Tree House Brewing Company Very Green American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.3% ABV (Gift – thanks, Norm!, 473 ml, packaged on 3-Sep-2019, acquired 1-Oct-2019, reviewed 3-Oct-2019)
Appearance: opaque medium gold with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy tropical fruit, tangerines, green grass, resiny pine. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (9/10) Medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry slightly sticky mildly warming finish. (4/5)
I called Green “an excellent example of Galaxy hopping, but in my opinion too restrained.” I also said I was marking it down because it was too easy to drink. Well, this is pretty much what I was asking for: more of everything. In particular, the resiny pine comes through more clearly, especially as it warms. I’ve also noticed that there seems to be an ABV sweet spot for emphatic AIPAs, right around eight to nine percent – big enough to get your attention, but not so hot and boozy to prevent enjoying a second (or third, or…) one – and this is right in that sweet spot. So, yeah, it’s better than Green – which is saying something. (I still like Doubleganger better though.) (17/20)
8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
