From Portland, OR comes Bridgeport’s Hop Czar Imperial IPA (7.5% alc imperial IPA, poured at home from a 12 oz bottle).
Aroma and Appearance: Pours a cloudy amber, with nice lacy foam and the aroma consists of tropical floral notes, a bit of citrus and mango.
Flavour: First of all there is a real bitterness to this one that hits you throughout and is a bit over powering in my opinion. I get a bit of citrus and pine flavour, a dry bitter finish and a touch of sweetness at the tip of my tongue.
Overall Impression: sadly, for an Imperial IPA I was pretty dissapointed in this one. I have had so many better one’s that I was dissapointed in this one and I’d say one of the least enjoyable of the stronger IPA’s I have tried.
Rating: It’s not for me, 4/10 below average, not a beer I would go back to ever. I don’t do well with palette wrecker style beers so I have a bias here, rather I appreciate the well balances one’s like Fat Tug, Hop Therapy, Red Racer and Four Winds. I like some kick, but this is too much for me. Similar to Stone Ruination, I just don’t like beers in this style very much as they remind me of the last sip of coffee in a pressed coffee cup where you get all the bitterness and very little flavour. If you love overly bitter beer, this one is for you, if you like balance than this isn’t for you. Their other beers are much better in my opinion, I will have to review something from them that better matches my palette.
Food Pairing: pair with dark, bitter 95-99% chocolate.
West Coast Beer Geek 