Imperial IPA

I found myself wandering the aisles of the St. Lawrence Market LCBO on my lunch break from work wondering if I will in fact find a truly mysterious beer. My plans to acquire Flying Monkey's Cascadian Dark Ale had fallen apart (another post, another day, get ready) but I still craved something new and interesting.
Lo and behold, I saw a little card boldly stating: "Quite possibly the hoppiest beer this side of the Atlantic."
My eyes zoomed into that key word: "hoppiest". I looked up and grabbed the bottle of Imperial IPA that the phrase was attached to and felt confident with (possibly) my new best friend.

Hops are an interesting part of the beer making process. I don't know a ton about them, but if you care to know more there is an awesome Wikipedia page on Hops that will explain the history and purpose of hops. All I know is that they are what makes beer so bitter, tangy, and flavourful. Most of my favourite beers are considered "hoppy" as I generally seek out strong IPAs (Indian Pale Ale). You could say I'm a "hophead", as defined in the menu of C'est What (a brewpub in downtown Toronto with a beer selection plucked from heaven): "A beer geek that seeks out only the bitterest brews."
This statement is an accurate description of me. I am a total beer geek (look where you are) and I love the most hoppiest bitter beers.

Now, just a tip for those who are already turned off by my description of hops. I understand that bitter is not a pleasant flavour - at first - and not something that most people desire from a beer. For those who are casual drinkers of ale and are more comfortable with the lighter lagers readily available at any bar or restaurant I can see why this is a dilemma. However, I know from experience that the best way for you guys to understand how delicious a bitter hoppy IPA is would be by drinking it alongside a delicious meal. The first time I tried the phenomenally incredible beer Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA was with a fresh pizza. Boy did those flavour soften and brighten after taking a bite of food. I don't mean in the same mouthful, but take a bite - swallow - then take a sip of the bitter beer and the harsh elements of the hops will fade as the intense flavour takes over. I guarantee you non-believers that this will have an affect that you will be unable to deny.

Now, back to the Imperial, because I have just opened the bottle and taken the first sip. Wow. This is majorly hoppy. It's definitely got that heavy punch to the tongue kind of intense flavour that I look for in a hoppy beer. That initial sip should be like a spike into your taste buds and only as you continue drinking the beer does the spike turn into tasty brush strokes against your palette. I'm now pouring it into a pint glass and noticing how thick and orange it is. This stuff is probably more unfiltered than it states on the bottle! I cannot see through the liquid at all, however it doesn't run thick like a stout. It's still got a smooth and light consistency, but it's cloudy like a thick fog. At 7.0% alcohol you also feel it pretty quickly, which I'm not complaining about it. Hehehe. There is a definite lingering citrus flavour, as the bottle states on the side of the label, much like a nice grapefruit. However what I'm finding to be most unique about this beer is the initial flavour of caramel. It's really smooth and coasts in then coasts out as the citrusy bitterness takes over. As smooth as this beer is, it's definitely not for amateurs. I'm starting to wonder if it's claim of being the "hoppiest beer this side of the Atlantic" is actually pretty damn accurate.
Lets see how she handles a bit of food. I've just stuffed two Triscuits in my mouth, which I figure with the saltiness will be a good contrast to bring out the right flavours in thee Imperial IPA... Okay, as I guessed it, much softer now. This is an incredible beer. However, much like a great death metal album or great tragic Danish drama, this is something you have to be in the mood for and is clearly not for everyone. At $4.50 a bottle it's not too bad of a price considering it's 500mL of high quality beer. It's actually quite a lot of beer as I am already starting to get full. This beer is an experience, it tells a story, as corny as it sounds, and I am fully going to recommend this to those who like IPAs and trying crazy beers.

90% : Not for everyone, but what an experience. Caramel-meets-harsh-bitter-citrus-explosion. This one is for the hopheads!