Dead Bird Brewing was started by two home-brewing friends, Nick Kocis and Jeremy Hatch. So far the duo’s main brews have included an American pale ale called Pamplemousse and an imperial cherry stout called Strumpet. Their latest is a bold imperial IPA that set a House of Brews taproom record for sales when it debuted there a couple of weeks ago. Dead Bird’s Strongman IIPA is muscling its way onto liquor store shelves and into bars this week.
What is it? Strongman Imperial India Pale Ale by Dead Bird Brewing of Madison.
Style: The Imperial India Pale Ale (IIPA), also called a double IPA, has deep golden to reddish-amber color. It’s a medium- to full-bodied beer that’s known for a strong hop profile with resiny, piney and/or citrus tones, depending on the type of hops in the recipe. The IIPA has a solid malty backbone that blends with high amounts of hops to create spicy warmth and complexity. IIPA are strong beers at 7.5%-10% ABV.
Background: Strongman first appeared in the House of Brews taproom on April 29. It was also featured at Jacs Dining and Taphouse on May 5 in a special Dead Bird tap takeover for Madison Craft Beer Week. After sampling so many different brews during Craft Beer Week, this one stood out for me, especially among hop-forward styles.
This IIPA is made with 3.5 pounds of hops per barrel — a combination of Nugget, Centennial, Cascade and Simcoe. The malt bill (including Pale, Victory and Caramel with a touch of rye) is as robust as the beer’s name, with 1,000 pounds for a 10-barrel batch. It’s also is made with Belgian candi sugar to boost the alcohol. Kocis says the goal was to do a 10/100 brew, meaning a beer that finishes at 10% ABV with an estimated 100 IBUs (International Bitterness Units).
Strongman IIPA is currently found on draught at House of Brews, and it will appear in local taverns through May and June. It’s also available in 22-ounce bomber bottles.
Tasting notes:
Aroma: Assertive citrus hoppiness.
Appearance: Clear, reddish amber color. A thick bubbly tan head.
Texture: Full-bodied, round and bubbly.
Taste: The tropical grapefruit hoppiness is up front, followed by piney bitterness from the Simcoe hops in the background.
Finish/Aftertaste: There is a firm hop bitterness, but nothing that seems way out of balance. This beer finishes remarkably clean, with light dry spiciness and warmth.
Glassware: The snifter encourages slow sipping enjoyment and will focus the hop aroma under the nose.
Pairs well with: I like double IPAs with spicy dishes, especially Cajun and Indian dishes. Strongman’s blend of hops and warmth is also a good match for blue cheeses.
The Verdict: The “Strongman” image seems appropriate for this beer, given its 10% ABV. I like that, given all the hops and the massive amount of malt, its overall flavor avoids the alcohol burn that you might expect for such a big beer. The Cascade and Centennial hops lend citrus aroma and solid flavor, while the piney Simcoe and rye malts create a spicy finish, giving it a little West Coast hop personality. With all those hops, this might sound like a palate-wrecker, but it isn’t. It’s modestly balanced for an IIPA, a beer that’s very drinkable and approachable to a range of hoppy beer lovers. Just don’t forget, there’s plenty of alcohol strength in this Strongman.
