19th Nervous Breakdown Imperial IPA
Royal Oak Brewery

This brew was served on tap into a generic pint glass at Royal Oak Brewery in Royal Oak, Michigan. It showed a glowing auburn orange coloring, holding a finger’s worth of chunky yellowed bubbles for a head. This retained decently, leaving ridged, patterned lacing around the glasses. Chill haze reduced clarity, with no sediment noted. Carbonation appeared to be mild. The aroma sang of soapy and lemony citric hops, penicillin chemical bite, licorice, fried dough greasiness, aluminum adjuncts, pale and dull wheaty malts, orange zest, herbal wax candles, white vinegar activity, peach fuzz, soft bubblegum eaters, sticky Tutti Frutti jelly beans, big chemical phenol bite, and black pepper alcohols. The taste showed equally bright and bittering lemony citric hops, with help from bitter and metallic herbal hops, synthetic chlorine and chemical cleaner, lactic and citric acidity, crisp and flakey pale malts, green resiny weediness, nickel, syrupy cherry fruitiness, light fusel booziness, paint brush bristles, corn flakes, and white flour. The body was medium and chewy, and the carbonation was medium. Each sip gave excellent creaminess and frothiness to the slurp and smack, with tight finishing pop and mustache. The mouth was left coated, but this dried in a harsh and chalky astringency. The abv was appropriate, and drinkability was easy.

Overall, we are always excited for a new DIPA, especially those special anniversary DIPAs. We’ve found that this time of the year, brewers respectively throw everything they’ve got into their annual celebratory offerings. This does not disappoint. The hops are quite bittering from the start, but this quickly develops into something you find endearing about the beer. The same can be said for the booziness of it that keeps you feeling warm enough, without ever hindering drinkability. This is by far the best straight up hoppy offering we’ve had from Royal Oak Brewery, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store next year, for the big 2-0. Congrats Royal Oak Brewery, on a fantastic beer, and a wonderful anniversary!!