Eternal Hoptimus
Living The Dream Brewing Co.

 

 

 

a really tasty double ipa, but still pretty virgin, new, yet to hit its full stride. the good part is the hop profile, which is obviously a major positive in this style. the C varietal blend and some sorachi ace i think makes a nice complex layered hop delivery that hints at pine, grapefruit rind, lemon, and bitterness. i think there is a bit too much caramel malt in this, it looks almost like an amber, and has some sweetness in the middle and the end, and a ton of body. its also a little course in terms of texture, the hops seems almost gritty, like not filtered or cleaned up enough, undissolved almost, raw. the alcohol is also a little hot, which i dont dislike in the style, but its distracting here, and makes the hops less forward in the finish. i think this has a ton of potential to be an awesome beer, but its in need of a bit of cleaning up. i couldnt drink more than one as it stands, but the hops profile is really unique and delicious, i bet it will get better over time too.

 

Living the Throat-Whetting Dream:
The Eternal Hoptimist Double IPA

It takes bravery to dream; to hope is to set oneself up for disappointment. And yet, for those of us who revel in the hop-laden bitterness of Imperial Pale Ales, a new brewery down the street is an irresistible beacon of hope. I’ve been burned before, almost literally, with the opening of another brewery-- a mere three miles from my home. The taste of clumsily-wielded, “smoke,” elements still tingles the memory of my lips. So it was with some trepidation, if no less enthusiasm, that I viewed the opening of Living the Dream in Highlands Ranch.
You should never judge a book by it’s cover-- or a brewery by its IPA alone. But I do judge a brewery by its IPA first. The Hop Optimist is a double IPA whose handwritten description promised me just the flavor profile I was searching for. With 144 IBUs and boasting Simcoe, Meridian, Cascade, Centennial, and Sorachi Ace hops-- the promise of a healthy dose of happy was made.
In the instance of my arrival, both CO2 and Nitro pours were available. I chose bite over imbibe-ability, and the CO2 pour floated a creamy froth that tickled the whiskers, but didn’t steal liquid volume. One sniff was all it took to realize that this beer was a promise about to be delivered, one taste and it proved a dream-come-true. The front of this beer is an eye-closer, a mental journey through a field of wildflowers. The ABV also presents at this time, letting you know that this beer is serious. The finish popped open with my eyes, with a burst of bitterness that lingers crisply-- without the slick, oily feeling of some comparable DIPAs.
As hop heads, we all know: it’s not just how heavy the IBUs hit, it’s how they hit. My favorite part of the Hop Optimist is its gliding transition from a floral front end to a balanced, but aggressive, hop finish.
The quaff-ability is deceptive in this beauty of a beast, the alcohol by volume weighs in at 9.6%. Even at a 10oz pour it’s one-and-done for me, which is a bit of a shame, and there is no mistaking the alcohol bite. I would be interested in a less alcoholic session ale from the folks at Living the Dream, something I can enjoy for more than 10 ounces.
This beer lives up to its name, proving that I was right to dream-- I will remain, eternally optimistic.