SF Beer Week Part 1: Double IPAs and Palate Fatigue

Well, what can I say. I've been in the Bay Area for over 7 years and this is my first venture to this 7 year old event in Hayward ... thank god it is a stones throw from BART.

The venue was expanded this year I was told, and took up a half a block of downtown Hayward's wonderful streets. The farmers market was going on at the same time right around the corner, there was needless to say a lot going on this sunny afternoon. Maybe the perfect time to finally visit this institution. Got there at the opening at 11, and it really didn't fill up til 1:30 or so. It was really a showcase for California Double IPAS, with a few exceptions from Delaware (Dogfish Head, ever heard of it), Oregon and Colorado. Greg and I figured we had tasted about one third of the offerings already, so went to divvy up the remaining 30 or so beers between our tickets.



I really feel for those who had to judge these brews and choose the winner. Palate fatigue? Everything started tasting the same after a bit, the flavor aspects were difficult to pick up (except for a couple of notable offerings: Dogfish Head's 120 minute IPA and Stones Sublimely Self Righteous [aka, 10th anniversary] ale). Almost a study in different bodies and different finishes, and hop characteristics, to an extent.

My Top 5:
Bear Republic Mach 10
Pizza Port Hop 15
Fifty Fifty Landslide
Russian River Pliny the Younger
Drakes Denoggenizer

tasting notes and ratings:

Pizza Port Hop 15
Lawnmower nose, grass ,resin, orange and grapefruit. Medium Body, light orange hue, and large orange and slight pepper flavor, light toffee and esters, and slight warmth. Smooth, moderate bitter finish. Really solid. 4.1 out of 5

Pizza Port Poormans IPA
Really huge grapefruit nose, slight apple and caramel. Medium to light Body, deep orange color, resiny flavor, with giant orange flavor supported by toast and soft toffee. Distinct nose versus flavor hop profiles. Smooth, bitter finish. 3.8

Pizza Port Lou P Lin
Grass, orange and toast nose. Light body, deep golden color. Flavor very similar to nose, maybe more orange and slight grapefruit. Dry finish, very bitter finish. 3.6

Russian River Pliny the Younger
Resin, earth, malt, toast and grapefruit nose. Medium body, light orange color. Caramel, toast, orange and grapefruit flavor. Finishes smooth, not too bitter. This beer hides its warmth quite well. 3.9

Drakes Denoggenizer
Light resin, caramel nose. Medium body, light amber color. Really rich flavors, resin, caramel, yeast, orange. Smooth finish, medium bitterness. 3.8

Bear Republic Mach 10
Grassy nose, orange. Medium to light body, light amber color. Flavors include caramel, toast, grass, orange. Really awesome orange presence throughout, and quite dry, smooth and easy finish, medium bitterness. Another great offering from Bear Republic. 4.3

Green Flash Imperial IPA
Grassy, Grapefruit and slight toast and earth in the nose. Light body, light orange to deep gold color. Flavors similar to nose, but more toast, orange and slight estery, apple characters. Dry, but a much too bitter finish. 3.7

Sierra Nevada 393 Hop Secret
Caramel and grapefruit nose, slight toast. Medium body, deep amber color. Rather malty in the flavor balance, low hop complexity, caramel and grapefruit. Finishes slightly full and sweet. 3.0

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
Serious hop overload in the nose. Orange, grapefruit, soap, basil, burning. Medium body, slight and sticky, pale orange color. Flavor is like basil, grass, orange and alcohol. Not even really an double IPA, this is something different entirely. Finish is acidic and pucking, you pull back. Points for the effort. 2.0

Mendocino IPA
Malty and floral nose, orange. Medium bodied, light amber. Smooth, caramel, toast, earth, orange flavor, with slight apple esters. Slightly bitter finish 3.5

Flying Dog Double Dog
Clean, sharp nose, full of orange. Medium to full body, light orange color. Flavor is similar, more malt than hops, orange profiled. Bitter finish, sharp. 3.2

Ballast Point Dorado
Grapefruit, orange and toast in the nose. Medium to full body, light amber. Flavor similar, really balanced yet hop forward. Medium, lightly bitter finish. 3.8

Alpine Brewing Pure Hoppiness
Caramel, toffee, grapefruit, lots of orange. Medium to light body, orange color. Orange, toast, caramel flavor, slight esters, pear. Lightly sweet, bitter finish. 3.5

Sonoma Chicken Coop Jersey Giant
Toast, yeast and grass in the nose. Very light body, very light amber-orange. Flavor like the nose. Dry, fruity, lightly sweet finish. 2.9

Fifty Fifty Brewing Landslide IPA
Bold lemon and orange nose. Light body, sightly opaque, but gold to orange color. Flavors of fresh lemon, orange and toast. Medium, dry finish, very zesty. 4.0

Rubicon Rex IPA
Grapefruit, orange and somehow bitter nose. Medium body, orange color. Strong orange, toast and slight pear esters and zest. Lightly sweet finish, and slightly bitter. 3.7

Stone Sublimely Self Righteous IPA
Malt, toffee, cream, chocolate and orange in the nose. Medium to heavy body, deep amber to light brown color. Citrus still dominates flavor, but the backbone is caramel, toffee, chocolate, roast. Drier finish, slightly creamy, medium bitterness. Interesting. 3.6

Auburn Alehouse Isotope PU240
Sharp, bright and zesty hoppy nose, orange. Medium to light body, light amber. Flavor similar, more grapefruit and lemon though. Light finish, rather bitter. 3.8