Avery Twenty Four Imperial IPA
Product description: One hop, two hop, dry hop, new hop. Decades of hop obsession has brought us this celebratory Imperial IPA. Twenty Four is a reflection of our journey as hop freaks with its bouquet and taste evolving right in your glass. Made with Idaho 7, Simcoe, Vic Secret, and Columbus hops.
Avery Brewing – Avery Twenty Four Imperial IPA – 22 oz. bottle poured into specialty glassware – 9% abv.
Sampling from a 22oz bomber, Twenty Four is slightly hazy, bright golden in color with lower carbonation but still manages to generate a towering head of ivory foam that lifts itself out of the glass but doesn’t spill over the sides. Oh yeah. This is a beautiful beer.
Aromas of freshly chopped pineapple, ruby red grapefruit, and kumquat fill the glass while it’s still cold. Once the beer has warmed up, it moves to canned peaches.
The flavor begins with something a bit boozier like a pineapple mixed drink. Then, in the mid-palate, the beer turns a bit rough around the edges with wood and slate character. But the finish pulls through with under-ripe mango, kumquat, and heavy minerals.
The overall palate is slightly tannic and woody with a hard water profile. Thankfully, the higher ABV at 9.4% doesn’t play a major role in the flavor. Likewise, bitterness is restrained for this style.
I thought this one was nicely constructed and approachable, with bitterness and alcohol levels that aren’t over the top like in other Imperial IPAs. The newer varietals like Idaho-7 and Vic Secret in the hop schedule also make for an interesting experience. My main criticism is that the beer is too minerally and slightly woody in mouthfeel.
