Captain Lawrence "Captain's Reserve Imperial IPA"

I picked up this bomber from the Whole Foods on Houston which has a terrific beer selection. Since most beer geeks are flocking to hipper distributers, the Whole Foods always has a terrific selection of rare brews that sell out more quickly in other vendors.

The Captain's Reserve was well stocked both refrigerated and on the shelf for $4.99 a bomber.

The Pour -

Absolutely the most beautiful IPA I've ever poured. In my pint glass the ale was a crystal clear, pale golden color with two fingers of a uniquely frothy head that resembled soft-peak-beaten-egg-whites or fresh snow. It was only with the greatest restraint that I left it to breath for a few moments. The head lasted a good five minutes with extensive lacing. This is the way an IPA is meant to look and I tip my cap to C.L. for allowing me experience this.

10/10

Nose -

The nose was an appealing mixture of West Coast hops: floral and piney with a hint of spice and a moderate marijuana scent. It mellowed rather quickly in a more subdued, generic hoppy aroma that didn't over power but didn't impress either. I'm a large fan of the complex, sticky hops characteristic of Stone, Green Flash, Sierra Nevada and other Cali brews and they were clearly represented in the C.L. (especially in the foaminess of the head). I felt that the C.L. had a more complex aroma than the Sierra Nevada or the Stone IPA but it faded disappointingly quickly.

7/10

Mouthfeel -

Light and crisp, very refreshing without the heavy malt creaminess evident in many DIPAs. I couldn't believe that this was all of 11% ABV. I could easily be drinking this in a beach chair cuddled up with a grocery store crime novel. Mmmm.

8/10

Taste -

For better and worse exactly what the nose promised. A rich, complex hop bite that covers all the bases without being too bitter; a nice sweet citrus upfront that fades to sticky pine and a warm layer of alcohol in the back. Definitely does not drink like an 11% ABV. Now, I'm interested to read Chas's opinion on this statement, but I'm not a man who likes a mouthful of malt in my IPA, if only because I'm a geek and a literalist. Historically, IPAs are built around the hops, not the malt and many brewers seem to forget this or cop out by saying, "Oh, this isn't an IPA, it's an American Strong Ale" (ASA vs. IPA argument is for another time). I bring this up because the brewers at C.L. seem to agree with me and this beer is decidedly not overly malted and that's fantastic.

Like in the nose the hops fade as the pint empties and the last few sips are much sweeter but mellow, if a bit uninteresting. However, the lightness of the ale combined with the absence of overly cloying malts left me ready to finish the bomber and dwell on the delicious hops once again.

7/10

So over-all on a 0-40 scale, I'd give this beer a 32. I will certainly be picking this one up again if I come across it. The pour alone is just wow... I mean, wow.