106. Long Trail Double IPA

Long Trail Brewing Company is in Bridgewater Corners, VT; this beer is part of their Brewmaster Series, which includes an Imperial Porter, and most recently an Imperial Coffee Stout. This series is also re-releasing (finally!) Pollenator, their spring seasonal from 1997-2003. When in grad school in Buffalo, road trips to Vermont were planned every year to score Pollenator and some Blackbeary Wheat.

Long Trail’s DIPA is a cloudy light tan color with a creamy ivory head. The malty hoppy nose brings with it both bready malt aromas and citrus and floral hops notes. Opening soft and creamy with bready malt sweetness and some alcohol flavor, Long Trail DIPA moves into a middle characterized mainly by hop bitterness, and finishes dry and clean with a bit of lingering bitterness and some slight chalkiness. There is a rich and creamy mouthfeel with a substantial body that does carry some light alcohol warmth. The carbonation is clean and brisk, and there is some dryness in the mouth from both the bitterness and the chalkiness. Overall, a nice balance in the body between malt & hops; it is not overly cloying or sweet like some DIPAs. The sweetness is about right, but some more hop flavor would be enjoyable—besides the hop aroma, the hop profile seems more English than American. This is, however, one of the more drinkable DIPAs we’ve come across, and we hope to run into some more soon.

From the Long Trail website: “Long Trail Double IPA offers true reward to those seeking intensely sensual hop flavor. Double IPA is a full-flavored ale featuring a good malt backbone combined with an aroma brimming with tantalizing citrus and pine notes. In search of inspiration within, the recipe is sourced from one of Long Trail’s own hop-enthusiast home brewers!”

ABV: 8.6%
IBU: 100+

Malts: Two-row, Crystal, and Wheat

Hops: Chinook and Cascade

(10/14/2009)