Whipnose, 47%

A Seven Stills and Pacific Brewing Laboratory collaboration: a distilled double IPA. Broiled grapefruit and caramel, with a razory lightness, but a bit muddled. Flavors of sweet malt and maple pierced in a needle-row with bitter hop resins, pine, pith; malt/hop/malt/hop comes in quick waves. Like some double IPAs, this is a blunt instrument that simply walks up and wallops you with hops and malt; neither subtle nor particularly complex. Hop fans may well love it; others will not. Price is per 375 ml.