Beer of the Weekend #587: Collective Distortion IPA
It has been a long time since I did a mid-week tasting. Last week I picked up a bottle of Collective Distortion IPA, brewed by the Stone Brewing Company of Escondido, California, and thought I may as well drink it.
Collective Distortion IPA has an interesting story. It was brewed with the help of Kyle Hollingsworth, the keyboardist for The String Cheese Incident, and Keri Kelli, Alice Cooper’s guitarist. Here a video about the whole thing:
Serving type: 22-ounce bottle. The “BOTTLED ON” date printed on the shoulder is “05/10/14.”
Appearance: Poured into a tulip (or is this one a snifter?). The color is deepish amber with a light haze. Two fingers of dense, tight, bright, eggshell-colored foam settle slowly.
Smell: I caught a whiff of the citrus and tropical fruit when I popped the cap. Up close, it smells delicious and enticing. Mango and pineapple are most prominent and are backed by grapefruit and orange citrus. It also has a malty, creamy background. I also get a little berry, so it could be the elderberry mentioned on the label. There is also a hint of coriander, too.
Taste: The mouthfeel is full and creamy. The alcohol is well masked but it does creep in at the end of each sip. Unlike in the smell, I think the citrus is a touch more prominent, especially grapefruit and tangerine. Mango and pineapple are noticeable, though. Coriander is noticeable as well, providing a little spice. There is also a little berry sweetness, too. Much like the smell, it also has a malty backbone with little caramel and oats.
Drinkability: Tasty stuff, and I like that the alcohol is very well masked; it does not overshadow the flavor, which can happen with such a high ABV.
Fun facts about Collective Distortion IPA:
-Style Double American IPA.
-Price: $8.49/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
-Alcohol content: 9.3 percent ABV.
-More details can be found on the beer’s webpage.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
Collective Distortion IPA has an interesting story. It was brewed with the help of Kyle Hollingsworth, the keyboardist for The String Cheese Incident, and Keri Kelli, Alice Cooper’s guitarist. Here a video about the whole thing:
Serving type: 22-ounce bottle. The “BOTTLED ON” date printed on the shoulder is “05/10/14.”
Appearance: Poured into a tulip (or is this one a snifter?). The color is deepish amber with a light haze. Two fingers of dense, tight, bright, eggshell-colored foam settle slowly.
Smell: I caught a whiff of the citrus and tropical fruit when I popped the cap. Up close, it smells delicious and enticing. Mango and pineapple are most prominent and are backed by grapefruit and orange citrus. It also has a malty, creamy background. I also get a little berry, so it could be the elderberry mentioned on the label. There is also a hint of coriander, too.
Taste: The mouthfeel is full and creamy. The alcohol is well masked but it does creep in at the end of each sip. Unlike in the smell, I think the citrus is a touch more prominent, especially grapefruit and tangerine. Mango and pineapple are noticeable, though. Coriander is noticeable as well, providing a little spice. There is also a little berry sweetness, too. Much like the smell, it also has a malty backbone with little caramel and oats.
Drinkability: Tasty stuff, and I like that the alcohol is very well masked; it does not overshadow the flavor, which can happen with such a high ABV.
Fun facts about Collective Distortion IPA:
-Style Double American IPA.
-Price: $8.49/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
-Alcohol content: 9.3 percent ABV.
-More details can be found on the beer’s webpage.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
