Hi-Def
Castle Island Brewing Co.

 

Poured from a can into a snifter
Appearance – The beer pours a hazy orange color with a large head of thick white foam. The head has a fantastic level of retention, fading slowly over time and leaving tons of foamy and streaky lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is rather heavy of a bready malt aroma mixed with some notes of tropical fruit of papaya and tangerine. There is also a decent showing of a pine and herbal smell mixed with a bit of earthiness and some hay.
Taste – The taste begins with a rather bready and malty flavor that is mixed with a touch of tropical fruit of passionfruit and papaya. Right from the start there is a bit of dankness to the hop profile, with the strongest hop notes being of a pine and herbal nature. As the taste advances more hop joins in with the presence of a earthiness and light vegetal hop joining in. The sweetness fades, while the malt gets a bit more intense, with the resulting flavors leaving a rather malty, and more dankly hopped taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the slightly thicker and chewier side with a moderate carbonation level. For the dank and the malt, the feel is rather well done and makes for a slower sipper.
Overall – A rather decent double IPA that is malty, but is not overly sweet or citrusy. Fun to try at least.

 

Hazy golden pour with noticeable carbonation in a Belgian Tulip glass. The soft head receded quickly. Aroma is that of a 'Cuties' clementine hard candy with a grassy freshness. Taste is citrus forward: orange and pineapple give way to a slightly grassy dank before a dry hoppy finish. Body is medium, sudsy, and a bit creamy. Overall, this is a very good beer. Well done.

 

On draft at the west end grill

Brewers notes :Our flagship double IPA brewed with Citra, Mosaic, and Idaho 7.

Translucent liquid of brown and orange , thin white cap , spotty lacings

Aroma is tropical , tangerine citrus

Taste is juicy tropical , tangerine citrus, hint iof dank

Mouthfeel is medium sudsy with a hop bite finish

Good beer

 

 

Had it as a draft at the brewery and took home a 4-pack. At the bar, I said this could replace Fiver as my go-to, though the ABV is much higher and will limit my intake. Indeed, it was just as good from the can with great hop flavor.

The first 4-pack I took home from the brewery, though, was 4-months old and definitely off. This is one of their core beers, so why would they sell something that's already 120 days old *at the brewery* for chrissakes??? I sent them a note asking the same and they made good with an apology and a replacement. Maybe it was just a fluke, but I'll check the canning date on CIBC's before buying.

 

 

 

I keep coming back to Hi-Def. One of the more complex and enjoyable double IPAs. So many newer IPAs are bland in comparison. Poring from a fresh can. Orange amber color with a frothy sticky head. Grapefruit and mango but with complementary bitterness. Mouth feel is big and satisfying, almost tingling. Great.

 

A: cloudy; medium gold in color; 1 finger ivory head that receded quickly to a big bubbled collar; very little lacing;

S: tangerine is dominant; this almost smells like candy;

T: tangerine, pineapple, and dankness are balanced from start to finish; mild bitterness at the end;

M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish; hides the ABV well;

o: interesting and well made;

 

 

Poured from a 16oz can into a Speiglau pilsner glass.

Look is a hazy orange amber with a full thick white head.

Aroma is orange hop candy with a light grassy note.

Taste is really delicious, hop candy orange.

So good.

Look: 4 - nice golden yellow, pretty opaque
Nose: 4.25 - nice fruity/candy
Taste: 4.5 - very smooth and crushable for 8.5%. Sweet candied citrus up front followed by moderate hops
Feel: 4.5 - medium body, medium/low carbonation, pretty creamy
Overall: 4.5 - pretty light feeling for 8.5%. Easy to drink and enjoyable