Great Beyond Double IPA

Ommegang's first-ever Double IPA is a solid entry into the category.  

It pours clear and gold with a thin white head. The aroma is hop-forward, as you might imagine, with notes of pine, tropical fruit and citrus -- though it isn't as prominent as you'd find in other beers in this category. The low grainy malt background is nice, though.

The flavor is fruity and pleasantly sweet -- not syrupy, and well-balanced by medium-high hop bitterness. The fruit character seems to be a balance of the hop flavors and some pear/berry esters. There's a medium-low bready malt backbone, and the finish is semi-dry with a lingering citrus character. The mouthfeel is characterized by a low but persistent alcohol warmth.  

Overall, this is a very good DIPA that might benefit from a more pronounced hop aroma and flavor, but shouldn't change a thing when it comes to producing a drinkable higher-ABV beer!