Boundary Bay Imperial IPA

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Sampled at GABF on 9/17/2010. This Imperial India Pale Ale pours a slightly hazy yellow gold color from a 22oz bottle. Medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is floral and fruity, slightly sweet. A medium bodied Imperial IPA. The malts are fruity and sweet. The hops are citrusy and floral. Decent balance. Good carbonation. A medium bitter IPA. Very drinkable. Hints of orange and orange rind at the finish. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and crisp. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 8

Sampled @ Pizza Port real Ale Festival 2003. Dark copper brew sitting under a good off white head. Huge piney hop nose with slight citrus elements. Big thick body for this hop monster. Sweet front and a buttery finish. Like drinking tangerine altoids.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Had this at the 2003 San Real Ale `Fest in Carlsbad last weekend, and it quickly came down to either this or the Ballast Point Crystal Pier (Double) IPA, as far as my own personal "Best In Show". If only they had brought more...!

Attractive orange/reddish body, with a nice even amount of carbonation and head retention. But where this beer comes into it's own is the aroma. One of the freshest and hoppiest examples of excellent hop aroma I've expirenced this side of homebrew.

The flavor profile lives up to it's end of the bargain, too. The initial hop blast is quickly supplanted by the nice chewy malt. Not enough to take anything away from the hops, but definately enough to make things (very) interesting. All of which ties into the excellent mouthfeel and overall drinkability.

A very fine example of the Imperial/Double IPA style, and something I look forward to trying again someday.

~ 11/14/03 Re-review:
My buddy Richard brought this to the Foam On The Brain homebrew club meeting last night to share with the group; he, in turn got it from Rick. So after that convoluted path, it was nice to be able to sample this again -- this time from a bottle vice a firkin.

Seemed much more "sturdy" in presentation -- perhaps only due to the stronger carbonation levels. But this in no way detracted from the rest of the beer's fine traits. Big and bouncy in the mouth, with plenty of hops n' malt to make sure that it was the life of the party. :)
//TB