Review – Reaper Ales Sleighor (Take Two)

A little over two years ago, I fell in love with Double/Imperial IPAs. The beer that introduced me to the particular type of Double IPA I like, was Reaper Ale’s Sleighor.

If you remember, Reaper Ale had some Halloweeny/Gimmicky bottles, and would either entice you or turn you off. The reason why I liked Reaper Ales Sleighor was because the beer was thick, beautifully colored, smelled like hops and fresh citrus, and packed a punch.

As quick as I began enjoying it, Reaper Ales lost their space at Green Flash Brewing in Vista, CA, and went on a 2 year hiatus. Sure, you could find a few spots in Southern California that had a few bottles stashed, but the thought that we would never again have this beer crossed my mind. Then in my online travels, I found out Reaper found a new home to brew their beer. Sudwerk Brewing in Davis, CA. At my local Bevmo, I found a stocked shelf of 22oz Sleighor bottles. With joy, I picked up a bottle, and wanted to see if it still tastes the same. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. I encourage all other Sleighor fans to give it a try to see if my taste buds might have changed. On with the review…..

Appearance: A gold/copper see through ale. After an agressive pour, you get a fluffy head, but after a minute, it fades to a pin stripe. Foamy lacing to the bottom.

Aroma: A faint pine odor, no citrus what-so-ever. Almost a whiff of cardboard.

Taste: Faint pine and strong metallic hops. Almost no sweetness, and the metallic hop sits on the back of your tongue.

Mouthfeel: Very thin for a DIPA, a bit high on the carbonation side.

Overall: This is going to make Sleighor fans cry. Perhaps it used to be a tweaked Green Flash Imperial IPA recipe that stayed in Vista and didn’t follow them to Davis. I MIGHT give this one more shot.

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