Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster from Terrapin Beer Company
Rating: A-
Thanks to mikesgroove for sending this one my way in a trade.
Appearance: Brilliant garnet in color, "red ale" indeed, nice one-two finger head, off-white in color. Good retention and lacing.
Smell: Herbaceous hop notes over a strongly sweet-smelling malt base. Some citrus and pine resin as well. Caramel and brown sugar as well...
Taste: Very nice and complex malt character, with brown sugar, bread and caramel notes in the fore. Balance is more toward the malt side than your typical DIPA, partially because the malt character here is complex rather than just sweet. Yes, it's bitter, with grapefruity hops that dry out the finish and keep it from being too sweet, but I think the way they described the beer on the label, as an "Imperial Red Ale," fits better than DIPA.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, carbonation slightly on the low side but appropriate.
Drinkability: High, especially when paired with homemade chili made with IPA. Before I cracked this one open, I was just thinking that perhaps I was getting tired of beers with "double" and "imperial" in the name, and would like to have just a straight-up IPA tonight... but in retrospect, I'm glad I opened this monster.
Serving type: bottle
Reviewed on: 02-28-2007 02:23:19
Rating: A-
Thanks to mikesgroove for sending this one my way in a trade.
Appearance: Brilliant garnet in color, "red ale" indeed, nice one-two finger head, off-white in color. Good retention and lacing.
Smell: Herbaceous hop notes over a strongly sweet-smelling malt base. Some citrus and pine resin as well. Caramel and brown sugar as well...
Taste: Very nice and complex malt character, with brown sugar, bread and caramel notes in the fore. Balance is more toward the malt side than your typical DIPA, partially because the malt character here is complex rather than just sweet. Yes, it's bitter, with grapefruity hops that dry out the finish and keep it from being too sweet, but I think the way they described the beer on the label, as an "Imperial Red Ale," fits better than DIPA.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, carbonation slightly on the low side but appropriate.
Drinkability: High, especially when paired with homemade chili made with IPA. Before I cracked this one open, I was just thinking that perhaps I was getting tired of beers with "double" and "imperial" in the name, and would like to have just a straight-up IPA tonight... but in retrospect, I'm glad I opened this monster.
Serving type: bottle
Reviewed on: 02-28-2007 02:23:19
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