Beer Review: Pipeworks - Unicorn's Revenge

Pipeworks Brewing Co.
Unicorn's Revenge
Double IPA
10% ABV
Batch #92

Appearance: Pours a beautiful, glowing golden orange with an unfiltered haziness and two fingers of fluffy cream colored foam.

Smell: Big juicy notes of strawberry  hit the nose first. Followed by tangerine, pineapple and mango. A very bold yet softly sweet aroma. I noticed that the prominent strawberry notes wore off after a few minutes but giving the glass an aggressive swirl brought them back at full force. This beer smells amazing.

Taste: Tart, tangy grapefruit with a little bit of toasted caramel malts in the background. Hints of pine and some white wine/white grape characteristics from the use of Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand. For a 10% beer this is insanely balanced. Surprisingly, no real hints of alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied, slightly chewy. Nice carbonation keeps things lively. There's a light lingering bitterness but the finish is smooth and dry.

Overall, this is another fantastic double IPA from Pipeworks. These guys are fast becoming masters of this style and I'm beginning to expect nothing less than liquid brilliance upon each new release. Unicorn's Revenge is their 1 year anniversary beer and what a way to celebrate. I enjoyed this one a good deal more than Unicorn Galaxy (which was still a really good beer) and just as much if not more than Citra Ninja. A wonderful cocktail of American hops (Amarillo and Centennial), New Zealand hops (Nelson Sauvin and Pacifica) and a lack of bittering hops makes this a really unique and tasty beer. Tons of flavor, bold fruity aroma (strawberries!), ridiculous balance and a big 10% ABV. Probably my favorite beer yet from Pipeworks and easily one of the ten best imperial IPAs I've ever had.

5 out of 5