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Finally. I don't know how many beer levels roughly 2700 reviews have allowed me to get through, but I made it past all the Mini Bosses and have just about completed this Game of Thrones. It's time to go up against the Final Boss. I think I'm ready, but shouldn't I have done the thing where I buy a kit and make a beer myself that turns out pretty crappy, but I convince myself that they're good? Is that experience going to influence this? Will I find the boss' weak spot when I know what the specific gravity of the beer is, based on my experience with the type of malt and the amount of dry hopping? We shall see who gets defeated.
The beer gets the color of wet hay in the middle, and the fairly minimal head fizzles pretty quickly to a ring and a few spores of bubbles floating across the top. I may still get lacing. The aroma is quite potent, and it is also quite good. Tangerines are mixed with oranges and grapefruit in a delightful aroma that makes me wonder what else I even typically mention in this second paragraph. The presentation is pretty good, but I would probably have liked to see a bit more head. I mean, I have to nitpick, don't I? I guess I don't. So far, I am really anticipating enjoying this, despite the fact that my brother told me not to set the bar too high. He is right, as five out of five ratings are few and far between. What are the odds that the final boss would get the same rating as the mini boss? That thing was hella good.
First sip is a sublime balance of bitterness and sweetness in a fruit smoothie that makes me question why other breweries can't make this taste. The tangerine and orange seem to be melting together very well, and the grapefruit is mixing with pineapple and maybe even a nectarine behind it. There are lots of fruits balanced very well to prevent a bitterness from taking over, and that is kind of a hallmark of the double IPA style. So far, this is a good representation for that style.
Tip-in has a slight skunk do it as bitterness seems prominent and the fruit peels are thin and don't seem to be agreeing with each other. The middle is a solid slurpee of fruits that I would drink all day long with tangerines and oranges once again leading the dance, but there is a lot of flavor to go around. This avoids the trap of mellowing out in the middle and becoming watery in the center. The finish brings some bitterness and a musty yeast to the fore before trailing off with a hint of flowers.
Bottom Line: The Mini Boss was more fun, but the Final Boss is so powerful it needs to have pretty self-evident weak points.
4.25/5
