Avery Brewing Co.
Boulder, CO
Available: AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI
Avery Brewing Co. has been developing and perfecting the recipe for this new double IPA for over two years. The label features Ganga, the Hindu goddess of the River Ganges, and the beer’s name means “double” in Hindi.
ABV: 8.5
ABW: 6.77
Color: 10
Bitterness: 93
Original gravity: 1074
In your face, but in a good way. Powerfully fragrant aroma. Rich and lush on the palate, with honey-drenched fruit, orange marmalade, sticky malt, pine needles, white pepper and lavender, with a clinging, dry, resinous finish. High octane, but well balanced. Best at cellar temperature.
“Designed for those seeking a divine hop experience” the label says, and from my first whiff of this copper-colored brew, that sounds about right. There’s citrus and spice, pine and nuttiness, all the hallmarks of a particularly hoppy brew, but is there balance? On sip one, my tongue answers “yes,” and again on sips two, three and five through eleven. Sure, it’s a hop-filled monster, but there is plenty of caramelly, toffee-ish apple and a fair bit of candied apricot, too. In fact, the hops don’t over-assert until the finish, and even there it’s a pleasant burn of bitterness, rather than a nasty shock. Not really much of a food beer, but more a relaxing by the fireplace kind of ale.
John Hansell is an equal-opportunity drinker. He writes about beer, wine and spirits. He is the creator, publisher and editor of Malt Advocate, a magazine for the whisky enthusiast.
Once described as “beerdom's Brillat-Savarin,” Stephen Beaumont is the author of five books and countless articles on beer, spirits, food, travel, and how it all goes together.
