Driftwood Brewery Twenty Pounder American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV (C$8.79 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, bottle date 7-Apr-2016, acquired 22-Apr-2016, reviewed 24-Apr-2016)
Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of fluffy ivory head, excellent retention and lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, dank pine, caramel malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium oily body, moderate carbonation, sticky and warming bitter finish. (4/5)
Massive across the board, but balanced. I wouldn’t call the hops “bright”, exactly, but they’re certainly fresh – only a couple of weeks old. It’s got to be at least 75-80 IBU, and that amount of bitterness requires a significant supporting malt presence. So, it’s sweet, sure, but not inappropriately so. Drinks pretty easy, with the high ABV manifesting only as a mild warming. An excellent example of the style. (And don’t you just love the new label?) (16/20)
8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
