Secret Admirer
Alewerks Brewing Company

Secret AdmirerSecret Admirer
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Alewerks Brewing Company
 
Virginia, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
ABV:
8%
Score:
93
Avg:
4.21 | pDev: 7.84%
Reviews:
39
Ratings:
117
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jun 29, 2020
Added:
Jul 25, 2015
Wants:
  16
Gots:
  21
You do not expect this Double IPA; it finds you. You open with excited trepidation, swooning over the sweet perfume of citrus & mango. Your mind races clumsily only to return to a constant locus of adulation. The tempting aroma lingers, invading your senses while keenly awaiting your return. Kind, not bitter, and content only to love you from afar.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ThisWangsChung:
Photo of ThisWangsChung
Reviewed by ThisWangsChung from Maryland

3.68/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
First off, I wasn't a fan of Bitter Valentine. And this is brewed with Mosaic, which I don't always favor. Still, I'm up for this! The aroma works quite well - I get lots of vibrant tangerine and grapefruit with minimal (though not nonexistent) sweet onion. Even better, it doesn't seem quite as malty as BV. I'm initially tasting a lot of tangerine and grapefruit. At first I think I get sweet onion, but that's just my palate playing tricks on me. So Mosaic is shown off well...but not amazingly well. The hop flavors die off past the midtaste, leaving a lot of crackery malts to finish it off. Still, the general flavor profile is enjoyable. It features a spritzy yet not harsh mouthfeel, without a trace of lingering bitterness anywhere. I really like this a lot - I genuinely believe this would be a great DIPA had it been ultra-fresh. Ah well, it is what it is.

3.68/5: This is one love letter I don't mind
Nov 04, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3 by TallGuyCM from California

Jun 29, 2020
 
Rated: 4.08 by Curt3 from Ohio

Oct 30, 2019
 
Rated: 3.84 by SonOfKyuss from Virginia

May 19, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by Beerasaurus from Virginia

Nov 29, 2018
Photo of JayQue
Reviewed by JayQue from Virginia

4.24/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Really good DIPA. Poured from a 16 oz. can into a pint glass. A hazy honey yellow color with a medium size white head. Filmy lacing with a few solid bands on the glass. Aroma is strong, piney hops, some grapefruit and a little floral too. Good stuff!!!! Flavor is even better. Nicely bitter, citrus and resiny piney hops and some bready malt in the background. This is a strong beer without much in the way of alcohol taste. Mouthfeel is crisp and bitter. No off-putting booziness, just a nice hoppy experience. Great beer. Not a big surprise coming from the brewers of Bitter Valentine!!!!
Sep 12, 2018
 
Rated: 4.24 by Husky-Topper from New Jersey

Sep 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.42 by bigpoppa67 from Wisconsin

Aug 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by Gkruszewski from New York

Jul 28, 2018
Photo of lovemesumipa
Reviewed by lovemesumipa from Washington

4.46/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
I drank this from a 16 oz. can, purchased through Tavour, and poured into a chilled glass. This is what a great DIPA should taste like. Fantastic in all respects, from first pour to final sip.
My only regret is that I didn't order more!
Jul 20, 2018
Photo of snaotheus
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington

4.02/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2018-07-08
16oz can served in a pint glass. I don't see a date. I think it was a gift from @mr-jj.

Pours moderately hazy golden bronze with a very big head whose gradual descent is fascinating to watch. Leaving nice lacing along the side of the glass. Smell is hop resin and malt.

Taste is solid, straightforward IPA. Pine and grapefruit rind, a little booziness. Maybe something that reminds me of mango peel.

Mouthfeel is thick and satisfying. Overall, nice beer.
Jul 08, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by Donkster46 from Washington

Jul 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4.04 by clake from Vermont

Jul 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by paulish from New York

Jun 30, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by PprBurke from Virginia

Jun 20, 2018
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

4.24/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium golden amber with coppery notes and a fine, one finger white head with great retention and good lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, citrus hops, orange and lemon, lightly spicy; smells good. Flavor is caramel malt, citrus and piney hops, orange, grapefruit, lemon, hints of dried light stone fruit and summer herbs. Nice balanced caramel with citrus and piney hop finish. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. A very well made classic imperial IPA, with a profile that leans to the West Coast with the mixture of pine and citrus. That sits right at the heart of my IPA enjoyment spectrum, and I liked this quite a bit. It's a pleasant diversion to get this style IPA from the East Coast. Well done and I'll be back to sample this brewery if the opportunity presents itself.
Jun 17, 2018
Photo of ThickNStout
Reviewed by ThickNStout from Georgia

3.87/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16oz can from Hair of the DoG Bottle Shop (Williamsburg, VA). 4.99. Canned 5/16/18. Served in an Alewerks snifter. Enjoyed 6/11/18.

Pours golden orange with a finger and a half cap of white head. Retention galore. A nearly full sheet, a fluffy collar and several huge clumpy cakes of lacing.

Smells floral, herbal and slightly citrusy. Flower greens, pine, mint, orange and some bready malt. Some mango-like tropical notes creep in as it warms.

Tastes fairly bitter with orange peel, petals, pine, an earthy herbaceous quality, peach fuzz, mint, a subtle malt sweetness and an occasional bite of alcohol. More tropical fruit is present as the chill subsides. Pretty easy to drink for it’s strength.

Medium body, slightly slick with fuzzy carbonation. Bitter, lingering aftertaste of citrus peel, pine and floral notes.

A solid DIPA from Alewerks. I’m glad that I took my time with the can because I found it to be considerably better as it warmed a bit.
Jun 12, 2018
Photo of Pencible
Reviewed by Pencible from Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A: This poured a cloudy light copper with some white head.
S: It smelled like candied apricots and honey, with some orange and faint papaya.
T: It tasted like sugary apricots and cream, with some honey and orange. It had a clean and bittersweet aftertaste.
M: It was thick with moderate carbonation. Nice full body.
D: This was a decent brew that seemed like an attempt at a NE IPA, but the hops were faded and the malt was too pronounced, especially in the finish. The scent and taste were still good but not great. The body was solid and the finish was smooth, so it was easy to drink. Not bad but nothing special. I'd take Bitter Valentine over this any day!
Feb 01, 2018
Photo of RyanPoff
Reviewed by RyanPoff from Tennessee

4.49/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at A Mellow Mushroom.

A: hazy gold with a finger or so of creamy white head. Excellent retention.

S: resinous pine hops, grass, booze.

T: surprisingly an easy drinker for an 8.3%. Bitter pine hops and honey/grass notes. Well balanced for a big drinker.

M: medium bodied fresh and popping.
Dec 09, 2017
 
Rated: 4.27 by bigbutter from Virginia

Oct 01, 2017
Secret Admirer from Alewerks Brewing Company
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 117 ratings