Warlord Imperial IPA
McNeill's Brewery

Poured out of a 22oz bomber into an Ikea big snifter on 5/25/11

I have to be quite honest that I was surprisingly happy drinking this beer. It poured a deep amber brown with a big 3-4 finger head(my pour was a little less than ideal) but in the big $1.99 Ikea 25oz snifter it looked formidable and awesome. It gave the nice piney, citrus smell of a west coast IPA and the pleasant bitterness of a true EIPA. At 8.5% its in the mid-range of a DIPA but it was a little boozy. The saving grace of this DIPA from a small Vermont brewery was the price. At $6 retail for a bomber, it provided some nice bang for the buck. Drink this a little on the cold side because at cellar temperature the booze really comes though. Very little of the best Vermont has to offer is available outside Vermont but I'm glad it's starting to filter out. War Lord is absolutely worth the $6 so go out there and give it a try.

 

L: brilliant chestnut with 2” creamy foam dissipates to ½” film that hugs the side of the glass providing good lace.
S: Resiny hop with biscuit aromas.
T: A big hop driven beer with enough malt to balance.
F: Rich, creamy texture with medium carbonation and medium body.
O: A big hop forward Imperial IPA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

don't turn your back on this beer, it will be overflowing all over your desk/table etc.

eyes...
slightly hazy orange fading toward brown, lots of carbonation gurgling up this one, the head started up at 3 fingers but really retreats at a crazy rate down to almost nothing more than a hefty o-ring. lacing is sub par, legs are apparent but not defined to well, this is pretty average looking for a DIPA.

nose...
caramel citrus with hints of dark fruit (raisins specifically), smells duller and not 'bright' like most DIPAs, some dark honey notes, pretty interesting mix, definitely not the DIPA standard.

taste etc...
tastes like the smell... rasiny hops with a strange almost licorice bitter note, for all that carbonation it feels pretty syrupy in the mouth, some warming from the alcohol is noted, the finish is almost sort of unpleasant, it lacks crispness and bite, it is a strange flavor that just lingers and lingers, it feels out of place, somehow it tastes 'old' for lack of a better term (I have only had this bottle for 2 weeks in the cellar)

verdict?
eh, nothing terrible but not a grail to be sought by those who love the style, worth trying just because it is different than most DIPAs.. and the bottle graphics remind me of Ironsword on the NES...

music: Alex Skolnick Trio - Goodbye to Romance

 

 

 

 

 

 

On tap at Winter Warmer: Poured a deep orangey color ale with a nice foamy head. Aroma consists of citrus hops with nice resin and piney notes also detectable. Taste is also a complex mix between some notes of citrus hops with some resin notes which is well balanced by a semi-sweet caramel malt backbone. Floral notes are very nice. Body is quite full with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. I really enjoyed this one.