Avery Brewing - Maharaja 2011

Today, is a great day.   The beer I bought during my Avery Brewing tour in Boulder, CO has finally arrived!!  I wanted to bring it back with me, but ran out of space in my small carry-on bag, so I had to suck it up and patiently wait for it ship in the snail-mail.  Well, today is the day, I finally get to try this beer for the first time!

Maharaja is Avery's seasonal hop-bomb that's brewed from March through August each year, available only in bombers and kegs.  According to their website, Maharaja is derived from the sanskrit words mahat (great) and rajan (king).  This is a big brew with big numbers - 10.24% ABV, 102 IBUs. 

The label on the bottle features a creepy, eye-bulging king of some sort - looks like he may have drank one too many Imperial IPAs.  The label also states this bottle is from Batch No. 13, March 2011.  Super-fresh.  I took this out and poured it about 15 minutes ago, to give it some time to warm a bit since it's been in the fridge all day.  I don't have to bring the glass too close to my nose to catch the fumes of this brew - it practically reaches out of the glass and punches me!  Pineapples, peaches, grapefruit and pungent pine oils slam the nose.  The alcohol is definitely intermingled in there also. 

The flavor begins with fruity oils, lots of tropical sweetness, with passion fruit, orangey grapefruit, and a pungent version of fruit punch.  These hop flavors initially are very soft and creamy on the palate, nothing monstrous or destructive...but wait, there's more!  The flavor makes a quick transition into a rich honey and caramel malts.  Then, it hits.  A massive wave of hop bitterness that bites, and an alcohol warmth along with it - AWESOME.  After more drinks, contemplation and reflection, pine and spice come in and out of the picture.  The body is thick and chewy, and the carbonation is on the lighter side giving the beer that creamy sensation.

Overall Rating:  Insanely good.  I don't think there's much I can say that hasn't already been said about this beer.  Avery does amazing things, especially considering their current brewing set-up (small), and their distribution requirements - these guys are literally brewing 24/7/365 to meet their current demand.  Keep it up guys!  And if you haven't tried Maharaja yet, find it and buy it, damnit.