Dogfish Head | 90 Minute IPA

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA:  Poured into a pint glass from a 12 oz bottle.  This is another east coast style IPA which Esquire Magazine called "perhaps the best IPA in America."  This is quite a lofty claim considering the sheer amount of high quality IPA's being produced by countless craft brewers around the country.  We know right off the bat that this one is going to be a heavy-hitter considering the 9% alcohol content and the 90 IBU rating.  Another interesting tidbit on this IPA and all Dogfish IPA's for that matter is the continuous hop addition during the brew process.  Whether it is 60 Minute, 90 Minute or the completely over-the-top 120 Minute, the number in the name refers to the amount of time they are continuously hopped as well as the IBU's of that particular offering.

Ok, on to the beer...this Imperial IPA pours a nice light golden amber color.  There is a good half finger of frothy head which slowly recedes with a ton of lacing left sticking to the sides of the glass.  A continuous stream of bubbles continues to rise from the entire bottom of the glass.

The aromas are of floral and resiny, oily, citrusy hops.  The bitterness of this ale is also quite apparent. There is a slight smell of sweet malts detectible too as well as a slight alcohol smell.  Overall not quite as good of a nose as some Imperial IPA's but it still smells good and hoppy.

The taste is actually quite balanced, considering the extreme hopping this ale undergoes.  The hops are definitely at the forefront, but the malts do actually stand up with the hops and most likely keep this ale from being too hoppy.  The hops are a citrusy raisinated taste that are somewhat sweet yet mostly bitter at the same time.  It just tastes very fresh sweet malts and hops up front with a balanced bitter finish that easily overpowers the buffalo flavored pretzels I am eating and continues to linger.

An overall great example of an Imperial IPA.  I'm not quite sure I would call it the best IPA in America, (as I could easily name a few better examples), but this is definitely a world class brew that can stand up to the majority of IPA's on the American market.  Personal 8/10 and style 8.5/10.

Ok Esquire Magazine, just popped open a Lagunitas Sucks Ale and I think that is definitely better than the 90 Minute.  There's one that's better already.  Guess they never tried that one...