15th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company, Denver
Style:
Double India Pale Ale
Serving Type:
Bottle
Alcohol by Volume:
10.0%
Aroma:
Sweet, malty and vanilla aroma. Hints of caramel or maple
Appearance:
Deep red color with a head of large bubbles
Flavor:
Not as hoppy up front as you'd expect from a Double IPA. Sweet maple vanilla flavor with a creamy, malted milk aftertaste
Mouthfeel:
Very creamy and smooth
Overall Impression:
Great Divide's 15th Anniversary Double IPA was a big surprise. Unlike some of the other Double and Imperial India Pale Ales I've had, this one was smooth and creamy like a porter or stout. The hoppiness of this beer is toned very down but no enough that you'd mistake this beer for anything other than an IPA. With flavors or caramel and creamy malted milk this Double IPA simply shouldn't be missed.
I'll admit it, this beer was sitting in my fridge for quite a while. There aren't a whole lot of foods I like to pair with pale ales and given that this is a Double IPA I just didn't know what to do with it. Well, I've finally opened it up and I'm absolutely amazed at the flavors in this beer. Great Divide brewed this as their 15th anniversary so it comes with all of the typical commemorative perks like a special label and oak aging. The label is a bit of snoozer, not that I base my beer purchases off of looks but it just doesn't scream "special release" to me. Honestly though, it's all uphill from there. Everything else about this beer is absolutely amazing. This beer has many great aspects, you could almost call them contradictions. Contradictions of what the established India Pale Ale style is.
The majority of the Double and Imperial India Pale Ales that I've had before have been, above all else, hop-forward beers. Great Divide has brewed and aged this in a way that has packed this beer full of creamy caramel malt and sweet flavors. There is still plenty of hoppiness in this beer but it is by no means bitter or dry. The harshness of the typical IPA is my main complaint with the style. The 15th Anniversary Double IPA is anything but dry or bitter. The flavor profile still has obvious notes of hops but it is incredibly well balanced with sweet malty flavors and creamy texture. This combination makes a for a very interesting beer.
Great Divide's 15th Anniversary Double IPA is an absolute pleasure to drink. If you are a hop fanatic you might not appreciate this beer as much if you are expecting a richly hopped IPA. For most people though, I think this beer will be praised across the board. Whether you like IPAs or not, I'd suggest picking up a bottle of this anniversary ale if you can find it. It's such a well crafted beer that it'd be a shame to miss this one.
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