Breckenridge Brewery - Small Batch 471 DIPA

Tonight we feature a guest review from our good friend Dave Kasper, who we know simply as Kasper.  Kasper has traditionally been a fan of Keystone Light, with an emphasis on quantity over quality....

Kasper is historically an anti-hop-head, but he's broadened his horizons to include some of the more....hop-nasty...brews in recent months.  He even authored this photoshop masterpiece, highlighting the intense hoppiness of Surly Furious:

Makes me laugh every time

Tonight Kasper will be reviewing a hop-bomb - the Breckenridge Small Batch 471 Double IPA.  This is a big, aggressive IPA with 9.2% alcohol and a mean American hop profile that is available year-round.  Just to put things into context, this is Kasper's recounting of his first experience with this beer - he wasn't planning on reviewing it at the time of drinking...

In my quest to experience the finer points of the hoppy beer world, I have taken it upon myself to pick out beers with big, bold flavors. This visit to the liquor store, I stumbled across Breckenridge Brewery's Small Batch 471 Series Double IPA.  Without any preconceived notions about the beer, it was off the shelf and on it's way home with me!

Absent-mindedly, I poured a glass of this Double IPA and continued about my evening, not paying any real attention to the beer.  Taking the first sip really snapped me back awake... it was amazing!  Holding my glass to the light, I peered into the beautiful deep clear copper color, and began to wonder why I'd never heard of it before.  Each successive sip had me singing this beer's praises.  Until it was gone, and I was left with the sinking sadness knowing that I didn't have anymore.  

The beer is very light on carbonation, and pours with a thin creamy head.  It's scent is a little muttled, but there is a faint fragrant floral scent that permeates it.

On the palate, you are first hit with a full mouth flavor of caramel, sweet malt, and almost fruity hops.  Initially I thought it was going to be too heavy, but the flavor waned and was replaced with a sharp short burst of hoppy bitters.  Intense, vivbrant, then gone, leaving only a lingering taste of caramel.  For a beer with such a heavy bitter bite it doesn't pollute your palate with lingering bitter.  It finishes quite clean.

Overall Rating:  This beer is certainly my favorite imperial IPA, and has actually taken a place in my top ten of all beers. Quite an unexpected surprise. I'm sad that this is the only current offering I can find at my local liquor store, as the other 3 offering in the 471 series really have me intrigued.