Drake's Denogginizer Imperial IPA

This beer was a big surprise. Not for how good it was(coming from Drake's I expect nothing less) but for where it came from.

My brother, he of the fruit beer picked this one out and it was really, and I mean, really good. I thanked T for bringing it by sending him home with some Arrogant Bastard and a home brew stout.

The first thing I noticed about the pour was that it was much darker than most IPA's. Aside from a Cascadian Black this might be the darkest in color IPA I've had. Drake's said they added crystal malt to it so maybe they added a darker malt.

The head was huge and really sticky. It looked like mousse floating on top. The aroma was not overly aggressive but it was definitely heavy on the pine. I also got a whiff of some caramel and sugar so I knew the hops had some serious malt backing.

The first taste left me wanting a larger one and for the bottle to never empty. Aside from Deschutes Hop Henge this vaulted straight to the top of my all time IPA's. The body was thick and creamy with just enough bubble to keep it refreshing and the line between too bitter and too sweet was drawn perfectly down the middle.

This won a silver medal at GABF 2009 but it should have won gold in my eyes. Damn you Hopworks Urban Brewery in Portland, OR. See you soon though.

Avery Maharaja Guest Review from Cheegan!

Well I finally succeeded in haranguing the Cheegan, our mostly weekly dinner and a beer partner into writing for me. Hope you enjoy. 

 Hi Brew or Fermented readers! Cheegan here! Long time reader, first time guest writer, and lover of all things fermented.

I’ve been called many names: the Jew, the Vegan, Tofu, and perhaps even more nomenclatures D and T my married friends have chosen not to put on their respective blogs, Cake&Co and BreworFerment. Though, in my most recent press, I believe I’m now and forever affectionately known as “Cheegan.”



Driving along, heading to the house of BreworFerment, electric with the anticipation of doing one of the things I look most forward to during the week.  My foot on the throttle, perhaps a bit heavier than necessary, but hell, I just can’t help myself, what waits at my destination is worth it. But, in accordance with my reputation, I am, and most usually am, running late. A protracted glance at the clock makes my mouth salivate. The Avery Maharaja DIPA lies cold and chilled, patiently pending its fate.  It is dinner and beer tasting night and this IPA is on the chopping block.

Now, you all should know that I may be the luckiest beer loving vegetarian this side of the Mississippi. On one side of the kitchen I’ve got D’s cooking, which can tempt even the most devout vegetarian. I don’t know how she does it, but her food always tastes like home and far away places all at the same time. Don’t even get me started on her cupcakes! On the other side, I’ve got BreworFerment, an inspired and inspiring beer lover. And he is letting me do a guest review on his blog! I hit the friend jackpot.

I arrive at the house and we head to pick up dinner. Most weeks D and T cook, but this week we opt for Mexican take-out. Once we get back to the house, the beer comes out of the fridge and the tasting begins. This beer is part of Avery’s dictator series and boasts intense and mighty flavors, both things I like in an IPA. It is a dark amber beer with a nice creamy head that definitely doesn’t run away too quickly. It’s citrusy with some vanilla at the beginning and nice and bitter at the end.  There was a flavor I couldn’t quite name in between. The flavor was on the tip of my tongue but I couldn’t quite figure it out. It has kind of an alcohol burn. Is it Brandy? Scotch? These are not things I usually taste in an IPA, but then Tyler nailed it. Tannins. It had just a hint of wine right there in the middle. This was a very tasty beer. Not quite as bold a hop monster as it professes, but still a very nice sipping IPA.

I like most of the beers that I taste by Avery. I’m dying to try Avery’s duganA IPA. I hear it’s a hop BEAST. Maybe next time.

Moylander Double IPA

This was the second beer I got to enjoy on my birthday weekend. My wife, amazing as she is, never ceases to amaze me. My weekend started with lots of surprise hints, handmade cards, flowers, and a special birthday meal. Friday was followed by Saturday with more amazing cards, a great healthy birthday lunch, beer at The Twisted Vine in Fullerton, and then new shoes from the Nike outlet. What could be better? She is awesome.

The first beer was the Ten Fidy Stout from Oskar Blues. Henceforth known as Carbonated Soy Sauce. The second beer was bought for me by another patron of the Twisted Vine. The bartender described this IPA as the most bitter beer he has ever had which intrigued both myself and the guy who bought it for us to split. Verdict? Not as bitter as Green Flash's West Coast IPA.

Though this came in a close second to West Coast it was only 90 IBU's. I really enjoyed it. The evolution of the beer as it warmed was interesting as it started our fairly well balanced, though hop forward and progressed to tongue numbing bitter pine.

The aroma was definitely nuclear pine cone. Citrus was nowhere to be found as this beer's mission was to strip taste buds and wreak havoc on any food someone might think about eating afterward. This is an extreme imperial and unlike the Imperials I've been enjoying of late that have been bitter but balanced. This still had the weighty body I like but malt was an afterthought in this one. Moylan's website says that it's there but I don't believe them.

If you want big, bold, and bitter this one is for you. Enjoyable.

Russian River Pliny the Elder

We had a really great time at a 30th Bday party tamale bash.  I have to thank our friends for picking this up for me. They also brought a couple other ones I'll review later. The Bruery Saison de Rue, North Coast Pranqster which I've reviewed before, and a cider that I didn't get to try but it looked good.

Ok so obviously BIG expectations going into this one right? It's ranked pretty high on a lot of lists in general but it's definitely way up there on IPA's to try. Aside from Pliny the Younger I can't think of too many IPA's that get this much hype.


Starting off, BIG fluffy head, very sticky, but I was surprised at the minimal aroma coming off my glass. There was pine of course but it wasn't the nuclear pinecone I was expecting. A little tropical fruit maybe, a little freshcut grass a possibility but the aroma was underwhelming. This was totally opposite from what others have said about PTE.

All in all the flavors were pretty typical of a DIPA. The last few DIPA's I've had have had muted bitterness(I'm starting to think I have developed a tolerance). I love DIPA's for being smooth and PTE was definitely that. Nice thick body, a little oily stickiness, the lacing hung around forever. I really enjoyed this beer I just think that the lead up to it was overblown. Beer Advocate seems to have acolytes devoted to it and don't get them started on Pliny the YOUNGER.

All in all I definitely would not pass up the chance to drink this if it was given to me but I'm not going to go out of my way to find it either. Fantastic beer but it didn't change my life or the way I view beer. The best thing about the entire day though was the company.

Ale Smith Yule Smith Holiday Ale

This is a seasonal that Ale Smith brews twice a year. The summer is a DIPA, which is what we have here, and the Winter is a double red.

This brew comes by way of she who was once called, "The Jew, or The Vegan," but who forever more will now be called, "The Cheegan." Cheese is her achilles heel on her quest to keep all little animals happy and breathing. I can always count on her for a new IPA and one day she MIGHT do a guest review. I'm thinking she is dodging me. It IS hard to compete with such a literary master such as myself. Riiiight. It's beer, and words. As long as you don't have too much beer before writing words it usually works out ok.

Check the head out on that monster. "It's so fluffy!" A strong golden color this had some pine, and some citrus like most IPA's and Cheegan said she smelled something else she couldn't define. Could it be, beer? It's usually me that's saying I smell something weird but I didn't get it this time.

Not too bitter with pine, citrus, pear, and a little breadiness too.

It's a DIPA. It was chewy, love it. Not too many bubbles, fantastic. 9.5 ABV? Really? Couldn't tell, balanced.

Nice solid selection although I can't wait till the winter double red! I've really been on a maltier kick lately and the double reds I've had have been killer.

Ninkasi Tricerahops

I love, love, love, me some Double IPA's. The thick body, the low bubble factor, and just look at that color! I picked this one up for two reasons: 1)It was cheap 2) It's called TRICERAHOPS! The triceratops has been my favorite dinosaur since I was a little kid. It's pretty much the coolest dino ever. Not 1 but 3, count em 3 horns. Awesome!

Ninkasi is up in Eugene, Oregon and they've got a great lineup. Lost in the Beer Aisle recently reviewed their Total Domination IPA and enjoyed it so I think I will be picking that one up once I manage to mow through my CASES of homebrew. More on that later.

This beer was as cool as the dino it takes it's name after. Totally balanced, thick body, not too many bubbles. It wasn't your typical West Coast IPA Nuclear Pinecone. There was a good amount of citrus and a ton of malty sweetness to round out the bitter. I finished the whole 22 in one night which I don't normally do especially considering that this beer clocks in at 8.8% ABV. This is a great DIPA.

Flying Dog Double Dog Pale Ale

The labels for Flying Dog are always interesting, but this one as little bro put it was a little disturbing.

What looks to be a baby in a diaper with a rabid chihuahua head eating two beers graces the front of what I would call an imperial IPA rather than a double pale.

This is definitely one of those ones that could be very dangerous if you don't read the label.

This is an imperial because it's 11.5 ABV. Little bro had no idea beer could be that high. I told him about BrewDog. Crazy Scottish people. I love their IPA's Punk, Harcore, not so crazy about Bashah.

This poured a nice burnt orange certified IPA color.
Nuclear Pinecone aroma with a tinge of citrus, and some caramel surprisingly.

First sip, BITTER. The label says that balance was their goal since they threw a bunch of malt at this one. Hence, the 11.5 ABV but this was not balanced on first sip. It says it's only 85 IBU but woo boy bitter. Good, bitter.

After bitter? Alcohol, the 11.5 definitely says hello to your palate with that little tingle of heat.

Like any good imperial though there was big body and low bubbles and as it warmed up the balance came into play with the malt opening up and a sweetness on the back end of a LONG finish completing a satisfying beer.

Yeah, I know the price is 2.99$ Expensive because it came from a mom and pop shop literally a block from my house. I go there when I am too lazy to drive over to BevMo or Total Wine. This was one of those times.

Speakeasy Double Daddy IPA

SOoo do you think this is a full pour? At least the YardHouse got SOMEthing right besides their food because they certainly screwed the pooch on their beer selection. How do you have THAT many taps, be THAT large, and have me strike out on 4 different beers? They were out of them! Out? How are you out? I mean, I picked the most interesting(read non traditional beers) on your menu and you're out? I know there are not that many people in this place that come here to drink things that are "interesting" because there are better places for that then here. We come here for the happy hour food(Awesome Half Price!).

With that being said Speakeasy made me a convert. I was a little turned off by their packaging in the store but I liked what I've had by accident with their White Lightning Wit. I don't know what it was but I just couldn't take it seriously. I passed on their beers multiple times in the store. I'm glad that this was my fifth choice at YardHouse.

This was a BIG, FILLING, DIPA. I mean, they are normally but this one had huge body. It came out with NO head, or maybe there was just no head because it overflowed since it was filled to the tip top. Surprisngly there was very little aroma. A little pine, a tad citrusy, otherwise pretty unremarkable.

First sip though, woah, wasn't sure if I was finishing this one, it was big. This was definitely a pinecone with some alcohol to back it up. 9.5 ABV but .it was hidden decently. This was chewy like I said. I like doubles though because I hate thin beer. Doubles also seem to be less carbonated which is good too. Too many bubbles reminds me of Bud, Miller, etc. etc.

Good beer, not a go to as a DIPA I still love the Hop Henge from Deschutes. I don't see how that one is EVER getting dethroned