Phillips Brewing Company Super Cooper Fourteenth Anniversary Ale American Double / Imperial IPA at 11.6% ABV (C$7.49 at South Trail Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)
Appearance: hazy pale amber with one finger of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: oaky bourbon, vanilla, citrus, stone fruit, caramel. (6/10) Taste: moderate-strong sweet, strong bitter, moderate alcohol. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, warm tending to hot whiskey finish. (3/5)
A bit of a weird beast. Lots going on, including a pretty hot woody bourbon presence, but it’s not actually offensive. …well, OK, maybe it’s a little offensive – in the “best defence” sense of the word. By which I mean, it proactively beats the snot out of your tastebuds so there won’t be any backtalk from those traitorous little rabble-rousers, then proceeds to lay waste to your central nervous system. I respect that. (13/20)
6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
