FLYING DOG’S “DOUBLE DOG” – IS THE ERA OF THE IMPERIAL IPA ON THE WANE?

You know, for a guy who has on occasion called his favorite style of beer the “American Double IPA”, I’m getting pretty downright bored with the latest crop of American Double IPAs. Now that everyone and his brewmaster brother has one, it’s getting harder & harder to find standouts beyond the heroes that popped out the past 1-3 years: HOPSICKLE, MOYLANDER DOUBLE IPA, RACER 5, HOP SUEY, DEVIL DANCER and a few others. Oh, and the Single/Double/Triple IPA/Pale Ale moniker is pretty much meaningless to me, as I’m sure it is to you. A bitter, highly-hopped beer is now in everyone’s stable, and it’s getting more & more difficult to differentiate them, even when they’re called “Pale Ales”. I’m not saying this is unexpected – just think about the English Special Bitter, for instance – or the American Amber. They all kinda taste somewhat the same. It’s a great taste to be sure, but perhaps the thrill is on the wane.

No big knock on DOUBLE DOG PALE ALE from the FLYING DOG BREWERY of Denver, Colorado, but this big, hoppy beer tastes like the rest of ‘em. It’s a strong, high-ABV (10.5%) hop bomb. Pours a deep orange, and smells like citrus and pine. It’s effervescent and fairly carbonated. Two of them should have you giving your keys away, and a nice teeth-brushing might be in order as well. It’s good, just like the other ones. 6/10.