Hercules Imperial IPA
Great Divide Brewing Co.

Hercules Imperial IPAHercules Imperial IPA
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From:
Great Divide Brewing Co.
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
Ranked #2,180
ABV:
9.5%
Score:
88
Ranked #19,356
Avg:
3.96 | pDev: 4.55%
Ratings:
11 | reviews: 7
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 19, 2025
Added:
Oct 24, 2022
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
Hercules rides again with a reformulated recipe that will appeal to beer drinkers from Ancient Greece to modern America. A brand new yeast strain makes this beer feel light on the pallet and belies a heft 9.5% ABV. With a classic hop profile including Centennial, Chinook, Cascade and Amarillo, this Imperial IPA is a perfect blend of dank, citrus and floral aromas and flavors.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by garymuchow:
Photo of garymuchow
Reviewed by garymuchow from Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Quite melon in aroma with lime strongly supporting. and another fruit I know but can't label (like a spicy watermelon).
Kinda' cloudy but not hazy. Nice reasonably dense head.
Pretty thin for style and that's a pretty big knock as feel is a big part of my pleasure for DIPA. But the carbonation is good.
Less intense and less complex flavors but resemble aroma and are good. Less melon but still some spicy tartness. Mild lingering bitterness that shows only at the finish.
For price this is pretty good. Drinks easy for style and size. Be careful.
Not sure what it is about only offering this in 19.2 oz cans.
Jun 06, 2023
More User Ratings:
Photo of zotzot
Reviewed by zotzot from Vermont

4.16/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Drinking out of a large beer stein.
Pours an almost clear orange with a full foamy head.
Smells some of pine.
Good mouth feel.
Sweet taste. Some bitterness.
Sep 19, 2025
Photo of CoasterRider
Reviewed by CoasterRider from Washington

4.09/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a golden orange color with a small head. Aroma is slightly sweet malt and a hint of alcohol. Taste is similar with some light hop bitterness. Strong beer but very good. BOD 5-11-2023. TW&M
Jul 24, 2025
Photo of mushroomcloud
Reviewed by mushroomcloud from Texas

3.78/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
19.2oz canned 1-13-25, opened 3-15-25.
2 finger white head with very good retention, clingy lacing left in its wake. Yellow gold body with a slight haze.
Citrus, pineapple, and a gritty malt flavor that I don't enjoy.
Jolly Rancher-ish but not as intense. I do enjoy the pineapple and honey notes in the flavor. Lime.
Medium plus body with a creamy mouthfeel...some heat at 9.5%. Moderate finish, tangy and for the most part dry.
Good to Very Good.
Mar 16, 2025
Photo of WillieThreebiers
Reviewed by WillieThreebiers from Connecticut

3.77/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a clear pale honey with a finger of foamy head that slowly settles to a thin cap with some lacing. Faint aroma of grain, citrus and pine. Taste follows nose. Well carbonated.
Apr 20, 2024
 
Rated: 4.11 by RPBeerdude from Colorado

Jul 18, 2023
 
Rated: 3.75 by Mattias from Sweden

Jun 23, 2023
 
Rated: 3.68 by DOCRW from Kentucky

Jun 09, 2023
 
Rated: 3.96 by Silke_Neryn from Sweden

Jun 04, 2023
Photo of TheBricenator
Reviewed by TheBricenator from Oregon

3.99/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Look: Slightly opaque pure orange with a luscious-looking off-white head that builds up, holds, and settles to a lid, leaving awesome lacing behind
Aroma: Navel orange, pine sap, fir needles, grapefruit rind, wafts of lemon, and sweet bread-driven malt
Taste: Opens up with a pithy and juicy citrus fruit salad that includes white grapefruit, orange, tangelos, and lemons that hold for a moment. Sappy pine and citrusy fir needles enter and dance for a bit with citrus until it closes with a bite and not much of a sign of the ABV
Mouthfeel: Full and teetering on the chewy side, medium-high carbonation, and a light but felt dryness on the finish
Overall: This is good stuff. I haven’t had this beer for probably a decade so was stoked to see it return in 19.2oz. cans and absolutely had to revisit it. A classic-tasting IIPA with nice citrus and conifer notes throughout and one that hides the 9.5% dangerously well. There are more of these in my near future and recommended
Dec 31, 2022
Photo of robwired
Reviewed by robwired from Kansas

4.23/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a Gordon Biersch Maibock glass that fit the 19.2 ounces. A respectable one-finger head formed that took its time dissipating, leaving a white film and lacing.
The aroma was of crisp floral and citrus notes.
The flavor was dank with a smidgen of grapefruit and melon. But the dankness is dominant.
Medium thin mouthfeel. Finished clean with crispness and a slight bite.
Oct 24, 2022