Classique Old School IIPA
Ethereal Brewing

 

On tap at the brewery taproom.
Copper colored body with decent off-white head that leaves plenty of lacing.

Moderate bitterness for style.

Smooth, full body with medium light carbonation.

 

As a throwback to the yesteryear of craft beer, the imperial IPA that put hoppy beer on the microbrewery map hang its hat on premiere bitterness and a moderate floral array kept stride with hop heads who prized bitterness and alcohol strength the most. And Ethereal Brewing is catering to those palates once again.

Classique Old School carries a rich amber hue along with a breaming ivory crown. Its hop dominant aroma is chocked full of radiant citrus peels, pine, pepper and fresh grassiness. To taste, the ale opens with a sweeter tone. Caramel, honey, toast and nuttiness is a northwest taste of trail mix and granola.

But the taste quickly turns as the malt sweetness begins to fade from the middle palate and the hop flavors layer onto the tastebuds. Pink grapefruit leads the citrusy taste along with a quick backlog of orange peels and a hint of lemon rind. Herbal flavors ensue while carrying the taste into a verbena, stemmy and tea-like taste. The late palate is a full on gripping bitterness of sharp pine resins, grass clippings and a stern peppery bite that latches onto the gullet for the duration.

Medium full on the palate, those fading malts only recede to a moderate level. Their lingering taste of honey, caramel and granola ensures a malty dry finish with the spice of alcohol and hops adding dryness and crispness through the residual sweetness. A long and bitter aftertaste is deeply resinous and peppery and easily lingers into the next sip.