Aspiring to be an ultra-bitter hop head delight, deviously deceptive strong ale (with stylishly tame 7.7% ABV) ‘straddles the line between a malty amber and a tongue-bruising IPA.’ Relying just as much on ripe stone-fruited sweetness, toasted caramel malting and peated whiskey licks as the India Pale Ale-defined piney citrus Cascade hop bittering, exaggerated medium-full body needs to eliminate some aspirin-like acidity at the juicy fruit-spiced finish so that the orange-bruised grapefruit zest enveloping its red cherry, peach and nectarine tang (as well as ancillary honeyed cantaloupe sweetness) gains brighter distinction.
