Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA

Beer Name: 75 Minute IPA
Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewing Co. (Milton, DE)
ABV: 7.5%

How sold: 25.4 oz. bottle (750 mL)
Where bought: John's Marketplace (Portland, OR)
Price: $10.14
When Bottled: July 31, 2014
When Opened: February 20, 2015

When brewed? Limited-time beer found from December to February. Originally released January 2012.
Where distributed: Dogfish Head ships to about half the U.S. states.
Food Pairings: Burgers, grilled meats, and avocado

What's on the Label: "There are some situations there 90 is too much. There are other situations where 60 is too little. There are many situations where 75 is juuust riiight. Bottle-conditioned with pure maple syrup for complexity and dry-hopped out the bejeezum boards."

What's on the Website: "Blend two Dogfish Head favorites, add maple syrup, carbonate the mixture and carbonate the mixture naturally. What do you get? 75 Minute IPA."

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Poured into a clear pint glass. At eye level, it is a golden color with a slight orange hue. A few millimeters of head on top. 4.5/5

Smell (25%): Starts as a bitter-citrus, tempered by some sweetness. Halfway through the drinking experience, I got more malty sweetness, perhaps also yeast in nature. 4/5

Taste (40%): Mostly malty bitter-citrus, but the sweetness from the maple syrup allows for a controlled bitter finish. Got a slight alcohol flavor about 2/3 of the way through the pint. 3.75/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Medium body that coats the tongue well, allowing the citrus and bitterness to linger for several seconds. Refreshing and wonderfully carbonated. 4/5

Overall (20%): A decent beer overall. I'm sure that opening this beer nearly seven months after bottling had some effect on the experience. The sweetness from the maple syrup, while not necessarily detectable as maple syrup, really came into play on the beer's finish and aroma. Paid over $10 for a 750 mL bottle, so I'd certainly want to share this with a friend that is a fan of Dogfish Head. I like the citrus aspect, but it may be a bit too bitter overall (from first sip to last) for me to consider it a true go-to beer. 3.75/5

Final Weighted Rating: 3.875/5