Mikkeller Citra Imperial IPA

Beer Name: Citra Imperial IPA
Brewery: Mikkeller ApS (Copenhagen, Denmark) (imported by Shelton Bros. in Belchertown, MA)
ABV: 8.9%
How sold: 12 oz. bottles
Where bought: Belmont Station (Portland, OR)
Price: $6.99(!) for 12 oz. single

Date Purchased: November 14, 2015
Date Opened/Drank: November 14, 2015
Best By Date: May 17, 2018
When brewed? Limited-time, rotating beer.

Where distributed: Mikkeller imports to several U.S. states. Mikkeller beer can be found in 40 countries worldwide. Click here for more!

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): This unfiltered beer poured a hazy/cloudy orange-copper into a pint glass. Sediment can be seen suspended throughout the beer. Several mm of thick, frothy off-white head. Probably some of the most pronounced lacing I've seen left on a pint glass. 4.75/5

Smell (25%): Big malty aroma. Mix of floral and citrus notes. 3.5/5

Taste (40%): Full-on blast of malt and citrus, with accompanying alcohol taste. Packs a lot of punch and tastes like it would have more ABV in this. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Full bodied, almost syrupy in feel. Leaves a very dry tongue. Controlled bitterness lingers. 3.5/5

Overall (20%): An average Double IPA. I'm likely in the minority here, but I don't gravitate toward the more intense IPAs (i.e. the stronger, more alcoholic ones) and the hefty price had to be taken into consideration. I did a double-take on the price -- and yes, it really was a whopping $7 for a 12 oz. single. It does score very well on BeerAdvocate (92) and RateBeer (99), so many people do like it. This is an unfiltered beer, which I feel adds even more flavor to this. It drinks heavier than its stated 8.9% ABV while packing a powerful malty feel and a lovely citrus punch. It reminds me of a lighter version of Dogfish 120 Minute IPA. The full-bodied nature this one brings makes it a more winter IPA in my book. 3.5/5

Final Weighted Rating: 3.563/5