Oct 13, 2014

Flying Dog Single Hop Galaxy Imperial IPA

Flying Dog Brewing has released some seriously amazing beers in their Single Hop Imperial IPA series — Simcoe, Centennial, El Dorado, Chinook — but none have been as completely different than the rest than this bottle of Galaxy. While only the hop variety changes from batch to batch, this single-hopped IPA sets itself apart with a unique flavor that only Galaxy brings to the table.

While all of the beers in this limited run carry tremendous hop characteristics from tropical fruit juice to resinous pine, this latest addition tones down the pine for a more peachy presence. And despite its 75 IBU, the brew isn’t quite as biting as its predecessors, instead gliding smoothly over the palate leaving behind mellow fruit flavors and and thirst-quenching goodness.

Flying Dog Single Hop Galaxy Imperial IPA photo

Appearance

The brew pours a slightly hazy amber in color with a strong cap of tawny foam that displayed excellent lacing qualities as it fell.

Aroma

For the most part this is probably the most subdued aroma of all the beers I’ve had in this range of releases. That said, there is a solid amount of peach, a light tropical fruit presence, soft pine resin and orange zest. I’m not sure if my nose was off at the time of this tasting, but it wasn’t as upfront as prior bottles.

Flying Dog Single Hop Galaxy Imperial IPA photo

Taste

The aroma may have been a little shy, but the flavor are far more outgoing. This is where this beer really shines as peach and other tropical fruits wash smoothly over the tong. They are rapidly followed by pine and a moderate hop bitterness in tow. Like the other brews in the series, the Galaxy-focused recipe is incredibly smooth and refined — it’s not a palate wrecking hop bomb. Even the 10% ABV alcohol presents itself calmly.

Overall

This is another incredibly release from Flying Dog for their single hop series. While it’s not as forward as the others in terms of typical hop flavor, the smooth peach character certainly sets it apart from the crowd with a uniqueness the others lack. That said, the Simcoe is still my favorite of the bunch. I’m a sucker for that one.

Rating: 4.25/5

This is a review of a promotional sample.

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