Double Crooked Tree IPA
Dark Horse Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- American Imperial IPA
Ranked #358 - ABV:
- 12%
- Score:
- 93
Ranked #1,916 - Avg:
- 4.17 | pDev: 10.31%
- Reviews:
- 936
- Ratings:
- From:
- Dark Horse Brewing Company
- Michigan, United States
- Avail:
- Spring
- Wants
- 316
- Gots
- 513
SCORE
93
Outstanding
93
Outstanding
Notes:
Have you read the description for the regular Crooked Tree yet? Well this beer is almost the same just double the flavor and alcohol. We actually took the Crooked Tree recipe and doubled all of the ingredients except the water, just the way a DOUBLE should be made. Big hops balanced with tons of malt give this beer a huge body. Although this beer is as cool as "The Fonz" when first purchased, it gets really mellow and smooth with some age. After a year or two stored in a cool dark place you'll notice the heavy caramel and malt flavors are trying to sneak past the hops. This beer is hugely delicious so it will need your undivided attention (the chores can wait....trust us).
98 IBUs
98 IBUs
Reviews: 936
| Ratings: 2,879
4.1/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
yes is very malty. I like barley wines and DIPA so this was right up my alley. No citrus or piney flavor but all caramel brown sugar and toffee backgrounds. this beer is a creeper and a one beer wonder.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
yes is very malty. I like barley wines and DIPA so this was right up my alley. No citrus or piney flavor but all caramel brown sugar and toffee backgrounds. this beer is a creeper and a one beer wonder.
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3.91/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours a fairly dark amber color. It's not very cloudy or hazy like some IPAs; just harder to see through. Low white head with nice lacing. Not much head retention though.
Smell: All I am getting is toffee, which is odd for an IPA.
Taste: Extremely malty up front with toffee and caramel notes. Middle of the palate some of the bitterness comes through, but with none of the citrus or pine notes of most DIPAs.
Mouthfeel: Creamy and velvety. The carbonation is not sharp. I would expect a bit more tang out of an IPA than this.
Overall: I'm giving this a higher overall rating mainly because it surprised me: I didn't expect an IPA to have toffee or caramel notes, and it blended those really nicely with the hop bitterness. Frankly, I'd call this an American Barleywine rather than an IPA.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours a fairly dark amber color. It's not very cloudy or hazy like some IPAs; just harder to see through. Low white head with nice lacing. Not much head retention though.
Smell: All I am getting is toffee, which is odd for an IPA.
Taste: Extremely malty up front with toffee and caramel notes. Middle of the palate some of the bitterness comes through, but with none of the citrus or pine notes of most DIPAs.
Mouthfeel: Creamy and velvety. The carbonation is not sharp. I would expect a bit more tang out of an IPA than this.
Overall: I'm giving this a higher overall rating mainly because it surprised me: I didn't expect an IPA to have toffee or caramel notes, and it blended those really nicely with the hop bitterness. Frankly, I'd call this an American Barleywine rather than an IPA.
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3.55/5 rDev -14.9%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Boozy malt bomb. Amber in color, definitely not a pale ale and at 12% Id consider this to be a triple not a double ipa. If you like scotch ales you will like this, somewhat similar to dogfishhead burton baton.
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look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Boozy malt bomb. Amber in color, definitely not a pale ale and at 12% Id consider this to be a triple not a double ipa. If you like scotch ales you will like this, somewhat similar to dogfishhead burton baton.
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4.5/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Reviewing from memory - this was a monster of an imperial IPA. Probably the most hop-forward of the ones I tried, with little of the usual malty backbone. Because of this, the alcohol was more present than in other DIPAs, but it didn't spoil the beer for me.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Reviewing from memory - this was a monster of an imperial IPA. Probably the most hop-forward of the ones I tried, with little of the usual malty backbone. Because of this, the alcohol was more present than in other DIPAs, but it didn't spoil the beer for me.
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3.97/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
This drinks well below it's stated ABV. Keeping that aside this is a big malty ipa with a fair amount of hoppy bite with a light bitterness. The calling card is this beer 's easy drinking quality given it's strength.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
This drinks well below it's stated ABV. Keeping that aside this is a big malty ipa with a fair amount of hoppy bite with a light bitterness. The calling card is this beer 's easy drinking quality given it's strength.
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4.5/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Look - Dark orange body. Light white head that sticks around.
Smell - Orange. Apricot. Malt. Grass. Alcohol.
Taste - This DIPA oddly got better with age. Subdued alcohol. Oranges. Lemon. Malt.
Feel - Heavy. Creamy. Not too carbonated.
Overall - Pick it up. 12% makes it very sneaky. First bottle I couldn't taste it. A few months later, very good.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Look - Dark orange body. Light white head that sticks around.
Smell - Orange. Apricot. Malt. Grass. Alcohol.
Taste - This DIPA oddly got better with age. Subdued alcohol. Oranges. Lemon. Malt.
Feel - Heavy. Creamy. Not too carbonated.
Overall - Pick it up. 12% makes it very sneaky. First bottle I couldn't taste it. A few months later, very good.
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4.27/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The beer pours a nice foamy head that lasts a while before dissipating and leaving some foam around the edges of the glass. The beer itself is very interesting. From a distant view, the beer has a brown purplish color. However, upon closer inspection, the beer has a more deep amber color. Either way, the effect is very good and impressive.
The beer smell is much more sweet than anticipated. The beer has a caramel malt nose that dominates the other notes and that's not bad. There also appears to be a bit of a boozy note to it as well. The hop note is barely distinguishable but comes off as a citrus note. The beer also seems to have a slight smokey herbal note.
The taste is a bit more diverse and opposite the smell. The hop bitterness is a bit stronger and more orangey. The malt taste is still there with its caramel note but tastes more balanced. The beer also has a bit of an alcohol note and a tiny herbal one as well.
The mouthfeel is fairly heavy and thick. The beer has some biting carbonation. The thickness is pretty nice and the weight feels good on the tongue. Also, slight booze burn and alcohol warmth.
Overall, a fantastic beer and one of the better DIPAs I've had. The weight and smoothness, not to mention the strong malt note makes this a very drinkable beer.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The beer pours a nice foamy head that lasts a while before dissipating and leaving some foam around the edges of the glass. The beer itself is very interesting. From a distant view, the beer has a brown purplish color. However, upon closer inspection, the beer has a more deep amber color. Either way, the effect is very good and impressive.
The beer smell is much more sweet than anticipated. The beer has a caramel malt nose that dominates the other notes and that's not bad. There also appears to be a bit of a boozy note to it as well. The hop note is barely distinguishable but comes off as a citrus note. The beer also seems to have a slight smokey herbal note.
The taste is a bit more diverse and opposite the smell. The hop bitterness is a bit stronger and more orangey. The malt taste is still there with its caramel note but tastes more balanced. The beer also has a bit of an alcohol note and a tiny herbal one as well.
The mouthfeel is fairly heavy and thick. The beer has some biting carbonation. The thickness is pretty nice and the weight feels good on the tongue. Also, slight booze burn and alcohol warmth.
Overall, a fantastic beer and one of the better DIPAs I've had. The weight and smoothness, not to mention the strong malt note makes this a very drinkable beer.
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3.66/5 rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
A - Hazy amber body, with a medium white head. Fades quickly and leaves little lacing.
S - Caramel sweetness, orange peel, citrus.
T - Caramel malt, spicy hops, earthy notes. Alcohol warmth. For a 12% the alcohol is moderately well hidden.
M - Medium body, low carb.
O - More in common with a barleywine or old ale than an IPA, in my opinion. Worth a try but not one I would go back to.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
A - Hazy amber body, with a medium white head. Fades quickly and leaves little lacing.
S - Caramel sweetness, orange peel, citrus.
T - Caramel malt, spicy hops, earthy notes. Alcohol warmth. For a 12% the alcohol is moderately well hidden.
M - Medium body, low carb.
O - More in common with a barleywine or old ale than an IPA, in my opinion. Worth a try but not one I would go back to.
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4.39/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I wasn't all that impressed with Crooked Tree but heard good things about this one so I gave it a try.
A - Deep dark orange with red on the edges and brown in the middle with a fine white head. Good lacing. Definitely hazy from the dry hops, malt, and resin.
S - Huge hoppy fragrance with a big fresh, dark fruit character. It has orange peel, grapefruit, plums, and a big resin hop character. Some booze and slight malt but big dry hop presence.
T - The first taste is of big hops with resin, dank, orange, citrus, and some herbal character. In the middle there is a big malt sweetness with caramel. The finish has some booze, sweet malt, and a big resiny bitterness. You can tell that there is a ton of everything in this beer. Not as overpoweringly bitter as some but it is up there. This beer is also quite fresh with the serious aroma hops and strong alcohol presence that really notch this beer up.
M - High mouth-feel. Low to moderate carbonation. This beer is seriously thick at 12% and so much resin from all of the hops. It isn't quite the thickest DIPA but pretty close. I enjoy it for the sampling but a bomber of this would completely toast me.
Overall, this beer is a serious DIPA. It somewhat reminds me of Dreadnaught with a big malt sweetness to go with the big resin, orange character. This is boozier and a little more disjointed with the aroma/taste than the 3-F's beer but very good none-the-less. I would recommend this beer and I am very curious to see how this one ages; obviously, the smell would suffer but maybe the sweetness and alcohol would blend creating a more harmonious beer instead of just a big tasty one.
Glass type: Snifter from draft
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I wasn't all that impressed with Crooked Tree but heard good things about this one so I gave it a try.
A - Deep dark orange with red on the edges and brown in the middle with a fine white head. Good lacing. Definitely hazy from the dry hops, malt, and resin.
S - Huge hoppy fragrance with a big fresh, dark fruit character. It has orange peel, grapefruit, plums, and a big resin hop character. Some booze and slight malt but big dry hop presence.
T - The first taste is of big hops with resin, dank, orange, citrus, and some herbal character. In the middle there is a big malt sweetness with caramel. The finish has some booze, sweet malt, and a big resiny bitterness. You can tell that there is a ton of everything in this beer. Not as overpoweringly bitter as some but it is up there. This beer is also quite fresh with the serious aroma hops and strong alcohol presence that really notch this beer up.
M - High mouth-feel. Low to moderate carbonation. This beer is seriously thick at 12% and so much resin from all of the hops. It isn't quite the thickest DIPA but pretty close. I enjoy it for the sampling but a bomber of this would completely toast me.
Overall, this beer is a serious DIPA. It somewhat reminds me of Dreadnaught with a big malt sweetness to go with the big resin, orange character. This is boozier and a little more disjointed with the aroma/taste than the 3-F's beer but very good none-the-less. I would recommend this beer and I am very curious to see how this one ages; obviously, the smell would suffer but maybe the sweetness and alcohol would blend creating a more harmonious beer instead of just a big tasty one.
Glass type: Snifter from draft
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4.21/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a tulip glass this beer has a orange tinted white moderate head with a dark hazy orange body. Smell is of thin sweet malt, earth grassy hops, and a good amount of citrus (grapefruit, orange). Taste is of sweet malt and earthy grassy hops, very thin amount of citrus, light bitter ending, tiny bit of nice warmth, and some caramel notes. Well balanced and not as warm as would expect with 12% but a tad on the sweeter side.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a tulip glass this beer has a orange tinted white moderate head with a dark hazy orange body. Smell is of thin sweet malt, earth grassy hops, and a good amount of citrus (grapefruit, orange). Taste is of sweet malt and earthy grassy hops, very thin amount of citrus, light bitter ending, tiny bit of nice warmth, and some caramel notes. Well balanced and not as warm as would expect with 12% but a tad on the sweeter side.
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4.24/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured a 1F head in a Moa snifter with a caramel-tea color.
Aroma: malty, toffee, caramel, a hint of sweetness.
The taste is highly complex: toffee, caramel, candy, grapefruit rind. Unusual taste profile for a DIPA. This beer has characteristics of other styles such as American Barleywines, and Scotch Ales.
Bitter, wonderful alcoholic finish which dwarfs the taste- I greatly enjoy this. There is a bitter hoppy finish which balances with the light boozy quality of the beer.
Great beer and unusual for the style . Take a long time to drink it. Warming brings subtlety, especially with the caramel and toffee. The beer is not distributed in my area. Fortunately,it was available in limited quantities.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured a 1F head in a Moa snifter with a caramel-tea color.
Aroma: malty, toffee, caramel, a hint of sweetness.
The taste is highly complex: toffee, caramel, candy, grapefruit rind. Unusual taste profile for a DIPA. This beer has characteristics of other styles such as American Barleywines, and Scotch Ales.
Bitter, wonderful alcoholic finish which dwarfs the taste- I greatly enjoy this. There is a bitter hoppy finish which balances with the light boozy quality of the beer.
Great beer and unusual for the style . Take a long time to drink it. Warming brings subtlety, especially with the caramel and toffee. The beer is not distributed in my area. Fortunately,it was available in limited quantities.
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4.33/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Fresh it is a little hot. By the third one, you really don't notice anymore. Nice citrus taste and aroma, with a slight malt backbone. Now being over 2 months old, it has turned a bit maltier, and lost a bit of heat. Drinks along the lines of Hopslam, with that it peaks twice.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Fresh it is a little hot. By the third one, you really don't notice anymore. Nice citrus taste and aroma, with a slight malt backbone. Now being over 2 months old, it has turned a bit maltier, and lost a bit of heat. Drinks along the lines of Hopslam, with that it peaks twice.
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3.93/5 rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
12 oz. bottle, with no apparent bottled on date present, however I know this is a fresh / unaged bottle. Acquired the four pack at the local beer store.
Poured into a clear balloon snifter.
A - It pours an extremely deep candied orange / red body with lots of hop & yeast particulate visible in the glass. About a finger of khaki head that stays for a while considering the high abv, and leaves behind good scattered lacing. Practically opaque. Looks very nice.
S - The aroma is pleasant, but there is a strong persistent bubblegum aroma that I can't get around. Fruity & berryish, with a noticeable caramel / toffee malt bill, but this bubblegum smell is overpowering for me. A more complex malt sweetness begins to come out as the beer sits. Very very minor alcohol noticeable.
T - The taste is very big in almost every way imaginable - lots of big bitter / fruity / herbal hop content, big sticky caramel / toffee malt sweetness, and a bit of alcohol warmth from the 12.00% abv.
M - The mouthfeel is exceptional, and is probably the best thing about this beer. It goes down so ridiculously smooth & creamy for a 12.00% abv, with hardly any semblance of the booze noticeable. Dangerously drinkable stuff.
Overall, I'd say this one about lived up to the hype surrounding it, and I would definitely love to see what a bit of age could do to some of these bottles. Recommended.
Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree -----4/5.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
12 oz. bottle, with no apparent bottled on date present, however I know this is a fresh / unaged bottle. Acquired the four pack at the local beer store.
Poured into a clear balloon snifter.
A - It pours an extremely deep candied orange / red body with lots of hop & yeast particulate visible in the glass. About a finger of khaki head that stays for a while considering the high abv, and leaves behind good scattered lacing. Practically opaque. Looks very nice.
S - The aroma is pleasant, but there is a strong persistent bubblegum aroma that I can't get around. Fruity & berryish, with a noticeable caramel / toffee malt bill, but this bubblegum smell is overpowering for me. A more complex malt sweetness begins to come out as the beer sits. Very very minor alcohol noticeable.
T - The taste is very big in almost every way imaginable - lots of big bitter / fruity / herbal hop content, big sticky caramel / toffee malt sweetness, and a bit of alcohol warmth from the 12.00% abv.
M - The mouthfeel is exceptional, and is probably the best thing about this beer. It goes down so ridiculously smooth & creamy for a 12.00% abv, with hardly any semblance of the booze noticeable. Dangerously drinkable stuff.
Overall, I'd say this one about lived up to the hype surrounding it, and I would definitely love to see what a bit of age could do to some of these bottles. Recommended.
Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree -----4/5.
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4.19/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Reminds me somewhat of Lake Erie Monster. This beer isn't as fragrant as I thought it would be but im diggin' the flavor. Pretty smooth for an IPA clocking in at 12%. I will drink more of these when summer hits.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Reminds me somewhat of Lake Erie Monster. This beer isn't as fragrant as I thought it would be but im diggin' the flavor. Pretty smooth for an IPA clocking in at 12%. I will drink more of these when summer hits.
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4.74/5 rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Had on tap at the Happy Gnome and from a bottle.
A: The tap version is deep, clear amber with a very thin head. The bottled version is cloudy from bottom yeast.
S: Resiny, grassy nose, citrus, tropical fruit.
T: Starts with malt (biscuit and slight toffee), melon and then as you swallow you get a touch of astringent bitterness – either from unmalted grains or hops – and them some malt sweetness returns to balance. There is alcohol on the end but you only notice it gradually.
M: Medium body and carbonation, warming on the finish.
O: This is an excellent DIPA. Its bottle conditioned so watch the yeast when you pour.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Had on tap at the Happy Gnome and from a bottle.
A: The tap version is deep, clear amber with a very thin head. The bottled version is cloudy from bottom yeast.
S: Resiny, grassy nose, citrus, tropical fruit.
T: Starts with malt (biscuit and slight toffee), melon and then as you swallow you get a touch of astringent bitterness – either from unmalted grains or hops – and them some malt sweetness returns to balance. There is alcohol on the end but you only notice it gradually.
M: Medium body and carbonation, warming on the finish.
O: This is an excellent DIPA. Its bottle conditioned so watch the yeast when you pour.
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3.92/5 rDev -6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Hazy orange/amber color, light head, but left nice lacing.
Smell: Somewhat muted, but I'm getting some tropical and citrus fruits, with a steady sweet malt backbone.
Taste: Not sure of the date on this one, but it may be a bit old, as the flavor has some fruity flavors, but mostly sweet malt and alcohol. I couldn't locate a date on the bottle.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, with a bit of alcohol burn.
Overall: As I said above, this one may be a bit old, there was some goodness, but I'm missing a good hoppy flavor that one would expect from a DIPA.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Hazy orange/amber color, light head, but left nice lacing.
Smell: Somewhat muted, but I'm getting some tropical and citrus fruits, with a steady sweet malt backbone.
Taste: Not sure of the date on this one, but it may be a bit old, as the flavor has some fruity flavors, but mostly sweet malt and alcohol. I couldn't locate a date on the bottle.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, with a bit of alcohol burn.
Overall: As I said above, this one may be a bit old, there was some goodness, but I'm missing a good hoppy flavor that one would expect from a DIPA.
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3.73/5 rDev -10.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
just amazed to see this one rated as highly as it is. so average to me, and in the big ipa realm, it just doesnt stack up. its a malt bomb, sugary and strong for no reason, its more of an imperial amber than it is an ipa, balanced out the wrong way by a big sugary malt build, and not hoppy enough to overcome that, it just seems sloppy, and almost cheap and half assed for a brewery that has help my attention now for a little while. its hazy and thick, and although very well carbonated and creamy feeling, its not as dynamic as it should be, muted in hop nose and taste, and sweet to a level that limits its drinkabilty to half a beer. the booze is a few percentage points too high, makes no sense and just doesnt fit, and while it doesnt have off flavors and rough edges, its a pretty weird beer to trumpet as world class, especially with this many reviews. am i wrong to ask for a dry and more hop driven brew in this category? i think not. not bad at all, but as an imperial ipa its pretty woeful. sweet and grainy, strange, unflattering, forgettable.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
just amazed to see this one rated as highly as it is. so average to me, and in the big ipa realm, it just doesnt stack up. its a malt bomb, sugary and strong for no reason, its more of an imperial amber than it is an ipa, balanced out the wrong way by a big sugary malt build, and not hoppy enough to overcome that, it just seems sloppy, and almost cheap and half assed for a brewery that has help my attention now for a little while. its hazy and thick, and although very well carbonated and creamy feeling, its not as dynamic as it should be, muted in hop nose and taste, and sweet to a level that limits its drinkabilty to half a beer. the booze is a few percentage points too high, makes no sense and just doesnt fit, and while it doesnt have off flavors and rough edges, its a pretty weird beer to trumpet as world class, especially with this many reviews. am i wrong to ask for a dry and more hop driven brew in this category? i think not. not bad at all, but as an imperial ipa its pretty woeful. sweet and grainy, strange, unflattering, forgettable.
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4.21/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12 oz. bottle poured into a Great Lakes snifter.
Appearance: Pours cloudy medium amber with a thin off-white head.
Smell: Nice blast of citrus and tropical fruit hops up front with a touch of caramel malt and a slight peppery quality. No alcohol.
Taste: Similar to the smell - tropical fruit up front along with a strong caramel malt presence (although there are a ton of bittering hops that really keep any potential sweetness in check). Some grassiness on the finish. Quite smooth given the abv, and there is great hop/malt balance despite both being very potent.
Mouthfeel: Pretty heavy on the palate, medium carbonation. Quite a bit heavier compared to the top DIPAs out there - almost comes off like a barleywine more than a DIPA.
Overall: Great beer. Sometimes the line between DIPA and barleywine is very thin, and this beer really toes that line, which gives it a unique flare compared to all of the me-too hop bombs out there.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12 oz. bottle poured into a Great Lakes snifter.
Appearance: Pours cloudy medium amber with a thin off-white head.
Smell: Nice blast of citrus and tropical fruit hops up front with a touch of caramel malt and a slight peppery quality. No alcohol.
Taste: Similar to the smell - tropical fruit up front along with a strong caramel malt presence (although there are a ton of bittering hops that really keep any potential sweetness in check). Some grassiness on the finish. Quite smooth given the abv, and there is great hop/malt balance despite both being very potent.
Mouthfeel: Pretty heavy on the palate, medium carbonation. Quite a bit heavier compared to the top DIPAs out there - almost comes off like a barleywine more than a DIPA.
Overall: Great beer. Sometimes the line between DIPA and barleywine is very thin, and this beer really toes that line, which gives it a unique flare compared to all of the me-too hop bombs out there.
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4.27/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
APPEARANCE - 1FH, opaque, amber.
AROMA/SCENT - Hops, malts, floral, sweet.
TASTE - Hops, nutty, pine, brown sugar, bread.
MOUTHFEEL/PALATE/TEXTURE - Thick, creamy, heavy, syrupy.
VALUE - $20.99 for a 4-pack. Too pricey.
OVERALL/DRINKABILITY - Too boozy, not quaffable.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
APPEARANCE - 1FH, opaque, amber.
AROMA/SCENT - Hops, malts, floral, sweet.
TASTE - Hops, nutty, pine, brown sugar, bread.
MOUTHFEEL/PALATE/TEXTURE - Thick, creamy, heavy, syrupy.
VALUE - $20.99 for a 4-pack. Too pricey.
OVERALL/DRINKABILITY - Too boozy, not quaffable.
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5/5 rDev +19.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Dam good beer! Hopslam what?? This is much better underrated by others. I dont feel im being generous with the 5 try it and you will agree. Amber color little head when served at temp hop taste is present but not as dry of an after taste like other "hopalicious" beers. I highly recomend hunting this one down.
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look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Dam good beer! Hopslam what?? This is much better underrated by others. I dont feel im being generous with the 5 try it and you will agree. Amber color little head when served at temp hop taste is present but not as dry of an after taste like other "hopalicious" beers. I highly recomend hunting this one down.
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5/5 rDev +19.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
For a double IPA I'm really impressed. I feel aging this will provide more flavors and aroma. I can smell the alcohol a bit on this and it's understandable with it's ABV content. With time I know this would become a greater beer. Has the traits of a Barley Wine. I would like sitting down with Crooked Tree IPA for a comparison.
Update: Even better with age.
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look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
For a double IPA I'm really impressed. I feel aging this will provide more flavors and aroma. I can smell the alcohol a bit on this and it's understandable with it's ABV content. With time I know this would become a greater beer. Has the traits of a Barley Wine. I would like sitting down with Crooked Tree IPA for a comparison.
Update: Even better with age.
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4.02/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a hazy copper brown orange with a thin layer of very light khaki foam.
Orange rinds, caramel, bubblegum, and floral/earthy in character.
Bitter citrus, caramel malt, pine, earthy, and noticeable alcohol.
Medium-bodied, light-medium carbonation, slightly chewy, bitter citrus/earthiness, light caramel sweetness to cut through.
Overall, a hefty DIPA. Alcohol is noticeable, but not so much so considering the ABV. Leans farther on the bitter end of the spectrum, but not overpowering in any way.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a hazy copper brown orange with a thin layer of very light khaki foam.
Orange rinds, caramel, bubblegum, and floral/earthy in character.
Bitter citrus, caramel malt, pine, earthy, and noticeable alcohol.
Medium-bodied, light-medium carbonation, slightly chewy, bitter citrus/earthiness, light caramel sweetness to cut through.
Overall, a hefty DIPA. Alcohol is noticeable, but not so much so considering the ABV. Leans farther on the bitter end of the spectrum, but not overpowering in any way.
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3.94/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottled 01/19/15. Poured into a Sam Adams glass.
L- Deep amber, good clarity, two finger slightly off white head that dissipated quickly to a thin film.
S- Citrus, floral, alcohol is apparent, some unripe peach, decent caramel note, that hoppy sort of bubblegum aroma.
T- Mostly floral and citrus, hefty amount of alcohol on the tongue but no real throat burn, a slight yeasty flavor, the finish is pretty bitter.
F- Lightly syrupy, not bad for such high alcohol.
O- A pretty good beer for how much alcohol there is but it's just a bit too big for what I'm looking for in an Imperial IPA. I've had this on tap before and the alcohol wasn't as noticeable but I find that to be the case with all beers. I also find the hop profile a bit typical in the same way as I find regular Crooked Tree. Still I would recommend people try this and I'd even pick up more of it if it weren't so expensive compared to something like Hopslam. I think if they lowered the alcohol to 8-10% it would be a great improvement.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottled 01/19/15. Poured into a Sam Adams glass.
L- Deep amber, good clarity, two finger slightly off white head that dissipated quickly to a thin film.
S- Citrus, floral, alcohol is apparent, some unripe peach, decent caramel note, that hoppy sort of bubblegum aroma.
T- Mostly floral and citrus, hefty amount of alcohol on the tongue but no real throat burn, a slight yeasty flavor, the finish is pretty bitter.
F- Lightly syrupy, not bad for such high alcohol.
O- A pretty good beer for how much alcohol there is but it's just a bit too big for what I'm looking for in an Imperial IPA. I've had this on tap before and the alcohol wasn't as noticeable but I find that to be the case with all beers. I also find the hop profile a bit typical in the same way as I find regular Crooked Tree. Still I would recommend people try this and I'd even pick up more of it if it weren't so expensive compared to something like Hopslam. I think if they lowered the alcohol to 8-10% it would be a great improvement.
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3.78/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Too malt forward for my taste. I get a very sweet knose with hints of caramel. Those sweet smells come out in the tase. Not enough resiny pine and citrus notes.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Too malt forward for my taste. I get a very sweet knose with hints of caramel. Those sweet smells come out in the tase. Not enough resiny pine and citrus notes.
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3.47/5 rDev -16.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle dated 1/23/15
Looks as beautiful as all of the pics I have seen. A big reason I grabbed a 4 pack at $16. A deep, hazy ruby orange with a slightly off-white head.
Smells of strong alcohol, sweet caramel malts, pine and floral hops all in that order to me.
The alcohol really comes through in the taste. I am shocked by the reviews that say it is hidden. I would swear it was 15%+. Also rock candy like sugars, some citrus hops that I didnt notice in the aroma, still some piney flavor along with bitterness and nostril burn toward the end.
Nice thicker bodied beer with a slick resin feel, but finishes very harsh. Average carbonation.
Overall, most of the good qualities of this beer are squashed by boozyness. I can probably list 2 dozen beers that are at this ABV or higher that don't taste/feel anywhere close. It may be one of few ipas that will improve with cellaring. I have 3 more, so I am going to find out.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle dated 1/23/15
Looks as beautiful as all of the pics I have seen. A big reason I grabbed a 4 pack at $16. A deep, hazy ruby orange with a slightly off-white head.
Smells of strong alcohol, sweet caramel malts, pine and floral hops all in that order to me.
The alcohol really comes through in the taste. I am shocked by the reviews that say it is hidden. I would swear it was 15%+. Also rock candy like sugars, some citrus hops that I didnt notice in the aroma, still some piney flavor along with bitterness and nostril burn toward the end.
Nice thicker bodied beer with a slick resin feel, but finishes very harsh. Average carbonation.
Overall, most of the good qualities of this beer are squashed by boozyness. I can probably list 2 dozen beers that are at this ABV or higher that don't taste/feel anywhere close. It may be one of few ipas that will improve with cellaring. I have 3 more, so I am going to find out.
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Double Crooked Tree IPA from Dark Horse Brewing Company
Beer rating:
93 out of
100 with
2879 ratings
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