Double Simcoe IPA

Rating: 9.8
Brewery: Weyerbacher (Easton, PA)
Glass: Pint
ABV: 9.0%
Seller: The Foodery (Philadelphia, PA)
When Enjoyed: 6 March 2009


Usually the Double IPA marks a beer where hops abound and the aftertaste tends to get a bit bitter. The Double IPA tends to be a stronger beer with high ABV content, bitterness and hoppy flavors. Generally the Double IPA takes all of the flavors that mark a regular IPA and increase it towards an extreme.

This beer's namesake however, is also based on a very special hop: Simcoe hops. The Simcoe hop is a relatively newer hop hybrid created in 2000 known best for it being less harsh to the pallete. This allows for breweries to put in much more hops into their brews without the aversive bitter taste overpowering the beer.

These special Simcoe hops is what really makes the beer. The normal complaint against Double IPAs tends to be that they are too bitter to enjoy regularly. However, the Simcoe IPA does away with this bitter taste in the beer. There is a sense of the hops difference straight from the pour. The color creates a dark orange, almost greenish color. However, the great difference is the improvement upon the taste of the Double IPA.

The initial taste maintains the very hoppy flavor expected within a Double IPA and also gives hints of a citrus taste as well. However, the main benefit of the Simcoe hop is from the aftertaste. It doesn't contain any bitterness at all, and goes down amazingly smooth for a Double IPA and a beer of 9% ABV. The initial taste creates a great strong hop flavor and also prevents the bitterness that spoils the taste of some Double IPAs and IPAs in general. It's aftertaste is less bitter than even many IPAs on the market. As such, it makes for an eminently drinkable beer. If you happen to be a fan of Double IPAs or IPAs this is a must try. The Simcoe hops makes the Double Simcoe IPA the equal of any other IPA or Double IPA around.