Notch 9
Smartmouth Brewing Company

3.61/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
by BeerAdvocate from California

From BeerAdvocate Magazine #80 (Sep 2013):

This brawny DIPA boasts 105 IBUs—whatever. It is really about the whole-hop character here, from bitterness to flavor and even the intense aroma; extremely hoppy all around, but still balanced. More than enough to sate any hophead’s fix.

STYLE: American Double IPA
ABV: 9.1%
AVAILABILITY: Rotating

LOOK: Thin lacing, clear bronze hue

SMELL: Citrus explosion, heavy rind, minty, piney, alcohol, nutty grain, yeast, sweet resin

TASTE: Biting hop bitterness, pomelo rind, pipe tobacco, big alcoholic warmth, peppery, Grape-Nuts, faint breadiness, smooth, semi-creamy, spicy; bitter, drying finish

Mar 26, 2015

4.24/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by dbell23 from Tennessee

Tried it and liked it so I got a few sixers on my last visit to Williamsburg. Look is inconsistent. Hazy orange with slight head and decent lacing. The inconsistency is some cans have a fair amount of sediment, which is not a problem for me, and some don't. Smell is typical dipa with grapefruit and slight pine. Taste is very balanced and quite nice. Typical dipa bitterness followed by the balance. Caramel malty goodness mixed with hoppiness. Full bodied mouthfeel that really fits with the balanced taste. I will get more on my next visit. Recommended.

Sep 06, 2021

3.26/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
by BergBeer from Hawaii

Look: Pale gold with some light chill haze and a thin white head.

Smell: Piney and boozy. Light caramel malt.

Taste: Big lunch of grapefruit zest and bitter pine on the attack. Then a big booze and malt note to a bitter hop finish.

Feel: Big bodied and thick. Big bitterness. High alcohol. Medium carbonation.

Overall: It all just comes out as a bitter malt mess. It drinks fine but I wouldn’t search it out again. Not in a market saturated with awesome DIPAs.

Sep 14, 2019

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Bruno74200 from France

This one does the job of a classic american dipa with wonder.

Amber body with a nice white head.

Toffee with resinous and citrusy hops

Clean bitter finish

Feb 12, 2019

4.04/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by damndirtyape from Ohio

12oz can, served in a tulip glass. Canned on 03/23/18.

Appearance: Translucent orange-amber. Rocky 1/4" thick off-white head that slowly died back to a thin skin across the top. Lots of lacing all over the glass.

Smell: Grapefruit, orange, tropical fruit, hint of pine. Nicely hoppy.

Taste: The initial taste is a strong mix of malt and hops, and then it separates to give plenty of hop flavors (grapefruit, pine bitterness) balanced by some bready malt and a sharp bitter finish that is mostly pine and citrus rind.

Mouthfeel: Light carbonation, smooth and nicely thick - approaching creamy. A bit sticky on the teeth with a dry finish.

Overall / Drinkability: A very good DIPA - a pleasure to sip and savor while having with a meal (mustard pork chops + gnocchi). I picked this up at Total Wine in VA when I visited last month, and now I'm wishing I had picked up more than one. I would not mind a 16oz version of this at all and I'll have to revisit it again.

Aug 12, 2018

3.82/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
by brentk56 from North Carolina

Appearance: Pours a cloudy golden color with a massive head; great retention and a nice draping of lace

Smell: Pith and pine with intense bitterness; rather dank

Taste; Dank, from the outset, with just a touch of melon and caramel to offset the massive hop blast that arrives, bringing, pine and pomelo pith; assertively bitter through the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation

Overall: There was a time when a beer like this would have been a stunner and, while that time has passed, they are sticking with a recipe that will certainly appeal to the palate of the hophead who wants the taste buds assaulted from the get go; I could see myself ranking this higher back in 2013 but my palate has changed and I am looking for more dimensions to my IPAs

Aug 12, 2018

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by VABA from Virginia

A-Pours a nice amber color with very nice head and lacing
A-Aroma has nice subdued piney and hoppy hints
T-The taste follows the nose with piney and hoppy flavors
M-A medium bodied decently carbonated beer
O-A well made beer with a good kick

Apr 15, 2018

4.04/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
by WoodBrew from Ohio

I'm trying this at the brewery. It poured a clear golden with white head that is leaving a spotty lace. The scent had hints of citrus peel and pine. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with subtle pine and citrus presence. The mouthfeel is fuller in body with good carbonation. Overall it's a solid beer.

Nov 10, 2017

4.24/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Eamonn-Cummings3 from New York

Poured from a 12oz can into a glass.

Look is a slightly hazy orange yellow with little to no head.

Aroma is herbal and lemon.

Taste is an intense bitter. Absolutely delicious.

Aug 13, 2017

3.91/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by argock from Virginia

Poured from a 12 oz can onto a clear glass tulip. Canned on 01/11/17 on bottom of can.

A: Hazy orange-gold with barely 1-finger off-white head with pretty abundant lacing.

S: Dank, earthy, herbal, pot, grassy, and honeysuckle hop aromas with slightly grainy malt and no yeast esters

T: Flavor is very resinous with the same dank, herbal, grassy and honeysuckle notes with some grapefruit in the end palate. There is a bit more maltiness and sweetness poking through. Highly bitter and no yeast component that I can pick up. Flavorful beer and very dank and resinous/herbal.

M: Slightly tacky with medium body and good dry finish. Carbonation low-medium.

O: I really liked this DIPA and I would love to try it fresher. I hope to get to the brewery in Norfolk and do a brewery crawl there sometime.

Apr 18, 2017

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by BltByKrmn from New York

Canned 11/22/16, consumed on 12/21/16

This drinks like a hoppy pale ale, was shocked to see it at 9.1% DIPA after crushing the first half of the can. Hides the alcohol very well.

Dec 22, 2016