Good evening all. It's my penultimate evening in Devon before heading back up to Guildford for the beginning of the intense conclusion to my degree, so I'm going to continue a tradition I inadvertently started last summer by having one of To Øl's IPAs- more specifically Final Frontier DIPA, an Imperial IPA that builds upon their flagship IPA First Frontier with a bigger malt base and more hop additions. Looking forward to this one a lot as I thoroughly enjoyed First Frontier! Review after the pic....
Final Frontier DIPA (9.0% ABV) pours a light amber colour with a thick white head that settles to a patchy covering over the surface of the beer. There's some lacing present during drinking, and agitation of the beer renews the thick head relatively easily. The aroma is composed of pine, citrus fruits, a caramelised sugar sweetness and a herbal quality once the nose has become accustomed to the hoppy aromas. The piney hops and citrus fruits hit at first, backed up by a caramel sweetness that mixes well with the hop-derived fruits. This initial burst gives way to herbal, vegetative aromas that are more reminiscent of bittering hops, with the sweetness still residing in the background. Returning to the beer after a brief respite brings back the power of the fruity hops, and it's certainly a fantastic aroma. The taste is predominantly composed of resinous hops, with some citrus fruits popping up every so often to cut through the pine flavours, and there's also a dry vinous dimension during drinking that works as a good transition into the slightly bitter finish. The herbal flavours also make themselves known after the resinous hops have diminished, and these mix well with the bitterness as it makes itself known. The mouthfeel is quite thick and the beer is well carbonated, which compliments the stickier hop flavours. Overall, a very good imperial IPA with plenty of fresh oily hop flavours supported by a noticeable sweetness, culminating in a nice injection of bitterness that doesn't overload the palette. To Øl certainly know how to make a decent IPA, and I'd happily get this offering again in the future.
Until next time....
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