Phillips Brewing Company Gorilla Mode Juice Wizard – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9.5% ABV (C$5.95 at Collective, 568 ml, best before 6-May-2025, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 24-Dec-2024)
Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: orange juice, tropical & stone fruit, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, sticky sweet medium duration mildly warming finish. (3/5)
I flip-flopped a little on scoring here, as this is ultimately a little bit of a train wreck, and certainly lacking in anything resembling subtlety. On the other hand, who would expect subtlety from something called “Gorilla Mode”? They’ve obviously gone heavy on adjuncts to temper the impact of the high ABV, which makes me wonder about the intended audience here – is this supposed to be a kiddie alco-pop? – but ultimately it’s pretty drinkable and enjoyable, so I guess I let other folks worry about their own kids. (15/20)
This will be my 6,056th unique Untappd check-in.
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
