Cosmic Wave Double IPA – Tofino Brewing Co. (Tofino, BC, Canada)

• My Rating: [B],  I gave it a (3.6 of 5) on Ratebeer.com

---

TL:DR – “smoothing drinkable 9%’er, big toffee-caramel malt with a bit of citrus. Guaranteed buzz.”

---

Cosmic Wave Double IPA – Tofino Brewing Co., 9% ABV, 650 ml., (Tofino, BC, Canada) (*local BC craft beer*)

---

on the front-left label:

“Join us on a transcendental journey free from the shackles of physical existence and beyond the known realms of consciousness. Let your mind’s eye guide you to the astral planes of extrasensory non-being where we will collectively ride the cosmic waves of unity deep inside the endless barrel of the infinite void. Also, this is a strong hoppy beer.”

(cool story, bra)

---

• Style: Double IPA / Imperial IPA
• Taste: Cloying authentic basic raspberry-apple light sour acidic
  
• Where I got it : High Point / Vancouver
• How much: $7.10 (after 20% off) – 650 ml., October 2016
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
• Recommended: 50/50
• What made an impression: solid toffee-caramel malt
  

---

Visual: (cellared for 1.5 years). Pours translucent copper brown-orange without much of a lasting head, half sticky lacking, ringed retention with a large island, lots of loose clustered active streams.

Nose: toffee malt, caramel, slight citrus undertones. (lvl-6)-pungency.

Attack: crisp, thicker mouthfeel

Mid-palate: light tingly, (lvl-7-sweetness), alcohol hit mixed with BOLD toffee-caramel malt, mild orange citrusy tang

Finish: orange peel exhale, resiny light bitter hop, subdued alcohol detection, slight grassy hop note

Summary: Big toffee-caramel malt flavour accompanied by a high but well-hidden ABV content. Smooth and very drinkable, goes nice with a meal. The alcohol hit comes later. This is still sippable and interesting after one glass down and as it decreases in temp. More resiny as it warms. Solid brew.

Double Cyclope – Brasserie Dunham (Dunham, QC, Canada)

• My Rating: [A-],  I gave it a (3.9 of 5) on Ratebeer.com

Double Cyclope – Brasserie Dunham, 8.6% ABV – 341 ml., (Dunham, Quebec, Canada)

---

3x dry-hopped. Hops: citra, ekuanot, el dorado, mosaic, amarillo

---

• Style: Double IPA / Imperial IPA
• Taste: big bright orange citrus bitter resiny hop sweet toffee malt
  
• Where I got it : High Point / Vancouver
• How much: $4.90 CAD (after 20% off) – 341 ml., October 2017
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
• Recommended: yes
  
• What made an impression: big bright orange citrus hops

---

Visual: Pours clear honey orange without much of a head, a hazy spotty micro layer with ring, lots of singular fast and slow steady streams.

Nose: bright tangerine-mandarin orange hop oils, hints of pomelo. (lvl-8)-pungency

Attack: thicker crisp, fruity citrus impression

Mid-palate: mild alcoholic heaviness, (lvl-4-sweetness), fruity tangerine toffee malt, metallic-resiny bitter

Finish: grapefruit-tangerine exhale, lingering soft bitter orange citrus hops

Summary: Big all around fruity orange citrus notes with soft bitter resiny hops and a solid malt backbone. Very sippable and went down with ease. Quite boozy by the last sip. Recommended.

Dubaï Pillée – Le Trou du Diable (Shawinigan, QC, Canada)

• My Rating: [A-],  I gave it a (4.0 of 5) on Ratebeer.com

Dubaï Pillée (Extra Strong Invasive Beer, IIPA)- Le Trou du Diable, 9% ABV, 600ml., (Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada)

---

on the back label:

“In 1954, Dubai was invaded and looted of its alcohol by extraterrestrials. Unfortunately, very few realize that the stocks are constantly diminishing… Their return is imminent.

Thus, we present this offering consisting of a beer with a white, lasting head, from which emerge fine exotic bubbles filled with predominant aromas of mango, passion fruit and apricot. Initially fruity, this beer features a well rounded and smooth a palate, punctuated with an alcohol warmth and a pronounced bitterness, which are both engaging in an ultimate conflict, therefore convincing the sceptics [sic] that the Great Invasion is coming.”

Ingredients: water, malted barley, hops, yeast.

(back)

---

• Style: Imperial India Pale Ale (IIPA)
• Taste: toffee malt sweet slight apricot heavy alcohol
  
• Where I got it : High Point / Vancouver
• How much: $8.90 (after 20% off) – 600ml., October 2016
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
  
• Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: not in particular
  
• What made an impression: overbearing alcohol

---

Visual: (Their own bottle for their brewery, raised lettering and devil on the bottom, odd size 600ml). (Cellared for 1 year). Pours rich golden orange with a fine 1mm lasting head, sticky lacing, very tight clustered micro active streams.

Nose: honey biscuity toffee barley malt, chamomile. (lvl-8)-pungency

Attack: soft crisp-thicker, heavy malt with alcohol impression

Mid-palate: honey toffee malt, (lvl-7-sweetness) with some alcoholic heat, chamomile, tangy apricot

Finish: woody honey exhale, residual malty bittersweet

Summary: Drinks good at 17.5°C. Good body and flavour, but the alcohol detection is on the invasive side, making it too heavy after multiple sips. Not quite as tropical as the description.

 

India Golden Ale – Breakside Brewery (Portland, OR, USA)

• My Rating: [B],  I gave it a (3.8 of 5) on Ratebeer.com

India Golden Ale (Double India Pale Ale) – Breakside Brewery, 8.1% ABV, 1 pt 6 fl.oz., (Portland, Oregon, USA)

---

from ratebeer.com:

“Formerly a collaboration with Ninkasi Brewing. IGA highlights the route that lots of new hop bombs are headed: light in body, lighter in color, and HUGE in citrus flavor and aroma. India Golden Ale or “I.G.A.” is a showcase for two relatively new hops, Mosaic and Eldorado. Mosaic gives the beer a bright mix of stonefruit and tropical flavors along with a big piney backbone. Eldorados are fruity and soften the finish. Breakside keeps the malt bill incredibly simple to allow the hops to take center stage in this elegant and beguiling beer. 8.1% ABV 60 IBU malts: 2 Row, British Munich hops: Mosaic, Eldorado, Chinook”

---

• Style: Imperial IPA / Double IPA
• Taste: Tropical fruity to grainy barley malt stealth alcohol subtle bitter
  
• Where I got it : BC Liquor Stores
• How much: $9.42 CAD – 1 pt. 6 fl.oz., July 2017
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: yes
  
• Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: for sure
  

---

Visual: Pours virtually clear golden orange with a small 1mm head, half lacing, loose clusters of active streams.

Nose: passionfruit-tangerine brightness with a touch of grassy hop, very clean and inviting. (lvl-7)-pungency

Attack: thicker-crisp, slightly creamy, citrus malt impression

Mid-palate: (lvl-4-sweetness), alcohol hit-low detection, passionfruit, mild pineapple, big tangerine citrusy, fruity-toffee barley malt

Finish: mild grapefruit bitter, tangerine exhale, off-dry bready grain, subtle bitter

Summary: Super stealth 8.1% ABV happening here, meaning that the complexity and balance matches its moderately high alcohol content. I wished for the tropical fruitness in the mids to last longer but instead the sweet barley kicks in a bit early.

Pure Hoppiness DIPA – Alpine Beer Company (Alpine, CA, USA)

• My Rating: [A-],  I gave it a (4 of 5) on Ratebeer.com

Pure Hoppiness Double India Pale Ale – Alpine Beer Company, 8.0% ABV, 12 oz., (Alpine, California, USA)

---

on the front-right label:

“This mega-hopped, West Coast-Style India Pale Ale will take you to hop heaven! We’ve used hops in the boil, more hops in the giant hopback, and added to that, an incredible amount of dry-hopping for that cutting edge ‘hop bite.’ Once you’ve tasted this unique beer, all others pale in comparison. Drink better beer so… drink Alpine ale or go to bed!”

---

• Style: Double IPA / Imperial IPA
• Taste: Balanced grassy citrus/dry peach toffee malt dry bitter hopped finish
• Where I got it : Bottle Jockey / N. Burnaby
• How much: $5 (after 12.5% off) – 12 oz., March 2016
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
• Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: clean DIPA without being excessive
  

---

Visual: Pours deep copper orange with a small but lasting foamy head, sticky lacing, lots of steady clustered streams.

Nose: peachy-grapefruity citrus hop oils. (lvl-6)-pungency – (optimal at cellar temp)

Attack: crisp, thick and smooth mouthfeel

Mid-palate: tangerine hop oils, (lvl-4-sweetness), toffee’d barley malt, subdued zingy alcohol

Finish: big-rounded orange citrusy hopped bitterness, dry grassiness, clean finish

Summary: Seemingly simple yet it’s because it is so balanced. What surprised me was how superbly sippable this was – the hops linger just long enough, without being overly harsh at any point. Very nice.

Heelch O’Hops DIPA – Anderson Valley Brewing Co. (Boonville, CA, USA)

• My Rating: [B-],  I gave it a (3.4 of 5) on Ratebeer.com

Heelch O’Hops Double India Pale Ale – Anderson Valley Brewing Company, 8.7% ABV, 22 oz., (Boonville, California, USA)

---

on the front-left label:

“A color of polished brass with copper tints and a wavy, dense tan head. Aromas of California citrus and aromatic biscuits, with hints of fresh redwood needles greet your nose.  An assertive hop bitterness is delivered to your palate, and balanced beautifully with a malty richness and long, warm, and hoppy finish.”

(left)

---

• Style: Imperial IPA / Double IPA
• Taste: Heavy alcoholic biscuity barley malt orange/grapefruit citrus grassy numbing bitter hops
  
• Where I got it : Bainbridge Liquor / Burnaby
• How much: $11.40 CAD (after 10% off) – 22 oz., February 2016
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
• Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: mostly
  

---

Visual: Pours orangish-brown with a very small head, half-sticky lacing, thin big island retention, steady singular streams

Nose: sweet whiskey’d alcoholic barley malt. (lvl-4)-pungency

Attack: fine-creamy full CO2, incoming heavy malt

Mid-palate: (lvl-6-sweetness), biscuity-toffee malts, tangy orange/grapefruit citrus, alcohol heavy

Finish: grassy woody bitter hops, residual alcoholic barley malt sweet, palate numbing bitter.

Summary: Good bold biscuity malt flavour backed by significant citrus hopped bitterness. It drinks quite alcoholic heavy, not the smoothest DIPA that I’ve had.

Vexillum Imperial IPA – Four Winds Brewing (Delta, BC, Canada)

• My Rating: [B],  I gave it a (3.5 of 5) on Ratebeer.com

Vexillum Imperial IPA – Four Winds Brewing Co., 9% ABV, 650ml, (Delta, BC, Canada) (*local BC craft beer*)

---

on the front-left label:

“Vexillum, an ancient Imperial Roman symbol for strength and nobility. This insistently hoppy IPA reveals notes of Grapefruit and Melon while finishing bitter, yet affably balanced.”

---

• Style:Imperial IPA
• Taste: Full tangy tangerine sweet malt grapefruit/melon hop exhale
  
• Where I got it : traded with my brother
• How much: ~$9 CAD – 650ml., Sometime in 2015
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
• Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: 50/50
  

---

Visual: Pours golden orange with virtually no head, very thin hazy layer of retention, slow steady streams.

Nose: tangerine grassy hops, background alcohol. (lvl-5)-pungency

Attack: onset of heavy alcohol, micro half-creamy, mildly slick

Mid-palate: alcohol detection, tangerine hop oils, (lvl-6-sweetness), fruity-citrus malt, tangy

Finish: soft grapefruit bitter hops, lingering full maltiness, faint melon exhale

Summary: smooth-full tangy citrus malt, alcoholic but overall quite clean. Solid.

La Vache Folle Aramis Double IPA – Microbrasserie Charlevoix (Quebec, Canada)

• My Rating: [B-],  I gave it a (3.6 of 5) on Ratebeer.com

La Vache Folle Aramis Double IPA – Microbrasserie Charlevoix, 9% ABV, 500 ml., (Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec, Canada)

---

on the back label:

This 9th Vache Folle Double India Pale Ale is intended to introduce a new hop variety. Aramis !!! A floral and spicy hop variety from Alsace. Enjoy!

---

• Style: Double IPA / Imperial IPA
• Taste: Alcohol zingy-tangy partial dark fruit apricot sweet barley malty tongue numb dry bitter hops.
  
• Where I got it : Firefly / Vancouver
• How much: $8 CAD (after 10% off) – 500ml., May 2012
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
  
• Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: yes
  

---

Visual: (cellared for 4 years). Pours translucent orange-brown with a small 1mm lasting creamy head, hazy creamy islands for retention, half-sticky lacing, clusters of steady and fast streams.

Nose: perfumed apricot, fleshy peach (lvl-6)-pungency

Attack: thicker-crisp, incoming bitter hops

Mid-palate: alcohol forward bitterness, tangy-zingy acidity, (lvl-7-sweetness), almost dark fruit, apricot, faint lemon, medium heavy sweet barley malt

Finish: tongue numbness, nutmeg, alcoholic heat, dry short bitter hops.

Summary: Very tangy-zingy for a IIPA, also quite alcohol forward. It doesn’t quite have that uplifting counterbalance for the 9% ABV to make it truly exceptional.

He’Brew Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A – Shmaltz Brewing Co. (NY, USA)

• My Rating: [A-],  I gave it a (3.8 of 5) on Ratebeer.com

He’Brew Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A – Shmaltz Brewing Company, 10% ABV, 12 fl.oz., (Clifton Park, NY, USA)

---

from ratebeer.com:

“Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the death of Lenny Bruce: A Rye based double IPA. Brewed with an obscene amount of malts and hops. Shocking flavors – Far beyond contemporary community standards. The Most Radical Jewish Tribute Beer ever created. 10% alc. — Malts: 2-row, Rye Ale Malt, Torrified Rye, Crystal Rye 75, Crystal Malt 65, Wheat, Kiln Amber, Caramel 70 — Hops: Warrior, Cascade, Simcoe, Crystal, Chinook, Amarillo, Centennial. Dry Hopped with Amarillo and Crystal”

---

• Style: Double / Imperial IPA
• Taste: Superfine creamy resiny grapefruit bitter hop toffee malt smooth
  
• Where I got it : Brewery Creek / Vancouver
• How much: $39 CAD (after 10% off) – 8 x 12 fl.oz. + glassware, May 2012
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
  
• Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: yes, try it to believe it
  

---

Visual: (cellared for 4 years). Pours deep mahogany brown with a long lasting ultra-creamy small head, sticky micro lacing, super fine layer of 1mm retention, clusters of snail speed streams near the surface.

Nose: toffee barley malt. (lvl-4)-pungency

Attack: superfine creamy smooth, thick-dense mouthfeel, suspended micro CO2

Mid-palate: grapefruit bitter hops, (lvl-5-sweetness), toffee toasted barley malt, resiny, trace metallic

Finish: sweet-heavy alcohol hit, dry rye malt.

Summary: Super duper creamy mouthfeel unlike most others, stealth 10% ABV hits hard once it’s all over. Very drinkable, up there.

90 Minute Imperial IPA – Dogfish Head (Milton, DE, USA)

• My Rating: [A+],  I gave it a (4.2 of 5) on Ratebeer.com

90 Minute Imperial IPA – Dogfish Head, 9% ABV, 12 fl.oz., (Milton, Delaware, USA)

on the front label:

“What you have here is an Imperial India Pale Ale featuring a single, constant 90-minute hop addition. It’s balanced by a ridiculous amount of English Two-row Barley. Then we dry-hop it in every tank.”

---

• Style: Imperial IPA
• Taste: Nano creamy orange citrus toffee barley malt subtle hop zen balance
  
• Where I got it : Uwajimaya / Seattle
• How much: $13.14 USD / $17 CAD – 4×12 fl.oz., October 2015
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: yes
• Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: yes, taste the zen
  

---

Visual: Pours clear deep orange without much head, very thin hazy layer of retention, scattered singular steady streams.

Nose: clean biscuity toffee malts. (lvl-6)-pungency

Attack: crisp-slick-thick, nano creamy mouthfeel

Mid-palate: (lvl-5)-sweetness, tangy-light sour backbone, (MAIN) orange citrus , toffee barley malt

Finish: residual sweet barley malt, super subtle dry grassy citrus bitter hops, zen-like clean finish

Summary: Incredibly smooth transitions and outright ridiculously well hidden 9% ABV. After 800+ beer tastings I’ve never come across such a fluffy creamy mouthfeel! A must try for any beer connoisseur.