Four Seas Imperial IPA
Barley's Brewing Company

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From:
Barley's Brewing Company
 
Ohio, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
ABV:
8%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.17 | pDev: 7.67%
Reviews:
13
Ratings:
20
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 13, 2018
Added:
May 14, 2005
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  3
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ScottJWing:
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Rated by ScottJWing from Ohio

4.09/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dec 30, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.23 by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

Jul 13, 2018
 
Rated: 4.09 by Ctb6582 from Maryland

Nov 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by JeffONeal from Ohio

Aug 12, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by mattsucks from Ohio

Dec 24, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by kbrown from Ohio

Jan 12, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by tkarsies from Ohio

Jan 06, 2013
Photo of PittBeerGirl
Reviewed by PittBeerGirl from Ohio

4.62/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On-tap at Barley's this evening.

A- Body is a uniformly translucent vibrant orange hue. Served with a 1-2 finger foamy white head that eventually fades to a nice thick collar and leaves some lacing behind in the glass.

S- Awesome. Exactly what I am looking for in a DIPA. A huge dose of hoppy citrus and white grapefruit with mild floral hop overtones. The backbone is all sweet caramel malt and provides a nice balance to the hop forward nose.

T- Taste is very similar to the smell but is not as vibrant. Lots of citrus and white grapefruit upfront with a hint of floral hops. A big, sweet caramel malt backbone. The hops come through more for the finish and a mild citrus rind bitterness lingers as well as sweet caramel malt.

M- Well done overall. Medium to high carbonation and a nice oily medium weight body.

O- Overall this is not only one of the nicest DIPAs, but one of the nicest beers I have had in a very long time. Its so well constructed and very hoppy yet its not one sided with that solid caramel malt backbone. Got a growler of it to go.
Dec 27, 2011
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Reviewed by Ryan011235 from Ohio

3.82/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap in a tulip at Ale House No. 1 on 12/28/10

Dense, cloudy shades of amber & orange. A head of about 1/4th inch thinned quickly, leaving a smooth skim of foam over the top of the beer. Basically no retention by the end; hardly any lace.

The signage at the bar indicates Cascade, Centennial, Chinook & Columbus hops. The nose certainly fits the bill. Thick, oily aromas of pine, muddled citrus & some floral notions. The hops are balanced by sturdy malts; a mild sugar sweetness, hints of dry biscuit & maybe a spot of caramel.

The taste is strikingly similar to my old standby at the Smokehouse, Centennial IPA. Piney, kind of soapy & with a bit of citrus crackle in the back. It's pretty dry, too. A slick sweetness manifests midway through then really dries out toward the finish. Notes of toasted bread. The finish is slightly muddled.

Medium-full, oily feel. Carbonation is modestly prickly but doesn't get out of hand. As it warms there is a coating feel. Dry, pine bitterness lingers.

Having made the sojourn to my lesser-frequented of the Barley's houses, it's nice to sample some of their other wares. As mentioned earlier, this is very similar to the Centennial IPA; I like it but wouldn't be inclined to brave downtown parking just to get it. Definitely worth a shot, though.
Dec 29, 2010
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Reviewed by UDbeernut from Florida

4/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
served on tap in the brewery, poured into a tulip glass

a: slightly hazy yellow hue, with a silky looking 1/2" head with decent retention. reduces to light lacing

s: strong citurs hop followed by slightly earthly hop dullness (Chinook). very nice

t: hop punch on the top of the palate well placed with a good malt backbone. Nice DIPA.

m&d: lighter mouthfell, does finish dry like the style should. Had no problem drinking this down.
Jun 27, 2009
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Reviewed by BeerBelcher from Ohio

3.17/5  rDev -24%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 1 | overall: 3.5
This beer was the answer to the question I ask every time I enter a brew pub for the first time ("What's on the beer engine?"). I'm glad I had it, but many of the reviews I'd read of Barleys beers indicated they were "approachable," which unfortunately applied to this beer also, even though certain styles (uh, pretty much anything with the words Imperial/Double in the name) have no business being approachable! This wasn't a bad beer, but it was a little weak and one-dimensional for this style.

It was orange and hazy with a small (5mm) head. It smelled flat (before I started drinking beer, I wouldn't have guessed that flat had a smell. The smell was also highly citrusy. A flat mouthfeel was my first impression. I know that cask beers are not usually highly carbonated, but this one didn't come across as silky-smooth (as cask beer should); it came across as flat. Flavor was very pineapple-y and good, at first. But a lack of dry bitterness, malt structure, and for lack of a better word, challenge made the beer a little one-dimensional. It is just sweet hops - there is nothing else really to this beer...no maltiness, no astringent dryness from a ton of hops, no intricate mouthfeel. It is a one-note tune, and as pleasing as that one note may be, it makes for a boring song.

I would be reluctant to recommend this. Maybe it is better when not on cask.

I had this from the beer engine at Barleys Brewing Co in downtown Columbus.
Feb 10, 2009
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Reviewed by chiefydawg from Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Hazy bright pale orange. Dense whitish head with seemingly active carbonation for being in a growler for three days and a pint previously poured an hour ago. Lace hangs on the glass all the way down

Burst of citrusy, wildfloral, slightly piney hops with a pinch of yeasty, warm hard candy. Wonderful smelling combo brings salivary glands into action involuntarily.

Orange, grapefruit, maybe even candied pineapple hit immediately; but halfway through the swallow a sweet yeasty graininess mingles nicely with the fruit for a most harmonious balance. Chewing on it brings more intense flavors that implore a swallow and follow up swig. The finish is sweet on the tongue with pine oil bitter and alcohol (which shows up finally at half glass) in the nose after the swallow.

Intense spectrum of flavors, meaning it has the bold citrus, the almost cloying sweetness, the sprinkle of alcohol and grain, some sweeter yeasty fruitiness etc. Incredible array, though I'd like to have a more clean, acclimated taste. But then that might make it more of an IPA I guess...

Medium-plus bodied, this is definitely trouble to anyone with copious access to it. Is it wrong to say it is too drinkable to be a DIPA? I love this stuff but think it could put a hurting on me if I showed it too much (a growler of Barley's Ivan Porter did me in last night during the OSU Texas bowl game). I would get a growler of this any time, especially if it were under $15 bucks.
Jan 07, 2009
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Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

4.32/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Growler acquired in trade with OhioDad (thanks!).

Poured a medium and lightly hazy golden color wtih an averaged sized white head. Aromas of stronger pine with some citrus and caramel. Tastes follow. Had a floral / hop leafiness to the tastes too. On the balance scale, this was definitely more hoppy than malty. Enjoyable (thanks Scott!).

Notes from 1/5/07
Nov 23, 2008
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Reviewed by ndekke39 from Ohio

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Ordered a pint of this on cask at Barley's. Poured a hazy orange with a small head - some lacing on the glass. Smells heavily of pine and citrus hops - a lot of orange. Tastes again of the hops, with some acidic grapefruit, too. The hops are really quite good, although there's not much malt character to balance them. Medium mouthfeel that's perfect for a double IPA. Overall, a very good beer - easy to drink, a little bit off-balance. I call it an above-average IPA.
Feb 18, 2007
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Reviewed by mcallister from Ohio

4.05/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Deep, very dense copper. Very bland look with no head accept some lace around the rim of the glass.

Big luscious grapefruit, hints of pine, enormous hop smells with some malt hidden in the background.

What a beast. Very citrusy, grapefruit, and some orange upon entrance instantly overwhelmed by a beefy, drying explosion of hops. The finish on this is long, real long over a minute.

A damn good Imperial IPA but it took a hit from the lack of malt to balance the huge hops in the mouthfeel. Which in turn damaged the drinkability.
Jul 23, 2006
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Reviewed by Ahhdball from Ohio

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Review 201!
Poured a deep cloudy orange producing a thick sticky beige top that lasted through the drink. Smelled a gorgeous, generous amount of the four hops. Citrus and pine stings followed a by a sweet aroma of sugar. The hops smacks your mouth around with all the force it could muster. Grapefruit, and a little sweet fruit follow the hops and smooth everything out to a nice finish. Creamy, smooth and slightly chewy feel. This beer didn't didn't dissappoint and can't wat for it next season.
Oct 05, 2005
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Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.42/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
I was lucky to have been in the area when this beauty was on tap. Looks hazy and deep golden and yellow. Almost wheat beer looking. Instead of floating yeast, I think they were tiny little pine cones in there. Smells sweet with barley and piney, grassy, earthy, bitter, and drying as you get with an IPA. Taste like I'm chewing on a pine cone and chasing it with a beer. Heavy on the bitter, but yet, not overpowering of the solid malt base. Heavy and round to the palate. Coats the entire mouth with complexity alterations between the sweet malts and agressive hops. Finishes sweet and thick with a moderate amount of drying. The high alcohols are never tasted, but are definately felt. It's worth the road trip, just for a pint. Enjoy.
Sep 19, 2005
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Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Served in a snifter. Hazy dark honey with sunshine gold accents, especially prominent in the bowl of the glass. Minimal carbonation rose lazily to a single finger cap of almond colored foam. Thin, broken sheets of lace could be seen near the surface of the beer, with dots and spots up near the tapering portion of the glass.

The nose was classic DIPA: caramel-drizzled white grapefruit. It was impossible to tell which one of the 4-Cs was responsible for the lion's share of the aroma, so I'll give credit to all of them equally. The nose lacked a certain immediacy, but that was its only (admittedly minor) fault.

Four Seas Imperial IPA's flavor was a seamless combination of sweet caramel/toffee and spicy grapefruit/orange. It wasn't excessively hoppy, but was balanced and rich. Alcohol was noticeable and I found myself, early on at least, wishing that it was masked a little more completely. As I got deeper into the glass it struck me as better integrated and not bothersome in the least.

While the beer wasn't overly sweet, I found that my lips became coated with a light, sugary film after a few sips. Especially enjoyable was a long, bittersweet, citrusy finish. The body was on the light side of medium initially, firming up over time to become medium for the style. Ultrafine, nicely persistent carbonation kept things from becoming syrupy. Pure, candied grapefruit burps were periodic reminders of the hoppy goodness.

I went to Barley's Alehouse #1 yesterday specifically to drink this beer and I'm glad to report that I wasn't disappointed. I live for beer brewed with any and all combinations of the 4-Cs. The brewers have done themselves proud with this DIPA. I only wish I was still in Columbus rather than back home in Iowa because I'd probably head back downtown for another glass after finishing this review. Good stuff.
Jun 07, 2005
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Reviewed by Dogbrick from Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
So named for the "4 C’s" - 4 different hop varieties added that start with the letter C. The beer is a murky dark orange color with a medium eggshell-white head. Thin an sticky lacing. The aroma is heady with hops, citrus and pine. Full-bodied and very hoppy with a nice fruity character. The finish is hoppy and lingering with a hint of pine. I’ve been waiting awhile for Barley’s to enter the Imperial IPA arena and this beer does not disappoint.
May 23, 2005
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Reviewed by Wildman from Ohio

4.69/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
This is the same beer I had on cask, but aged a bit more and from a growler off the tower. This beer poured a very murky gold color and formed a huge foamy off white white head that faded leaving circular lace around the glass. The aroma of hops this time seems to favor the Centennial and Cascade this time, with strong elements of citrus and pine dominating. The flavor was of very piney hops with some citrus with a sligtly creamy body. The finish was fairly bitter and the alcohol is fairly well hidden.
May 22, 2005
Four Seas Imperial IPA from Barley's Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 20 ratings