Emerald Grouper
Pipeworks Brewing Company

Emerald GrouperEmerald Grouper
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From:
Pipeworks Brewing Company
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
Ranked #20
ABV:
9.5%
Score:
99
Ranked #284
Avg:
4.46 | pDev: 8.3%
Reviews:
114
Ratings:
932
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 25, 2023
Added:
Nov 22, 2013
Wants:
  396
Gots:
  101
Originally a collaboration with 4 Hands called Square Grouper, now brewed by Pipeworks and called Emerald Grouper.

Our buddies at Four Hands in St. Louis rang us up a couple of months ago with a proposition. They wanted to brew an Imperial IPA and they just happened to have a bunch of Simcoe, Citra, Galaxy and Mosaic hops. We though that sounded like a pretty good idea so they came on up here to Chicago and we did the damn thing. We also added 60 lbs of honey at the end of the boil. The beer that then flowed out of the tanks and into your bottles is a dank symphony of tropical fruit, citrus, mango, pine, fresh cut grass and stone fruit. This was only a single batch and may not make another appearance for a long time. Drink early Drink often.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by NW_IPAHEAD:
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Rated by NW_IPAHEAD from Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Jun 06, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.25 by LoriCrotty from Minnesota

Apr 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4.33 by sd123 from Georgia

Mar 24, 2023
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Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Unlocking the mystery of how to avoid a cease and diciest letter because of beer naming rights, Pipeworks and Four Hands brewers find a solution: "color + animal" should do the trick.

Pale gold, glowing translucently through a reasonable haze, Emerald Grouper builds a frothy white cap before teasing the nose with a flood of Simcoe, Citra, Galaxy and Mosaic hops and their tropical, citrus, dank and herbal glory. As a mild mannered sweetness of honey, caramel and toasted grains apply a granola effect on the early palate, the early palate shows a malty-sweet tone.

But those hops are not to be denied. As the malts slowly dissolve on the middle palate, the flavors of grapefruit, orange, passionfruit, mango, apricot and lime all begin to shine in a fruit cocktail medley. With a light linger of malts having the fruity hop impressions seeming plump and ripe, the juicy session soon trends herbal, bitter and spicy. With a bitter finish, the session is piney, resinous, hemp-like and grassy.

Full bodied and finishing malty-dry, the ale is a throwback Imperial IPA balance with a few modern tricks and adaptations. Its a great beer that lingers with an afterglow of hemp, peppery warmth and fruit peels.
Mar 17, 2023
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Reviewed by MutuelsMark from Kentucky

4.44/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Clear and copper in color. The head was so bright I had to wear shades. Nice lacing. Nose is citrusy. Taste was citrus and apricot and maybe piney as well. Backend was slightly bitter.
Mar 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4.28 by einman from Minnesota

Jan 17, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by ellswrth from Oregon

Oct 17, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by TallGuyCM from California

Oct 14, 2021
 
Rated: 4.35 by beermanben from Wisconsin

Oct 05, 2021
 
Rated: 4.68 by chrismattlin from Ohio

Sep 28, 2021
 
Rated: 4.59 by jdow117 from Ohio

Sep 27, 2021
Photo of TedHead
Reviewed by TedHead from Illinois

4.4/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
This one pours a slightly lighter than honey golden with a fluffy white head. It smells like sweet citrus with hints of tropical fruit and pine underneath it. The taste has a nice citrus forward start that smooths out into a mango pineapple flavor with a satisfying piney finish. The finish is much less bitter than I typically like, but it's very well done. It's very sweet without being overbearing. It's surprisingly refreshing for a double IPA and is a very easy one to drink. This one is something that would satisfy your serious craft beer palate, but also be something drinkable to someone just getting into the sport.
Aug 08, 2021
 
Rated: 4.46 by Mbgreg from South Carolina

Mar 07, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by Bugsmcl from Ohio

Feb 12, 2021
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Rated by DucksFan16 from Tennessee

4.22/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Canned 12/17/2020
Feb 07, 2021
 
Rated: 4.15 by Montanabeerz from Montana

Jan 29, 2021
 
Rated: 4.32 by Nunya from Ohio

Jan 27, 2021
 
Rated: 4.71 by jeffmck09 from Connecticut

Jan 16, 2021
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Rated by unclekeith from Alaska

4.12/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Bitter but dry. Crystal clean, brilliant straw. Old school DIPA.
Jan 16, 2021
 
Rated: 4.43 by NolaHopHead from Louisiana

Jan 15, 2021
Emerald Grouper from Pipeworks Brewing Company
Beer rating: 99 out of 100 with 932 ratings