Tony Goes Dancing

This beer has “hop lover’s serum” written all over it. Put your nose to the beer and huge aromas of of passion fruit and mangoes explode out of the glass. The little voice from the malt says grainy, with a light sweet caramel note, but then it’s back to the hops for some citrusy grapefruit that ends with melon-like fruity esters. Copper-amber in color and quite hazy, this beer exhibits a big rocky head with long-lasting retention, bringing those aromatics to the foreground again and again. Tropical fruit flavors are found again in the flavor, along with a piney and citrusy grapefruit finish that is very dry. Quite typical of a Double IPA, the balance is definitely toward the bittering hops. The fruity aftertaste dissipates quickly, suggesting another sip. The medium-full body is felt due to the unfermentables (dextrins) and medium carbonation. The perceived alcohol warmth suggests that this is a high-alcohol beer, and with its 8% ABV muscle to flex it, that is indeed the case. This beer is a great example of an East-meets-West Double IPA. The piney, citrusy hops are a reminder of some of the best West Coast IPAs, but the big, juicy, tropical fruit character of New England IPAs is also present. A well-played concerto of hops to please the most discerning hop lover.