Duet
Alpine Beer Company

DuetDuet
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From:
Alpine Beer Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American IPA
Ranked #24
ABV:
7%
Score:
96
Ranked #934
Avg:
4.33 | pDev: 7.85%
Reviews:
934
Ratings:
4,582
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 21, 2024
Added:
Dec 31, 2005
Wants:
  820
Gots:
  955
A soon-to-be favorite, if it's already not. This single IPA boasts pine, citrus, and cedar notes from Simcoe and Amarillo hops.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BEERchitect:
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.34/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
In true "west-coast" style, Alpine's duet claims a true taste of the vernacular with a dry caramel backbone that's completely dominated by grassy and fruity bitterness.

The beer pours a mainly bright golden amber hue that's only kept from brilliance because of its dry-hopped haze. As its cottony white head billows above, its persistent honeycomb pattern lasts until the final sip and laces the glass strongly with intricate and concentric character at every drink.

Boastfully aromatic, its perfume of citrus and herb rests on red grapefruit, mandarin, pineapple and apricot early and then fresch-cut grass, chive and a back note of cannabis. all this transpires on an armature of thin caramel, graham cracker and fructose-type of tangy sweetness.

Its taste greets the early palate with that wafer thing honey and caramel melange with a light pep of gingersnap beneath. But once the fruit-flavors start, there's no turning back. Juicy, vibrant and fully ripened, the citrusy, tropical and orchard fruit character is mouthwatering and highly refreshing. As the hops trend bitter and earthen, the fruit pulp turns to pith and peel while reeling in the grassy, herbaceous and resinous flavors that grip the gullet with bitterness and bite.

While juicy and creamy to start, the beer makes quick work of its structure and nose-dives into a dry-malt scaffold that supports the clean and piquant bittering. Its effortless finish lingers on with citrus and leaf as its slim warmth goes largely unnoticed.

Duet is a beautiful waltz of Simcoe and Amarillo hop variants- each complementing the deficiencies of the other to near perfection. With just enough sweetness in support, the hops dance on the tongue with delight.
Mar 26, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.36 by whistler55 from Missouri

Mar 21, 2024
 
Rated: 3.85 by animal69 from Louisiana

Mar 18, 2024
Photo of AZgman
Reviewed by AZgman from Arizona

4.25/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A very good beer that blends a pair of hops to create a balanced IPA. Poured from a 12 oz can obtained from my local Total Wine it does taste fresh enough and is quite good.
Feb 16, 2024
Photo of tt100
Reviewed by tt100 from Ohio

3.92/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
One of my go to IPAs whenever I was out west back years ago. So nice to find it here in LV (Total Wine). Hard to find out East for me. Simcoe and Amarillo hops. Great representation of the West Coast style
Feb 02, 2024
 
Rated: 4.5 by Nyoder

Nov 26, 2023
 
Rated: 4.07 by not2quick from Missouri

Oct 15, 2023
 
Rated: 4.13 by Dcwbba from Pennsylvania

Oct 06, 2023
 
Rated: 4.1 by rajreddy from Tennessee

Oct 02, 2023
 
Rated: 4.49 by saymike32 from New Jersey

Jul 26, 2023
 
Rated: 4.13 by mkh012 from Colorado

Jun 11, 2023
 
Rated: 4.38 by TheWaySheGoes from Illinois

Jun 09, 2023
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

4.32/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
12oz can. Can bottom is stamped 'BEST BY 04/17/23 BATCH 033B'.
Mostly clear, pale gold colored body. One thick finger of white head, but this retreats quickly to a puffy cap and ring. Leaves behind partial walls of lacing.
Aroma is as advertised with pine, citrus, and a true note of cedar.
Taste has a solid malt base over which hops express flavors of generic citrus and pine. Sweet and woody cedar also. Slight bitterness picks up in the aftertaste.
Medium mouth feel, with a drying aspect. Very good carbonation.
Savors as a classic IPA in the West Coast style.
Feb 21, 2023
Photo of AphidRuin
Reviewed by AphidRuin from Singapore

4.07/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pour deep yellowish-orange with a white head that lingers long. Smells mildly of pine and citrus. Tastes heavily of hops, but delicately balanced with sugar sweetness. Mouthfeel is dry and a tad too bitter. Overall, a beer that should be a IPA standard.
Feb 19, 2023
 
Rated: 3.59 by bruindre from Massachusetts

Feb 08, 2023
 
Rated: 3.85 by Backpacker1 from Georgia

Jan 30, 2023
Photo of AdmiralOzone
Reviewed by AdmiralOzone from Minnesota

4.06/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a cloudy straw yellow with a thick long-lasting white head that leaves generous lacing. Aroma is faint, citrus and pine. Flavor is bolder than the aroma. Feel is medium bodied and could use a bit more carbonation IMO. Overall, a decent enough beer.
Jan 19, 2023
 
Rated: 4.39 by LA2ED7

Jan 08, 2023
Photo of JohnniEMc
Reviewed by JohnniEMc from Pennsylvania

3.71/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
This episode involved emptying two twelve ounce cans into a clear glass liter mug. The pours produced an overabundance of white foam on the top of a bright and light amber liquid. This one is about as translucent as any beer with a reasonable color can get. The aroma is mostly of hops, resinous and piney in character. It's not particularly rich. There's much less hop bite to taste than expected. What is there mixes poorly with whatever starch combination was used. There's an unpleasant, almost soapiness to taste until the finish. At least then, the Simcoe hops kick in and provide some clean and dry bitterness. All that foam and no glass lacing bears witness that this is short on body for an alleged IPA. On a positive note, the 7% ABV is nicely delivered. That should complete the compliments.
Jan 03, 2023
 
Rated: 5 by Zoman

Nov 25, 2022
Duet from Alpine Beer Company
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 4582 ratings