Imperial IPA
Copper Creek Brewing Co.

 

Labelled as Double IPA on the board and likely a different recipe, but here goes. On-tap at the brewpub.

Pours a deep and clear copper color with a half-finger off-white head. The head recedes into a patchy layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of buttery caramel malts with hints of tropical and citrus hops.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Smooth and buttery caramel malt flavors up front segue into light citrus hop flavors before the malt takes over again and leads into a mildly bitter ending. As it warms the hop flavors fade.

Mouthfeel is good. It has a nice thickness with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is OK. I finished my glass without much problem however I'm not sure I want another.

Overall this was certainly a DIPA in the Northeastern mold with plenty of buttery malt flavors and aromas. Not bad, but not my cup of tea.

This IIPA was a good bit lighter than the Emperor Penguin served right next to it and the two actually served as a nice contrast in the range of the style. While the Penguin edged into the barley wine end of the style with its overworked-yeast fruit aromas and heavy maltiness, Copper Creek’s rendition was much cleaner and lighter on the malt which allowed it to focus more on the hops and become a little more drinkable. In the hop side the Penguin had very little in the way of hop aroma and makes up for it in the bitterness. Copper Creek’s IIPA makes great use of the aroma hops and then puts less emphasis on the bittering side. Both were good beers, but I lean toward this beer. I heard others who leaned the opposite, though.