17th Anniversary Gotterdammerung IPA
Stone Brewing’s annual celebratory release for their 2013 birthday is Götterdämmerung IPA. And not only is the name of this beer complex, but so too is the flavor within it’s golden depths. Aside from a touch of Sterling hops (for dry-hopping) this 17th Anniversary double IPA is made solely with German ingredients. From the pilsner malts to the array of hops — Herkules, Hersbrucker, Magnum, Merkur, Opal, Smaragd and Strisselspalt — utilized, Götterdämmerung IPA certainly is a uniquely flavored brew.
Earthy, citrusy and at 102 IBU, it certainly packs a punch, this brew is all IPA but the use of the pilsner malt makes the beer dangerously smooth and drinkable. In fact, had Stone decided to lager this beer instead, it would have fit in as an imperial pilsner just as well. And just like that last two anniversary releases, Stone Brewing has hit their stride with another stellar beer.
Appearance
Götterdämmerung IPA pours golden in color with a large, frothy cap of off-white foam that left behind excellent lacing as it dropped.
Aroma
The hop profile of this beer is all over the place with tropical, herbal, peppery and earthy qualities. Cereal and toasted bread are also in the mix, but rest comfortably in the background.
Taste
Man, this brew has a really strange and unique hop character. It’s herbal, fruity, spicy and grassy with a solid amount of complexity, but not so much that the palate isn’t sure what to do with everything. For the amount of IBUs that this beer has, it’s incredibly smooth. We’ll give the pilsner malt credit for that aspect of this brew. The mouthfeel is slightly oily (as is typical of big IIPAs) with a moderate malt sweetness and hints of grain. The 9.5% ABV is present, but not as much as one would presume.
Overall
This beer truly has one of the more unique hop profiles I’ve ever encountered in a beer. I feel like I’ve been writing that a lot lately with several recent reviews. I suppose that means that a wider array of hop varieties are more readily available to brewers. At any rate, Götterdämmerung IPA is a damn fine beer. It’s got excellent flavor, drinks dangerously smoothly and fits nicely in line with recent anniversary releases from Stone Brewing.
Rating: 4.25/5
