Hazy Hercules Imperial IPA
Great Divide Brewing Co.

Hot pre 4th of July day. Need to drink before it gets too old.
Smallish head but I didn't pour very aggressively. Not super hazy, in fact had a clarity to it, but still a hazy. Mixed fruit aroma, with some sweeter and lighter aroma's.
Softer fruits but richer flavors than aromas. A light smooth bitterness at first that fades and then returns at the end for a long finish. Flavor is less sweet than nose. The bitterness really blends well with the fruity hop flavors.
Nice soft feel with some fullness.
I'm liking this more than most other reviewers and more than the non-hazy version.

 

Pours a hazy light orange with fine, soapy head.

Smell is fruity with a slight tart hints. Notes of peach, citrus, melon, coconut and pineapple.

Taste is fruity and a bit herbal. Quite intense with a moderate bitterness and notes of peach, pine, orange, melon and pineapple.

Mouthfeel is medium, soft, pillowy and well carbonated.

Overall, a very nice DIPA, hiding it's ABV very well.

 

 

 

 

 

Even with a less than gentle pour at room temperature, the head was reasonably sized. Stark white, it now rests upon sixteen ounces just released from a pint can and temporarily residing in a clear glass liter mug. The liquid is sort of lemon-amber. The once reasonable head receded unevenly and unattractively. This is not much for aroma, with more oatmeal and wheat cracker to smell than any hops. That transfers to its taste which isn't particularly malty, nor hoppy. It's rather bland, but it hides the 9.5% ABV nicely. It's almost bubblegum sweet without any depth. The only hop hit is a mild one at the onset of tasting. The finish is surprisingly bland and sweet. The glass lacing was negligible, yet preferred to the look of the deteriorated head. Its only attribute is the way it delivers this much alcohol surreptitiously within a body that's smooth, but also thin.

Poured from a can into a snifter
Appearance – The beer pours a lightly hazed orange-yellow color with a small head of dense white foam. The head has a good level of retention, fading over time and leaving a light level of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma of the brew is quite heavy of bready and oat malt aroma mixed with lots of tropical fruits of tangerine, mango, and papaya. Along with these smells comes strong notes of dough and grapefruit hops mixed with a bit of pine and grass. There is a bit of banana and some hints of wheat rounding it all out, producing a rather thick and malty sweet smell overall.
Taste – The taste begins with a bready and oaty flavor paired with tangerine, orange, and pineapple. There is a bit of caramel and some mango, adding even more sweetness. Notes of vanilla mix in there as well, creating a smoother flavor. At the same time there is a moderate showing of grapefruit and pine hop. These are quite light upfront, but get stronger as the taste advances. At the same time the citrus, oat and vanilla get stronger as well, and with a touch of booziness, one is left with a thick, moderately hopped, and almost tropical creamsicle like flavor to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body is quite thick and chewy with a lower level of carbonation. For the mix of fruit, malt, and the big nature of the brew, the feel is good, making for a nice slow sipper.
Overall – A rather good brew with a creaminess and some nice fruit and malty flavors.

Picked up as a Stovepipe single

Pours a barely hazed gold with 3 fingers of fluffy Ivory colored head. Pretty good head retention & lacing

S: Bready, some grassyness

T: Pomelos, mineral dryness, a little lime & some grassyness up front. A little bready sweetness fights through citrus bitterness as this beer warms up, dryness still very present. Finishes dry, grassy with some breadyness, limes & grapefruit

MF: Medium body, moderate carbonation, pretty good balance

Didn't seem like a hazy Imp IPA, but drinkable enough

 

 

 

19.2oz, canned 1/25/23

On the pour, the head isn't the biggest, but it is a slightly older can, and the one finger of white head that does form has nice retention and is nice and fine. Body is hazy, but light gets through and is a golden color. Lacing forms but isn't great.

Aroma is verging on juicy hoppy but there is a bit of malt and maybe a touch of English yeast character. I think if the can was newer the juicy hops would be a lot bigger. Orange and guava with a touch of dank pine aroma.

Flavor is actually very nice and drinkable. Not overwhelmingly hoppy in that again there is a maltiness that brings a sweetness that melds nicely with the fruitiness. There is a slight bitterness, but it doesn't build and it isn't a major part of the flavor. Again the fruity hops would probably be stronger with a newer can, but likely not much more bitter.

Feel is very nice especially for the ABV. The finish is medium long, but not big, due to a solid dryness. The feel is full at first, but quickly becomes nicely crisp.

Overall this was a very nice surprise for a random purchase at a local liquor store, especially for a 6 month old can. Tropical notes are still here and a malty balancing flavor sits in the back nicely. Not too big.

 

19.2oz can. Poured out a cloudy, golden orange color with a small, white head of foam. It left sticky patches of lace on the glass. It smelled of melon, grapefruit, orange and sweet caramel. Very sweet tasting with melon, grapefruit, orange and sweet caramel. Very little bitterness.