Review: 09/06 – thanks to SilentSabre for a chance to re-visit.

Well past what Jim Koch recommends, but I wanted to experiment wih some age on this. Looks identical to ten months ago with great sticky lacing, and orange clouded body. From memory it appears that the hop profile has receeded alot (expected) but at the same time a strong grapefruit bitterness has replaced it. Almost as if a hop bitterness has been replaced by an acidic bitterness. Having said that, there is still a sweet alcohol presence and I still think this is very drinkable – not what it once was, but still drinkable.

Often I am sceptical of best before dates, and although that this beer certainly didn’t go nasty at midnight on 01/31/06 it clearly hasn’t benefitted much from time. Sometimes I like the way that intentionally hoppy beers fade over time to accentuate the malts but this is one seemed to lose a little – not much, just a little.

Original Review: 12/05

Nice. Double Pilsner? Well, I don’t know about that, but it seems more like a Double IPA to me.

Huge hops all over the place, but tempered by some malt sweetness – very reminiscent of Stoudts Double IPA.

Thick, looking orange pour, with a large amount of cloudiness, a nice head and some excellent, viscous, sticky lacing.

Hops and sweet malts are upfront and large, and essentially remove any characteristics that might put it into a classic Pilsner category. This has DIPA written all over it.

Drinks beautifully with the rare combo of masssive hops initially balanced by large malt sweetness in the finish. Some sticky sweetness finishes it off too.

A pretty big beer all around, with a very nice quality feel to it. This might be interesting to age a little.