Mad River Brewing Co. -- Steelhead Double IPA

Mad River Brewing Co.'s Steelhead Double India Pale Ale, "goes great with red meats and life in general. Does not go well with driving or machinery."

 8.6% ABV and a balance 85 IBU's

Review:

85 IBU's? Hold up there! The calculation of IBU's is mostly theoretical unless analyzed by a lab. If this beer has 85 IBU's than either, A: it wasn't very fresh, or B: the hop additions were mixed in with the lion's share going in for aroma and bittering-- but not for flavor. Both possibilities are plausible, but since I received this beer off of an incoming shipment, I suspect that the answer is closer to option B. This would make sense since the beer shares many characteristics with Mad River's Jamaica Sunset IPA. The aroma is dominated by citrus hop and Chinook hop aromas. There are hints of sulfur and grain husk, but in fleetingly small amounts. The Head pours ivory (see above) and stands 1/2 inch thick. While slightly opaque, the orange color does not reveal any suspended solids. For reference, the body of this beer is similar to Torpedo Extra IPA from SN. There are two flavors that come to mind when tasting this beer: Chrystal malts and orangey hop character. Both are signature IPA flavors. There is a touch of a Centenial hop bite in the finish...but this only reveals itself after the beer has come to ale temperature.
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(Mahalo to my brother for the VERY appropriate glassware!)

Overall Impression: 

A consumer purchasing this beer may assume that it would be a stronger, hoppier version of Mad River's Extra Pale Ale. That would be incorrect. This beer shares almost no common flavors or aroma characteristics with that fine beer. Indeed, this is much more likely a stronger version of the Jamaica Sunset IPA. Both have orange color, both are IPA's, both have an orange flavor hop characteristic while having little hop flavor, and both have a similar malt flavor.
Now, this beer takes a lot of flack from Hopheads who expect a Double IPA to be hopped out of balance and have a ganja like aroma. But, there is no reason that this is necessary. I find this beer to be delightfully drinkable, hoppy, balanced, and most importantly, a beer that makes you happy to be alive.
Did I mention it is a VERY drinkable 8.6%?

Grade: A

Barrel Man Say,

"A balanced DIPA."

(bottle purchased at Liquor Collection)