Alaskan Imperial IPA
Alcohol by Volume: 8.5%
Find this beer and more at Full Throttle Bottles in Georgetown.

Intro: Alaskan Brewing has really impressed with their Pilot Series of special releases over the past year. Their Black IPA, Barley Wine, and Raspberry Wheat were all wins in my book, and following those up with an Imperial IPA rounds the lineup out nicely. Throw in their Smoked Porter, and you can definitely say that Alaskan does a good job of working in special releases to go along with a solid year-round lineup. Keep the great beer coming.

Description: Pours a medium amber with large head that sticks around quite nicely. Lovely citrus hop aroma gets the focus right from the beginning. Taste is a mix of citrus/fruity hops, moderately sweet caramel malt, and what seems like some fusel alcohol coming through. A moderate bitterness balances nicely. This is a very balanced Imperial IPA, with the malt coming through even more than the hop flavors. The alcohol isn’t over the top, but it would be better off if it was a bit cleaner in that regard. Either way, this is definitely worth trying if you’re a fan of IPAs.

Verdict: Worth Trying
Click here to see a list of select local bottle shops.
Brewery Website
Ratebeer Info

Commercial Description/Press Release:

Juneau, Alaska (February 28, 2011) – Alaskan Brewing is rounding out its inaugural year of limited edition Pilot Series releases with its first-ever bottled release of Alaskan Imperial IPA. This big and hoppy brew releases on draft and in 22 ounce bottles in early March in the 10 western states.

First brewed as part of Alaskan’s Rough Draft series of experimental draft only brews, this imperial IPA is better known to draft fans in Alaska as “Alaskan XTRATUF® IPA.” The brew owes its original namesake to the iconic brown, neoprene XTRATUF boots, which are a springtime footwear staple everywhere from fishing boats to formal affairs in coastal Alaska and in brewhouses across the country. Alaskan Imperial IPA features the robust flavors of Pacific Northwest hops over a sturdy malt body, and as the name suggests, the same “XTRATUF” qualities as these “Alaska Sneakers.”

“It’s a continuation of our focus on balance and complexity,” says production assistant Brian Ross of Alaskan’s new Imperial IPA release. “We didn’t want to just focus on one hop varietal. The balance between the three big flavors – northwest hops, malt and alcohol – is almost seductive, making it a surprisingly fresh and drinkable brew.”

Alaskan Imperial IPA is richly gold in color with the aroma of tangerine, lychee and other citrus over the toasted sweetness of crystal malt. The deep green flavors of Chinook and Amarillo hops partner with the fresh bitterness of Centennials for a complex hop profile.

Other members of the specialty Pilot Series include Alaskan’s Double Black IPA, award-winning Barley Wine and Raspberry Wheat, which will make another appearance this summer. Alaskan Raspberry Wheat will be followed by Alaskan’s to-be-announced anniversary ale in celebration of the brewery’s 25 years of brewing in Alaska.

In the interest of full disclosure to satisfy the FTC’s law, this review was of a sample bottle received from the brewery.