A quick brew from close to home, made in Portland, Oregon, the Hop Czar! I'm not the biggest fan of the India Pale Ales, but I am attracted by the adjective "Imperial." To me it means more robust flavor, and perhaps as important, more alcohol. It makes everything better! Imperial Stouts, Imperial Porters, Imperial I.P.A.s, Imperial Star Destroyers.
This Czar opens with a strong hoppy scent, that acrid tangyness that gets you ready to drink a beer. Of course, that makes a lot of sense by the name of the brew. The brew goes in smooth, with a latent spiciness of hops, which then kicks into high gear. I cannot describe it better than saying it is a hop explosion, a nuclear test of the H-bomb in your mouth. And like latent radiation, the taste lingers for ages after the event, dwelling in your pallet and corrupting it for an age.
Hops. Hops. Hops. That's what this beer advertises, and that is all you get. But you get a lot of it. And it is good. I would have trouble drinking two in a row, but after a few beers in between, I would open another Hop Czar with an eager alacrity. Get one. Drink one. You'll enjoy it.
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