“Darkly heroic, Humulus Lupulus (hops) have empowered brews with bite and character since the 11th century. DirtWolf is a tribute to these untamed vines which rise from the earth with the voracity of a “wolf among sheep.” Hops have made an assertive comeback in American craft brewing. Revel in the best U.S. varieties of hops, in their natural, whole flower form, as they bring a vital, pungent reality to the soul of a wild element in our dangerously satisfying DirtWolf Double IPA.”
Served in an IPA glass. Pouring a hazy deep golden hue with a well retained finger of white head forming on top. A good sheet of lace is left clinging to the glass as it ebbs. The nose is dank and big on juicy sweetness, leading out with fresh pineapple, grapefruit and pine flanked by a subtle alcohol astringency. Definitely some stone fruit notes too – peach, rock melon and a touch of apricot sitting nicely with some light florals. Not a highly detectable malt profile but a mild line of caramel does flow through. Brilliant aroma. The mouth feel is surprisingly light and vibrant for such a high ABV beer (8.7%). Co2 is medium and the bitterness is mild-moderate, handing this DIPA a dangerous session ability. Upfront the hop combination of Citra, Chinook, Mosaic and Simcoe all fuse together to provide a bucket load of citrus, tropical fruit and pine flavours. A subtle caramel malt base adds a delicate sweetness and allows for a mellow transition through the mid. The well drawn out finish is complimented by a mild hop dryness and highlighted with citrus and pine notes on the rear palate. Damn this is one fine double IPA! Classy, even. The aggression and in-your-face hops and alcohol that are usually traits of DIPA’s are smoothed out and balanced perfectly with the caramelized feel of the malts and restrained alcohol burn. Kudos Victory this is an excellent beer.