On tap, served in a 10-ounce miniature pilsner glass.
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The Powerhouse has a consistent stable of beers that is bolstered by a damn good selection of pub food—fish tacos, pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, pasta dishes, baby back ribs, salads. It also happens to be my neighborhood pub.
While I enjoy all of their lager and ale offerings, I find that their boldest, most complex, and best offerings are those that are at the low and high end of the alcohol content spectrum. That means that their Belgian White (4% ABV) and Brass Monk (8+% ABV) are good representatives of what constitutes their best. I find that their Imperial Pale follows suit.
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The board in the bar reads:
IMPERIAL PALE • Dry hop ale inspired by WA-HB Jody Chinn • 1.088 O.G. • 9.3% ABV
In other words, a beast.
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I don't know who Jody Chinn is, but I want to meet him or her. This beer is inspired by his or her creation; I can only imagine what the original is like!
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The body is orange and quiet, with only a few bubbles of carbonation. The off-white head gives way to a thin ring and leaves behind a few bands of lacing.
The nose is of biscuits and hard alcohol (rum or such), with hints of flowers and cherries. The tongue is of bitterness and grass, caramel and the light graham cracker flavor of baby teething biscuits. There is a strong, bold bitterness and an alcohol bite that is like a viper strike in its initial hit, but like lingering venom in its finish.
This is excellent stuff. It is not quite as bitter or citrusy as an Imperial IPA, but what it lacks in over-the-top flavor is made up for in complexity as it engages the entire mouth. The faint sweetness dries and dries and dries.
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If you are in the South Puget Sound region, then visit the Powerhouse for their Power Dip and a "pint" of Imperial Pale.
2 comments:
dude, I am glad that you liked my beer. It was a fairly close interpretation of the original...we had to make adjustments though for grain sack weight and whatnot. It's interesting because it has changed over time as the hop nuances age out and the alcohol tones down.
-Jody
Jody:
Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the great beer experience I had at The Powerhouse. That must have been some wild beer if the hops were more intense and the alcohol was stronger.
Troy.
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