DDH Hoppopotamus w/ Strata

DDH Hoppopotamus w/Strata by Metazoa Brewing Co. was judged under BJCP Style 21A, American IPA.

DDH (Double Dry Hopping) is the next new thing and translates into more hops and more flavors. It takes some artistry to squeeze the right aroma and flavor notes out of the hops and produce an astounding beer. This beer does that. The aroma gives you just enough ditch weed without grassiness and wraps it around assorted tropical fruit notes, berries and grapefruit. It pours pale gold with a light haze from the hops under an inch and a half dense white foam cap with good retention. There are not wheat, oat or other added grain flavors to interfere with the hops, allowing the beer to caress the taste buds with big well-developed berry and fruit flavors that soften the bitterness and play off clean malt notes, absent caramel or toast. A kaleidoscope of fruit and bitter notes linger long into the aftertaste and entice the next sip. The beer finishes medium dry and medium light for the amount of flavor it packs. The alcohol is at the high end of the IPA range, but it is clean and smooth with only a mild alcohol warming. This beer is DDH done well.