First, a hearty thanks for the proprietors of “Thank Heaven for Beer” for hosting this review.  In fact, I was surprised by the request.  In deciding what beer to review, I found myself at the store pondering what sort of hoppy ale (minus the apricots!) should find its way into my glass.  I knew a beer for the northwest would be a good choice, however I thought it would be best, at least for this venue, that it be from a brewery that has a sizeable distribution.  (Sorry Scuttlebutt’s.  While I love your beers, you guys are still just too local.)  I settled upon the Rogue I2PA.  It was an expensive beer ($15 for 750ml), but I just couldn’t resist the bottle.

First, the technical data:
20º PLATO
74 IBU
75 AA
13º Lovibond
9.5% ABV

The elegance of simplicity drew me to this beer.  The simplicity of the ceramic bottle design first drew me in.  Upon further examination, the simplicity of the ingredients had me sold.  This beer is brewed using 100% 2-row Pipkin pale malt, which gives it the light golden-orange color.  It is truly triple-hopped with Saaz, Cascade, and NW Goldings.

Popping the cap, the sound of the CO2 coming out was musical.  It was a significant pressure release indicating a high amount of carbonation.  The beer poured a nice golden-orange color with a lacy, white head.  Beautiful.  This beer is unfiltered, so it is common to see a little yeast floating by.

Hops are the prominent feature of this beer.  The aroma was dominated by citrus, accented by floral notes.  Great aroma.  The Cascade hops really shine through in this beer.

The first taste of this beer was exhilarating.  The hops, prominently featured, were effortlessly balanced by the malt.  This beer is comes in at a healthy 74 IBU, but the bitterness is not overwhelming.  This is very a smooth Imperial IPA.  Beneath the hops, a healthy malt backbone.  It was slightly bready.  This beer has balance, lots of balance.

Overall, I really enjoyed this beer.  It is not nearly as aggressive as the Ruination IPA from Stone Brewing.  I also found it to be slightly smoother than Hophenge from Deschutes.  It’s an excellent example of one of my favorite styles.  It’s even better when you share it with a friend.