Transport yourself to now. As I sit here and contemplate how this beer is going to taste, I am struck by something that has caught my attention a couple of times in the past. This beer is brewed by Mikkeller, a brewery in Belgium. Belgium, obviously, is historically quite the beer mecca. This beer is an "American Style Imperial India Pale Ale." To have breweries from distinguished locations around the world brewing an "American-style" anything is a true testament to how far we have indeed come in terms of beer. No longer are we scoffed at, mostly by ourselves, by our basic America light lagers. We are truly making a name for ourselves in the world of beer, and I couldn't be happier about it.
IBUs are, simply, International Bitterness Units. The number attributed relates to flavor and bitterness of the beer through the hops used during the brewing process. In traditional American light lagers (Bud/Miller/Coors) the IBUs are somewhere around 5-10. There you have it. The big 3, in each of their beers, have .01% of the IBUs that this beer possesses. Traditional IPAs fluctuate in terms of IBUs, but they are usually around 30-40 for a basic IPA. Obviously, Double IPAs are higher. Even stouts are up around 50 or so, but the bitterness is usually leveled-out by the roasted malts. These are just basic, traditional numbers. Obviously, different beers have different IBUs, but now you must also see how astonishing a beer with 1000 IBUs is! This is just another interesting fact about beer that is quite often overlooked. Next time you see the Miller commercial that claims the beer is, "Triple-Hops Brewed," ask yourself what that really means. Anyways, let's get to the beer.
The beer pours a murky amber with a good amount of sediment. I did not pour this brew too quickly, for I believe it is just a case of sediment evenly distributed throughout the brew. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this one. I got almost no head on pouring the beer, but I can tell that it is off-white and doesn't last long. While it is a murky amber color, when held up to light the outsides have a ruby redness to them. That color is quite fitting, considering the citrus coming off the nose of this beer is astounding. Lots of grapefruit, orange zest, and sweet fruit aromas flood the nostrils immediately. I can also smell pine on the nose as well. Overall, I cannot wait to try it.
WOW. The beginning of the taste is sweet in flavor, but as the beer hits different parts of the tongue, it changes completely. The middle of my initial taste metaphorically socked me in the face with hops, pine, and extreme dryness. The aftertaste is so incredibly dry, bitter, and quite strong on the alcohol front. Yet, I really want another sip of this delicious brew. While the malt characteristics are short-lived (I can taste the malts in the beginning/middle and slightly in the aftertaste), I think Mikkeller accomplished what they attempted to do here with an American Style IPA. Quite honestly, this seems more like a DIPA or possibly even a TIPA. As I progressively drink more, however, the complexity takes a back seat and bitter hoppiness becomes the only thing you taste. I would, most definitely, call this a palate buster. There goes my palate for the rest of the night, but it is way worth it. I expected this beer to be bitter to the point that I would have to share it with someone else just to finish the bottle. I was wrong, obviously. For a beer that has 1000 IBUs and ranks in at 9.6% ABV, it is relatively easy-drinking. Would I give this beer to someone new to the craft beer world? Absolutely not. On the other hand, hopheads rejoice. This beer may put somewhat of a dent in your pocketbook, but it is well worth it for the experience. 1000 IBUs people! Go get one.
