It's medium-light in body, and gently crisp. On that note, I get that it's 8% ABV but it doesn't seem like a DIPA to me, it's lacking in body and residual sugar ~ just my take. It's quite refreshing, and I'm not finding the alcohol at all. It's not that bitter, and it seems perfectly balanced. It does still have some resinous character, which is nice, and there's a pleasant swirl of lightly herbal character in the finish. Gooseberry resides between those two but the passion fruit, mango and berries are limited.
I'm finding it a bit lemony, subtly tangerine-like, and very slightly grapefruit-y. It's basic, and that's what you want to allow the hops to come through although I'm not getting nearly as much as I thought I would based on the aroma. The malt isn't as sweet as I thought it would be, and although I get some of the wheat I'm not finding any oat flavor, which is fine. I'd put it somewhere in the middle-upper level tier for sourness. It's not overtly acidic though, and it's clean. Well, maybe not that strong, but you get the whole hop resin thing.
It's like opening up a 44 pound bag of hops. It's fruity, and it seems like it will be sweetish but also tangy, but there's also a bright hop resin note that's great.
It's a hazy yellow gold beneath a full head of white foam. It's pretty light in color so maybe I'm wrong about that "C10", or they've just used a tiny bit. I guess I should just keep going and note that it's got wheat and flaked oats and "C10" which I'm guessing is caramel malt. Notes via stream of consciousness: So what is this? "THE BIG DIPA" with CTZ, Idaho 7, and Strata hops. Medium light in body, the beer's creamy upstart seems to stay through the finish, drying only in the end where the peppery hop resins and piquant acidity join to provide a pleasantly bitter and sour balance to make this the first actually refreshing "hazy IP" known to man. But the hops have a final say with a mild mannered bitterness that carry those herbal, hemp-like and tea-like spices to finalize the beer's flavor and balance. Then comes the sourness that teases and taunts the middle palate with green apple, gooseberry, white grape and tamarind. A complement of tropical fruit also carry a strong passionfruit, yuzu and agave flavor with succulence to go along with the zesty citrus. With a hint of cereal and dough at its core, the scantly sweet taste of dry bread, wafer and sourdough lays a thin veil of support.Ī war between hops and acidity break out on the middle palate as the hops bring a strong grapefruit presence with orange peels, lemon and lime. With the striking scent of citrus, tropic and herbal perfume tease with tartness, hoppiness and spice. Making this "Cosmic Connection", the beer of that namesake, pours a moderately hazy pale straw color while building a swell of white seafoam.
Victory finds itself in a victory lane that's simply out of this world. In what might be the first of a kind: a sour New England-style Imperial IPA that actually lives up to expectations.