Bristol Brewing Company’s Imperial IPA pours up a copper to deep golden color showing hints copper in the head. The head is rich and very lacy for an Imperial IPA.

The aroma has hints of citrus with bit of maltiness finding it’s way into the background. The Centennial, Simcoe, and Amarillo aromas are very nice against the background of this beer. There was an expectation for a bigger nose. The first glass on release day had a huge nose. This glass lost a bit of the initial aroma from last week.

The initial taste is of a deep hop flavor on the tip of the tongue and only increases as it fills the pallet. The Columbus hops hold up well in this big beer. The malt and hop flavor present in a way that would go well with a meal like a sheared steak or smoked items such root vegetables or chicken. The finish leaves the mouth with a rich blend of hop characteristics pouring over the mouth and fades to make way for the next taste.

Bristol Brewing Company indicates they use 2-row, Caramel and Munich malts. The hops are Columbus, Centennial, Simcoe, and Amarillo.

Overall, I really enjoyed this Imperial IPA. The 8.1% ABV keeps this beer from taking you off the chart too much. It would be great if this was a year round brew for Bristol Brewing Company. It is available in draft for a limited time and while the bombers last. The 4 mile walking round trip, from The Antlers, makes this beer even better.