Beer Style: Belgian IPA
ABV/IBU: 8.3%/60
Serving Style: Poured from the bottle into a Sam Adams sensory glass.
Appearance: Perfection. Pours completely clear with a thick pillowy head that sticks around for awhile. Great carbonation level along with a perfect deep copper color. Exactly what an IPA should look like. 5/5
Smell: Wow, it just leaps out of the glass. There is a decent amount of Belgian funk there, with a flowery herbal note (chamomile?), and slightly citric and flower hop aromas as well. 4/5
Taste: Orange citrus elements are matched equally with the flavors imparted by the Belgian yeast. There is a nice undercurrent of herbal, resinous hop flavors as well, and maybe some subtle tropical fruit elements. I detected a little alkalinity and there was a bit of dry tongue bite on the finish at times. It's not quite as perfect integration of flavors as I would have liked, but I feel that way about most Belgian IPAs as the flavors don't necessarily meld well. 3.5/5
Mouthfeel: Zippy up front with some carbonation bite. Good body -- thick, a bit chewy, supports the flavors nicely. 4.5/5
Drinkability: It hides the 8% well with a big juicy flavor profile and a dry, sharp finish. The alkalinity tired my tongue out after most of a bottle, however. I've never been a huge Flying Dog fan, but this is a solid beer for the style - it's just not a very good style, in my opinion. 3.5/5
Overall grade: B+
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