Illumination Double IPA - Central Waters Brewing Company

hopoilcrazy

Tennessee

3.54/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

50th review! Thanks, to Shagens for the extra!

A - Straw colored and slightly hazy. Small big bubble head

S - Gummy sort of mint. Sweet. Big "mixed fruit" sort of notes. Hay-ish. Hop oil

T - Viscous sort of sweetness. Notes of chartreuse, orange, tequila, vanilla. A good amount going on, but it is subdued.

M - Good body, not too heavy. Alcohol is totally in check for 9%.

Overall, pretty good. Well crafted, but in the ever growing world of DIPA's it is not that memorable

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 07:27:26 | More by hopoilcrazy

joeseppy

Illinois

3.29/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Beautiful cascading copper rush pour effect with a generous one inch fluffy white head.

Aroma a bit of a letdown--not much for me except muted tropical fruit.

Taste is very one dimensional. All bitter white grapefruit with mediocre malt filling. Nothing even remotely sweet for balance.

Medium body and decent carbonation. Bitterness lingers.

Taste and smell are everything and this is average at best. This should not be touted in 4 pks almost as if its an exclusive find. Store I purchased this from has always been fair in pricing, but this comes in @ $11/4PK...overpriced IMO. I could only drink one and then move on. I will not purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 12:47:14 | More by joeseppy

arthuro11

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass. Pours out very nice with a bit of foaming, but leaves a very nice lacing. The initial hit on the olfactory is very nice, not super fruity on the nose as the hops are strong, but you can tell it's something decent, quite a lot going on.

Taste is very good, a huge fruit hit with a bit of an aftertaste but that's expected of a double IPA. Very complex on the palette, hits the tongue light initially considering the higher ABV. Great hops flavor, and very good aftertaste, especially if bitter hops is up your alley.

Available in a 4-pack, have yet to try on tap but if I get up to north-central Wisconsin or hopefully the MREA will definitely seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 05:43:27 | More by arthuro11

Jparker37

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle poured into an oversized tulip. Bottled in March.

A - Big pillowy white head. Perfect clarity to a light amber beer with orange highlights. Tons of sticky lacing.

S - Citrusy and tropical, mango and peach. Oily/resiny hops. Some sweetness detected.

T - Early bitterness but a layered background of toasty malts holds a gentle sweetness throughout. Big on hop flavors midway; citrus, spiciness and more prickly pine. Bitterness comes crashing in at the finish but not necessarily dry. Those hop flavors never leave my mouth after I've finished.

M - Medium-full bodied, creamy light to medium-light carbonation, semi-dry.

O - Solid look to the beer. Huge dank oily hop aroma. Flavor was leaning heavy on hops for the style but still had a malt edge to bring it somewhat into balance. Big creamy feel is spot on but could have been a little crisper.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 01:47:51 | More by Jparker37

ElderPuma

Wisconsin

4.11/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a rich orange/amber color with a two finger white creamy head. Not the clearesr beer out there but it still has some nice pop in the glass. Lacing was present on the way down.

Smell is heavy grapefruit and mango balanced well on top of a malty and caramel base. My nose is impressed and I hope by tastebuds will be as well.

The taste is good but all in all it is dissapointing after the nose. The flavor is mostly malt forward with a tropical fruit flavor that is fighting for attention. There is a touch of heat as well but it adds a bit to make up for the lack of hop bitterness that you would expect to be there.

Mouth feel is very impressive as it is perfectly carbonated with a rather smooth and creamy body that isn't overly thick.

Overall this is a very solid IPA that could be world classes if it tasted just like it smelled.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 21:28:49 | More by ElderPuma

THANAT0PSIS

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Central Waters Illumination

Appearance: Illumination pours a nice looking golden orange color with an off-white finger of tightly bubbled head. There is a good amount of carbonation streaming off the bottom of the glass, and there is definite sediment throughout the beer, which makes the beer a moderately opaque. The lacing is solid and there are a lot of alcohol legs. This looks like a pretty typical IIPA, but the sediment is a bit odd, though not unwelcome. Other unfiltered examples of the style are much clearer (except Heady Topper, which is so ugly it is gorgeous).

Aroma: Grapefruit, peaches, pineapple, mango, papaya, and other tropical citrus fruits stream violently out of the glass. The sheer resinous power of the hop aromas is very nice. There is also a nice combination of bready, sugary, and caramel sweetness, which combine together to make more of a honey aroma. This IIPA has quite an impressive level of complexity. There’s nothing really to dislike.

Taste: While the complexity remains in the taste, it does not quite come together as well. The absolute bouquet of tropical citrus flavors is almost entirely drowned out by resinous, piney bitterness; it is there, but muscled into a corner by the overly aggressive bitterness. The honey sweetness comes in the middle of the mouth, but it is not quite able to cut through the borderline overbearing rindy bitterness. Accompanying the sweetness is a second, slightly stronger wave of tropical fruit, but it too eventually gives way to a final, drying note of hoppy bitterness. There is a lot to like here, but the bitterness is just too much and forces the balance too far off the mark.

Mouthfeel: Unsurprisingly, given the immense, towering bitterness, there is a whole lot of astringency throughout every drink of this beer. The 9% ABV comes through heavy, with an awful lot of warming bordering on actual alcohol burn. Combined with the astringency, the alcohol creates an interesting mouthfeel. The jury is hung if “interesting” here is good or bad. The carbonation is on point, but it cannot serve its purpose of spreading flavors around because of the impenetrable wall of bitterness.

Overall: This is a perfectly passable IIPA that really excels in the nose, but just cannot cash the check that the aroma wrote. It is so incredibly bitter that the flavors just cannot flourish. This is easily as bitter as any IIPA I have had, and I love my bitterness, but something about this just does not work. Perhaps it is because the aroma was so promising and the taste so disappointing in comparison. Also, the price point is a bit high. I would not buy it again, but I am certainly glad I tried it. 16/20

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 06:06:01 | More by THANAT0PSIS

TheSSG

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a nice, soapy, resiny head that laces slightly. Big notes of grapefruit dominate the nose. Hazy, burnt umber-straw color. Starts off with an intensely bitter hoppiness that is dominated by grapefruit and citrus rind. Builds into a high bitterness that becomes very citric, then the malt comes through a little bit as the bitterness lingers and lingers.

Overall, this isn't bad. I tend not to go for the grapefruit/citrus rind IPA's, but this one works well. I like it. I would buy this again, and I definitely recommend it. Again, not my hop profile preference, so if you DO like that, add a point to the overall.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 01:23:10 | More by TheSSG

mobius387

Wisconsin

3.83/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

poured into snifter, march bottle date

appearance: rich golden/bronze in color, frothy white head about 1", little to no carbonation bubbles noticed. the coolest part is you can see some sediment floating around, which is a nice touch

aroma: molasses, pine tree, honey, nutty, a little musty, and some malty background

palate: bitter, boozy, and biting. not great, but at least it satisfies the hop head in me

taste: it starts out nice, some pine and some sweet flavors, but then just ends really resinous. kinda a bad aftertaste, like mouthwash, the booze is definitely loud in this one

overall: not a bad beer, but not up to par with other dipas in the MW, and definitely not any where near CW's BA beers. a nice offering, worth a taste

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 22:03:16 | More by mobius387

Ri0

Wisconsin

4.21/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A- Pours into my Duvel Tulip a hazy copper/ orange color with about a finger of white head. It dissipates moderately and a ring lingers around the glass with lacing noticeable along the sides of the glass.

S- Bitter and slight floral hop notes with a very faint earthiness and maybe citrus. I can smell the sweetness of the malts.

T- The beginning for me is strong bitter pine hops followed by a touch of sweet caramel from the malts. The finish is very piney with a lingering earthy and very faint citrus.

M- Nice carbonation and a slightly resinous mouth-feel. Kinda sticky and dry afterwards.

O- One of the better IIPA's available in WI and CW does not disappoint. I prefer the New Glarus IIPA as it is not quite as bitter. If you are a bitter hop lover this would be one to try.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 18:26:02 | More by Ri0

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice. Label indicates bottling in March.

Appearance: Pours a very cloudy copper orange with a moderate amount of bubbles. About one finger of off white head which fades into a thin patchy layer. Leaves a good amount of lacing around the glass.

Smell: A big hop forward mix of citrus, pine, and earthy hops with a caramel malt background. Citrus hops upfront with hints of grapefruit, orange, pineapple, tangerine, mango, and lemon. Also in the hop mix are some hints of spicy pine, grass, and herbal hops. Solid bready malt backing with hints of sweet caramel, biscuit, toffee, and grain. Very hop forward with a good mix of fruit and spice esters. Solid aroma.

Taste: Like the aroma hints, a sharp and bitter hop forward taste with a good mix of citrus and earthy pine. Big ripe citrus fruit upfront with notes of grapefruit, orange peel, pineapple, mango, tangerine, and lemon zest. Also a big presence of spicy pine resin. Floral, grass, and herbal hop hints as well. Solid malt background behind the big hops. Notes of caramel, biscuit, grain, and toffee. Overall very hoppy with a nice sharp dry bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Very juicy and somewhat oily. Very drying and nicely bitter. Alcohol heat is fairly tame with the heavy hops.

Overall: A really good Double IPA. Nice sharp biting mix of hops with a solid caramel backing.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 06:00:00 | More by MattyG85

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Random Philly grab, wish this brewery was available closer to home.

A- Bottle poured into a tulip glass. The beer falls into the glass with a hazy, golden-orange body. A head forms to about one-two fingers in size and fills the top of the glass nicely. The head is a mix between creamy and foamy and retains nicely. Thick lace immediately with consistent patches following the beer down the glass.

S- Hoppy upfront, which should be expected these days. The hops have a big citrus component to them with notes of grapefruit, lemon zest and orange. Apricot, pine, floral and herbal hints as well. A bit of deep caramel malts in the background.

T- Citrus hops lead the way again. The hop profile brings lemon zest, grapefruit, orange peel, pine, flowery and earthy notes. Malt backbone is quite present with light caramel sweets, toast and cracked grains coming to mind.

MF- A moderately thick consistency that has a silky, creamy feel due to a lower-end but substantial carbonation. Bitterness isn't huge but saying it is less than big would be a lie.

Reminds me a lot of the Great Divide IPAs, especially a specific batch of Hercules I once had. Has a bit of a Barleywine feel to it as well with the malts which makes me think of it as a hybrid between Hercules and Avery Hog Heaven.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 04:30:07 | More by cbutova

vic21234

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Bottle has a bottled on date of March 2012.

A- Pours a cloudy orange with a half finger of white head. Once the head fades some lacing is noticeable along the sides of the glass.

S- Sweet hop notes, some citrus along with some caramel is noted.

T- Starts off with some sweet caramel-like malt notes before giving way to all hop. The hops seem to be mostly piney in flavor. The citrus I noted in the smell is not apparent to me in the taste.

M- Nicely carbonated, medium-bodied, very bitter on the backend of the sip. The alcohol is noticeable but not bad.

A decent DIPA. A nice offering from Central Waters but nothing I would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 19:25:55 | More by vic21234

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I am not sure how old this one was, whether it came from a local trader or out of my cellar. As such, I employed a very gentle pour so as not to disturb any lees that may have been present. I got no head as a result, but it had NE-quality clarity in its light-amber color. Nose smelled of pineapple and caramel, again causing me to question its freshness. Mouthfeel was medium and the taste was of minty hops, caramel malt and HEAT! Holy alcohol burn, Batman! This held up really well and could have sat even longer. Jesus, I was openly sweating after my first mouthfeel. I wonder what this might be like young. After a couple of swigs, I began to settle into the spearmint/peppermint-like hops and the caramel sweetness underlying the hops. The heat began to subside, but it remained a big beer. Finish was literally breath-taking. Phew!

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 21:39:43 | More by woodychandler

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

4.0 A: Well hazed orange amber color. Two fingers of frothy off-white head. Retention is about average and lots of lacing is left.

4.0 S: Big citrusy hoppiness with orange leading the pack. Pineapple and grapefruit to follow. Clean malts with a light crystal malt vibe.

4.0 T: Like the nose, this is clean and drinkable. It's not too sweet or too bitter. It's just right. Citrusy hops again - orange, pineapple, grapefruit. Some pine as well. Light crystal maltiness with a moderate sweetness.

3.5 M: Heavier medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Could be a bit creamier, but good enough here.

4.0 D: Solid DIPA. Easy to drink and with good flavors.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 19:52:20 | More by DavoleBomb

ehammond1

California

3.28/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle (2012)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, DLFarris!

Hazy orange and light copper in color with an off-white head that lasts forever and eventually leaves messy stick all the way down the glass.

Mild aroma, with some light citrus, bread, and caramel.

Bready flavor, with some mild citrus, somewhat high bitterness, and some sweetness. Relatively well balanced, but unexciting.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Just ok.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 02:13:55 | More by ehammond1

YouSkeete

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hazy orange/copper with a finger thick off-white head. Fresh aromatic hops, bubbly citrus zest, whole wheat and creamy malts. Big, full, strong aroma overall. Blast of fresh bitter hops with spicy orange peel and honey malts on the first sip. Boldly spicy with a lot of earthy hop flavors. Hop bitterness follows through into the sticky, mildly nutty aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 00:24:36 | More by YouSkeete

Nugganooch

California

3.68/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. Bottled MAR-2012
Pint glass

A: Illumination pours a hazy golden amber color. Big thick two to three finger head of ecru colored head formed. Nice broken lace cling down the glass.

S: Smell is dank pine with some florals and spiced herbs. Good amount of breadiness present in the aroma.

T: Taste is spicy grapefruit with a real organic leafy herb note. Some orchard fruits. Moderate bitterness. Balance focuses more towards a sugary bread malt character with a lending of Crystal malt influence. Has that caramel presence. Spicy hops. Some alcohol slightly warming and noticeable. Not bad by any means.

M: Medium in body with nice carbonation that gave a real creamy texture and nice sleek feel. Finish is a bit wet with a touch of crisp to it.

D: A solid offering that might already be starting to fall off at three months. Not sure. I would love to try an even fresher sample. Has some real nice hoppy flavors and balance was nice overall. Just a touch more towards the malty side of the spectrum.

Thanks Allen for the MW hook up!

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 20:54:13 | More by Nugganooch

CuriousMonk

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into a tulip glass. Pours a hazy amber color with a medium sized creamy tan head. Good head retention and lacing throughout. Aroma of citrus, resin and floral hops, caramel and lightly toasted malts. The taste is citrus, resin and herbal hops with toffee malts. Medium bodied and good carbonation. Dry and slightly bitter finish. Overall, a very good DIPA!

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 16:30:18 | More by CuriousMonk

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Central Waters Illumination Double I.P.A. India Pale Ale. "Can you say palate wrecker? This double IPA comes in at 108 IBUs as hoppy as it gets with a mouthful of citrus flavors. Grab one today and illuminate your senses." 9% ALC./VOL. Brewed in Amherst, WI.

Well, I've already grabbed, so let's start illuminating. Clouded, apricot-ish hue, smallish head. Looking okay, I'm ready to go.

Oooo! Deep and dank hop bitterness all up in the nose. A massive attack of citrus and pine, grapefruit, orange and lime. Small sweet notes, amid the big, bad bitterness.

Tasting it: Boom, boom, boom. Bitter hop attack spread all over the palate. Slamalamadingdong. Getting tropical now, some pineapple-ish elements emerge, still with a unrelenting hop smack-up.

I like this. Good, if not great. Enjoyable, if not "the best."

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 05:01:27 | More by feloniousmonk

pmarlowe

California

3.68/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottled in February. Tulip glass.

A: Pours an orange-tinted gold with good clarity and a half finger of nice, dense off white head.

S: Rich caramel and some pine and citrus supporting aromas.

T: Mostly toffee-like, with little hops evident, finishing with moderate bitterness which overwhelms the other flavors.

M: Medium body and light carbonation.

O: Solid effort. I have to think that a fresher bottle may have shown more of the hop character and subdued bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 04:50:10 | More by pmarlowe

Lordquackingstic

New York

4.05/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Received as an extra from Chefbergo. Thanks buddy!

A: Deep coppery pumpkin color with a fingers head. Solid lacing.

S: Oranges, sweet malts, citrusy hops.

T: Follows nose, very bold flavors with a nice citrus kick.

M: Clean finish with just the right amount of carbonation for a DIPA.

O: Very enjoyable, would love to pick these up around here if they came to NY. Don't let the less than mediocre bottle artwork fool you, this is top notch stuff!

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 20:49:04 | More by Lordquackingstic

IronLover

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep pumpkin orange in color with a deep haze. Poured with a huge rocky white foam that slowly reduced to a soapy cap that left sheets of sticky lacings on the glass. Big citus grapefruit and orange aroma with floral hop and caramel malt notes. Smooth even feel with perfect rich but subdued carbonation. Pungent citrus hops up front with grapefruit and orange flavors. The hop bitterness creates a tangy sensation in the middle as the citrus hops taper and pine hop bitterness grows from the middle to the end. Finishes with a lingering pine hop bitterness and boozy notes as it warms. This DIPA totally overwhelms the taste buds.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 20:34:22 | More by IronLover

mikul93

California

4.18/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A Pours a beautiful hazy orange/gold color with a small head that dissipates quickly. Nice lacing.

S Citrus, Pine and malt. It's not bold and in-your-face, but it's a nice smelling beer.

T Lots of citrus. Grapefruit and orange. Malt hits the middle of the tongue. Bitterness hits at the end and lingers. It's a nice linger.

M Very crisp beer. I thought it was nicely carbonated. Medium viscosity. A dry finish.

O This is a solid DIPA. So well hopped that my burps are delicious. (ha gross but true) Definitely should seek this out.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 02:48:09 | More by mikul93

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.55/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a Central Waters tulip.
9% ABV, Bottled On MAR notched on the label. (2012)

A - The sexy sound of the beer pouring into the glass is music to my ears. A densely packed cream head rises quietly and sticks around for a while. Thick, chunky lace coats the glass above a hazy goldenrod yellow-orange-colored beer.

S - Mounds of pine needle and sticky, sappy resin overthrow the inevitable grapefruit citrus nose which is nice for a change. Usually it's the other way around with the American hops, though this beer is certainly not without plenty of tropical fruit aroma. A hearty malty sweetness full of dense bread and caramel cube balances the hops well.

T - The taste reflects the nose quite well. A more powerful pine resin flavor opens up leading into a sweet malty backbone that immediately gives way to a tongue-bruising, teeth-hurting citrus bitter kick. Other nuances pull through after the initial shock of the hop-roundhouse kick to the face wears off. Notes of honey-drizzled toast and a slight spicy yeast component share a low-level spot-light with a very subtle alcohol sensation.

M - The alcohol is almost non-existent in this beer save for the miniscule warming finish and light solvent aroma passed through the olfactory upon retronasal breathing! The medium-full body and light, lively carbonation don't do much to mask the severe bitterness that carries through the finish but the balanced sweetness helps tone down the well-deserved hop-smack. I can't think of a thing I'd change here.

O - Illumination is a great beer from home-boys Central Waters. In sticking with their mantra of "balance, even with big hops" as it were, Illumination serves up plenty for the huge hop head but remains different enough to stand out in a sea of hop monsters. Delicious and drinkable, especially for the high alcohol content, Illumination is a double IPA from Wisconsin that makes me proud.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 22:29:20 | More by BeerFMAndy

Etan

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Brooklyn tulip.

A: Pours a brassy orange with a soft white head. Head recedes quickly, but leaves some nice lacing.

S: Weak aroma of orange, marshmallow, with a hint of bitterness behind.

T: Oh boy, this is a grapefruit bomb. Big juicy grapefruit hits the palate, intermingling with a nice dose of bitterness, malty sweetness, and a bit of peppery alcohol. Malt is quite vanilla-like. Notes of vanilla, peppercorn, raw hop leaf, grapefruit, some orange, flowers, tobacco.

M: Finely carbonated with a good body.

O: A little weak in the aroma, but the taste delivers.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 01:18:12 | More by Etan