Battle of the Beers!! Double IPA Edition

Alpine Pure Hoppiness
"A West Coast Double IPA
So mega-hopped it 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."

                                              - Alpine Beer Company

Karl Strauss Big Barrel   
"When we kicked-off this series of intense hoppy beers, we wanted to go big. Imported New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hops provide a vibrant tropical aroma that raises eyebrows and expectations. Aggressive amounts of Warrior and Ahtanum hops produce an assertive bitterness that stands out against a firm malt backbone. Balanced even at 90 IBUs, Big Barrel leaves a considerable first impression that serves as a prelude of things to come."

                                                     - Karl Strauss Brewing Company

            VS

       Alpine Beer Company              :Brewery:    Karl Strauss Brewing Company

           Pure Hoppiness                       :Beer:                             Big Barrel

             Double IPA                             :Style:                       Double IPA

                     8%                              :ABV:                              9%

Today we feature a battle from 2 hop heavy double IPA's brewed right here in San Diego. Karl Strauss's Big Barrel boasts using the tropical and fruity Nelson Sauvin hops, and while Alpine beer company's famed IPA Nelson is named after the New Zealand hop, I believe Pure Hoppiness utilizes the tasty hop as well. Which is another reason why I felt this would be a great head to head battle. 

Most of you already know my love for Alpine Beer Company as they have done my palate no wrong and the streak continues as Pure Hoppiness an excellent double IPA. Rich gold body capped off with its pearl head gives the beer an very inviting appeal. Hints of pine, grapefruit and peach fill the nose. The taste is a tropical ride full of sweet fruity flavors followed by a smooth bitterness. Definitely worth the find and the trip out to Alpine. 

Aroma: 9

Appearance: 5

Flavor: 9

Palate: 4
Style Rating: 10/10

Overall: 27/30

Karl Strauss's Big Barrel is my favorite beer from the historic San Diego brewery. It was the first beer I had tasted that used the Nelson Sauvin hops,  although at the time I wasn't aware of my eventual love for the hop. Citrus and floral scents fill the aroma with hints of peach. The malt bill gives the beer an amber body, crowned with a slight off white head, as well as strong back bone to pair with the fruity, sweet flavors that transfer into a slick bitter ending. Big Barrel is top notch and is highly recommended. 

Aroma: 8

Appearance: 4

Flavor: 8

Palate: 4
Style Rating: 9/10

Overall: 24/30

The Winner?: Pure Hoppiness takes this one. While both double IPA's are worthy of your time and money, PH takes your palate to a whole new level of stellar beer. What blew me away, and probably what makes Alpine Beer Company's tiny brewery so incredible, was how fresh the beer always is. With most IPA's, you should drink them as fresh as they come as the longer they age, the first thing that starts dissolving is the hop flavors. When I went up last Tuesday, they had JUST bottle Nelson the previous day. If you go up today, they JUST bottled Pure Hoppiness this past Monday. I guess that is the perk of having such a small brewery. So go to Alpine, get some amazingly fresh beer and follow their motto: drink Alpine of go to bed. 

DAR. KCCO!

Ballast Point - Double Dorado

"On a quest to make delicious beers, our brewers have continually sought creative new ways to accentuate the delightfully aromatic and flavorful qualities of hops. Hopheads rejoice! Dorado Double IPA takes hops to a new level. Mash Hopping, First Wort Hopping, Kettle Hopping, and Dry Hopping create an award winning beer that embodies San Diego’s reputation for making world class IPAs. Our bottle Robust Series gives all beer lovers an opportunity to try our most rare beers, previously available only on draft at select tap houses. Enjoy! Get the Point! World Beer Cup 2006 Bronze Award Winner"
                                                          - Ballast Point Brewing Company

  

Brewery: Ballast Point

Beer: Double Dorado

Style: Double IPA

ABV: 10%

For many years Ballast Point's home brew mart/ tasting room served as my happy hour hangout. While they do not have an official happy hour, their prices might suggest otherwise. 4 ounce tasters for 1-2$ of great beer is hard to beat and it was here that I started learning about all of the different ways to add flavors to your beer. I have always considered Ballast Point to be on the cutting edge of the craft beer industry as they have served chili infused beers and added new twists to their core beers for many years. Look at them today, they have just released their canned line of beers and they are selling as fast as they can be put on the shelf. 

There is no surprise there, Ballast Point's beers are solid. BigEye is a great IPA. Sextant is a flavorful stout. Sculpin is excellent! But before my love of Sculpin came about, something you will hear plenty of come the time of review, my first Ballast Point favorite was Double Dorado. The robust hoppiness packs as much of a punch as the whopping 10% ABV, giving my palate that bitter kick it craves. 

The golden body glows with it's white creamy head, deceivingly hiding its power. The aroma is heavy with pine and grapefruit goodness. The initial flavor is packed with floral, fruity hoppiness followed by more of the same hop flavors with a strong malt back bone. Ballast Points gets it, and yes, Hop heads will rejoice! 

Aroma: 8

Appearance: 4

Flavor: 8

Palate: 4
Style Rating: 9/10

Overall: 24/30

FLBP? KCCO!!

Green Flash - Palate Wrecker

"Palate Wrecker was originally brewed for the Hamilton’s Tavern 2nd Anniversary celebration. It’s the most complicated West Coast–inspired IPA we have ever brewed—mashing and sparging with hopped wort, in addition to our hop layering regimen for IPA. By popular demand, it is now released for the world to enjoy."

                                                - Green Flash Brewery

Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Company

Beer: Palate Wrecker

Style: Double IPA

ABV: 9.5%

With the amount of new breweries opening up in San Diego, such as Mad Lab, Thorn Street and Saint Archer, I find myself rushing to try their newest beers and in doing so, bypassing some of the older and more established beers. These new breweries are striving to make a name and are taking craft beers to a whole new level, with Mad Lab's Succubus (a tasty Mango Blonde) and Thorn Street's Smuggler's cove (an Agave Amber), its easy to get caught up in the frenzy. I knew that in doing this blog, I would have to revisit some old favorites, sucks to be me right? Hah! But what I didn't know was how much my palate has matured and has come to appreciate some of these older beers that I had taken for granted. 

I've had Green Flash's Palate Wrecker many times before and always placed it as a SOLID beer. But I didn't really recognize the exquisite flavors contained in this beer until I recently re-tasted it. Placing a number value on certain categories helps me see things in perspective The aroma is everything you want in a west coast style double IPA. Hop heavy with hints of grapefruit and pine while the body flaunts its stark amber hue and creamy white head. Palate Wrecker delivers with piney, floral and grapefruit flavors and ends with a bitterness that surely does wreck thy palate. Any beers that are drank immediately after Palate Wrecker do not taste the same as this beer truly lives up to its name. 

Aroma: 8

Appearance: 4

Flavor: 8

Palate: 4
Style Rating: 9.5/10

Overall: 24/30

It's Monday, you can use some Motivation. KCCO