-
Stop lurking! Stay logged in to search, review beers, post in our forums, see less ads, and more. Thanks! — Todd
Cosmic Distortion
Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co

Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Imperial IPA
Ranked #805 - ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 93
Ranked #3,963 - Avg:
- 4.19 | pDev: 9.07%
- Reviews:
- 21
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 16, 2022
- Added:
- Apr 27, 2018
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 30
SCORE
93
Outstanding
93
Outstanding

Notes:
Double dry-hopped with 6 lbs per barrel of Galaxy and Mosaic, this is our hoppiest IPA ever. It’s a juicy, hazy, dank double IPA with notes of passion fruit, mango, pineapple, starfruit, papaya, and tangerine.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by harrypowers from Massachusetts
4.35/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a hazy dark orange with a tall fluffy head and a lot of lacing.
Smells of grassy hops and tart and sweet citrus.
Tastes of sweet malt, grapefruit, orange and lemon with a slightly bitter finish.
Medium light body with light carbonation. Soft dry mouthfeel.
This is a very drinkable mild mannered and nuanced brew.
Oct 17, 2021Smells of grassy hops and tart and sweet citrus.
Tastes of sweet malt, grapefruit, orange and lemon with a slightly bitter finish.
Medium light body with light carbonation. Soft dry mouthfeel.
This is a very drinkable mild mannered and nuanced brew.
Reviewed by VALIS666 from Massachusetts
4.29/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours a nice pale gold color with medium haze, lots of bubbles and very persistent lace. Smells of mango and bready malt up front with a lot in the back -- lemon, orange, key lime pie, more. Taste is a little sweet and winey up front, and then you remember it's an 8.0%, so of course it is. And it does hide that high alcohol rather well on successive sips when the citrus and especially banana bread comes out. Pleasant finish, a little sweet & sour. Love the packaging! Psychedelic rock & roll, baby.
Overall this is a very fine beer, but like most Imperials and DIPAs, I feel like it could be even better if that ABV was dialed back a bit, which would fade the sweet bready/winey elements.
Jun 26, 2021Overall this is a very fine beer, but like most Imperials and DIPAs, I feel like it could be even better if that ABV was dialed back a bit, which would fade the sweet bready/winey elements.
Rated by Pdcmaine from Massachusetts
4.21/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Overall a really tasty brew.
Jan 03, 2021Reviewed by CTHomer from Connecticut
3.85/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
A: cloudy; medium gold in color; 1+ finger finely pored ivory head that receded to a skim cap; very nice lacing;
S: lemon first, then orange;
T: orange and pineapple balanced from start to finish; mild bitterness at the end;
M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish; soft;
O: OK, but not memorable;
Sep 30, 2020S: lemon first, then orange;
T: orange and pineapple balanced from start to finish; mild bitterness at the end;
M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish; soft;
O: OK, but not memorable;
Reviewed by digboy from New Hampshire
4.18/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours a beautiful very cloudy bright gold color with a one finger white dense head. Aroma is floral and lightly sweet with pineapple, tangerine and banana bread notes (that's just what I get, probably the papaya notes). The flavor is distinctly away from citrus-y flavors, with a warm, ester-ish lead that simmers down into a papaya/tangerine finish. Hard to pin down these flavors but it is very tasty and pleasant. Feel is very soft and very effervescent. There is a bit of an alcohol burn in this one but I don't seem to mind it too much (I'm not a fan of that in general).
This is very good and not a run of the mill NEIPA in terms of flavor profile, though in feel it is very much so. Well worth a try if you happen to see one on the shelves. You will not likely be disappointed..
Aug 22, 2020This is very good and not a run of the mill NEIPA in terms of flavor profile, though in feel it is very much so. Well worth a try if you happen to see one on the shelves. You will not likely be disappointed..
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts
4.36/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.36/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours hazy, orange brown in color with 1/4 inch head. Taste is a fruit salad bouquet highlighted by mango and papaya. Medium body, slightly bitter with low carbonation. Easily the best Mighty Squirrel beer that I have had. Loads of unique fruit flavor. Would certainly get this again.
Jul 14, 2020Reviewed by Preimetime from Massachusetts
4.36/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.36/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Drinking from a tulip, canned 3.26.20, consumed 4.12.20
*I have had this beer about 20 - 30 times and some of my commentary will reflect past experience in addition to my current tasting
L: varies with batch and age, this one is a little over 2 weeks old and on the brighter golden-yellow side. Note that some batches, often older cans, lean darker toward tan-gold. All are quite turbid as expected for the style. White semi-fluffy 1" head after aggressive pour. Head half life in my glass was short-lived at about 2 min.
S: unique. This beer drew me in and made me a believer in MS. But the taste really echoes and amplifies the nose. Dark tropical fruit, zesty citrus, and bready malt character. A slow deep draw as it warms reveals a candy "pop" note not unlike pink Starburst.
T: Peach and papaya, some spicy white pepper on the finish, strong malt presence and bready/honey sweetness throughout. Alcohol is detectable but not overtly present. Perhaps mild melon and passionfruit character and piney and floral notes as well. This beer is really tasty and something else going down.
F: solid bready chew and full bodied, very nice
O: buy a fresh four pack and try it, or get it on tap at the brewery - I recommend this beer as I think it stands up well to many of the DIPA offerings from top-rated New England breweries. It has an interesting complexity and nice balance of unique hop character - both floral and peppery but also juicy and tropical - complemented by a potent malt backbone.
Apr 12, 2020*I have had this beer about 20 - 30 times and some of my commentary will reflect past experience in addition to my current tasting
L: varies with batch and age, this one is a little over 2 weeks old and on the brighter golden-yellow side. Note that some batches, often older cans, lean darker toward tan-gold. All are quite turbid as expected for the style. White semi-fluffy 1" head after aggressive pour. Head half life in my glass was short-lived at about 2 min.
S: unique. This beer drew me in and made me a believer in MS. But the taste really echoes and amplifies the nose. Dark tropical fruit, zesty citrus, and bready malt character. A slow deep draw as it warms reveals a candy "pop" note not unlike pink Starburst.
T: Peach and papaya, some spicy white pepper on the finish, strong malt presence and bready/honey sweetness throughout. Alcohol is detectable but not overtly present. Perhaps mild melon and passionfruit character and piney and floral notes as well. This beer is really tasty and something else going down.
F: solid bready chew and full bodied, very nice
O: buy a fresh four pack and try it, or get it on tap at the brewery - I recommend this beer as I think it stands up well to many of the DIPA offerings from top-rated New England breweries. It has an interesting complexity and nice balance of unique hop character - both floral and peppery but also juicy and tropical - complemented by a potent malt backbone.
Reviewed by Charliethebrit from Massachusetts
4.68/5 rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.68/5 rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
It is sort of like a hazy, super hopped, flavorful barley wine.
It is a dirty straw color and the head, what little of it, was gone quick
Pine, herbal, floral on the nose
Sweetness balanced by hops very well. apparently also by double dry-hopped with 6 lbs per barrel of Galaxy & Mosaic hops
Nce carbonation, natural. a good one for sipping.
Mar 08, 2020It is a dirty straw color and the head, what little of it, was gone quick
Pine, herbal, floral on the nose
Sweetness balanced by hops very well. apparently also by double dry-hopped with 6 lbs per barrel of Galaxy & Mosaic hops
Nce carbonation, natural. a good one for sipping.
Reviewed by BrewMonkey6120 from Massachusetts
5/5 rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Surprisingly easy drinking Double IPA, with an ABV of 8 percent it was hidden extremely well behind the subtle fruity flavors. Solid carbonation, not to heavy on the stomach. This may be my new go-to Double IPA, that is when I do drink them.
Feb 21, 2020Reviewed by puboflyons from New Hampshire
3.83/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
From the 16 oz. can dated 12/12/19. Sampled on Dec 22, 2019.
The look is a murky. milky, opaque yellow color underneath a foamy and lasting white head.
Pungent aroma of citrus and tropical fruit with a cereal barley grain base.
The mouthfeel is medium to full and it is smooth on my tongue.
There is a quick sweet and fruity character in the taste that evolves into a biting, harsh lingering bitterness.
Dec 22, 2019The look is a murky. milky, opaque yellow color underneath a foamy and lasting white head.
Pungent aroma of citrus and tropical fruit with a cereal barley grain base.
The mouthfeel is medium to full and it is smooth on my tongue.
There is a quick sweet and fruity character in the taste that evolves into a biting, harsh lingering bitterness.
Reviewed by Hhops from Massachusetts
3.03/5 rDev -27.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.03/5 rDev -27.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Disappointing. Upon opening the 16 oz can, almost no hop aroma. I sniffed again after pouring into pint glass. It is cloudy. Very cloudy. Too much so for me. I love most cloudy IPAs or APAs, especiallY New England style. But this was so dark and cloudy it didn’t look like any ale.
Overall taste and mouthfeel are OK but not close to my favorites.
Dec 19, 2019Overall taste and mouthfeel are OK but not close to my favorites.
Rated by GregDBoston from Massachusetts
3.85/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Should be better with a name like that. Better than Cloud Candy, nowhere near as good as Dear Bubba.
Oct 29, 2019Rated by RookieNumbers from Massachusetts
4.3/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Love the cloudy orange look. Delicious creamy/ foamy head, very little bitterness and tons of fruity flavors. Would make this a regular beer for me.
May 08, 2019
Cosmic Distortion from Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co
Beer rating:
93 out of
100 with
90 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!