Dogfish Head: 90 Minute IPA

From the Dogfish Head website: "Esquire Magazine calls our 90 Minute IPA "perhaps the best IPA in America.""  I can see why.  M had just finished telling me that she was a bit over IIPAs, but a sip of this was completely convincing.

Renaissance: MPA

'You liked the Hop Zombie? This is like that but perhaps bigger.'  This got my hopes up, but I don't think the MPA quite lives up to that billing.  It was missing something by comparison to (at least this year's version of) the Hop Zombie.  Not to say it was bad.  It was quite the hoppy treat.  They use Rakau hops, which is NZ local, and it produces a distinct flavour.  Maybe I am just used to US style IIPAs, and that was what felt a little off?  The solution, clearly, is to have another try.  I'm happy to do so.

An explosion of hops... sounds about right.

Nice redness coming through.

Renaissance notes on the MPA here

Rogue XSperience Imperial IPA

Do you like IPAs?  Do you like IIPAs?  If your idea of a great beer is a hop loaded, rich, strong (9.5%) treat, immaculately presented in a stoneware bottle, with all the depth of flavour that makes good ales good, then find yourself a bottle of this.  Oh man, its good.  For those of you local to Hamilton, the Hamilton Wine Company (on Victoria St) has it (or had it).