The Swill: Double Dog Double Pale Ale
The Still: Flying Dog Brewery
Denver, Colorado
http://www.flyingdogales.com/
The Drill: Double Pale Ale, 12oz bottle, 11.5% ABV
The Spill: Part of Flying Dog's Canis Major series of big beers, the Double Dog is a bull mastiff of a brew. An all-out assault on the taste buds, this beer holds nothing back, overwrought with hops, malt, and plenty of alcohol. Amber-red in color, the beer is murky, though no research turned up any word on it being unfiltered. This can only mean that there's so much stuff crammed into this beer that, yeast or not, it's no longer transparent. The mouthfeel is a bit on the heavy side, again reminding you that you're drinking a big, massive brew. It's very well-crafted though, and not just a crowded party of ingredients. The malt, interestingly enough, is the lead agent, brown sugary for just a moment before the hops kick in. The hoppy body, at an underestimating 85 IBU, is insane: sharp, piercing, piney and bitter. But at the moment when a beer face seems inevitable even to the most experienced drinker, it subsides back into a rich, malty finish, just like the bottle's label promises. Each sip is kind of like a slap in the face and a kiss on the cheek. Which is good, if you're into that kind of thing.
Says Bill: The last time I reviewed a beer by Flying Dog, I was fortunate enough to receive a comment from Josh Mishell, who's affiliated with Flying Dog in some way, shape, or form. I panned the Road Dog Porter, saying it was thin and lacking, but he thanked me for "writing about us" just the same. Josh, if you're reading this, my friend, I must say I'm impressed by this beer.
Refill?: I double dog dare you to try it for yourself: 4 taps out of 5.