Hibernation Imperial IPA
Goose Island Beer Co.

Dammit, submitted my review and the site went down. Here we go again.

A - Orangish beer with a two finger off-white head that left a lot of nice lace and stick on the sides. Just like I like my DIPA's to look.

S - I think spiced beer or winter warmer when I smell this. Some piney hops, lot of sugar malts, and whacked out spice that is not pleasant at all. Smells sweet and Christmasy, but not in a good way.

T - Taste is worse somehow. There is some lemon zest and mild pine in there, but tastes like a somewhat hopped Winter Warmer, how gross is that? Bad spice/herbal quality and some sweet caramel malts.

M - Moderate carbonation and medium bodied beer that is a little gritty.

O - Would not drink this again. Tastes like an experiment that has gone wrong, at least I hope it has. This should not have been the intent of anything.

On tap at GI poured into a tulip...Dark copper pour with amber notes. Off white head that has a really nice cap, good lacing too...The aroma is super malty, caramel and a little vanilla, not much hops but you do get the sorachi as it warms and they are too strong. I'm not getting this at all...The taste is a better, still a very malty ipa though, vanilla is more dominant. The sorachi are still too present and dominant all the hop presence. Medicinal notes too, I just can't enjoy this.

Ipa that is a miss for sure.

Had this one at Goose Island while having a snack with some friends. Served in a tulip glass.

A - Served with two fingers of creamy white foam that settle to a thick cap, leaving behind glass-coating lace. Transparent amber body.

S - Strange aroma here, with an odd metallic note initially. As it warms there is some sharp pine, a hint of cat pee, and some lemony Sorachi Ace character that starts to dominate by the time it reaches room temperature. It got much better over time, but it still wasn't all that great. Quite understated too.

T - The taste was more pleasant, and was much more in line with a typical IPA. The hop character again is quite herbal, but with a hint of tropical fruits and a light citrus finish. The malt character seems to be more evocative of an amber ale of some sort - with cotton candy and burnt sugars.

M - Medium body, medium carbonation, clean finish. Minimal dryness, nor is there much in the way of hop oils.

D - Until the Sorachi Ace note emerged I was almost certain I had received the wrong beer. This was somewhat mediocre, and I'd skip it if I'm back at Goose before it kicks.

On tap at the Clybourn location; served in a tulip.

A: Carmel-cream with a fluffy white head and respectable lacing.

S: Piney and sweet hops with a strong malty backbone.

T: Delicious! Citrusy pineapple hops and sugary malts come together perfectly to create a creamy, fruity smooth delight.

D: Way too drinkable! I drank this down way to quick. I didn't even realize how fast I was drinking this. It was just so refreshing it was impossible to put down.

Overall: This is an excellent DIPA. I really can't see why GI doesn't bottle this. If there is any style that is lacking from their flawless lineup, its a DIPA and this brew could fill that void beautifully. Recommended!