Imperial IPA
Portsmouth Brewery


- From:
- Portsmouth Brewery
- New Hampshire, United States
- Style:
- Imperial IPA
- ABV:
- 9.1%
- Score:
- 90
- Avg:
- 4.03 | pDev: 14.14%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 84
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jul 16, 2014
- Added:
- Feb 12, 2006
- Wants:
- 81
- Gots:
- 4
Another beer in our stable with the “intense” designation hung around its neck. With almost double the malt as our Bottle Rocket IPA, 9% ABV and 22 pounds of hops, this medium-bodied golden ale has an amazing balance for such an assertive beer.
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Reviewed by BarrytheBear from Wisconsin
4.18/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Very thoughtful and generous extra courtesy of Cam. Thanks kindly buddy!
22 oz bottle dated best by June 13' into a tulip. Pours a murky clouded burnt orange. Adequate clumpage lasts throughout the glass along with some haphazard lacing. Even when held to the light, I cannot see my hand on the other side of the glass: interesting.
Light citrus and oodles of nougat on the nose. Toasted malts, pine, and rye bread jump in as well. Certainly not overly brash here, but what it lacks in intensity it more than makes up for in depth.
This is a different IIPA. Up front is cool menthol and sharp mint. As the beer rolls along the tongue, the weight of the toasted bread malt character lay a weighty foundation on which the rest of the flavors travel. Rye and pumpernickel, dark earthy bread, leads to a palpable iced tea crescendo at the finish after a buildup throughout the sip. Along the back end a big spatter of pineapple juiciness flashes across my tasting places as well. Bitterness and sweetness harmonize well with neither brutalizing the other into submission.
This is a nice full bodied and sticky IIPA. At 9% it certainly leaves its mark. There is so much depth and complexity here that I found myself rushing through the first half of the bottle while trying to pin down all the goings on.
I dig Portsmouth. From memory I've had this, the gruit, Kate, and the Royal Impy Stout...possibly others....and I've really enjoyed each offering. Thanks again Cam! This was a pleasant surprise.
Apr 28, 201322 oz bottle dated best by June 13' into a tulip. Pours a murky clouded burnt orange. Adequate clumpage lasts throughout the glass along with some haphazard lacing. Even when held to the light, I cannot see my hand on the other side of the glass: interesting.
Light citrus and oodles of nougat on the nose. Toasted malts, pine, and rye bread jump in as well. Certainly not overly brash here, but what it lacks in intensity it more than makes up for in depth.
This is a different IIPA. Up front is cool menthol and sharp mint. As the beer rolls along the tongue, the weight of the toasted bread malt character lay a weighty foundation on which the rest of the flavors travel. Rye and pumpernickel, dark earthy bread, leads to a palpable iced tea crescendo at the finish after a buildup throughout the sip. Along the back end a big spatter of pineapple juiciness flashes across my tasting places as well. Bitterness and sweetness harmonize well with neither brutalizing the other into submission.
This is a nice full bodied and sticky IIPA. At 9% it certainly leaves its mark. There is so much depth and complexity here that I found myself rushing through the first half of the bottle while trying to pin down all the goings on.
I dig Portsmouth. From memory I've had this, the gruit, Kate, and the Royal Impy Stout...possibly others....and I've really enjoyed each offering. Thanks again Cam! This was a pleasant surprise.
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