Deschutes – Hop Henge (2006)

Last year’s version of Hop Henge was a stop on the way to developing a new American IPA replacement for its now-discontinued Quail Springs IPA. It was good … one of those “drop your jaw and hold the glass to the light at arms length to get a better look at this marvel” kind of beers. Thank God Deschutes released it in 22 oz bombers. They went quickly, and everyone I knew hoped it would become the new IPA recipe. The brewers kept tweaking, however, and Inversion (now a workhorse favorite among American IPA lovers), was born.

So when a friend came into work raving, “Hop Henge is back … and it’s an Imperial! I had it last night at the pub,” I had no choice but to go try it for myself. On tap it was excellent. I got a fresh case from the brewery, and this tasting is from one of those bottles.

ABV: 8.1%
IBUs: 95

Appearance: A beautiful deep, clear orange. Nice head that slowly collapses leaving sticky burst bubbles on the glass. Smell: Excellent citrus and spice hop aroma hits first, followed by a whiff of caramelized malt. Taste: As the Stonehenge replica made of hop bales on the label would suggest, hops, both bitter and flavor, are the showcase here. Citrus and spice sitting on top of a very supportive malt backbone. The sweetness you’d expect from a high-alcohol beer is there, but is supportive … not overpowering. Could be just a touch more balanced? Mouthfeel: Good full-bodied beer with decent carbonation. Could have used just a small bit more carbonation (not a major problem … still plenty of carbonation to be had). Drinkability: I bought a case. This beer is easy to spend time with, and I’m glad that I have more in the cellar to enjoy over time.