Alchemy Hour
Double IPA
9.4% ABV
Appearance: Pours a fairly clear amber with a finger or so of bubbly off-white foam.
Smell: Pineapple, mango, biscuity malts, honey, unripe banana. Clean, vibrant, and zesty. Really awesome aroma. Unfortunately, as the beer warms the fruity characteristics seem to be replaced by a less appealing malty smell.
Taste: Pine, honey, grapefruit, and caramel with a little bit of spice in the finish. Alcohol is not apparent at first but becomes noticeable as the beer warms.
Mouthfeel: Creamy with a crisp finish. Nicely carbonated.
Overall, this is a solid double IPA from Great Lakes, a brewery that consistently churns out highly drinkable beers. I initially loved this one but as the beer warmed it lost a lot of it's best characteristics. The aroma is fantastic for the first 5 minutes or so and the taste is nicely complex and fairly balanced for a beer that is over 9%. If this one wouldn't have petered out so quickly in the aroma and taste department I'd be giving it a higher rating. As it stands it's still a pretty darn good beer and if you haven't tried it, I definitely recommend it. Looking forward to Great Lakes' next two seasonal IPA releases: Rye of the Tiger (April) and Lake Erie Monster (May).
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| 4 out of 5 |
I want to find this in town, but alas.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised you haven't seen this in Bourbonnais. I figured Great Lakes beers would be plentiful down there.
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