Absolute Zero (Ghost 998)
Adroit Theory Brewing Company

Pours a medium coppery amber with a one finger white head with great retention and solid lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, citrus, piney and dank hops, light orange, grapefruit, mixed stone fruit and melon. Flavor is pale malt with slight caramel, citrus and piney hops, grapefruit, lemon, mixed fruit stone fruit esters and light pine needles. Lingering resinous pine and citrus rind finish. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. A flavorful imperial IPA with a pale malt, but solid body. Nice hop bill with some some of my favorites; Citra and Simcoe as well as Strata, which is an uncommon hop these days. The Citra and Simcoe provide their tradition citrus and pine and I'm guessing the Strata gives the interesting fruit esters that smelled like stone fruit, but had more melon like flavor, but some fleeting estery notes. Maybe I'm just relieved to have a DDH IPA that is not neutered hazy, but this one really hit the spot. The dry hopping is noticeable in the flavor and finish bitterness; the pine and citrus with light, unusual fruit flavors was appealing to me. Nice bitter finish. I've had a few Ghost series beers from Adroit and they have all be solid; glad I got this one, I'd get it again if it wasn't a one-off.

 

16oz can From Tavour. Dark gold, clear golden, streaming carbonation, thin creamy off-white head. Aroma brings orange zest, light hoppy presence, sweet. Taste starts with some hop oil notes, citrus peel, honey. Nice weight to this, mouth coating, lingering palate tingle.

Well, as usual, I’m going to rate a beer higher than everybody else. I really like these big IPAs. They aspire to be a big bold booze bomb like DFH 120, and while they usually fall short, I generally admire the effort. Appearance is dark bronze and opaque. Smell and taste present notes of sweet malt, pine, and bitter hops. Big bodied, slightly mouth watering finish, a bit thick and syrupy, and pretty darn boozy. I started buying Adroit Theory this summer through Tavour, and I’ve enjoyed the Ghost series quite a bit.

Clear, golden copper looking body; so-so carbonation; thin yet lasting head. Mildly spicy aroma; pine resin. Huge flavors of sweet malts; spice and pine hop flavors; noticeable but not over-dominating alcohol presence. Heavy body; a little flat and syrupy; plenty of boozy heat.

Sometimes I wonder why beers like this just aren't called "malt liquor" instead of claiming to be some sort of fancy-schmancy IPA...??? I got this for the curiosity of it all. I'm also glad I got just one.

Poured at 52° F; can data: CANNED 04/30/21.

L: A clean, clear copper. Virtually no head or lacing.
T: Resinous pine
F: Alcohol burn in throat, but a smooth mouthfeel
O: A WCIPA on steroids. This would be much better if it were a 9% beer.