Avery "Maharaja" Double IPA

Three beers from these guys so far, and they have yet to wriggle out of the average range that is basically good enough to darn good. Just a hair above this range is surprisingly great while below is not good enough. This kind of wordiness is the reason I just use the number equivalent to establish the average range.

The orange beer has a fluffy and sticky head that is definitely worthy of a DIPA. We've got all the lacing we need, and the murky depths let in... some light. The aroma is citrus rind and doughy bread; this is exactly what I would expect from a good DIPA, so I'm definitely picking up what this is putting down right now.

First sip is surprisingly dry for what it is. I'm used to these things being pretty juicy, but the overall impression is of citrus fruit peels in a bed of dough. It has a lingering bitterness in a mist (or maybe a haze or dank) that really hangs on. Is it good? Well, I don't think I like the sip much. The bitter hit at the end is unjustified by the somewhat funky taste.

Tip-in is light carbonation burn with grains, toffee, and citrus rinds. The middle emerges into a fairly smooth and good mix of floured bread with citrus spritz happening all around it. The finish is a more gentle slosh of bitterness that becomes a funky, danky mist in the trail off.

Bottom Line: Pretty good.

2.75/5