Rochester Mills Double IPA
Rochester Mills Beer Co.

 

I had this on tap at the RM brewery at lunch. It came to me with a small head but respectable lacy nonetheless. The color was a hazy dark amber. It had a slightly fruity smell beyond the hops that were prevalent. The taste had the hoppy bitterness you'd expect from a double IPA but it was not a biting feeling as it was buffered by a lemony-orangey blend. The carbonation was moderate and it a nice creamy texture and the alcohol was almost a non-player in the mix. This was a pleasant brew, especially on a warm spring day...bring on the summer!!!

Those who did not like the Cornerstone IPA due to the lack of balance will want to try this.
The percieved bitterness is about half of the Cornerstone, but the citrusy hop flavor is massive. This is one incredibly fruity, creamy, delicious Double IPA. The ABV is 8% which in my opinion is about as potent as any beer really needs to be. The alchohol is totally masked by the big body, making it pretty easy to polish off a few pints in one sitting. I hate to compare it to another beer, but I find a lot of similarities between this and Bells Hopslam. Easily one of the best IPA's that I have ever had. Get it while it's hot, because this one only comes around once a year.

A- 4.5 - A dark golden brown with a redish tint to it. Golden head that laces nicely.

S- 5.0 - Good smell, rich with hops but an distinct hint of lemon to it.

T- 5.0 - Rivals any IPA I've had. It retains it's hoppy taste like most IPAs but with a strong lemon taste to it.

M- 4.5 - Suprisingly not that bitter. The lemon taste really takes the edge off the bitterness. The flavor disguises the alcohol well.

D- 4.0 - For a Double IPA this goes down very well without food. The percent alcohol really starts to catch up with you at the end though.