Double County DIPA
Dry County Brewing Company

 

12oz can from Sprayberry Bottle Shop (Marietta, GA). 2.69. No discernible canning date. Served in a Dry County snifter. Enjoyed 2/4/19.

Pours a vaguely muted orange with a tall cap of pale froth. The head fades to a few wispy surface swirls, a solid band and a good deal of scattered lace.

Smells of pineapple, caramel, flower and citrus.

Tastes bold and bitter. Pine sap, grapefruit, pineapple core, dank green onion, floral pith, some mild desweetened caramel and a nip of booze. The initial bitterness is almost brutal but it smooths out nicely as it warms to reveal an underlying sweetness. The alcohol is there but not at all as prevalent as I’d expected.

Smooth, slick medium full feel with modest carbonation. There is a definite bitter tang to aftertaste with notes of stone fruit, grapefruit and dank hop resin.

Dry County is taking me back to a time when IPAs were bitter. Double County finds a nice balance between the assertive hops, sweet malt and smooth but potent alcohol.

Had from a 3 day old can, January 2019

Very solid traditional DIPA, slight amber hue, pronounced malt backbone, highly hopped.

Appearance: Pours a deep golden-copper body with a smallish, off-white head.

Smell: Floral, pine. Some blonde, cooked sugars. Roundabout citrus notes. Admittedly, its hop character falls surprisingly subdued and a little meek on the nose.

Taste: The strong hop character pulls ahead of its malt base with tastes of grapefruit jelly, lemon peel, pineapple, zesty florals and a curt drizzle of distilled pine. Eventually, some of its maltier aspects come through, a bit of dry breadcrust, some treacle. Firmly bitter, this is aided, in part, by the stronger alcohol presence. Finishes bitterish, fruity and soundly smooth.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation. Just a bit of oiliness, a bit of stickiness to the mouthfeel.

Overall: Bold and brimming with hop character, at least in the taste department.

Poured into a small chalice: color is light amber, head is off white, presenting about 1/2 inch thick then dissipating with nice lacing on the glass.

Smell is where you want a double ipa to be: emphatic bitterness, good earthiness, solid pine, and great lingering citrus rind.

Taste is similar to the aroma: hop flavors are forward with pine, citrus rind, herbal notes and earthiness; malt is a good backbone but not over done/cloying or missing, solid pale malt all the way.

Mouthfeel is a feature of this ale; big bitterness, solid malt backbone, moderate carbonation.

Overall: an excellent DIPA, big hop flavors with a lean towards pine/herbal/floral with just enough bitter citrus rind and maltiness.

I am very luck to have one of our offices right down the street from Dry County Brewing and am always pleasantly surprised when I try one of there new beers at the tasting room. The Double County IPA didn't disappoint. This 2XIPA had exceptional hop aroma and the taste was even better. Can't wait for my next visit.