Sierra Nevada 'Hop Bullet' Double IPA Spring Seasonal. 8% abv. 60 IBU. Pale straw color. Slightly hazy. Thin, white, bubbly head that quickly drops to a sustaining collar and scattered surface. Moderate retention, good lacing. Nose of ample herbal-floral hops, pine, bright spice. Aroma subsides significantly as the temp rises and the head recedes.

Front taste is cypress, cloves, bitter herbal hops, with a dry finish. Aftertaste is bitter herbal hop bundle, hop resin, faint flowers. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, round, carby, resiny.

This is a solid beer for fans of DIPAs that lean heavily toward hops over malt. The aroma is a hop head's dream, with a ton of spicy, bitter, herbal hops supported by floral tones. However, that wonderful nose falls greatly as the head dissipates, something that happens quickly with this beer. Within a few minutes, its tall, distinguishable aroma is nearly absent. Good news is that the lupulin-infused flavor profile is persistent throughout, as is the notes of pine an overall hop expression. 

This beer promises hops and it gives you hops aplenty. Just make sure you don't linger too long, as this beer is not designed for a leisurely stroll across the palate. Enjoy it within ten minutes for an optimum hop experience. Recommended.


From the brewery:

"Brewed with a double-barreled blast of Magnum hops and lupulin dust. Hops are the name of the game with a Double IPA, but we knew we had to take it one step further. With Hop Bullet, we’re using a new technique, hitting the beer with a double-barreled blast of Magnum hops and lupulin dust—pure, concentrated hop flavor—directly into the tank to emphasize the intense pine and citrus flavors of classic West Coast hops."
[source: sierranevada.com]

"Hop Bullet Double IPA features a new technique: we're hitting the beer with a double-barreled slug of Magnum hops and lupulin dust - the source of hop flavor  and aroma - right into the fermenter for a ballistic burst of aggressive hop character."
[source: bottle]

Alpine Beer Company 'Pure Hoppiness' Double IPA. 8% abv. Golden honey color, hazy, some sediment. Two fingers of foamy ivory head. Excellent retention, nice lace. Nose of pine, bright herbal hops. Front taste of light malt, bitter herbal hops, botanical, resin on the back end. Aftertaste is tall bitter herb, vegetal, citrus rind, dry finish. Medium body. Mouthfeel is somewhat thin, sticky, slightly astringent.

This is a good DIPA that should be recategorized. It's an IPA. I don't care what the malt bill is. It could be a great brew if it were balanced better. Instead, we get a bitter hoppy standard IPA. 

When I have a DIPA, I look for a tall malt presence that complements an abundant hop expression. Perhaps a sweet finish. Perhaps a rich mouthfeel. Feel free to blame Pliny The Elder and Hop Stoopid for setting the bar in terms of that balance of flavor. Regardless, it's simply not here. In addition, the hop bundle is front and center, bright and forward, but not quite fresh in taste despite the dry hopping. The malt is nearly absent, evident in both its thin body and bitter-hoppy dominant taste. Citrus notes arise only in the tail of the aftertaste.

To be clear, I enjoyed this brew. However, I hesitate to recommend it, if only because it betrays its category, and because there is a sea of DIPAs that I would choose before having this again. If you love bitter hoppy brews, you will likely enjoy this beer. If you are looking for a big, bold, complex DIPA, seek elsewhere. Mildly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A West Coast Double IPA so mega-hopped it will take you to hop heaven. We’ve used hops in the boil, more hops in the giant hopback, and added to that, an incredible amount of dry-hopping for that cutting-edge 'hop bite.' Once you’ve tasted this unique beer, all others pale in comparison."
[source: alpinebeerco.com]

Tap 79 Brewing Co. Double IPA. 8% abv. 80 IBU. Hazy straw color. Finger of white foamy head. Excellent retention and lacing. Nose of citrus, tropical fruit, juicy, floral. 

Front taste of grapefruit rind, sweet light fruit, bitter floral hops, bitter botanical end note. Flavors of pine emerge as the temp rises. Aftertaste is grapefruit, candy sugar, bitter fruity hop bouquet. Light-medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, carby, dry, sticky, resiny.

This is one of those contract house beers made for and sold by good ol' Trader Joe's, this one brewed by Golden Road out of Los Angeles, CA. TJ's house beers run the gamut from swill to gold, and this DIPA is somewhere in the middle, leaning toward gold. It's clearly modeled after the famous Pliny The Elder, with its bundle of floral hops and plenty of juicy tropics, coming across as a moderately successful clone.

At it's very friendly price point, its definitely worth your time, particularly if you enjoy citrus taste in your IPA. It may become on of your go-to low-price beers, or you may never have it again. Either way, you may be pleasantly surprised. Recommended.

Allagash Brewing 'Dubbel Ale'. 7% abv. Amber color. Hazy. Thin white bubbly head that gradually recedes to a reliable collar. Fair retention and lace. Nose of caramel malt, subtle fruit. Slight chocolate aroma and some spice notes emerge as the temp rises.

Front taste is sweet amber malt, slightly roasty, chocolate, distant plum. Aftertaste is earthy, dank, dark fruit tones over bittersweet herbal. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, carby, clingy.

This is a very good brew, a malty ale with an ensemble of mild flavors. Chocolate, fruit, and herbal notes are embedded in a somewhat roasty amber malt. Good stuff, indeed. It didn't grab me, but it was well crafted and quite enjoyable. Recommended.

"Allagash Dubbel hews close to the Abbey ale tradition. Its combination of 2-row malted barley, Victory, Carapils, malted red wheat, Munich, and black malt imbue it with a rich, copper color and complex, malty taste. Despite its full flavor, it finishes dry with subtle hints of chocolate and toffee. Not to be outmatched, our house yeast asserts itself by lending the beer undertones of classic Belgian fruitiness."

[source: allagash.com]

Lengthwise Brewing 'Ale Ya' Imperial IPA. 9% abv. 75 IBU. Hazy honey color. Foamy off-white head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of sweet malt, sweet citrus, light melon, candy sugar. Front taste of bitter fruity hops, light brown sugar, tangy orange-citrus peel. Aftertaste is grapefruit rind, candy sugar, pungent herbal sustain, botanical, sweet finish. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, tangy, juicy, carby.

This is an exceptional DIPA, a malty sweet hop bouquet. It starts with a pungent aroma that brings fruit candy and flowers to mind, followed by a thick citrusy nearly syrupy taste and bright sweet flavor profile. I love beers like this, full of hop flavor against a malty backbone. Wonderful brew. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Intensely dry hopped double IPA featuring the best Yakima Valley hops. Hop bursting at flame out helps contribute hop flavor instead of hop bitterness and adds tropical and passion fruit overtones."

[source: ratebeer.com]

Stone Brewing 'Mocha IPA' Double IPA. 9% abv. 80 IBU. Amber cola color. Finger of white foamy head. Excellent retention and lacing. Nose of fresh ground coffee, sweet dark chocolate, earthy. Front taste of cocoa powder, fruity hops, bright spice on the back end. Aftertaste of molasses, bittersweet chocolate, botanical notes. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, resiny, slightly sticky.

This is an outstanding and unique beer. The aroma promises fresh coffee and ample chocolate, and the flavor still delivers more than you expect. Under the rich mocha profile is a bed of herbal and floral hops that layers the taste with each sip. A superbly crafted beer that has a ton of tall flavor from beginning to end. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A style-defying double IPA with cacao and coffee. IPA with mocha indulgence. Clearly, style lines have been crossed. Is it half-IPA, half-stout? Not quite. It’s definitely all IPA, but it’s also the best of both styles, making this love child of a beer simply just a beautiful, pleasure-seeking meld of imperial IPA and mocha indulgence. How did we come up with this inexplicably delicious creation? Well, that doesn’t really matter. What matters is that it exists and that it’s here for you now, thanks to our deliberate disregard for brewing norms. Some things are not meant to be known, just enjoyed...thoroughly... 

"Liberty Station Brewing Manager Kris Ketcham was inspired by two beers to create this wonderful IPA. Aleman / Two Brothers / Stone DayMan Coffee IPA and Stochasticity Project Master of Disguise golden stout triggered an inspiration in Kris to brew an IPA with both coffee and cocoa influence. When he first brewed this in 2015, it was an instant smash hit. And now we’ve found a great home for it!"

[source: stonebrewing.com]

Sandude Brewing ‘Sandude Double’ American IPA. 8% abv. 105 IBU. Orange-copper color with two fingers of white foamy head. Outstanding retention and good lace. Nose of fruity hops, sweet citrus, mild flowers. Front taste of abundant bitter floral hops, bittersweet grapefruit peel, light malt, bready sustain. Aftertaste is bright citrus, bitter floral hops, dry finish. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, carby, tangy, astringent on the back.

This is an excellent DIPA, one that chooses the bitter hoppy taste of most IPAs over the malt forward taste of most doubles. To be clear, only the body and abv suggest that this is a double. It simply tastes like a very good category IPA despite what the bottle or recipe may reveal. It's certainly well-crafted with tall flavors of citrus rind and bushels of floral hops. I would surely drink this again. Recommended.

From the brewery:

“Burst of 6 hops, moderate bodied and bitterness, citric and floral tones finish.”

[source: sandudebrewing.com]

Punch 'Elites' Double Maduro Corona. 5.25x45. Good build with straight edges, though veins and ends were too pronounced for my taste. Dark sweated wrap. Lit well. Cut was poor, resulting in a bad unraveling of the crown and careful handling for the entire session. Easy draw pre- and post-light.

First half tastes of roasted, almost burnt walnut, hard wood, almond notes. Second half is wood, bitter herb, notes of black coffee, allspice on the exhale. Ash was clean, nearly white with gray striping, holding near two inches. Burn was mostly even across, though some course correction was needed mid way. Draw was consistently easy to the end.

This is was an enjoyable cigar with the one build flaw of its wrap at the crown. Even the sloppiest of cuts should not result in a complete unravelling of the wrap. Throughout the cigar, I had to pay careful attention to the wrap to keep it in check. Other than this, the cigar was good with a standard of quality that I come to expect from Punch. I will have this cigar again in the near future, to test whether or not the rookie wrapping was a fluke. Recommended.

From the company:

"A go-to brand among tenured smokers since its introduction in 1969, Punch cigars are a classic. The brand lives up to its name with a bold, full-flavored taste derived from its Ecuadorian wrapper and rich blend of Honduran, Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos. The large-ring Magnum and uniquely-shaped Champion frontmarks have earned high praise from Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Insider, with 90 and 91 ratings, respectively. Cigar Cyclopedia concurred, and gave the collection a stellar A rating."

[source: punchcigars.com]

"Smooth with some spiciness, a Punch cigar will fit everyone's palate. With an excellent range of flavor but not overpowering, Punch cigars are superbly constructed and consistently delicious. Honduran, Dominican, and Nicaraguan filler, Connecticut binder and a dark wrapper. Robust and full-flavored - Punch is a world class cigar. Punch cigars have received countless 90+ ratings, including several 91s and ‘Humidor Selection’ honors, noting: 'This attractive, oily cigar has a rich leathery aroma. It’s full bodied and balanced. Flavors include leather, wood and earth. The finish is long.' "

[source: cigarsinternational.com]

Maui Brewing 'Doppel Shot' Double Bock. 8.2% abv. 40 IBU. Amber-orange color. Finger of white foamy head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of bright coffee, herbal spice. Front taste of fresh light roast coffee, bitter herb, sweet malt. Aftertaste of ground coffee, bitter botanical resin, grassy grain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy, clingy.

This is a very good coffee beer, one that stands out in its golden color and fresh herbal taste. The spice is bright to the point that it brings pepper beers to mind. There is a sweet mellow malt taste underneath the ever-present tall coffee and mild herb. I wouldn't classify this as a doppelbock, rather as a specialty beer that merges bock and coffee. It's a refreshing and satisfying beer, particularly if you love coffee brew. Well recommended.

From the company:

"Not your everyday Doppelbock! This unique Doppelbock was brewed to showcase the fresh roasted Yellow Caturra MauiGrown coffee from Ka’anapali, Maui. This beer is rich in pale malt character and brings slight sweetness to compliment the smooth character of the coffee. The darker color comes from the heavy coffee addition."

[source: mauibrewingco.com]

The glass was not "beer clean" as noted by the bubbles along the side. Fortunately, it didn't seem to hinder the abundant head and retention, a good sign of the craftsmanship of the beer.

Samuel Adams 'Fat Jack' Double Pumpkin Ale. 8.5% abv. 25 IBU. Black in color. Finger of tan thick creamy head. Outstanding retention and lacing. Nose of nutmeg, allspice, pumpkin. Front taste of sweet dark malt, heavy pumpkin, cloves on the sustain. Aftertaste is pure pumpkin pie, nutmeg, cinnamon, nutmeg. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy, sweet finish.

This is an outstanding beer. The aroma is spicy, sweet, promising plenty of pumpkin. The taste delivers with a ton of pumpkin and a dark warm spice bouquet. Most pumpkin beers are lacking, but this is one of the few big bold pumpkin beers that offers a rich, complex autumn beer. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Pleasantly plump and satisfied. This rich and luscious brew indulges in flavor with over 28 lbs. of pumpkin per barrel, for a full bodied sweetness and deep russet color.  Classic pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice ignite a warmth and spark that’s deepened by an undercurrent of roasty smoked malts.  The result is a delectable brew full of enveloping layers of flavor and spice."

[source: samueladams.com]

Green Flash 'West Coast IPA' Double IPA. 8.1% abv. 95 IBU. Deep amber color. Clear. Finger of creamy-foamy ivory head. Excellent retention and outstanding lacing. Nose of sweet citrus, tropical fruit, floral hops, bready back. Front taste of bittersweet citrus rind, tall fruity bitter hops, sweet orange on the back end. Aftertaste of ample bitter fruity hops, grapefruit peel on the sustain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, slightly sticky, botanical, astringent.

This is an excellent DIPA. The hop profile is tall and vibrant, with a balanced bitter and flavors of sweet fruit, bitter citrus, and bright floral throughout. The malt taste is light but ever present with sweet and bready notes. This brew is worthy of your palate, particularly if you are a lover of hops. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Taste a piece of history. As craft beer pioneers, we embarked on an expedition to brew the benchmark West Coast IPA. We ventured into the unknown and struck gold, discovering a tantalizing menagerie of hops. Simcoe for tropical and grapefruit zest, Columbus for hop pungency, Centennial for pine notes, Citra for citrus zest and Cascade for floral aroma are layered throughout the brewing process. West Coast IPA exemplifies the Green Flash spirit of adventure and discovery."

[source: greenflashbrew.com]

Stone Brewing 'Ruination 2.0' Double IPA. 8.5% abv. 100+ IBU. Golden honey color. Two+ fingers of white foamy head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of sweet citrus, fruity hops, pine notes, biscuit. Front taste of ample bitter fruity hops, mild grapefruit rind, tropical light fruit, strong pine and floral hops on the back. Aftertaste of citrus peel, bitter floral hop bite, sweet light malt sustain. Light-medium body. Mouthfeel is warm-hit, sticky, resiny, floral.

This is an excellent DIPA, a bolder, more complex successor to the original Ruination. The blend of hops shows in every sniff and sip, with a bitter fruit backbone accented by sweet, malty, and floral tastes. The mouthfeel alone elevates this to an imperial/double level, along with the notes of pine, tropical fruit, and strong citrus. Very good stuff. A must for fans of hoppy, complex beers. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"Stone Ruination IPA was the first full-time brewed and bottled West Coast double IPA on the planet. As craft beer has evolved over the years, so too have techniques for maximizing hop flavors and aromas. For the second incarnation of our groundbreaking India pale ale, we employed dry hopping and hop bursting to squeeze every last drop of piney, citrusy, tropical essence from the hops that give this beer its incredible character. We’ve also updated the name to reflect the imperial-level intensity that’s evident in every sip. Join us in cheering this, the second stanza in our 'Liquid Poem to the Glory of the Hop.'"

[source: stonebrewing.com]

"When this double IPA first hit the scene in 2002, the hoppy beer landscape was far different than it is today. Ales offering an onslaught of resinous humulus lupulus were virtually unknown. Thankfully, that is no longer the case. Terms such as "lupulin" and "IBU" are well established in the craft beer lexicon. And with the knowledge of all that hops have to offer comes the desire to go beyond bracing bitterness. Fortunately, Stone Ruination IPA had always been crafted to celebrate all the facets of the hop - its beauty and poetry, it's boldness and might. As craft beer has evolved, so too have techniques for extracting the best and the most out of hops. So we modernized Stone Ruination IPA, coaxing every last drop of piney, citrusy, tropical essence from the Centennial, Citra, Simcoe and Azacca hops that give this beer its incredible character. Join us in cheering this, the second stanza in our 'Liquid Poem to the Glory of the Hop.'"

[source: bottle]

Mammoth Brewing 'Double Nut Brown' Porter. 5.5% abv. 25 IBU. Dark brown, nearly black. Finger of tan head. Fair retention, nice lace. Nose of roasted malt, ground coffee, cocoa, wood, herbal. Front taste of coffee, bittersweet chocolate, earthy hops on the back end. Aftertaste of dark chocolate, toffee, earthy hop sustain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, carby, slightly thick.

This is an excellent brown ale. The aromas and flavors of coffee, chocolate, and herbal notes mix well and are present throughout. The hop profile stands tall without overtaking the malt flavors. A solid beer and an excellent example of its category. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"Reminiscent of coffee and dark chocolate, this dark ale exhibits a mild sweetness and finishing roast dryness. This big ol’ Brown Porter is a Mammoth legend. And what’s nice to know is that no nuts were harmed or used during the brewing of this beer."

[source: mammothbrewingco.com]

"Mammoth Brewing Company has been brewing award-winning, handcrafted beers in the Eastern Sierra since 1995. The most important ingredient in our beer is our water, and the High Sierra has some of the best water in the world, fresh out of the mountains and lakes that surround us. A locals' favorite, this dark ale is reminiscent of coffee and dark chocolate and is our version of a brown porter. Double Nut Brown exhibits a mild sweetness and a finishing roasty dryness."
[source: bottle]