Chinook Me All Night Long
Mirror Twin Brewing

 

With their success of Mos Def IPA, employing the exclusive use of Chinook hops for a return to basics in hop bitterness, taste and scent that's a big time departure from the floral, fruity and perfumy hops that dominate the current scene. A Chinook fueled Imperial IPA definitely gets us back on the right track.

Rich in amber and cast with a foggy gaze, Chinook Me All Night Long pours with a light blanket of eggshell froth that hold on for the session. Sharp aromas of under ripened citrus, herbal, grassy and piney character claim the nose while a toasted caramelization of malt sweetness lurks in the background. Boldly flavored and malty, the beer's support lies in a caramel, bread crust and deep honey taste, seeming of granola.

With the sweetness slowly fading and the bitterness growing rapidly, the hops bring a pin point taste of white grapefruit and dried orange peel. Eventually, the radiance of citrus will recede and its herbal, grassier taste continues to develop. Lemon verbena, lemongrass and a peppery bite comes next and before a strong and gripping bitterness of fresh cut grass, freshly shaven pine and an overall sappy, resinous taste.

Medium full in bodied and finishing characteristically sticky and dry, the Imperial IPA leans heavily on the Chinook hops for a strong drying resinous bite and a firm pepper bitterness that comes along with grapefruit pith and field greens.