The Dry Hopper's Guide To The Galaxy
Melvin Brewing

The base stats of 9% ABV and 90 IBUs bring expectations of taste. The expected maltiness is there and provides a sweetness that balances the high IBU and ABV scores. I’m a bitterness fan and this beer has a nice bitterness, but it’s not overly done. Soft foam dissipates fairly quickly but lacing is persistent and sits atop a hazy amber honey color body. Nelson on the nose and pains with the malt to mask the 9%. An easy drinking double. A little sweet for me, but a well made beer.

12 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 8/4/2020. Pours opaquely hazy/fairly turbid golden orange amber color with a 2 finger dense and fluffy white head with great retention that reduces to a thin ring of lacing that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing on the glass for the ABV. Aromas of big grapefruit, tangerine, apricot, passion fruit, pineapple, honey, toasted bread. Taste follows through with red grapefruit, tangerine, apricot, passion fruit, pineapple, wood, peppercorn, pine, citrus rind, honey, toasted bread, herbal, floral, grass. Large sized pine, citrus rind, herbal, spicy bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; balanced creamy/bready malts and sticky/resinous hop mouthfeel. Lingering resin dryness with mild increasing woody astringency after the finish. Overall now terrible for the age, it's a bit too rough and pretty boozy with lingering heat of 9% after the finish. Given the age I will still be generous with a 3.75/5

 

 

 

 

Clear, golden amber body; minimal apparent carbonation yet the head is thick and soapy, almost creamy in texture. Nice, soft aroma; floral with a touch of pine resin; a bit dank; a very slight note of biscuit. A wonderful flavor blend of pine resin, pomegranate and white grapefruit; a bit vinous; a touch of cracker and biscuit; intense hop bitterness. Medium body; crisp and biting with a touch of sticky residual sweetness; a fairly dry mouthfeel overall.

This beer utilizes Galaxy and Nelson hops. There seems to be a bold Galaxy presence with the hop bitterness and resinous qualities I pick up on the nose and taste. I'm inclined to think the Nelson contributes a lot towards the brut-like dryness. Regardless, a fine imperial IPA, bold and intense yet nothing to shy away from.

 

 

I got a can of this beer off the single shelf from my local beer store just around the corner. It poured a hazy orangish with white head that is leaving some nice lace. The scent was subtle fruit peel notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with good ripe fruit peel spice through the drink. The mouthfeel was medium in body with good carbonation. Overall it is a good beer.

12oz canned on 8/12 poured into a snifter; pours deeper gold that hits with just a hint of hop haziness. Hoppy notes of dankness, herbal hops, pine, and juicy citrus fruits. Sweeter malt backbone balances it out nicely. Piney, clean finish with moderate bitterness.

12oz can from Boise Co-op. Bright golden pour, foamy head, active carbonation. Soft hoppy aroma with traces of malt. Taste is also a nice balance of classic earthy hops and caramel malts. 9.0%? Hardly seems like it. Tasty, smooth with a snappy, lingering finish.

 

 

another strong hoppy offering from melvin, what these guys do best, but not one that really stands out to me. it seems big for the sake of it, even if the body isnt heavy and the alcohol actually pretty well hidden, its like it gains nothing from being this strong, id rather have these flavors at 7% abv and be able to drink a handful of them before getting wiggly. its pretty clear from the tap, average inch of slow fading white head on the globe, lots of bubbles, lighter looking than its listed abv would suggest. the nose is fruit forward hops with some light alcohol and a little crackery thing from the grain, if its galaxy hops as the name seems to suggest (waste of a great name if not), its not an obvious expression of them to me, a little less of the lime and herbal thing i usually get, more of a mosaic-esque canned pineapple vibe, hints of tangerine, green grass, and lemon, but also with a little bit of bitterness too which i like even in a beer showcasing a dry hopping. its a little generic to me, but clean for what it is, the hops just dont seem that distinctive, even though it drinks nice and certainly tastes fresh to me. its also like its trying to be delicate in a big way, and it seems confused to me somehow conceptually. i think this is lost in the shuffle of all the big melvin ipa types, another good one, but not a standout in my opinion. sneaky strong too look out!

Canned on 8/4/20. 12oz can poured into a tulip. Pours golden with some haze to it; fluffy and creamy off-white head that falls slowly leaving great thick retention and sticky frothy lacing. The aromas start off on the subtle side, but quickly open up. Hints of tropical and citrus fruit, especially orange. Some crackers and fresh bread. Malts are there. The flavors are much bolder than the nose indicates. Lots of orange and citrus leading the way. Some cream in the mix. Great hop flavors. Solid hop bitterness. Finishes juicy. Mild warmth in the finish, but it's not hot or boozy at all. Mouthfeel is nice. It's full-bodied with moderate to active carbonation. It's sharp, fluffy, smooth and dangerously drinkable.

This is truly an awesome DIPA. I haven't enjoyed one this much in a minute. Great hop flavors. The craftsmanship is on point. Awesome stuff.