The Immortal IPA - Elysian Brewing Company

Kendo

New York

4.43/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A: Poured into a Sam Smith's nonic. Body is a clear golden-amber wtih a half-finger off-white head. Good lace at the top of the glass, not so much on the way down.

S: Not too strong, but clean -- citrus (orange peel and grapefruit) and a hint of pine.

T: Pale (think biscuity or cracker-like) and caramel malt is followed by a nice hop bite, with lingering citrus and pine. Especially pine -- but it's not overpowering or palate-shredding at all. As it warms the malt body seems almost fruity -- or is that lemony/citrusy fruityness coming from the hops? Either way, there's a nice balance between hops and malt, and the lingering piney bitterness doesn't destroy the tastebuds as some western IPAs tend to do. Balance is the key here.

M: A tad lighter than medium bodied with a slightly creamy feel.

D: Excellent. Clean but flavorful. Went down real easy.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2008 20:17:18 | More by Kendo

mattst

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-20-2013 03:59:34 | More by mattst

valianes

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-19-2013 08:10:17 | More by valianes

SMITHAND

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-18-2013 03:19:58 | More by SMITHAND

timiskin

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +11%

05-18-2013 02:35:12 | More by timiskin

dan027

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -21.7%

05-17-2013 02:22:12 | More by dan027

djre4orm

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

05-16-2013 20:44:15 | More by djre4orm

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

05-16-2013 16:09:34 | More by Slatetank

KStark

British Columbia (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +11%

05-16-2013 14:17:39 | More by KStark

jsnoek

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-16-2013 01:05:04 | More by jsnoek

TonyTalon

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

05-16-2013 00:58:25 | More by TonyTalon

HKUSPC40

Washington

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-13-2013 08:24:18 | More by HKUSPC40

Huffaroma

Montana

4.25/5  rDev +11%

05-12-2013 23:45:54 | More by Huffaroma

ScottieD

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-11-2013 01:52:40 | More by ScottieD

yancot

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

05-10-2013 14:32:14 | More by yancot

Juno_Malone

Idaho

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-09-2013 02:49:58 | More by Juno_Malone

JohnNasso

New York

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-08-2013 11:56:00 | More by JohnNasso

dunix

Vermont

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-07-2013 14:24:52 | More by dunix

ericj551

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-07-2013 04:18:52 | More by ericj551

Laklimell

Washington

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-07-2013 01:17:31 | More by Laklimell

ZEB89

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.4%

05-06-2013 18:13:25 | More by ZEB89

Illos

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-05-2013 04:09:21 | More by Illos

seattlebeerluv

Washington

5/5  rDev +30.5%

04-30-2013 04:40:09 | More by seattlebeerluv

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Elysian The Immortal is a fairly bright and clear IPA, the extent to which tiny, almost indiscernible particles of yeast become visible, floating in suspension as if in jello. This, however, takes little away from the beer's aesthetics. Its head, though not all that put-together, manages to paste flyspecks of lacing throughout the glass.

Unlike what I've come to expect from the Northwest, this is neither very expressive nor very fruity. It lacks the juicy, bright, mouth-watering citrus notes of other West Coast IPAs (though some mandarin orange and grapefruit is surely detected). More so, however, it is a bready, biscuity maltiness that the nose picks up on.

The taste is profuse with candied lemon and orange rinds. There are also ripe flavours of pineapple and mango. All this fruit, however, is balanced by a great deal of biscuity, toasty, almost butterscotch-like maltiness. It is simultaneously sweet and citrusy, and rather tasty.

For those who can't stomach the intense, gum-splitting acidity of other American IPAs, this beer offers a more balanced, almost buttercream-like mouthfeel that packs little bitterness and even less alcohol. If drinking casually with friends, this has a good chance at being the crowd-pleaser.

Elysian The Immortal definitely lacks the bright-eyed and bitter hoppiness of its West Coast counterparts, but it makes an enjoyably drinkable IPA in its own right. In another era it might have been exciting, but given all the offerings in today's market it's one that's understandably easy to pass over (especially given this brewery's own abundance of better choices).

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 02:30:16 | More by biegaman

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Single bottle from the LCBO - picked up a sixpack of this.

Poured into a nonic. Light amber-honey colour, nice billowing head, good lacing on this. Unfortunately, there's lots of pulpy floaters in this one. I'm used to this, but it's still unappealing.

Nose is malty, with light west coast hoppage and caramel.

Decent IPA that I'd really like to try fresh, because I think the trip was not overly kind (or the time was). There's some nice tropical fruit and tasty cracker malts, but it feels a bit old, and more like an APA.

Mild carbonation, a bit slick.

I'll hold off on getting this one again until I can get it fresh, because it's pretty expensive in Ontario and there are other IPAs I'd prefer to pick up instead.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 21:16:41 | More by JohnnyBarman