Notch 9
Smartmouth Brewing Company

Notch 9Notch 9
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Smartmouth Brewing Company
 
Virginia, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
Ranked #1,772
ABV:
9.1%
Score:
88
Ranked #13,197
Avg:
3.95 | pDev: 9.62%
Reviews:
23
Ratings:
106
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 14, 2024
Added:
Jun 10, 2013
Wants:
  6
Gots:
  26
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Lampro
Rated by Lampro from Virginia

2.92/5  rDev -26.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Overrioe fruit aroma/taste - "pungent". Maybe because I got it on sale (old)? OK but not that nice.
Jan 14, 2024
Photo of MrOH
Reviewed by MrOH from Maryland

3.67/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Slightly hazy amber (poured sediment in), dense white head, rings of lace with spots inbetween
Orange marmalade and caramel aroma
Tastes like it smells, pithy bitter finish
Medium heavy body, a little syrupy, could use more carbonation
good enough
Oct 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4.12 by StanleysCup from Maryland

May 09, 2023
Photo of dbell23
Reviewed by dbell23 from Tennessee

4.24/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
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
 
Rated: 4 by hozersr from Pennsylvania

Aug 29, 2021
 
Rated: 3.71 by tdm168 from Pennsylvania

Aug 28, 2021
Photo of BergBeer
Reviewed by BergBeer from Hawaii

3.26/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
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
 
Rated: 3.89 by desint from Belgium

Aug 17, 2019
 
Rated: 4.06 by samEBC from Belgium

Aug 17, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by wilfonzo from Florida

May 18, 2019
Photo of Bruno74200
Reviewed by Bruno74200 from France

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
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
 
Rated: 4.06 by SonOfKyuss from Virginia

Jan 19, 2019
 
Rated: 4.66 by vland from Virginia

Dec 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by DavidA51 from Maryland

Aug 14, 2018
Photo of damndirtyape
Reviewed by damndirtyape from Ohio

4.04/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
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
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

3.82/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
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
Photo of VABA
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
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
 
Rated: 3.82 by wwoj from Virginia

Mar 24, 2018
 
Rated: 4.28 by Dewsby from Kentucky

Jan 21, 2018
Photo of WoodBrew
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

4.04/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
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
Notch 9 from Smartmouth Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 106 ratings