Pure Hoppiness
Alpine Beer Company
- From:
- Alpine Beer Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Imperial IPA
Ranked #102 - ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 96
Ranked #1,004 - Avg:
- 4.33 | pDev: 8.08%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 953
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 20, 2021
- Added:
- Dec 18, 2002
- Wants:
- 1,168
- Gots:
- 627
SCORE
96
World-Class
96
World-Class
So mega-hopped it will take you to hop heaven. We’ve used hops in the boil, more hops in the giant hopback, and added to that, an incredible amount of dry-hopping for that cutting-edge “hop bite.” Once you’ve tasted this unique beer, all others pale in comparison. 1.072 OG Classified IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Alieniloquium:
Reviewed by Alieniloquium from Florida
4.32/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.32/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22 oz. bomber poured into a goblet and a snifter.
Appearance - Ripe orange body with a small, off-white head with loads of lacing. The head is gone quickly, though.
Smell - Pungent citrus hop aroma. Grapefruit dominated with piney afterthoughts. Nary a hint of sweetness, but burnt caramel comes through with some nut aromas.
Taste - Identical to the smell. Full-blown hop assault. Not as bitter as I would have expected. Grapefruit and pine hop flavors. Almost no sweetness at all. Nuts, caramel, and vanilla all come through on a woody backbone. Clean finish. Delicious.
Mouthfeel - Ok, so as much as I chastise DIPAs for their sweetness, I kind of miss it in this one. It's so fully attenuated that it feels almost thin. Not too thin, just thin. Not a huge amount of carbonation, either.
Overall - An unbelievable IPA. This is what makes west coast IPAs so much better than east coast. I do miss a hint of sweetness, but it certainly doesn't take away from the magnificence of the hops.
Apr 22, 2011Appearance - Ripe orange body with a small, off-white head with loads of lacing. The head is gone quickly, though.
Smell - Pungent citrus hop aroma. Grapefruit dominated with piney afterthoughts. Nary a hint of sweetness, but burnt caramel comes through with some nut aromas.
Taste - Identical to the smell. Full-blown hop assault. Not as bitter as I would have expected. Grapefruit and pine hop flavors. Almost no sweetness at all. Nuts, caramel, and vanilla all come through on a woody backbone. Clean finish. Delicious.
Mouthfeel - Ok, so as much as I chastise DIPAs for their sweetness, I kind of miss it in this one. It's so fully attenuated that it feels almost thin. Not too thin, just thin. Not a huge amount of carbonation, either.
Overall - An unbelievable IPA. This is what makes west coast IPAs so much better than east coast. I do miss a hint of sweetness, but it certainly doesn't take away from the magnificence of the hops.
More User Ratings:
Rated by gefinley from California
3.93/5 rDev -9.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev -9.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Canned 5/11/21.
Oct 20, 2021
Reviewed by blazerkor from Nevada
4.25/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
I get a lot of herby hops and just a little bready sweetness.
Bitterness and an herbal dankness dominate an extremely clean taste that only has a slight hint of malt.
It's really thin and has medium carbonation. The finishish is dry, bitter and quick... like John Oliver's wit.
Overall it's a delightful, clean and interesting IPA that I give a 5.1 out of 6.
Aug 18, 2021Bitterness and an herbal dankness dominate an extremely clean taste that only has a slight hint of malt.
It's really thin and has medium carbonation. The finishish is dry, bitter and quick... like John Oliver's wit.
Overall it's a delightful, clean and interesting IPA that I give a 5.1 out of 6.
Reviewed by laketang from Arizona
4.33/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.33/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured out a clear golden amber with a barely sustainable head.
Fresh citrus with orange peel, some dank hop notes.
Pucker upon first sip, resin and a biting hop flavor. Lemon and grapefruit rind.
Nice bitterness and okay carbonation.
Great hop experience with this one.
Jul 10, 2021Fresh citrus with orange peel, some dank hop notes.
Pucker upon first sip, resin and a biting hop flavor. Lemon and grapefruit rind.
Nice bitterness and okay carbonation.
Great hop experience with this one.
Reviewed by AleManDan from California
4.21/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This is a big, classic West Coast double IPA and it’s one of the best specimens of that species. Juicy, piney, and full bodied while achieving a dry finish.
Smells of huge hops but not one fruity flavor stands out. Usually doubles don’t have as much hop scent due to all the maltiness, but this thing is “mega” hopped—dry hopped big time I bet. I get sweet malty orange spicy hops. Wow.
On the tongue piney, orange zest hops and cracker bread and toasted malts. Finishes fairly dry despite the thick, wet feel it hits you with.
It’s big, it’s flavorful and it’s pretty amazing.
I loved this review by a real pro and amend mine with it:
By: Tracy Hensley lJudges Rating:
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
A consistent aroma blend of clean pine resin, pineapple syrup, freshly ripped mint and cracked black pepper lead the way in the front of the nose. From 8 inches away, Tahitian vanilla bean pods, baked whole wheat bread, low sulfur notes and white grape-like fruitiness also appear. The white head does not persist but does create a fine foam above a slightly hazy, golden appearance. Flavors start as intense dank pine extract and continues into the aftertaste where it is accompanied by sweetened white bread, which keeps the bitterness in check with a moderate, throat-coating alcoholic warmth. The second sip showcases tropical mango juice before pine again dominates as noticeable alcohol warmth and low motor oil elements come through. Full body and full fat creaminess coats the mouth, and the medium-high carbonation and moderate hop mouthfeel close out the finish while alcohol tingles on the lips.“
Jun 15, 2019Smells of huge hops but not one fruity flavor stands out. Usually doubles don’t have as much hop scent due to all the maltiness, but this thing is “mega” hopped—dry hopped big time I bet. I get sweet malty orange spicy hops. Wow.
On the tongue piney, orange zest hops and cracker bread and toasted malts. Finishes fairly dry despite the thick, wet feel it hits you with.
It’s big, it’s flavorful and it’s pretty amazing.
I loved this review by a real pro and amend mine with it:
By: Tracy Hensley lJudges Rating:
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
A consistent aroma blend of clean pine resin, pineapple syrup, freshly ripped mint and cracked black pepper lead the way in the front of the nose. From 8 inches away, Tahitian vanilla bean pods, baked whole wheat bread, low sulfur notes and white grape-like fruitiness also appear. The white head does not persist but does create a fine foam above a slightly hazy, golden appearance. Flavors start as intense dank pine extract and continues into the aftertaste where it is accompanied by sweetened white bread, which keeps the bitterness in check with a moderate, throat-coating alcoholic warmth. The second sip showcases tropical mango juice before pine again dominates as noticeable alcohol warmth and low motor oil elements come through. Full body and full fat creaminess coats the mouth, and the medium-high carbonation and moderate hop mouthfeel close out the finish while alcohol tingles on the lips.“
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