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Brewery and Country of Origin: Boston Beer Works Brewpub of 61 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Date Reviewed: 4-26-13

Boston Beer Works has been providing fans of the Bruins, Celtics, and Red Sox freshly brewed small batch beers since 1992. There are locations at both the TD Garden (home of the Bruins and Celtics), and Fenway Park (sort of pictured above). While we've already gone into the details of Fenway's famous Green Monster, it's almost the end of the 2012-13 NHL regular season, and that means playoffs are just around the corner. Opened in time for the start of the Bruins' 1995 season, the Shawmut Center (as it was originally named) was constructed at an original cost of $160 million, and contains about 3,000 more seats for NHL games (about 17,565 total) than it's predecessor, the Boston Garden. The Fleetcenter (as it was named when it was opened) was located only 9 inches away from the old arena. Like the old Garden and Madison Square Garden in New York City, the new venue is located above a major rail and bus transportation hub (North Station) which serves the northern half of Eastern Massachusetts. This has allowed the arena to take advantage of the rapid movement of fans and concert goers to communities north of Boston. The TD Garden is also adjacent to the relatively new Zakim Bridge (opened in 2003 as part of the Big Dig) which added a striking element to the city's skyline, and carries Interstate 93 and US-1 over the Charles River. The arena features a full HD score board/jumbotron setup, an energy efficient construction, and direct connections to the transit system. Each year the arena is host to over 200 public events, including playoffs and finals for both the Celtics and Bruins (when they're participating in the playoffs, of course). It has been the venue of many other notable events, including the 2004 Democratic National Convention, the 2004 Frozen Four, the annual Beanpot, and countless high profile concerts. Of course, as it is with every sports venue, the price of beer is outrageous. Natural monopolies, man.
Date Sampled: 4-20-13 At: Boston Beer Works Fenway, 61 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
Beer Style: American Double/Imperial IPA
Alcohol by Volume: 8.50%
Serving Type: Brewery Keg, 16 oz Cervoise Stemmed Glass
Rating: 3.35

Look

The Double Pale Ale pours fairly choppy with a medium high level of carbonation action, generating a thick, quarter inch tall foam head that has a pretty solid retention and a high density and a creamy texture. This is a filtered beer with a clear appearance and no visible sediment present. This is a golden amber colored beer with an average shine, and a small amount of lacing. A stamp imprinted widget at the bottom of the glass produces a bit of effervescence.

Aroma

This beer has a high strength aroma with a hoppy character. Pronounced floral and citrus notes are immediately present, as well as an overall bitter presence. This beer's aroma is strong enough to markedly enhance the overall taste. There are some slightly bittersweet medium dark malty notes detectable, and despite this beer's relatively high ABV, there is no real alcohol tinge in the aroma.

Feel

This is a medium bodied beer with an elevated amount of carbonation and effervescent properties. This beer has a surprisingly crisp and cool feel for a beer of this strength, but an overall dullness toward the finish does not make this a hot weather refreshing one. This beer has a drier finish and no alcohol warming. This beer has a medium low weight and a below average viscosity.

Taste

As is with any imperial pale, the floral and very citrusy hops are the main attraction in the flavor profile of this beer. The bitter hoppy flavor is almost overwhelming if you're not into hoppy beers. Slightly off balance, this beer's only malt presence comes in the form of medium dark bittersweet secondary notes, with very little effect. There is some alcohol taste present, but it's not too distracting. This beer's finish is very bitter with a noticeable bite at the close. The citrusy bitter aftertaste lingers for a bit.

Our Take

Though many of you out there are big IPA fans, this beer may come off a bit too strong for even some of you. Slightly overpowering aromatic properties, somewhat unforgiving alcoholic presence, and a citrusy property akin to lemon juice concentrate. That said, this is a good beer if you're into bigger brews. This beer's stronger qualities will satisfy those looking for a bit more substance, bolder flavors, and fully fledged smells, which go far in enhancing this beer's taste profile. Though not everything about this beer is as intense as you might imagine. This is, of course, a hoppy beer which provides a good amount of bitterness to the palate, but you won't tear up in it's effects. Overall, this is a somewhat restrained beer when it comes to its style and trademark qualities. The flavor isn't overpowering, and you won't find too many people complaining about this beer being too hopped up. Unfortunately, even for a beer with 8.50% ABV, we detected a bit too much alcohol in the flavor, and that was perhaps this beer's biggest flaw. Still, if you're looking for a sturdy and hoppy pint after a game at Fenway, your search is over.