US Independance Day IPA Tasting!!

From what i gathered the Spectapular at The Local was a huge success. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it but decided to get stuck into Mikkeller's great range of US inspired IPAs.

Mikkeller Drikkeriget DIPA

Poured hazy orange with a huge off white head. Nose showed the simcoe and amarillo: masses of juicy citrus fruits. Palate has some definite sweetness, grapefruit, orange & even some apricot supported by some honey/caramel from the munich malt. Finishes long with high grassy/herbally hop bitterness. The high abv is nowhere to be seen. Overall great hop impact, in both aroma and palate. definitely my kind of 2IPA!

Mikkeller Simcoe Single Hop IPA

Pours red/amber with a nice off white head. Nose has masses of citrus: orange, tangerine & grapefruit. Palate is light/med in body but full of flavour and hop impact. Orange & grapefruit dominate with a hint of caramel malt giving a very slight marmalade like character. Finish has medium resin/pine hop bitterness. Overall a great beer, seems quite complete despite using a sole hop variety. Easy to see why simcoe is highly regarded in US ipas.

Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin Single Hop IPA

Pretty familiar with nelson sauvin, given exposure to kiwi beers. But certainly a unique hop variety, regardless of where your from. Pours orange/amber with a huge off white head. Lighter than both simcoe & warrior i’d had prior. Nose has masses of tropical fruit: mango, passionfruit & lychee dominate, with herbacious/grassy hop undertones. Palate follows suite, huge tropical fruit notes that border on sweet. Mouthfeel is a little light compared to the other single hop ipas. Finishes with grassy/herbacious & slightly spicy hop bitterness. Overall, great display of the variety, but probably not ideally suited to an IPA.

Mikkeller Warrior Single Hop IPA

Pours deeper than the simcoe i sampled prior, amber/copper with a big off white head. Nose has a lot of citrus & pine but more pith & rind than bright, vibrant juice of the simcoe. Palate is quite robust, bitter citrus pith dominates with some caramel malt supporting. Finishes with long med/high pine hop bitterness. Defintely higher alpha than simcoe. I love the idea behind single hops beers & this contrasts the simcoe really well.