Hair of the Dog Blue Dot

Beer Name: Blue Dot
Brewery: Hair of the Dog Brewing Co. (Portland, OR)
ABV: 7%
How sold: 22 oz. bottle (650.6 mL)
Where bought: John's Marketplace (Portland, OR)
Price: $7.69
IBU: 80

What's on the Label: "Blue Dot is named after our planet: we are only a pale blue dot in this universe. Made with Organic Pilsner malt, Rye malt and a combination of intense hop varieties. Pour slowly to allow the sediment to remain in the bottle. Make every day Earth Day. Do something nice for your mother."

When brewed? Seasonal release in bottles; labeled by season and year. I sampled the Fall 2014 version. It is also available year-round in kegs (on draft).

Where distributed: Hair of the Dog ships to several states in 12 oz. bottles, 22 oz. bottles, and kegs. The beer should be found in many bottle shops, taprooms, and pubs.

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Poured hazy orange-copper into a pint glass. Poured very slowly according to instructions. Some sediment poured into the pint glass anyway. Little carbonation, no head. Very little lacing. 4.5/5

Smell (25%): Incredible, intense citrus, passion fruit, grapefruit, and other tropical hoppy aromas. Pretty much "holy-shit hypnotizing." 5/5

Taste (40%): Citrus-grapefruit experience throughout. Incredibly smooth, minimal bitterness. Tropical notes tend to hang around, and that is a good thing. Minimal alcohol detected at the end. Still a superior beer at 7% ABV. 4.75/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Another excellent example of a medium-body, yet refreshing Double IPA. Some coating on the tongue and mouth, with a bit of carbonation. 4.75/5

Overall (20%): The Blue Dot gets a blue ribbon. Certainly right up there with some of the best Double IPAs. Totally drew me in with the aroma and I stayed to savor every last drop. Well worth the money if you can get a bottle in the $7.50 to $8 range. My friend from law school recommended this beer to me, and I am now a huge fan. It took a lot of willpower to "only" have one pint and not finish the bottle off. Double IPA lovers must get this. 4.75/5

Final Weighted Rating: 4.8/5