57. Dogfish Head Squall IPA

Our third beer (see entries 9 and 13) from Dogfish Head. What can I say? They make some good beer. Don't worry—this won't be our last Dogfish Head beer for the year.

Squall IPA is copper colored with a creamy soft smooth head that generously laces the glass; the nose mixes floral and aggressive spicy hop aromas with malt notes. It begins with a soft sweet malt flavor and builds into an assertive but well-balanced hop presence, resiny and spicy flavors predominating. While Squall IPA is a bit sweet, it is balanced by the hop profile and the nice soft finish; it has a soft, delicate, creamy yet substantial mouthfeel. Overall, an interesting, delicious, and different offering from Dogfish Head; this is one of their less aggressive beers. While it has a 9.0% ABV, it is still mellow and balanced—we’ve dubbed it the “non-extreme extreme beer.” As well, it is the newest member of the potential Top 10 Best beers of the year.

From the Dogfish Head website: “An unfiltered, 100% bottle-conditioned, super-pungent imperial I.P.A. clocking in at 9% ABV and dry-hopped with Palisade, Amarillo, Simcoe, Cascade, CTZ, and Willamette hops. As many of you know, Dogfish Head is named after a ‘head’ of land off of Boothbay Harbor, Maine where company founder Sam Calagione grew up. A few years ago we discovered and fell in love with a Portland, Maine company called Rogues Gallery that makes beautiful, unique clothing. Their rustic, quality-centric creative approach mirrors our off-centered obsession with inspired brewing. As Time Magazine put it Rogues Gallery is all about ‘Masculine-style with a nostalgic eastern seaboard feel.’ Alex Carleton and the crew at Rogue’s Gallery were down with getting their chocolate in Dogfish Head's peanut butter. We agreed to do a beer in keeping with their brand and a line of co-branded clothing in keeping with ours. The theme of the clothing line is superlative stuff to wear while drinking beer at a sunset beach bonfire and the clothes will be available by mid-summer 2009. The beer first came out in June of 2009 in a handful of eastern seaboard states, a second 2009 release started shipping to wholesalers in November 2009. A more wide-spread release of Squall IPA is planned for 2010.”

Someone didn’t want to let any of it go to waste...

ABV: 9.0%

P.S. Anyone who can tell me what the phrase “masculine-style with a nostalgic eastern seaboard feel” actually means is entitled to a beer on me. Not a Squall IPA, howver, as that shit is hard to find.

(8/26/2009)