Sunday, October 17, 2010

Garrison Imperial IPA Review


This is something I was very excited about a couple of weeks ago when I heard about the Fall LCBO releases list. We do not get new IPAs too often and every time I see a new one, I need to go out and get it. I got a whole bunch of these when I first saw it on the shelves but didn't get the chance to review any of them until today...the last bottle.

The beer is unfiltered so, of course, it is cloudy. Out of the bottle it is deep amber in color with some very attractive red and honey hues. It pours with a short to medium, lacy, creamy and off-white head. It's aroma is something every IPA fan will love - biscuity, floral, slightly sweet with a punch of hops. The taste is something for hop heads. It starts off bitter and quickly turns bittersweet as some of the sweeter notes kick in. The hoppyness is so intense that the taste quickly goes back to being bitter...and just a touch floral. The finish is medium to long, mostly bitter, though at times bittersweet can be a better word to describe it. Another thing I should note is the higher ABV at 7%, but that is not a big issue as it is not noticeable in the taste at all. You will start feeling it halfway through the bottle though. Before I finish this review, I should note that the price is a bit steep at $4.25 per bottle so if you are on a tight budget, you better have just one or go for a more affordable, yet just as good IPA like Southern Tier's.

Scores:
Cost - $4.25 for a 500 mL
Taste - 8.8/10

Overall - 8.9/10...I give it an extra 0.1 for being so bitter...and just a touch sweet

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