The Immortal IPA

A straight-up, solid interpretation of the style that hails from the hop-drenched environs of Seattle, the Immortal’s pedigree is impeccable. Dick Cantwell’s Elysian Brewing has been pumping out epic beers since they first fired the kettles in 1995 and now has a worldwide cult following. Immortal’s pale, straw color shines from the glass with the merest hint of a chill haze and it’s topped by a dense, snow-white, mousse-like head. Although an American version of IPA, the hops assert themselves in a rather English way, with flashes of grass and newly mown hay. The predominant aroma, however, is malt, with bready, cracker-like base malt accentuated by luscious caramel. Tom detected hints of lemon and rose water, with a citrus-sweet background, while Lee commented on the subtle, almost neutral aroma. The flavor was, again, dominated by malt, but a liberal hand with the bittering hops kept things in balance. The judges all noted that the flavors were, to a degree, muddled, with the hops and malt fighting for preeminence. Nick enjoyed the earthiness of the hops and deemed them reminiscent of fresh Fuggles, yet he noted a somewhat off-putting sourness lurking beneath. Overall, the judges were unanimous in their assessment that the Immortal is a highly quaffable brew suited to all occasions.