Pure Hoppiness | Alpine Beer Company
Brewed by:
Alpine Beer Company
California, United States
alpinebeerco.com
Style: American Double / Imperial IPA
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.00%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
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
Added by xlperro on 12-18-2002
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 3,673 | Reviews: 928
4.57/5 rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
seaoflament hooked me up with this one in a recent trade. huge thanks carlos!
22oz bottle. sampled june 7/08.
pours coppery orange with a small dense white head. the head drops fast and leaves spotty lace behind.
aroma is great. big hop blast up front. pine, grapefruit, orange peel. bit of orange and tangerine. caramel. bread and biscuit. slightly powdery. light alcohol. there's also a touch of herbal character in there too.
taste is great. light alcohol. tons of juicy hops. orange and tangerine with a touch of sweetness. grapefruit. bit of pine. just over medium bitterness level. a bit powdery. white bread and crackers. bit of herbal character here too, but it works well and gives another dimension to the hops.
mouthfeel is great. medium well integrated carbonation. medium body. silky smooth.
drinkability is great. excellent balance. great malt and hop depth. an excellent example of the style, and one i'd be happy to drink all day.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
seaoflament hooked me up with this one in a recent trade. huge thanks carlos!
22oz bottle. sampled june 7/08.
pours coppery orange with a small dense white head. the head drops fast and leaves spotty lace behind.
aroma is great. big hop blast up front. pine, grapefruit, orange peel. bit of orange and tangerine. caramel. bread and biscuit. slightly powdery. light alcohol. there's also a touch of herbal character in there too.
taste is great. light alcohol. tons of juicy hops. orange and tangerine with a touch of sweetness. grapefruit. bit of pine. just over medium bitterness level. a bit powdery. white bread and crackers. bit of herbal character here too, but it works well and gives another dimension to the hops.
mouthfeel is great. medium well integrated carbonation. medium body. silky smooth.
drinkability is great. excellent balance. great malt and hop depth. an excellent example of the style, and one i'd be happy to drink all day.
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4.32/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Lean and clean, taut bitterness with a shellac of pine across sharp grains and muted citrus. Clear golden body shines in perfect harmony with the beer's character.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Lean and clean, taut bitterness with a shellac of pine across sharp grains and muted citrus. Clear golden body shines in perfect harmony with the beer's character.
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4.03/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
No subtlety to this bad boy. An unabashed, mammoth west coast IPA. Piney, resinous, and grapefruit pith flavors jump out. The malt balance is just right, letting the hops shine while reigning th back in just enough for a smooth finish.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
No subtlety to this bad boy. An unabashed, mammoth west coast IPA. Piney, resinous, and grapefruit pith flavors jump out. The malt balance is just right, letting the hops shine while reigning th back in just enough for a smooth finish.
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4.56/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
pours crystal clear straw gold, with a bubbly head that retains for a bit. Smell is big lemongrass, citrus, tropical fruits, sweet apricot and mango notes, grassy notes. Taste is lemony, rosy sweet citrus with a dirty west coast bitter bite. Feel is appropriately smooth with some fizz. Great DIPA overall.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
pours crystal clear straw gold, with a bubbly head that retains for a bit. Smell is big lemongrass, citrus, tropical fruits, sweet apricot and mango notes, grassy notes. Taste is lemony, rosy sweet citrus with a dirty west coast bitter bite. Feel is appropriately smooth with some fizz. Great DIPA overall.
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4.15/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle shared at BA tasting thanks to bring. Paled in comparison to Sculpin, but what doesn't? This was still damn good.
A - Clear orangish amber color with a nice white head.
S - Aroma of citrusy, piney hops and malty sweetness.
T - Sweet caramel malt, very well balanced with a sharp citrusy hop bite and light fruit notes.
M - Fairly full mouthfeel for the style and some hop oils noticeable. Not too syrupy though.
D - High. Hops are strong but not overpowering, and it's not overly syrupy.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle shared at BA tasting thanks to bring. Paled in comparison to Sculpin, but what doesn't? This was still damn good.
A - Clear orangish amber color with a nice white head.
S - Aroma of citrusy, piney hops and malty sweetness.
T - Sweet caramel malt, very well balanced with a sharp citrusy hop bite and light fruit notes.
M - Fairly full mouthfeel for the style and some hop oils noticeable. Not too syrupy though.
D - High. Hops are strong but not overpowering, and it's not overly syrupy.
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4.75/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Poured a copper color with an off white head that leaves lacing behind
S - Is of grapefruit and piney hops
T - Follows the nose lots of grapefruit and piney hops in the flavor
M - This beer has a medium body with medium carbonation to it
D - Well this is definitely a hop bomb so if thats your thing you'll love this one so for all you hop heads out there give this a try
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Poured a copper color with an off white head that leaves lacing behind
S - Is of grapefruit and piney hops
T - Follows the nose lots of grapefruit and piney hops in the flavor
M - This beer has a medium body with medium carbonation to it
D - Well this is definitely a hop bomb so if thats your thing you'll love this one so for all you hop heads out there give this a try
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4.02/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: crystal clear; copper colored; 2 finger ivory head that receded to a thick cap; nice lacing;
S: predominantly pine, with a hint of tropical fruit behind it;
T: follows the nose; mild bitterness on the finish;
M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; lightly dry finish;
O: don't see too many piney DIPAs; nicely done;
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: crystal clear; copper colored; 2 finger ivory head that receded to a thick cap; nice lacing;
S: predominantly pine, with a hint of tropical fruit behind it;
T: follows the nose; mild bitterness on the finish;
M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; lightly dry finish;
O: don't see too many piney DIPAs; nicely done;
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4.5/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.32/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to Orthodoxkardia for this bottle.
22oz bottle pours a translucent orange with a half inch of head. Good amount of lacing. The aroma is juicy tropical fruits. Mango, guava, tangerine and pine. The taste is more of the same. Lots of juicy tropical fruit flavors. Mango and guava upfront with some pine as well. Resinous towards the finish with more piney hop bitterness. Oily mouthfeel. Somewhat noticeable alcohol presence but it drinks very easily. This one is a great mix of pine and tropical fruit flavors along with a solid amount of bitterness. More dank hop flavor comes out as it warms. Overall, outstanding Imperial that I would love to get a chance to drink again.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to Orthodoxkardia for this bottle.
22oz bottle pours a translucent orange with a half inch of head. Good amount of lacing. The aroma is juicy tropical fruits. Mango, guava, tangerine and pine. The taste is more of the same. Lots of juicy tropical fruit flavors. Mango and guava upfront with some pine as well. Resinous towards the finish with more piney hop bitterness. Oily mouthfeel. Somewhat noticeable alcohol presence but it drinks very easily. This one is a great mix of pine and tropical fruit flavors along with a solid amount of bitterness. More dank hop flavor comes out as it warms. Overall, outstanding Imperial that I would love to get a chance to drink again.
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4.23/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
3.6/5 rDev -16.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.74/5 rDev -13.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Taste poured from a bomber into a tulip thanks to Vito at Beachwood BBQ. Golden color with foamy white head that clings all the way down. Huge hop aroma - citrus and earthy, esters, some graininess in the background. Taste is flowery and citrusy hops, warming esters, hints of malts, very bitter. Crisp, medium-full bodied, oily/creamy texture, lively carbonation, long bitter finish.
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look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Taste poured from a bomber into a tulip thanks to Vito at Beachwood BBQ. Golden color with foamy white head that clings all the way down. Huge hop aroma - citrus and earthy, esters, some graininess in the background. Taste is flowery and citrusy hops, warming esters, hints of malts, very bitter. Crisp, medium-full bodied, oily/creamy texture, lively carbonation, long bitter finish.
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4.05/5 rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Drank on-tap at O'Brien's, San Diego, CA
Poured a clear amber with a thick, dense, creamy, frothy, off-white head. Lots of clingy, thick lacing cascaded down the glass.
The aroma was hoppy and citrusy with noticeable sweet caramel malts.
The taste was similar to the aroma yet a bit more smooth, sweet and fruity. Citrusy hops were obvious along with tropical fruits (including mango) and a sweet, caramel malt backbone. The malts were most noticeable up front and mid-palate, where they combined seamlessly with the hops to provide a needed balance. As the beer warmed, the sweet caramel malts became even more pronounced. The finish was hoppy, yet not over the top, with lingering notes of pine sap, grapefruit and pineapple.
Mouthfeel was rich, smooth and quite creamy, but the carbonation was excessively low.
As for drinkability, this beer was quite easy-drinking (especially for the style). There was a nice mix of both sweet and bitter flavors, and the 8% ABV was very well hidden (but it definitely caught up with me by the beer's end).
Overall, this was a smooth and tasty double IPA, albeit somewhat less extreme than many others in its category.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Drank on-tap at O'Brien's, San Diego, CA
Poured a clear amber with a thick, dense, creamy, frothy, off-white head. Lots of clingy, thick lacing cascaded down the glass.
The aroma was hoppy and citrusy with noticeable sweet caramel malts.
The taste was similar to the aroma yet a bit more smooth, sweet and fruity. Citrusy hops were obvious along with tropical fruits (including mango) and a sweet, caramel malt backbone. The malts were most noticeable up front and mid-palate, where they combined seamlessly with the hops to provide a needed balance. As the beer warmed, the sweet caramel malts became even more pronounced. The finish was hoppy, yet not over the top, with lingering notes of pine sap, grapefruit and pineapple.
Mouthfeel was rich, smooth and quite creamy, but the carbonation was excessively low.
As for drinkability, this beer was quite easy-drinking (especially for the style). There was a nice mix of both sweet and bitter flavors, and the 8% ABV was very well hidden (but it definitely caught up with me by the beer's end).
Overall, this was a smooth and tasty double IPA, albeit somewhat less extreme than many others in its category.
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Pure Hoppiness from Alpine Beer Company
4.31
out of 5
based on 3,673 ratings.
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
What a good changeling IPA takes the form of. White head is a little thin but fluffy. Does leave a sticky thin lace, somewhat spotty. Head fades farily quickly.
Nose is sticky pine forest thick. Sweet and a bit tangy with a citrusy aroma hidden within, on the peachy side with a tangerine orange twist with a orange blossom as well. Toffee malty ness helps balance but the pine hops are front and foremost.
Damn, damn good IPA. Big bittering hop on the finish with a nice caramel malt with a bit of RS helping to balance. Chewy, resiny, pine infused hop profile throughout the palate. Again peach, and tangerine with hints of floral hops in the middle. Other citrus fruity flavors are hard to distinguish from the huge amounts of bitterness (a good thing).
Mouth is medium, hoppy and nice. Not perfect but nice. An IPA I would like to drink daily.
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