Review: Harpoon Leviathan Imperial IPA

Poured from a bottle into a Sam Adams Sensory glass.

Look: A very mildly hazy golden orange brew with a thin head. A very light amount of cabronation is evident rising from the nucleation points. Attractive, sure, but not beautiful.

Smell: A really great nose on this one, sweet, resinous, citrus, floral - pretty damn big. Definitely pulls you in for a taste.

Taste: Really, really, big for something out of a 12 ounce bottle, even though that statement makes no sense... It has a huge aromatic hop flavor hits your mouth with a rich sweetness that isn't cloying in the least. The initial flavors subside to the typical DIPA dry-bitter tongue that isn't exactly ideal. Complex and definitely ingriguing, but you can definitely tell it's high alcohol. Very tasty.

Mouthfeel: A nice, fairly thick brew with good levels of carbonation. I could say the usual "dances across the tongue" stuff, but that's a little silly here. It's got a really nice overall texture and is assuredly appealing, but nothing either outstanding or deplorable.

Drinkability: This is a fantastic Imperial with a ton of flavor, and if you like the style the bottle will be gone before you know it. It's a big beer that doesn't really hide the booze, but full of big flavors and aromas and shows you what an IPA can be if pushed to the limits. A winner from Harpoon, definitely heads and shoulders above their normal fare.