Flying Dog Single Hop Chinook Imperial IPA
Four beers into the Flying Dog Single Hop series and the first is still my favorite. The succulent citrus fruit that Simcoe version brought to the table will be hard to beat. This Chinook-focused recipe did it’s best, but in the end the Simcoe is still king. Now, that’s not to say that this very distinctly flavored beer isn’t good. It’s great. And it’s loaded with plenty of hoppy goodness.
Again, the brewery kept the core recipe the same, using Rye, Cara-pils and Biscuit malt to attain the 10% ABV and 70 IBU numbers that all of the beers share. But there’s just something unique about this particular hop, especially in the aroma. If you’ve been around hoppy pale ales and IPAs long enough you start to recognize the tell-tale signs of certain hop varieties and the aroma that Chinook gives off is undeniable — intensely piney and herbal/spicy.
Appearance
The beer pours a crystal clear amber in color with a slowly dropping, off-white stack of foam that resulted in decent lacing along the glass.
Aroma
The nose on this beer is one you probably recognize a good deal if you’re really into hoppy pale ales and IPAs. There’s no mistaking the aroma of Chinook hops. Fresh cut grass, pine, grapefruit, citrus rind and a spciy/herbal quality all come together with just a touch of alcohol.
Taste
Loads of grassy, piney hops with plenty of spice, resin and grapefruit fill the mouth fully with a strong bittering character — at 70 IBU, it’s to be expected. The hop bite is fairly assertive, but not enough to completely wreck the palate for later use. The underlying blend of malts do their best to temper the hops, adding a bready character with a hint of caramel and subtle sweetness. The finish has a long-lasting tingle across the tongue as the hops slowly fade. Medium bodied with a soft carbonation, the beer is pretty easy drinking as the alcohol content is well masked.
Overall
I’m loving this series from Flying Dog. It’s every hop-heads fantasy. Beer after ber focused solely on a single hop variety. It really showcases the power and characteristics of these hops in all their glory. Again, if you’re a fan of everything hoppy, be sure to keep and eye out for the latest of the Single Hop run of beers.
Rating: 4.25/5
This is a review of a promotional sample received from the brewery.
