The Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale - Avery Brewing Co., Boulder
Style:
India Pale Ale
Serving Type:
On Tap
Alcohol by Volume:
10.27%
Aroma:
Rich hoppy aroma, hints of honey
Appearance:
Cloudy reddish brown in color, lighter and almost orange around the edges
Flavor:
Quite hoppy at first. Honey and caramel flavors are present but hidden while your palate adjusts
Mouthfeel:
This beer does feel warm on the tongue and abundantly carbonated
Overall Impression:
For an IPA, this beer earns solid marks. Avery's made this beer strong, very strong, without being too hoppy. If you like your hops smooth and with a hint of caramel then this is your beer. It noticeably better on tap though, so if you have the chance to get a glass of this fresh you should make a point to do so.
Avery's Maharaja is a very solid India Pale Ale. In fact, it's down right strong... With an ABV of 10.3% this beer isn't fooling around. Not only that, but the Maharaja is packing a ton of hops so be prepared. When you take your first sip of the Maharaja you're hit with a bag of hop pellets. It's pretty intense, but the flavor profile is quite a bit more complex than your initial read might let on. If the hops don't deter you then you'll find a subtle honey notes and a fair bit of caramel malt. If you can just make it past that first bombardment on your tastebuds, you'll be rewarded. But that really begs the question, "Why have all the hops in the first place?" Well, the beer's great aroma is due in large part to the abundance of hops. It's all part of being an IPA, without all these hops your beer just wouldn't have made the long trip to India...
This is really the type of India Pale Ale I prefer. The Maharaja doesn't just melt the enamel off of your molars with it's hops like other IPAs might. Rather, the Maharaja delivers more of a one-two punch. First comes the hops, they're abrasive and dry, it isn't the most pleasing flavor in the world but the aroma and bitterness of the beer depend on them being present... in abundance. Bringing your taste buds back from the verge of collapse is the job of the sweet malty undertones that mellow out the aftertaste of this beer. I can't say this beer is balanced in the traditional sense, but for an IPA it has definitely reached a harmoniously blended state.
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