Powerthirst

“Powerthirst” used to be the name of my Double IPA, but it was by default. The truth is, a 1.100 OG, 120 IBU beer isn’t that extreme any more.

Recommended serving size: 8 fl oz.

This beer is.

14.5% ABV, 110 IBU, half a pound of malt and a quarter-ounce of hops per pint… I don’t know if this is the biggest IPA ever brewed, but it’s certainly the biggest I know of. DFH has their 120 Minute, but if we’re being honest, that doesn’t taste like an IPA; this most definitely does. It has a brutal, resiny, almost chewy hop flavor, backed up by a really fantastic interplay of malty sweetness and fruity alcohol. Even in the aftertaste, the tongue-numbing hop bitterness dominates, with the warming alcohol sneaking up behind it slowly. If someone told me this was a 9% IIPA, I would believe them, and proceed to get unintentionally hammered.

The picture doesn’t really do this one justice: it’s hazy and probably always will be, and with the flash the camera can’t pick up its true color. That’s just the price you pay for using five pounds of hops per barrel, I suppose. BeerTools Pro puts the color at 14.5 SRM, and if anything it may be a bit lighter than that. Head formation is minimal, but a wispy cap actually holds on through the entire glass, and leaves some lacing.

The aroma isn’t so fantastic, unfortunately – a problem I’ve noticed with other beers that use a lot of Galena. The other, more citrusy late hops hold their own in flavor, but the earthiness of the Galena dominates in the nose. It would be fine for an ESB, but doesn’t really work for an American IPA. If and when I do something like this again, I’ll probably try an equally potent but more stereotypically American variety. Maybe Chinook.

If you’re a hophead like me, you really owe it to yourself to push the limits with a beer like this. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
 
 
Powerthirst recipe (PDF)