259. Smuttynose Big A IPA

After my very poor choice with the Hopnotic IPA in the prior post I needed to find something good so I turned to Smuttynose. Some brewers simply brew great beer and you know going in the beer will be a good representation of the style, using quality ingredients and be consistently good. Smuttynose is one of those breweries.


The Big A IPA is their double/imperial IPA and it does not disappoint. Great orange color with thin white head. Lots of grapefruit in the smell with some malt sweetness as well. Taste is excellent with more grapefruit and citrus hops well balanced with some sweet caramel malts. I had no idea this was a 9.7% ABV beer until I went to their website to grab the data for the blog, no alcohol taste or burn. 


A very good beer and easier to find than many of the rare big IPAs.
Pros: Hop taste, well balanced
Cons: 
Alcohol Content: 9.7% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 120
Rating: 
Brewers Website: Smuttynose

Brewers Description: Ever since Stash Wojciechowski, the “Killer Kielbasa,” created this Imperial IPA for our Big Beer Series, Big A IPA has gotten a lot of attention. Lauded by the New York Times and Men's Journal Magazine, it’s been one of the most talked-about beers around. Brewed in very small quantities, it has also been one of the hardest-to-find. Until now.

Big A IPA has everything you’d want in an India Pale Ale, only more: more hops, more malt & more flavor. Na zdrowie!