Wackjob
Piece Brewery & Pizzeria

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From:
Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
ABV:
9%
Score:
89
Avg:
4 | pDev: 8.5%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
16
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 31, 2013
Added:
Dec 14, 2009
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4 by Drucifer from Illinois

May 31, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by CaptainNomihodai from Illinois

Feb 25, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by birdsellam from Indiana

Feb 11, 2013
Photo of MasterSki
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

4.13/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On-tap at Piece. Served in a tulip.

A - White foam settles to a thin cap and thicker collar, leaving a few specks of lace. Lightly hazed dark golden body.

S - Big citrus and herbal hops - Centennial and Amarillo? Sort of awesome in a 2009 IIPA kind of way (which coincidentally is when this beer was first brewed). Nice icing sugar malts in the periphery.

T - The taste is again heavy on citrus rind and zest, with some nice grapefruit flesh notes as well. Mild pine and herbal hops in the periphery, and a fairly minimal malt backbone that is mostly crackery and slightly bready. Bitterness is moderate and there's a very faint astringent note.

M - Zesty and slightly harsh carbonation. Medium bodied with a dry finish. Light-enamel coating hop oils and resins linger well into the aftertaste. Not much perceptible alcohol, even at 9.5%.

D - The bartender called this an Imperial Pale Ale, and I'd agree - there's not much malt to speak of here - just a ton of old-school American hops. I'd already hit up the Jake Melnick's event, so this was a bit slow-going after all those Solemn Oath and Oskar Bues offerings. Otherwise it's very easy to drink for nearly 10%.
Aug 25, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by smurfbeer from Wisconsin

Dec 27, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by mhaugo from California

Dec 17, 2011
Photo of zeff80
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

4.27/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A - Poured a clear, copper color with a one-finger, off-white head of foam. It left sticky patches of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of grapefruit and other tropical fruits. A nice bitter nose.

T - It tasted of burnt toast maltiness with pine, grapefruit and an alcohol burn.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium to full bodied ale with a dry finish.

O - This was a really good double IPA. This is worth trying if you make it to Piece.
Jul 06, 2011
Photo of BeerLover99
Reviewed by BeerLover99 from Illinois

3.97/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: golden yellow/mild orange body, 1 finger head, fine lacing

S: hint of pineapple, orange peel, mild pine

T: sweet citrus front, solid earthy middle, slow fine bitter finish

M: med. body, mild slick/oily feel

O: Nice beer! My first time visiting this famous Chicago pizza haunt and was shocked that they were also a brewery. Great Double IPA, but not world class. I know it's a sipper, but wanted to gulp it.

FINE BREW, GIVE IT A TRY!
Apr 30, 2011
Photo of thetomG
Reviewed by thetomG from Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had this one on tap @ Piece.... an excellent DIPA overall.... not too sweet, not too bitter and this relatively high ABV is masked very well by the other flavors involved. Definitely worth trying if you're in town when they've got it on draft. Very very tasty!
Jun 21, 2010
Photo of emerge077
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a footed tulip glass at Piece. Deep amber color, darker than most DIPAs. Trails of visible carbonation, visible floaties of yeast in there too. Off-white foam that left adequate lacing, with a long lasting skim. The color was unique, probably it's most memorable visual aspect.

Pungent and resiny citrus aroma, grapefruit peel and green leafy dankness from the huge hop content. Very pleasant and what one comes to expect from Piece's line of stellar IPA's.

Big citrus rind right of the bat, sweet orange and grapefruit, with some residual leafy greenery and piney bitterness on the swallow. Fairly full bodied, with moderate carbonation. Seems fresh and approachable for a Double IPA. As it warms, a touch of alcohol is apparent, as is the caramel malt base, which wasn't as apparent when the glass was served (slightly too cold).

This is a solid addition to Piece's IPA arsenal, hope it becomes a regular in the rotation.
May 14, 2010
Photo of jrallen34
Reviewed by jrallen34 from Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I had this on tap into a tasting glass at Piece. Its dark gold with a hint of orange good retention and lacing. The aroma is superlight for a dipa, a little piney hops, small grapefruit but thats it. The taste is really nice though, super easy to drink and flavorful not overpowering at all. If you want a smooth piney ipa, give this a shot.
May 09, 2010
Photo of OttoBomb
Reviewed by OttoBomb from Illinois

4.17/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Served on tap in a 13 oz. stemmed tulip glass (April 23, 2010).

Even though I've lived in Chicago since 2002, this is my first visit to Piece. I asked the server to bring out the house IPA of her choosing, this is what she brought me.

Eyes: Pours a hazy, darkish burnt orange with a thin layer of off-white head.

Nose: Strong aromas of thick hops, citrus, fresh mango, sweet caramel and malts.

Tongue: Tons of citrus, fresh fruit, bitter hops, some caramel, and solid malt backbone. A bitter and citrus finish.

Mouth: The potent flavors hide the 9% ABV well, though some warming is detectable. Carbonation is just right for me.

Libation: This was a truly solid DIPA. Well worth the trip to Piece alone.
May 02, 2010
Photo of NeutroMan
Reviewed by NeutroMan from Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Had on-tap at Piece. Reviewed from notes on 23 March 2010.

A: Served in a tulip glass. Mostly clear orange color that leaves sticky lacing all the way down.

S: Citrus and lots of piney hops.

T: Blast of pine hops and citrus initially. A muted sweet malt backbone is present, if not noticeable.

M: Medium bodied, medium carbonation.

D: Very drinkable for a DIPA. 9% ABV is hidden well.
Mar 25, 2010
Photo of Tbone
Reviewed by Tbone from Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a hazy (unfiltered) burnt orange. The smell is strongly citrus, with grapefruit and apricot dominating.
The taste is more of the delicious same, with lots of citrus

The 9% abv is completely hidden.

The mouthfeel is lighter than your average DIPA, with little residual sugars and a crisper finish. I imagine some will knock it for this and for not having a malt backbone to balance the huge hop profile. But IMO, its lightness is a bonus that makes it standout from the pack. I wouldn't want all my DIPAs to be this way, but I don't want all my DIPAs to be any kind of way. Variety = Happiness.
Mar 20, 2010
Photo of Florida9
Reviewed by Florida9 from Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
A: Very cloudy orange-amber in color. Sort of looks like dark brewed iced-tea. Served with about a 1/2" of white head. Good lacing.

S: Strong pine and citrus notes, especially grapefruit.

T: Citrus and pine on a moderately sweet malty backbone. Unfortunately, after the initial sip there develops a very perceptible off flavor, almost reminiscent of fish. Thankfully short finish. The wife tried it and she practically spit it out.

M: Medium body with medium carbonation. Moderate bitterness.

D: I very much want to say this was a "bad bottle" as, to me, the off-flavor was consistent of an infection, but considering this beer isn't bottled and I am at the brewery, I can only assume this is the way this beer was meant to be. I could easily see this being a very good DIPA, but I could in no way stomach a second one of these. The wife was drinking Amarillo Brillo, which I thought was a far superior beer.
Jan 03, 2010
Photo of Vonerichs
Reviewed by Vonerichs from Colorado

3.95/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Had this on tap at Piece. From what the waitress tells me, they had just tapped the first keg of this today. It was not on the beer menu yet.

It was poured into a tulip and was a standard pale orange variety of ipa. The head was limited and the lacing minimal, but what was left was sticky.

The smell was juicy citrus and light perfumes. Good smell, but it was a little muted.

I've had a few of Piece's beers and this is easily the best I've had from them. I was rather impressed with the hop profile. Grapefruit, orange zest, and lit bit of pine and floral hops. The citrus hops are the dominant ones in the picture. The malt is sweet and sticky.

The mouthfeel was thick, but cut with decent carbonation. The aftertaste was not as bitter as I normally prefer, but the citrus hops do linger on the tongue with residual sweetness.

They advertise this as a double ipa weighing in at 9%. It drinks like a regular ipa. With that being said, the flavor was that of a regular IPA.
Dec 14, 2009
Wackjob from Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 16 ratings