It looks like Rogue is not taking itself particularly serious. I can dig that. A giant, fire-breathing snowman the size of Godzilla who is leaving snow that is on fire all around him is a tremendous image. I will overlook the fact that he does not have the traditional carrot for her nose. In fact, he doesn't appear to have a nose. Does that mean there won't be any aroma to this beer? Saints be praised, that would be terrible. Also, the call this an Imperial Cold IPA. I'm not going to create a label for a one-off beer. I think they're also just making stuff up. More importantly, I looked on the can for any indication that I should be making this beer extra cold before I drink it, and I don't see anything of the kind. That's good, as less spectacular beers normally require extra cold.
It is not nearly as hazy as most of the double IPAs that I've had lately, and it's also not quite as dark. It produces a goodly head that is patchy and is definitely going to be leaving some lacing. As it is, it does not leave the top beer, as there is a blizzard of bubbles that stays on top. The aroma is a mixture of sweet tropical, tangy citrus, and obstinate pine. It is quite hoppy from the outset, and I'm not sure that there's going to be a malt that can really stand up to this. I guess we'll see what they came up with.First sip is remarkably well-balanced, flavorful, and more subtle than the can would have led me to believe. I expected to get hit in the face with lots of hops, and the hops are merely strolling in nonchalantly. For my preference, I would say that there are few too many pine hops, and there probably aren't enough citrus hops, but I'm nitpicking. Right now, it seems fairly well-balanced with a bitter aftertaste that is not overwhelming in any way. I can probably sip this for quite a while, but that is not how we do things around here.
Tip-in is moderate carbonation fizz with tropical fruits over citrus. The middle brings pine up with an increase in carbonation as the tropical gives way to much more citrus. The malt that is in the background is kind of a cracker bread crust, but it is unobtrusive and it knows where it belongs. The finish is a cold snap with light bitterness followed by an almost creamy sweet citrus that heads into the trail off and never lets go of the tongue.
Bottom Line: I'm a fan.
4.25/5