The Brew Kettle Cabo Wabo Old 21 Imperial IPA
The Brew Kettle Taproom & Smokehouse / Production Works

 

I really do not remember the draft version of this tasting like the bottle. It seemed more complex than the bottle. The bottle version seems more over the top hops in both taste and aroma and less complexity. At least the over the top taste is a good one.

Unlike the tap version, I think it is obvious you are drinking a boozy brew. I would gladly buy this again. I hope it is always available.

Picked this up at Rozi's on my way through Cleveland in mid-December, 2011. Drinking it now, making this beer has three weeks in the fridge.

Appearance: Very orange in body with a nice, active frothy head that gently sticks and slides. Looks more active than a beer in this style usually is.

Aroma: Good ruby red grapefruit juice hoppiness upfront, sweetened by a brown bread maltiness. Seems like a nice combo.

Taste: Very hoppy without ever being incredibly bitter. The malt sticks to it well without ever becoming sweet either. Pretty big flavors. First a big burst of both citrus hops and bready malt rush the palette, but each end of having a little flourish over the other as it develops. A sweetness comes second followed by an almost doughy, yeasty, hoppy linger. Interesting and tasty.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability: The body really shines on this guy. The flavors are strong in this beer, but the body is light enough to let those flavors dance and develop. If this was less carbonated, it could be a potential palette killer.

Overall: I like this beer quite a bit, which is saying a lot in a crowded field. It has a uniqueness that has its charms on me. The doughy, almost undercooked malt bill is plays well with the high amount of hops.

A - Light murky orange, small near white head, leaves to disk and some lace.

S - Sweet malt and citrus. Best attribute of this beer for me.

T - Drier than hoped. Hops prevalent, some mineral aspect, not as much sweet malt.

M - Balanced to the bitter, but pretty nice. Good carbonation.

D - AT 9.1, still pretty drinkable. I don't do the overall thing.

Thanks to jampics2 for this brew! I was impressed with the White Rajah last night so I went for this guy tonight. Poured into a Red Stripe pint glass.

A: Hazy golden orange with a nice microbubbles head with serious lacing.

S: Cantaloupe, tangerine, and bread dough. Interesting.

T: Starts out with oaked melon and turns into a bitter Simcoe goodness to finish.

M: Superb. Perfectly carbonated and really soft.

D: Although this is not boozy at all, it is a little much for 9% - or maybe it's just really filling.

Overall, a really unique IIPA. The White Rajah I had last night was also really unique. Kudos to the Brew Kettle!

A: looks good. orange tinted with a nice head. Sticky legs.

S: sweet piney nose. Citrus and bready. Smells great.

T: both sweet and piney like the smell. Something a little of here. Not as hearty as I thought. A slight watery finish. Just doesnt stick to the pallet like I thought it was.

M: ehh...not great. Just not juicy,silky, and sticky like a good DIPA is supposed to be.

D: I guess for a DIPA its very drinkable. Maybe a little too drinkable.

Thoughts: just not quite what I expect from a DIPA. Great look and nose but it kinda slacked off after that.

Very interesting. Here we have a Cabo Wabo version of the Brew Kettle's American Imperial IPA. What does that mean? Well, if you refer to the beer guide at the Fat Heads First Ever Brewer's Brawl, you'll read that this is "9.1%, 91 IBU's, and a delicious 'sipper' is smooth, bold, and hoppy. Lots and lots of Simcoe hops." What it doesn't tell you is how Sammy Hagar got involved.

The mad man from Van Halen couldn't drive 55, but he could make some dank ass Tequila. And this beer is aged on chips of wood that are soaked in that lovely nectar. The result is an innovative take on a genre of bruisers, and it actually brought a unique element that set this beer off as one of the best in a field of tons of rarities from the big boys.

Poured an amber with heavy gold highlights. Nice white head that stuck around. A great looking beer for sure!

Smell is where things started to get interesting. Was the tequila treatment a gimmick? No way, immediately I knew that there was a sweet agave character present and some wood that could only be the Cabo. The normal Old 21's signature citrus hops and sweet malt now had a compliment that made my taste buds water with each sip.

Taste was clearly unique. Toasty spices, agave, smoke, earth, and vanilla all danced atop huge hoppiness and a significant malt bill. Sure, there was a bit of unbalance as an Imperial IPA's bitterness can dominate and wash out sweet notes in a bitter tidal wave. But the tequila held on to the surf board, rode the pipe, and emerged again at the end. A really unique experience and something I would try again in a heartbeat.

Mouthfeel was creamy and light to medium bodied. A touch too sticky and grainy, but good nonetheless.

Drinkability was great given how huge this was. This was my buddy Paulie's fave of the day and he had a few pours, even voted for it for best in show. I had a 4 oz pour and a bit more, probably 6 oz total. I enjoyed this and I hope to run across it again. In a field of hop bombs, including some devastating Barley Wines and kick-ass DIPA's like the Lake Erie Monster from Great Lakes, Founder's amazing Double Dry Hopped Centennial, and Fat Heads own award winning HeadHunter, this was unique and memorable.