Terrapin Beer Co. recently sent me the newest beer in their Side Project series, Volume 12 Hopzilla Double India Pale Ale.
The Side Project is a way for Brewmaster Brian “Spike” Buckowski to improvise and experiment with different styles. Volume 11 was an imperial lager. What better way to follow that up then to send out into the world a double IPA? With a purported 110 IBUs, this beer is indeed a monster worthy of its name. It pours a hazy amber with a nice thick head that dissipated quickly leaving a fair amount of lacing. Grapefruit and pine notes loom large off the top yet there’s a slight, spicy trace on the finish. The hop flavor does its best to destroy everything in its way, but 100 percent Maris Otter malt give it a nice malty backbone rounding out all the potential bitterness with just a dash of sweetness. For a beer that weighs in at close to 11 percent on the ABV scale, there’s surprising little alcohol burn and its not as chewy and bitter as expected like some hop bomb beers. It’s delightfully delicious!