Alchemy Hour Double IPA - Great Lakes Brewing Company

chugalug06

Colorado

4.3/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25

Murky amber color with smaller white dense foam head. Lacing is full and blanketed.

Apricot, mango, pine... Lots of B-wine characteristics.

Sticky, sweet, balanced, relaxed, crisp, milky, lots of tropical fruit, orange, mango, apricot, lime, apple, buttery, nice even-smooth-light-bright bitterness with mellow carbonation.

Highly recommended! Should be considered a "must-try". Kick ass brew! Thanks

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 23:12:56 | More by chugalug06

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

4.74/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

12 oz bottle into mini chalice.

A: slightly hazed, super orange. head is bright white and frothy. retention isn't great, but is there. tons of spotted lacing. a bit darker than most DIPA, but not necessarily a negative.

S: smells like oranges and cactus and sticky herb and everything delicious. super inviting. impossible to smell and not sip.

T: tastes like delicious American hops. everything floral. big citrus flavors. a resinous piney linger. bitterness that is totally manageable. mingles more on the end of orange rind. sweet more than bitter. tasty shit.

M: creamy and smooth. full bodied.

D: absolutely delicious. really one of the finest DIPA I can think of in my hazed memory. just super drinkable and tasty. the best part of all is I feel like this isn't even the freshest offering of this particular brew. thumbs up.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 01:49:03 | More by Jimmys

SPLITGRIN

Kentucky

4.65/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I have enjoyed this beer a few times already but with my last bottle from my six pack, its due for a proper review.

This brew pours right in line with the style with an amber hued body. Head is just about an inch with an average pour. The nose is bright and lush and full of bursting aroma. Citrus rind juicy fruit and resin come through nicely. The smell is sharp and prickly goodness. The juicy feel of this beer continues through to the taste. It is absolutely gushing with mango, grapefruit, and lush citrus. The bitter tones play nicely but mostly as a balancing act to the wonderful flavor scheme. This drinks like the perfect summer IPA. I really wish I would have bought a lot more of this gem as this one sold out fast and has really flown under the radar. Mouthfeel is crisp, dry and just rite. A truely wonderful IPA that I will seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 01:37:09 | More by SPLITGRIN

Icedogs

Virginia

4.53/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Delicious, rich, balanced, and just one of the best of its kind.

I'm not usually loving the fruit-forward thing going on the beer world these days. But this one's is not overdone. And the way the flavors grow in complexity over the course of 45 mintues or so is really a special experience. To each his own, of course. The main thing is this one is balanced, rich, creamy, complex, and definitely worth trying.

Try this if you like:
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
Ninkasi Tricerahops
Great Lakes Brewing Co. Lake Erie Monster
Stone Ruination

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 01:10:48 | More by Icedogs

beerhan

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

The beer I have drank more of this year than any single beer in years..

A-pours a golden amber color with a two finger white head with lots of lacing

S-lots of mango and pineapple with a little floral shop aroma to it

T-lots of grapefruit and bitter hops with a tangy kick. a little pepper and sugar as well.

M- perfect carbonation and super slick. not too bitter but strong enough you can feel hops

O-one of my favorite beers of lately. incredibly drinkable and very cheap, I love that this is on tap everywhere. super drinkable but the alcohol does hit you eventually.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 00:11:45 | More by beerhan

WoodBrew

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

I was really happy my neighbor found this brew...always like trying the new beers of GL. This beer pours a hazy brilliant orange with slight copper hue. The 1/2 finger thick slightly offwhite head was nice and frothy. The smell reminded me of Ports Wipe Out IPA. There is more floral notes than pine or citrus...Iwould have guessed columbus hops, but bottle says Mosaic. The taste is a very well balanced brew between floral, malt and ABV. The beer is a touch on the sweeter side, which must be from the honey malt used. The mouthfeel is full in body with smooth carbonation. Overall this is a very good beer, but at 9.4% ABV...it would be tough to session.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 02:49:34 | More by WoodBrew

jeonseh

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Copper with slight reflective body that looks like a copper still. Nice white foam head

S - Citrus sweet nose with pineapple and mango. Slight strawberry as well

T - Sweet pineapple with mango and strawberry. Sweet citrus hops are gushing forth. Light hop bitterness near the finish. Overall a sweet hop bomb

M - Medium body with low carbonation and slight stickiness to it. Leaves a slight astringent twinge from the bitterness.

O - Good and fruity IIPA from Great Lakes that is gushing with citrus and mango flavors. Love the addition to the lineup.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 14:46:30 | More by jeonseh

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.7/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Bottle opened on 4.29.13
Best by: 05/08/13

A - Pours a cloudy dark orange with a one inch light tan head with good retention.

S - Dank, dark orange, hoppy pine, a touch of carmel malt.

T - Sweet biscuty malt, ripe orange.

D - Good carbonation with a medium body and a touch of bitterness.

O - Balanced and not overly hoppy. Sweet bready and orange.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 04:13:25 | More by HuskyinPDX

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

named for the brave, unconventional surfers of Lake Erie, and something that has to do with surfing called "alchemy hour." It will no longer be named that after this batch, as Widmer Brothers is holding tight to the word "alchemy" and won't let anyone else play with it.

9.4% ABV.

Brilliant, clear, crimson coloring, Large and lasting head, leaving lace, looking good.

Aroma: ah, right on the money. Citrus zest meets pine forest. Wide awake and fully flowering fruit notes matches the bitter hop blast. Particularly pleasant.

Taste: Sweet and smooth, with never ending hoppitude. Malt meets the hops well, stand up and rides it out with it. Keeps perfect time, while never letting the hop character go astray. Fruity, but ending dryly. Plenty of fruit association joust with the mind and memory, ...apricot, mango, pineapple, guava...backed up with a candy sugar sweetness, again, ending on a dry note.

Alcohol presence stays sly at first, but inevitably roars and gains dominance on the palate, among the senses, in the cavern of the brain case.

All in all, it's smooth, hoppy, and drinkable, despite the high ABV. A real hophead's treat, one that doesn't tear anything loose from your critical components, merely releases pleasurable flavors. And isn't that what we're looking for? I could drink one, and drink one, and drink one, and never tire of it, until that decision is made for me. Tonight, though, one is plenty, and off to sleep....

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2013 03:49:14 | More by feloniousmonk

da_beers

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Acquired as an extra in a trade. This was close to its "best by" date when I got it, so I let it settle in the fridge for a few days to combat the shipping trauma, then enjoyed.

A - Pours a darkish, copper orange, with a beautiful chunky white head about two-fingers. Good lacing. Absolutely beautiful appearance really.

S - Hops come on strong, with citrusy freshness coming on too. Sweetness of the malts is apparent, along with some earthy quality to it.

T - Nice resiny hop taste to it, also some definite orange in there with some other citrus. Sweetness from malts balances it all out nicely.

M - Medium bodied, great resiny aftertaste. Fairly smooth, but also has a bit of a bite.

O - Great DIPA, overall superb. Would love to get some freshies and re-review.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 20:13:34 | More by da_beers

wspscott

Kentucky

4.49/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle in Sam Adams glass
best by 5/2/13

A: Crystal clear dark gold color with a slightly off-white head that leaves a surprising amount of lace.
S: Tropical fruits with an underlying malt sweetness
T: A distinct malt sweetness combined with a mix of tropical fruits and a little bit of pine, as it warms I get a hint of orange or tangerine. There is a distinct hops sharpness at the end, but it is well mixed with the malts. A honey-like flavor that I assume is from the honey malt mentioned on the label.
M: Very crisp, slightly round and creamy with the hops leaving a residual dryness on the tongue.
O: Holy crap this is a great beer. This may rival Hopslam for the DIPA crown! An excellent combination of hops and malt, so much more than "hoppy" like the average DIPA. I just looked at the GLBC website and it appears this beer will be back next year.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 23:57:58 | More by wspscott

TreyIsWilson

Michigan

4.48/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A - Dark amber with a thin white head

S - Pineapple with some light pine

T - Tropical fruit balanced with bitter hop finish

M - Medium carbonation. Nice creamy mouthfeel with a slight alcohol linger.

O - Very good drinkable IIPA. Will be looking forward to this again next year.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 04:21:29 | More by TreyIsWilson

mdaschaf

Washington

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Review from notes.

A: Pours a slightly hazy bright (golden) orange color with a small off-white head on top, about 1/2 finger in height. The cap is rather tight and sticks around for a while leaving some thin lacing on the glass.

S: Lots of tropical fruit upfront on the aroma, some orange, grapefruit, and tangerine with a surprising amount of malt coming through as caramel and a bit of brown sugar.

T: Similar to the aroma with lots of tropical fruits, pineapple, grapefruit, tangerine, maybe a bit of papaya. Again, also has a good bit of malt going on as caramel and brown sugar, a bit of toasted bread.

M: Medium bodied with medium carbonation, definite hop resin oil on this one.

O: Quite liked this beer, a nice, assertive DIPA from Great Lakes.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 21:16:15 | More by mdaschaf

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a deep amber/orangey color ale with a rather large foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma consists of fruity hoppy notes with light citrus notes as well with some residual sugar. Taste is also dominated by fruity ester with fruity hops notes and some citrus undertones with some light residual sugar notes. Malt backbone is solid and provides a nice smooth aftertaste. Body is quite full with good carbonation, Solid rendition of the style with good effort to limit the amount of bitterness in the aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 18:53:44 | More by Phyl21ca

McNealc31

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The extra hops are evident early in the aroma with overflowing grapefruit and sweet citrus. The citrus hops hit first, but the pine comes in at the end. Sweet malt and citrus balance with bitter hops brilliantly. With a combination of Mosaic, Nugget, and Cascade hops, I’ve never had a beer quite like this. At 80 IBUs and 9.4% ABV, this is quite a hefty beer, but it should be.

Another outstanding offering from Great Lakes

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 02:05:41 | More by McNealc31

homebrew311

Illinois

4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is somewhat hazy and dark for style with a velvety head and lots of lacing. Nose is somewhat nondescript with mellow fruity hop character with notes of tropical fruit, pineapple, and peach. Taste pops much more than the nose lets on. Juicy hops dominate the palate with mellow bitterness and decent balance, mild malt presence. Carbonation is high with medium body. Overall, very taty dipa. Only complain is that it is lacking in aromatics.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2013 23:23:19 | More by homebrew311

Danmullens1

Wisconsin

4.56/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Served from a bottle with drink before date of 5/8. I've got six days to drink four beers, better get started with a rare Thursday pour. Into a tulip--a beautiful, golden to amber with some chill haze and a foamy, tan head. Head vanishes instantly, leaving a ring around the glass and some fine lacing and alcohol legs.

Smell is more subtle and malt forward than what I've come to love in a DIPA. Then, apricot, Pine, grass, and alcohol with biscuity malt sweetness. Smells like a very well balanced beer. Time to take a tug.

Taste is outstanding--again, so balanced. Hop bitterness to sweet, honey like malt, and then another hit of grapefruit at the finish to remind you of the style. Such a complex beer. I would say this blows the 2013 model of Hopslam out of the water. I'd love to do a side-by-side.

Mouthfeel is medium. Fizzy at first but mellows quickly. I'm savoring the last quarter-inch in the glass and it is warm, smooth, and delicious. I don't want this to end.

Overall an exceptional beer. Great job, Great Lakes. Love the label and theme, too. Surfing in the Midwest--right on.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 01:16:27 | More by Danmullens1

harrymel

Washington

3.36/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Best by 14MAY13

Nice copper colored ale with a light creamy sheet. Smells like BO, apricot, peaches, resin, some pine and sweet malts. Nice nose. Flavor is malt, some cracker, some tea and peach. Overall the taste is more malty than I enjoy in a DIPA, but has a herbal character that seems appealing. medium on full bodied with moderate carb and a wet finish. Overall the beer isn't bad, but nothing special. In fact, I'd recommend this for somebody that really loves DFH beers, seems to fall in line with their style.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 05:02:37 | More by harrymel

ZAP

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A-Brunt orange color

S-Citrus...oranges...some tropical fruits as well...sweet fruitiness

T-Citrus again with the oranges...some lighter tropical notes...good spalsh of spicy alcohol....backed by a biscuity maltiness with that trademark GL yeastiness evident

M-You can tell this has some ABV to it...a little hot....good sturdy body....

O-To be honest I was hoping for more than this. Solid but flavors are bit muddled...a bit too much sharp alcohol notes....citrus not as bright as expected...Not in the Abrasive/Surly Sucks/Hop Slam tier in my opinion but solid enough. I bought 12 of them without trying it first so I will certainly still be enjoying this in the future.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 04:10:39 | More by ZAP

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle best by 5/6/13 poured into a FFF teku today 4/30/13, received as an extra from powz87

Aroma: Smells like tropical fruit and citrus but mostly the tropical fruits like mango accompanied by grapefruit and oranges. So it kind of smells like tropical fruit juice, like spiked Snapple. It also has a resinous, sticky hint to the nose. (4)

Colour: Pours a hazy, dark amber body with a 1cm white head that dissipates fairly quickly into a white collar. Lacing comes in spots, nothing particularly awesome but at the same time, the dark amber body gives it a nectar-ish quality. Not a bad looking beer, certainly more interesting than the average DIPA, but not awesome either. (4)

Flavour: Pretty smooth and tasty. I basically get sweet maltiness up front- toffee and honey are the primary contributors. Then there's a nice bitter juicy component that kicks in- mostly bitter mango and oranges. Pretty interesting balance. (4)

Mouthfeel: Thicker side of medium, feels rather resinous but doesn't dry out my palate. Just OK carbonation. Aftertaste is mostly honey maltiness and a little bit of pineapple bitterness. (4)

Overall: Pretty tasty DIPA, not the best I've had but it's pretty good. I think I need a fresher bottle- although I agree its still a pretty damn good beer. I'll take a few other DIPAs over this but this is a pretty good one on its own. (4)

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 01:30:10 | More by Stevedore

AlexFields

Tennessee

4.03/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Two months old as I drink this, hopefully it's still fresh enough.

Pours a dark amber, pretty clear body, half inch head that's fairly resilient.

Smells of bright juicy orange and grapefruit, fairly bitter, really a great pure citrus juice aroma. Not much hint of pine or grass or other hop flavors, just that pure fruit juice.

Flavor has lots and lots of bitter juicy fruit again, really fantastic fruit character, hard to believe there's not actual fruit in this. A bit of honey like malt character to balance it out, excellent.

Carbonation is pretty light, body is pretty thick, slight booziness, pleasant but drinkability is only okay.

Really good IIPA and it was probably even better a month or two ago.

8.2/10

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 23:53:58 | More by AlexFields

Alextricity

Michigan

4.26/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle for $3. Drink by 5/21/13. Poured into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass.

Appearance: A nice orange color with about a finger or two of a creamy, off-white head. Lacing is great. Active carbonation running through the glass. Alchemy Hour also has a slight hop haze to it.

Smell: Interesting. On one whiff it has a lot of piney aromas with some alcohol, and on the next it smells like mangoes and pineapple... a lot of sweetness.

Taste/feel: The bottle claims that this is a really sweet beer, but it really isn't. It has a good bit of it, but the hops and alcohol detract from that a little bit. I don't usually like the taste of alcohol in most of my beers, but it works here. There's a slight burn on the finish, and the lingering sweet malt with the spiciness from the hops after having the fresh burst at the beginning is really, really nice. The feel of Alchemy Hour is nice as well -- pretty creamy with a moderate amount of carbonation. I was actually expecting a pricklier beer judging by the appearance, but it isn't too intense.

As usual, Great Lakes Brewing impresses. Alchemy Hour DIPA is probably their second best beer or so (after Edmund Fitzgerald), though it's hard to really pick a favorite. This is an easy drinking beer, even with that slight alcohol burn on the finish. A very, very good representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 14:34:39 | More by Alextricity

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.93/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance - Copper colored body. Not much of a head. Some wisps and a thin collar.

Smell - Pine and grapefruit. Some sweet malts. A little booze

Taste - Quite hoppy, mostly of the grapefruit variety. Resiny pine hop too. Lots of sugar. A little bit if bitterness and booze.

Mouthfeel - Too sweet, as is the pitfall of many double IPAs. Medium carbonation. Hot.

Overall - Good hop flavor and it isn't overbearing with the sugars. Just a bit too sweet and too hot.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 00:15:45 | More by Alieniloquium

THANAT0PSIS

Wisconsin

4.8/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Great Lakes Alchemy Hour

Appearance: Alchemy Hour pours a simply gorgeous deep, rich amber with a finger or so of cream-colored head that has decent staying power and settles into a great-looking crust. The lacing is phenomenal, as it almost invariably is in every beer from Great Lakes. The carbonation is evident and relatively active. There are slight alcohol legs and the beer is nearly crystal clear. Great Lakes is excellent at crafting aesthetically pleasing beers, and this IIPA is no exception. 5/5

Aroma: Dank, citrusy notes in the form of pineapple, tangerine, orange, mild grapefruit, slight strawberry jam, and massive, heavy mangoes hit the nose hard. It cannot be understated how huge the mango presence is in this beer, and it is fantastic. These fruity notes are supported by a more than capable malt backbone that lends a sugary, caramel sweetness. The malts and hops really play nicely with one another, and they are joined by just a touch of alcohol. The strong hop notes are surprisingly unaccompanied by much, if any, bitterness. This is a fruity hop assault packed with a great malt backbone and it showcases the Mosaic and Nugget hops extremely well. One just fears that the aroma precedes what may be an all-too-sweet IIPA. 4.5/5

Taste: Thankfully, this is not the sugar bomb that the nose would have the drinker believe. The assertive mangoes and supporting cast of tropical fruits (plus the strawberry oddity) are there in the capacity that the nose promised, but in the taste the hops bring the bitterness, which is there in the exact amount so as to both cut and complement the sugary, malty sweetness. Still, the malts are still undoubtedly there, just balanced out perfectly. Great Lakes’ penchant for balance rings true yet again. Superb. 5/5

Mouthfeel: This one goes down exceedingly, dangerously smooth for its 9.4% ABV. There is no alcohol burn or warming whatsoever. The hops bring a nice astringency, but there is also a wonderful smooth, wet, slightly sticky quality to each sip, making it both refreshing and full. The only gripe to be had here is that the carbonation may be too much, and it really amplifies the astringency giving it an extremely dry, champagne-like aftertaste. Still, the beer is unfairly easy to drink. 4.5/5

Overall: This beer is so very underrated. Many people seem to view Great Lakes as a fairly safe, somewhat boring brewery (a view I most definitely do not share), but this proves that they can hang in the recently IPA-crazed beer landscape. If this beer had come from Three Floyds, Russian River, Cigar City, or any other “elite” brewery, people would be raving about it left and right and lining up to get a case. Great Lakes has quietly made one of the best IIPAs around. I wish this had a permanent spot in their roster, because it would secure a permanent place in my constantly rotating refrigerator. 19/20

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 04:15:12 | More by THANAT0PSIS

Mdog

Minnesota

4.48/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Hazy orange-amber, good head.

Smell: Tropical fruit, pineapple, citrus, apricots.

Taste: Nice sweet fruit, pink grapefruit, moderate bitterness. Balanced taste (for a DIPA).

Mouthfeel: Moderate feel, syrupy.

Overall: Very nice double IPA here from Great Lakes. I enjoy the Lake Erie Monster, but I think I like this one even more, as it has a sweeter and fruitier taste than the Monster. Really good stuff!

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 22:14:45 | More by Mdog