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471 Double Hopped IPA
Denver, Colorado
BJCP Category: 14C Imperial IPA
Breckenridge Brewery <visit site>
41
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[expand]Total Score: 45/50
Intensely hopped strong pale ale that can best be described as complex and balanced. While many Imperial IPAs do showcase hops, this does so elegantly. more >
[close]Total Score: 45/50
Aroma: Complex hop aromas consisting of citrus, floral, minty and woody notes. Very nice blend of hop aromas. A bit of caramel and toasted graininess, and fruity apricot and peach esters contributed to the balance and complex aroma. No diacetyl. No DMS. Alcohol doesn’t stand out in aroma; that’s good. (11/12)
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Appearance: Orange-like amber hue. Clear but not brilliant. Dense, long-lasting head. Very pretty beer. (3/3)
Flavor: Malt sweetness up front with slight toasted, caramel notes, mostly just a clean, rich maltiness. High hop bitterness is remarkably smooth in the finish for the level of bitterness. High floral, citrus, minty hop flavors. Alcohol is quite assertive, contributing to sweetness as well. Complex fruity apricot and peach esters, likely from both hops and yeast by-products. No diacetyl. No DMS. Finish is a tad sweet, but can be easily forgiven with the fine balance that this beer has achieved. (17/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Quite smooth, given the high hopping level. Noticeable alcohol warming. Moderate carbonation lightened the mouthfeel a bit. (5/5)
Overall Impression: Intensely hopped strong pale ale that can best be described as complex and balanced. While many Imperial IPAs do showcase hops, this does so elegantly without much hop astringency and not forgetting the proper place for balancing malt backbone and yeast characteristics. Hop bitterness, flavor and aroma equally share the stage. While this went well with a bit of extra sharp cheddar cheese, it can also be just sipped and enjoyed. (9/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 40/50
Aside from the carbonation, I could imagine I am drinking freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice with some hops added. more >
[close]Total Score: 40/50
Aroma: Pink grapefruit and orange citrus aromas dominate. Low clean, sweet malty notes detected. Some woodsy piney hop aromas emerge as the beer warms. (9/12)
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Appearance: Orangey burnished gold with brilliant clarity. Firm off-white head dissipates to thin, fine film. (3/3)
Flavor: Fruity citrus hop with evident, but not hot, alcohol. Sweet Valencia orange and pink grapefruit citrus fruity flavors are supported by biscuity, toasty malt character mid-palate; fruity with non-cloying sweetness. Finishes with a long, lingering hop bitterness that is assertive, but not harsh. (16/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation. Some hop-derived astringency as might be expected for the style. Alcoholic warmth is numbing to the lips and warming. (4/5)
Overall Impression: Aside from the carbonation, I could imagine I am drinking freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice with some hops added. Malty, toasty sweetness provides an excellent support for strong citrus, orange and grapefruit with a touch of pine hop character. Has a pleasant balanced astringency combined with a lingering bitterness for a long lasting finish. Between the toasty malt and citrus hop character, this beer lives up to the adage: “It’s not just for breakfast anymore.” (8/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 42/50
Very enjoyable beer with an interesting blend of flavor hops that lend both American and British qualities. The focus is on the hops, as one might guess from the name. more >
[close]Total Score: 42/50
Aroma: Perfumey hop aroma, with earthy, woody and mushroom notes. Citrus and alcohol components lend a touch of new mown hay. Malt is subdued except for some background caramel wafting through the hops. (9/12)
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Appearance: Surprisingly light in color, similar to polished copper. Excellent clarity. Head forms readily but dissipated rather quickly, perhaps due to hop oils and alcohol. (3/3)
Flavor: Soft malt backbone, with some caramel and toasted notes, fulfills the objective of providing some balancing sweetness. There is a slight graininess in the finish. Hop character is pronounced, with spruce and earthy flavors as well as a pleasantly long bitterness in the finish. Some esters are present, but focus is clearly on the hops rather than the yeast character. There is a slight acidity in the finish that accents the citrus notes from the hops, lending lemony notes. (17/20)
Mouthfeel: Creamy with some lingering sweetness on the lips. Some alcoholic warmth without straying into barleywine territory. There is surprisingly little astringency in view of the high hop rate. (5/5)
Overall Impression: Very enjoyable beer with an interesting blend of flavor hops that lend both American and British qualities. The focus is on the hops, as one might guess from the name. A little less graininess from the malt would soften the finish and probably reduce the grassy notes in the aroma, but that would really be a minor tweak to an excellent beer. (8/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 39/50
I’m torn on this one. It has a great hop profile but the malt balance, body and finish is more like a barleywine. more >
[close]Total Score: 39/50
Aroma: Fresh piney, citrusy, woody hops—clearly dry-hopped. “Rough.” Big pungent hop aroma dominates—like smelling a Christmas tree. Mild alcohol and esters way underneath. Slight malty sweetness in background. All about hops! Clean. (10/12)
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Appearance: Deep amber-bronze color. Crystal clear. Tall ivory-colored head, creamy bubbles settled slowly. (3/3)
Flavor: Moderately high hop flavor and bitterness but with substantial malt. Bitterness most evident in aftertaste but malt masks some of the hop character (as it can in altbiers). Same hop character as in nose—pine, wood, citrus, earth. Malt has a full, clean richness; more malty than sweet. Full but dry finish. Clean fermentation profile. Light esters. (15/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full body with moderate carbonation. Mouthfeel is somewhat thick—almost an American barleywine. Very mild astringency; well done for a beer with all those hops. Deceptive alcohol. Warming in the throat more than the mouth. Smooth. (4/5)
Overall Impression: I’m torn on this one. It has a great hop profile but the malt balance, body and finish is more like a barleywine. The malt masks the hops except in the late finish. Easy to drink, even with all these hops. I’d prefer it to be drier to showcase the hops more in the palate. A very clean and well-crafted beer. Hops suggestive of the Pacific Northwest. Less body would help; it has a big mouthfeel, more than many others. The hop bitterness is very clean, though; that’s quite an accomplishment. (7/10)
