Profiled by Ken Carman for professorgoodales.net
This is a delight: an English take on an American version of the style. Not quite an Imperial, as claimed: would need a tad more body for that. But very close, so I’ll give it to them.
The nose indicates a typical grapefruit-y, cascade/centennial-isg quaff. Visual is urine light color (sorry) with nice long lasting rocky head with some pillow. Bubbles cling to glass.
But with a taste all changes. Yes, the grapefruit-like hop is there with more bitter than fruit, until it warms. But there’s also a distinct, well blended, mix with a Fuggles like hop: a bit spicy and earthy. I could drink this all night long, but at above 7%: best not.
Most unusual of all: very well attenuated to the point of being very dry. Almost Rheingold Extra-ish in that sense. Balance is pretty good., and it lingers for quite a while.
Looks like they may do a different version every year. This one was not a fresh hop, as far as I could tell, but it has been fresh hopped in the past.
A very welcome variation on a style that has grown a bit tiresome.