Hocus Pocus Infinite Boredom

Style: Double IPA Três Rios, RJ Brazil, ABV: 9 473ml can

Tasted on 17/5/23 Best by 7/23 Price: 30R$

Hocus Pocus here with another iteration of a double west coast IPA with an intent to be fresh. It’s brewed with a mix of hops (Centennial Moxee, Zappa, Chinook, Mosaic and Citra) and it’s a strong one at 9% and could be considered a triple. It has a bit of an off-white head which is long lasting and cloudy mid amber colour. This particular mix of hops gives a different kind of aroma with off-course plenty of fruit (lemon, pineapple, melon and maybe even white grapes) plus a bitter resinous aroma as well as an almost funky Belgian spicy note. The malt is there lending some sweetness and a light bready aroma and it does smell strong but not too much.

It feels quite thick and chewy in the mouth with fairly low carbonation. It’s a full flavoured brew with lots of fruit, spice and resin and very dry and bitter finish. The mix is a bit different from other IPAs and I do think it has some almost Belgian components with the malt and yeast adding to that. I don’t have the IBU to this beer but I imagine it’s high as the bitter flavour lingers but it doesn’t taste boozy at all with even low warmth.

It’s another decent IPA from Hocus Pocus with a bit of a different mix of hops and flavours and it is refreshing for a strong beer but also suited for a chilly evening.

Score: 4

Dogma Hop Reckless

Style: Double IPA São Paulo, Brazil ABV: 9.3 473ml can

Tasted on 4/1/23 Best by 5/23 Price: 30R$

Here’s another double IPA from Dogma, this one is supposed to be a cross between a west coast one and a New England one, so it’s supposed to be fruity and tropical with a dry and bitter base. There are a lot of hop varieties here (Riwaka, Motueka, Idaho Gem, Chinook and El Dorado) also it’s on the strong side at 9.3% so it’s almost a triple IPA.

It does look a bit of a crossover beer, it’s a bit hazy but also has a light and bright amber shine with a bubbly bright white head. The aroma is also a mix with lots of tropical and fruity notes but also a bit of pine and resin. The malt is pretty neutral but there is a light sweetish oatmeal aspect but looking at the ingredients it doesn1t have oat but there is wheat and sugar cane. The different hops give a different flavour spectrum so there’s pineapple and lemon as well as the usual passion fruit and grapefruit.

It feels full bodied and a bit chewy with quite low carbonation (I would have preferred a tad more). It is very piney and dry to begin but the bitterness doesn’t persist and a sweeter lighter tone comes through but it isn’t cloying. It does taste strong though and the booze comes through and it has old school herbal resinous bitterness too.

I like it but nothing spectacular. The taste is pretty good and it has a nice balance but it’s a bit boozy and flat for the style but I’d have it again.

Score: 4.1

Tarantino Double IPA

Style: Double IPA São Paulo, Brazil ABV: 8 IBU: 75 473ml can

Tasted on 22/12/22 Best by 6/23 Price: 28R$

I thought I’d had this one before but I must have missed because I haven’t. It’s a collaboration between Tarantino and American brewery Odell from Colorado and it’s a big double IPA brewed with Cascade, Amarillo and Citra hops and it has a healthy 75 IBU despite what it says on the picture, the difference being this is the 2022 version.

It’s got a bright white big foamy head which takes its time to settle and it’s a little cloudy with a pale golden colour. It smells like a good and fresh west coast IPA with the hops taking pole position and giving plenty of fruit (mango, melon, passion fruit and grapefruit) and a bit of `piney resin. There’s just a light neutral malty sweetness and overall it smells like a good fresh and professional IPA.

It has quite a thick and chewy body with medium carbonation. In the mouth it’s a bit of a let down as the malt is way too sweet and it tastes a bit sugary. There are lots of hops but the balance isn’t quite right and it ends up tasting a bit rough. There aren’t really any flaws but the profile isn’t quite balanced right.

I thought it would be better than this so it’s a disappointment and while far from horrid, there are plenty better double IPAs out there.

Score: 3.5

Dilema Outside the Box

Style: Double IPA Tremembé, SP, Brazil ABV: 8.3 IBU: 70 473ml can

Tasted on 3/8/22 Best by 6/23 Price: 35R$

Sometimes you just want a classic double west coast IPA and that time is now for me. I thought this was my first beer by Dilema,but apparently I’ve had one other by them although this will be my first IPA. I hope it’s just what I’m looking for. It doesn’t seem to be very special or different except for its hops profile which is a little different as it’s got El Dorado, Triumph and Bru-1, the last two being unfamiliar to me.

It’s got a big puffy and bright white which is full and slowly settles and it’s almost clear with a pale amber colour, looking just like it should do. The hops are upfront and there’s a lot of pineapple with this one with a bit of grapefruit and mango. It’s also a bit piney and resinous and you also get the malt coming through which is smooth with a light sweetness. it smells like an old school west coast IPA and that’s exactly what I wanted and it seems fresh and clean as well.

It has a medium body and is lightly chewy with medium carbonation. The pineapple and piney resin from the hops are the strongest flavours here and it’s also more bitter than many IPA’s these days but not aggressively so and I’m enjoying it. The malt gives a nice base with some sweetness and a neutral light bready flavour. It tastes strong but not boozy with a light warmth coming from it and it’s bitter resin which lingers on the aftertaste.

It’s certainly nothing new but it does make a change from the Juicy/Hazy IPA’s that abound and I think I prefer these old school IPA’s especially when they are done well and this one is.

Score: 4.1

Fuller’s Imperial IPA (2017)

Style: Imperial IPA London, England ABV: 10.5 IBU: 95 500ml bottle

Tasted on 22/6/22 Best by 2027 Price: 65R$

This should be a fairly unique take on the overcrowded stage of imperial IPA’s as it’s a very strong version of an English IPA so it should quite heavily malty and also only English hops have been used so it won’t be fruity rather earthy and resinous also it’s got black pepper added to it and it’s aged 5 years so might have an aged alcohol component. It’s also the last in Fuller’s imperial range that I’ve tried.

It’s a very dark IPA and looks more like a red or even brown ale, it looks a bit hazy and has a fine light beige head. It also smells very differently from a traditional (American) IPA as it’s got a full on malty aroma, which is really strong and it has an almost whisky like note. the hops are really earthy and piney with lots of hedgerow and mulchy aromas. It’s very boozy and there does seem to be an aged alcohol component. It almost smells like a hoppy barley wine or extra strength old ale but I kind of like it as it has nothing to do with a modern American IPA and has gone in a very different direction.

It feels very heavy and thick in the mouth like a boozy imperial stout and it also has very light and soft carbonation. It is very malty with lots of whisky and cereal sweetness which mixes with the almost harsh earthy hoppy bitterness which is also piney and resinous but not at all fruity. The black pepper gives it a light spiciness and it’s boozy and aged with lots of warmth. There’s some strong brewed black tea too but somehow it’s quite smooth and rounded. It has a long boozy and malty finish.

I can see why some wouldn’t appreciate this beer as it really is far from the generally accepted profile of a regular imperial IPA but I do like it and it’s a turbo charged English IPA and there aren’t too many of them about.

Score: 4.2

Koala Information

Style: Double IPA Nova Lima, MG, Brazil ABV: 7.9 473ml can

Tasted on 28/5/22 Best by 8/22 Price: 30R$

The last couple of IPAs I’ve had from Koala have been really good so I’m hoping they keep up the standards with this one. The information from the website says that this is a standard double IPA not a NE IPA like it says on Untappd, so I’ll go with the former. It’s brewed with Eclipse, Simcoe, Strata and Citra Lupomax.

It’s got great big bright white frothy head which is soft and pillowy, taking yonks to settle and it looks quite hazy with a pale amber colour. It smells clean and hoppy with lots of fruit; there’s citric, like oranges and tangerines as well as pineapple, mango and maybe peach as well. It isn’t very resinous or piney but there’s a sweetness to the malt base and it does contain oatmeal and wheat as well as barley malt so there’s a hint of porridge, grass and lemon. It does actually seem like it could be hazy IPA or a New England one after all.

It feels smooth, silky and soft in the mouth with quite high carbonation. I do think this is a NE IPA after tasting it as although there’s plenty of fruit here it has a oatmeal and wheat sweetness and the bitterness, while certainly present isn’t as biting as many IPAs. There’s citrus fruit, pineapple, mango, peach and maybe even some green grape here. The malt base is quite sweet with grainy and grassy flavours but there is also hoppy bitterness and the fruit flavours linger on the aftertaste. It doesn’t taste very strong and the alcohol is well hidden.

It’s a well made IPA with lots of pleasant flavours and it’s easy to drink but I do prefer IPAs with a bit more bitterness really. So, although it’s decent it doesn’t quite fit my profile.

Score: 4

Stormy WATERFALLS

Style: Double IPA Campinas, SP, Brazil ABV: 8.2 473ml Can

Tasted on 7/1/22 Best by 9/22 Price: 35R$

This is another new local brewery and this is the second beer I’ve had by them, I was well impressed by the first one, so I’m hoping this won’t be a let down. It’s a double west coast IPA, a style which is almost old school these days as the New Englanders are dominating so much. It has Australian (Enigma) and American (Centennial) hops, which should give it I don’t know the IBU but the other one I had was very much on the bitter side so I’m hoping and expecting this one will be too.

It’s lightly hazy with a very pale amber colour and a bright sparkling long lasting frothy head. Even from a distance I’m getting lots of hop aroma and it smells very clean and fresh. There are lots of bitter fruit notes some grapefruit, maybe pineapple, green grapes and goose berries. There’s plenty of resin and pine too. It smells like it’s going to be bitter and I’m only getting light malt touches, providing a neutral base for the hops to shine.

It feels smooth and crisp in the mouth with medium carbonation. The hops are really in sharp focus here and there’s tons of bitter fruit, green leaves, pine and resin and a wonderful bitter hop kick. It’s magnificently clean and fresh but with hints of dankness and mushrooms, like the smell of the forest after rain. The malt sweetness is a bit more noticeable in the mouth and adds a nice balance. It’s just strong enough to be very drinkable and it doesn’t taste very boozy.

It’s a very decent version of a Dipa and its mix of hop varieties is forward looking and it makes for an interesting blend of flavours. It’s very much on the bitter side but not at all harsh so it really works for me.

Score: 4.3

Dogma Amante de Lúpulo

Style: Double IPA São Paulo, Brazil ABV: 8.3 473ml can

Tasted on 22/10/21 Best by 9/22 Price: 35R$

Old faithful Dogma have a long line of IPA’s with every combination and variety imaginable and they continue to experiment and innovate. This one will be my first all Brazilian grown hop IPA. Hops in Brazil are a pretty new crop and are perhaps difficult to grow here but a few fazendas are trying. The variety used is Comet, which in their US variety have dank and grapefruit aroma and flavour but the Brazilian variety seems to be different having green grapes, resin and citric notes.

It’s very clear and filtered looking with a pale amber colour and it’s got a smooth bright white head, which is stable and lasting. A neutral yeast was used and the malt s are also light allowing the full aroma of the hops to shine so it’s very hop prominent. It smells very differently from an American grown hop IPA and if I didn’t know it was Brazilian grown I might think it’s New Zealand as it has lots of green grapes but there’s also plenty of dank resin in there as well as some grapefruit and it kind of has a weed note to it. It’s interesting and I can’t wait to have a sip.

It’s smooth and a bit creamy in the mouth with quite low carbonation. The taste pretty much corresponds to the aroma as it’s hop led with lots of grape, dankness and grapefruit and a smattering of herbal and tropical fruit flavours. The bitterness builds as you sip it and there’s also plenty of malt sweetness here to balance things. It might be a tad on the boozy side and you can feel the heat. The hop flavours linger with grape and resin at the forefront.

It’s a bit different and it’s interesting to taste Brazilian grown hops. Hopefully more growers will try to cultivate it and we’ll get more and interesting varieties. It’s a good and well made IPA without being exceptional.

Score: 4

Firestone Walker Double Jack

Style: Double IPA Paso Robles, CA, USA ABV: 9.5 IBU: 85 355ml can

Tasted on 9/7/21 Best by 10/21 Price: 30R$

These days it’s getting harder to find good imported beers in Brazil, what with the pandemic and the weak Real, but there is a trickle and I was happy to find this one. It looks to me like an old school strong and bitter west coast IPA and it’s sometimes good to go back to these hop monsters once in a while. It’s practically a triple IPA at 9.5% and indeed it is a triple dry-hopped brew.

It makes a break to see an IPA which is clear and with a dark amber colour and it’s got a white frothy head which settles pretty quickly. It has a pungent spicy and hoppy aroma with lots of pine, resin and bitter fruit, there’s grapefruit and bitter orange and there’s also a solid malty base which adds a light bready sweetness. It smells strong and boozy and the 9% plus isn’t disguised here.

It’s got fizzy and poppy carbonation with a solid but still crisp body. It’s got everything I’d hoped it would have, lots of citric hoppy flavours, loads of grapefruit, resin and pine but the malt mellows it out and lends a gentle sweetness to give it a solid foundation. It’s also boozy and warming but it doesn’t get in the way. It’s really a very rounded beer with great balance and seems to have travelled well.

It’s an old school strong IPA but with a light modern touch as it’s not harsh at all and is very drinkable and it’s going down very easily for its strength. It could be a dangerous one!

Score: 4.2

Dádiva Hoppy Breakfast #2

Style: Oat Cream DIPA Várzea Paulista, SP, Brazil ABV: 8.2 IBU: 70 473ml Can

Tasted on 24/12/20 Best by 9/21 Price: 33R$

Here’s my first Covid Chrimbo beer and it’s old faithful Dádiva at the wheel with a curious Oat Cream DIPA, a style they seem to have come with themselves and why not, I applaud invention. Although, I don’t think I would have this strong beast for breakfast, despite its name. It should be a different kind of beer as apart from 70% oatmeal it’s also got two experimental hop types which will supposedly add citric, green grapes and lychee flavours.

It looks exactly as it should with a generous and creamy white head and it’s lightly hazy with a pale peachy yellow colour. You get a lot of the oatmeal on the nose which gives it a smooth and porridgy sweet aroma and true to its description there is a lot of citric fruit; lemon, orange and mandarin and I do get the white fruit comment and perhaps it’s self-suggestion but I am getting a lychee vibe. It does smell quite different from a regular DIPA and I could even think about having something like this for breakfast.

It’s immensely thick and chewy in the mouth almost like porridge and it has a low carbonation. AS for the taste, it more or less follows the nose with lots of citric, lychee and green grapes and more bitterness than expected, although the 80IBU should have warned me. The oatmeal certainly gives it heft, sweetness and a cereal angle, so the breakfast thing isn’t so far off the mark. It’s very creamy and smooth too which makes it easy to go down and the hop bitterness contrasts pleasantly with the cereal sweetness. It doesn’t even taste too strong but the warming is noticeable.

It’s good to know there are still different avenues for IPA’s and there’s no surprise that Dádiva could make a beer like this. So, another tasty and enjoyable IPA by one of my favourite Brazilian breweries.

Score: 4.2