Intensify
Gigantic Brewing Company

 

 

This is a great beer no doubt. It hits all the notes that you would expect from a belgian IPA. Fruity hops, peppery spiciness from the yeast and a solid caramelly backbone. The taste is bordering nailpolish but still fine. However, I think that there is something that does wrong with the general composition of the style that prevents me from giving even higher ratings.

 

 

On tap at Hops and Pie. Dark orange, filmy head. Aroma was bitter hops and oddly not much Belgian yeast. Flavor waa bitter, hoppy, had an aspirin like finish. Not bad but the Belgian yeast was almost non-existent to me.

 

 

 

Pours two fingers of head on a clear dark straw body.
The aroma is a blend of pine, caramel candy, grapefruit and lemon. Wonderful.
The taste quite sweet overall. Moderate bitterness in the middle with a sweet finish.
The texture is sticky and crisp.
Great aroma and nice flavor.

 

 

Very dark coppery amber with a long-lasting but coarse foam in the Duvel tulip. Not much aroma but a nose of warm malt and that yeasty scent.

Slightly sweet with a lovely malty taste, followed by some modest hoppy notes. More of the yeasty bitterness than the hops.

Very drinkable for a bigger beer. This seems to straddle the line between an IPA and a Dubbel, but it's quite mildly flavored. From the 22 oz bottle purchased at Bottlecraft in San Diego.

 

Pint on tap at Beer Revolution in Calgary. Arrived a murky brownish orange with a half-finger of whitish sudsy head. Aroma is sturdy Belgian yeast coupled with some pineapple, melon, orange, and grapefruit notes. Clove and black pepper spicy notes gain ascendency over time.

Taste is that of a competently brewed Belgian IPA, some tropical fruit smoothie vying for one's attention with more robust spicy phenolics. Malt backbone is on the sweet side, recalling doughnuts, while some strong orange, black pepper, banana peel and grapefruit rind elements bully their way forward. Chalky thickish body with moderate carbonation and a lingering medicinal finish.

Nothing of concern here although this may strike one as damning via faint praise. Its a good brew. I dig the label. Rather potent in a Belgian yeast sense, certainly weighted this way rather than towards the IPA side of the equation.

 

 

Aroma - mostly Belgian yeast. Clove, ginger and medium yeasty funk. Touch of caramel. Vague floral.

Taste - light citrus hops initially with a moderately bitter black pepper finish.

Overall - didn't enjoy it.

 

A: The beer is crystal clear amber in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high bright white head that quickly died down, leaving delicate lacing on the surface and a collar consisting of large bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of Belgian yeast and citrusy hops are present in the nose along with hints of caramel malts.
T: The taste starts out with flavors of Belgian yeast, after which notes of citrusy hops become noticeable along with a light to moderate amount of bitterness. The yeast flavors become earthy and peppery towards the finish.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. Faint bits of crispness are perceptible.
O: This IPA has a good balance between the malts and hops and really lets the yeast shine through in the smell and taste.

Serving type: bottle