Birth Of Liquid Desire
Relic Brewing Co.

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From:
Relic Brewing Co.
 
Connecticut, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
ABV:
8%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.04 | pDev: 10.89%
Reviews:
4
Ratings:
29
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 16, 2020
Added:
Jul 23, 2017
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  7
Double dry hopped Double IPA with Simcoe and Simcoe lupulin powder.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Casterbridge:
Photo of Casterbridge
Rated by Casterbridge from Connecticut

4.16/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aug 16, 2017
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by strengthdoc from Connecticut

Sep 16, 2020
Photo of ichorNet
Reviewed by ichorNet from Massachusetts

4.31/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
I haven't been seeing as many new Relic IPAs as I used to these days, so I guess that makes it feel a bit more special every time I do actually see one in the wild, especially if they're pretty fresh like this one, which was canned about a month ago. I'm actually surprised I've never seen this one out in distro before because it seems like kind of an "old" recipe of theirs, given the reviews I can find for it here on BA, but perhaps it was draft only or just never came out to my area back when they were regularly putting out good IPAs (Ancient Art, Parade of Bones, Mistress of Wigs, etc.). Anyway, it seems like this is a Simcoe-focused DIPA with both pellet/whole-leaf and Cryo/lupulin powder forms of this classic West Coast varietal.

The pour here is pretty damn impressive... a lean-looking, bright yellow-orange colored liquid topped off with a fluffy, well-built head that lasts and lasts. As it slowly fades down to a half-finger after five to ten minutes in my glass, it leaves behind absolutely awesome lacing in defined tiers, and the foam here just clings to my glass in a spectacularly-consistent way. The legs and lace are almost indistinguishable from one another; it's just a straight-up sudsy sheet of goodness. As a bonus, this isn't even an "NEIPA"-looking brew... the body is hazy, sure, but it's not opaque by any means. I'm impressed already.

The nose here has an unusual herbal/leafy quality that I wouldn't normally associate with Simcoe, but it does mingle well with the aggressive grapefruit/tangelo/pine-like bitterness I can detect, which are aspects I definitely do think of in tandem with this well-known varietal. There's some defined grassiness and even a touch of pitaya, passion fruit, and sticky mango in here as well. In other words, it's more tropical than most Simcoe-forward IPAs I've smelled before. Intriguing, and definitely leading me to believe this will be quite good.

Flavor is also heavily tropical with lots of enjoyable mango, papaya, and ripe passion fruit flavor backed up by grassy, dank, and slightly grapefruit-like undertones. I'm not sure if it's just the "Cryo Simcoe" doing some strange things here (as I've had several beers featuring Cryo versions of hops which I had originally thought I had a grasp on, but which really did not function as the varietal usually does, oddly enough), but I actually appreciate how complex this is ending up being. I do think it could stand to be a little more bitter, as the palate is soft and supple but lacks the "punch" that Simcoe can have when really utilized appropriately. That said, this is downright refreshing for an 8% DIPA, and it has some really good flavors of tropical fruit which I, at once, both did not expect and really enjoyed. Worth a shot for sure!
Sep 05, 2020
Photo of brureview
Reviewed by brureview from Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Light semi cloudy golden color with a 4F head in a Spielgelau IPA glass.
Earthy, citrus. Banana, and sweet.
A hoppy edge to the finish.
Excellent beer, although not as over the top with accentuated flavor as other beers from the brewery.
Aug 21, 2020
 
Rated: 4.02 by McSeal from Connecticut

Mar 14, 2020
Photo of KenSoda
Rated by KenSoda

2/5  rDev -50.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Tastes like every other IPA brewed in New England. Best thing about this beer is the label.
Dec 31, 2019
Photo of SawDog505
Reviewed by SawDog505 from New Hampshire

4.19/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Another one from @tasterschoice62 . Not sure when it was canned, but I trust inside 2 months. Pours a very hazy yellow orange, with a 2 plus finger sticky white head that leaves a thin wall of lace after each sip, with excellent retention. 4.25

Smell is tangerine, papaya, melon, pineapple, and apricot. 4

Taste follows tangerine, melon, papaya, pineapple, and apricot balanced with very little bitterness much better than the nose and bolder. 4.25

Mouthfeel is bigger than average, nice and soft with gentle carbonation, and 8% drinks easy. 4.25

Overall I don’t think I have had anything from them and I hope to have more soon. 4.25
Dec 22, 2019
 
Rated: 4.15 by rorjets from Connecticut

Feb 06, 2019
 
Rated: 4.13 by jaxon53 from Connecticut

Dec 23, 2018
Photo of ravisingh
Rated by ravisingh from Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Tried this at Eli Cannon's in Middletown, CT. This beer has a great smell. Very hippy. Nice vibe to it.
May 27, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by bdiiorio from Connecticut

May 07, 2018
 
Rated: 4.18 by skyfra from Connecticut

May 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4.24 by GregSemenza from Connecticut

Apr 30, 2018
 
Rated: 3.93 by SadMachine from New Jersey

Feb 21, 2018
 
Rated: 3.56 by RozzieBoy from Rhode Island

Jan 09, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by grahuba from Connecticut

Jan 07, 2018
Photo of HellEsanddoglover7
Rated by HellEsanddoglover7 from Connecticut

4.27/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Relic’s best IPA
Jan 05, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by oriolesfan4 from Maryland

Dec 05, 2017
 
Rated: 4.32 by Duffman79 from Connecticut

Dec 01, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by smcel371 from New York

Nov 25, 2017
Birth Of Liquid Desire from Relic Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 29 ratings