tree, or like Pinesol (but not astringent/chemical).

T: Strong pine and lemon flavor again with an average bitterness balanced on a medium-bodied malt base with a sort of bready middle (finish goes back to the hops). Very clean, complex, and refreshing. This was probably my favorite New Glarus beer the moment I tasted it.

M: Nice average body appropriate to IIPA with good carb and crisp, clean character.

Great! Says here it's not brewed anymore, but I saw quite a bit of it in the grocery store. From the aroma it can't be that old. I might have to get some more.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 00:16:36 | More by vitrael

OddNotion

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into my Sierra Nevada bulb glass.

Appearance: Pours a nice light golden color with a two finger white head. Very bubbly, head does not seem to want to recede any time soon.

Smell: Very citrus-y. Nice and pungent, bitter hoppiness as well. Malt backbone seems to be present but the hops dominate the smell.

Taste: Wow delicious! Perect balance of bitterness in conjunction with citrus flavors. Honestly I am surprised this beer is not more highly regarded! Maybe due to the slight noticability of the alcohol content but other than that it is clean and nice and refreshing. Reminiscent of Pliny the Elder (I hate these comparisons most times but this one really does remind me of it).

Mouthfeel: To style, heavier side of medium but low to medium carbonation.

Overall: Very much enjoyed! I would love to have regular access to New Glarus offerings and am so happy I had the chance to try this one out!

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 21:52:44 | More by OddNotion

JCaweinstein

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle to a snifter glass. This beer is a deep gold color with a one finger rocky white head that dissipates rather quickly.

Smells resinous and grassy. This gives off a really nice aroma.

Bitter hops up front with a little nutty sweetness from the malts.

For a IIPA this is smooth. For the alcohol content it's not very noticeable, doesn't coat the mouth and leave a potent lingering aftertaste. Sometimes I like the aftertaste but it's a good change to have a quality IIPA without the hardcore aftertaste.

One of the lighter IIPA's I've tasted. Nothing here is over the top or extreme which is what I typically go for. This is different and good.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2011 04:34:30 | More by JCaweinstein

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

burnt amber with a big off white head and a nice bit of lace that flowed down the glass. The smell was dominatd y alcohol, as was the taste. Once it warmed some decent hints of citrus hops were brought forward and could finally be smelled. Lots of hop presence and a nice sweetness that tried to balance it out.The taste was smooth, albeit overpowering with the strong alcohol flavors. Overall this was a good brew, however I think this may be one that was so brought up on ABV that really didnt need to be, and that brings down the drinkibility a bit.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 00:38:56 | More by mikesgroove

vobr0002

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- golden color withtwo fingers of head that last for a long time.

S- citrus fruity smell with some malty biscuit coming through in the smell. I enjoy the smell of this beer

T- crisp taste with a bitterness that lasts on the tongue but is not too harsh. Very hoppy, kinda a grassy taste at the end.

M- medium carbonation, thin feeling in the mouth.

O- this beer is very good overall. Its definately an iipa that any beer enthusiast would enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 00:06:23 | More by vobr0002