Alpha Drive
Valiant Brewing Co.
- From:
- Valiant Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Imperial IPA
- ABV:
- 8.8%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.88 | pDev: 11.08%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 9
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Nov 30, 2016
- Added:
- Jan 13, 2014
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 10
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington
3.55/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.55/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Poured from 22oz bomber into a dimpled mug.
Appearance: rich golden hue with a light haze and a thin finger of frothy ivory foam. Good color, but the head is a little bit low.
Smell: earthy, herbal, funky, sassy, grassy hops, atop a sweet malt base. The mélange is not bad, but it's a bit messy.
Taste: super earthy and herbal, piney hops atop a sweet yet toasty and very slightly biscuity malt base. The overall effect is super autumnal and earthy. It's not bad, per se, but it's also not really my jam.
Mouthfeel: medium body with a low level of carbonation and a generally low creaminess.
Overall: as I said, it's not bad, and some may like it. But the heavy earthiness without much to complement it is just a bit much for me.
Nov 30, 2016Appearance: rich golden hue with a light haze and a thin finger of frothy ivory foam. Good color, but the head is a little bit low.
Smell: earthy, herbal, funky, sassy, grassy hops, atop a sweet malt base. The mélange is not bad, but it's a bit messy.
Taste: super earthy and herbal, piney hops atop a sweet yet toasty and very slightly biscuity malt base. The overall effect is super autumnal and earthy. It's not bad, per se, but it's also not really my jam.
Mouthfeel: medium body with a low level of carbonation and a generally low creaminess.
Overall: as I said, it's not bad, and some may like it. But the heavy earthiness without much to complement it is just a bit much for me.
Rated by Fuchswitme
5/5 rDev +28.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +28.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Clean
Depth of flavor
Jan 05, 2016Depth of flavor
Rated by Darkman89
4.06/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.06/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Slightly cloudy appearance with excellent hoppy taste.
Jun 03, 2015
Reviewed by 2beerdogs from California
3.74/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a beautiful orange meets copper pushing a frothy tan head of foam that trails off to a loosely packed layer skimming the surface.
Scents of floral citrus and piney hops leap forward followed by a lite malt aroma.
Taste begins citrusy with some tropical fruit leanings. Pineapple? Yet the piney comes through gently on the back. A bit resiny as well. Quite a pleasing mix.
Finish is more piney and resiny with the citrus notes brining a dryness to the finish.
Mouthfeel is a tad thinner than I prefer. All in all, a respectable DIPA.
22 oz bomber
Mar 08, 2015Scents of floral citrus and piney hops leap forward followed by a lite malt aroma.
Taste begins citrusy with some tropical fruit leanings. Pineapple? Yet the piney comes through gently on the back. A bit resiny as well. Quite a pleasing mix.
Finish is more piney and resiny with the citrus notes brining a dryness to the finish.
Mouthfeel is a tad thinner than I prefer. All in all, a respectable DIPA.
22 oz bomber
Rated by Raziel313 from California
2.96/5 rDev -23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
2.96/5 rDev -23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Very funky smell. Not the greatest
Feb 27, 2015
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington
3.1/5 rDev -20.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.1/5 rDev -20.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
2014-12-06
22oz bottle poured into a large mug. If there is a date or code on the bottle, I don't see it.
Pours cloudy amber golden with a medium head that hangs around. Medium amount of fine carbonation. Smells like old hops. Lemony, musty wood.
Taste is fairly bland. Some hints at things I like -- flowers and pine, but nothing really stands out.
Mouthfeel is fine, surprisingly effervescent. Overall...it's not bad.
Dec 07, 201422oz bottle poured into a large mug. If there is a date or code on the bottle, I don't see it.
Pours cloudy amber golden with a medium head that hangs around. Medium amount of fine carbonation. Smells like old hops. Lemony, musty wood.
Taste is fairly bland. Some hints at things I like -- flowers and pine, but nothing really stands out.
Mouthfeel is fine, surprisingly effervescent. Overall...it's not bad.
Reviewed by mr-jj from Washington
3.27/5 rDev -15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.27/5 rDev -15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Poured into a snifter from a bomber.
Color was a light amber with a two finger white head with good retention. A bit of haze that didn't clear. Moderate lacing. Smells is caramelized oranges - quite sweet on the nose. Flavor follows the nose with some citric hops that give way to a caramel sweetness. Mildly bittersweet on the finish. Body is medium to high with some hop oiliness mixed with the thick malt. Overall, an easy to drink beer that would be a good intro to DIPA.
Nov 10, 2014Color was a light amber with a two finger white head with good retention. A bit of haze that didn't clear. Moderate lacing. Smells is caramelized oranges - quite sweet on the nose. Flavor follows the nose with some citric hops that give way to a caramel sweetness. Mildly bittersweet on the finish. Body is medium to high with some hop oiliness mixed with the thick malt. Overall, an easy to drink beer that would be a good intro to DIPA.
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!