Illumination Double IPA - Central Waters Brewing Company

Illumination Double IPA

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Amherst , WI

Overall: 6.63/10 by 3 dudes

Standard Deviation: 3.98 or 60.06%

Trend: 6.63/10 over past 5 reviews

Style: Imperial/Double India Pale Ale

ABV: 9.00%

IBU: 108

Season: May

Have Another: 100%

370 beers rated with a 7.94 average
  • 1.00/10 have another
  • A: 1.0 | T: 1.0 | L: 1.0 | M: 1.0 | O: 1.0
  • sDev: 84.92% Color: srm-6 Deep Gold
  • A: Very nice deep gold color with a slight sheen that's topped by a soft off-white small-bubble foam-head, thats like a melting vanilla ice cream ginger ale float.

    S: Initally its a appetizingly appealing grapefruity blast. Underneath is a layer of soft butterscotchy malt sweetness. All served on a nice piece of biscuity toast taste.

    T: Perfect alignment of taste with aromas. First flavors are grapefruity, caramelish malt, and breadiness. It's on the thick side, but not in a bad way if you like that sorta thing. The 9% abv plays well in the big basic tastes of the brew, in fact the alcohol very well balances into the other elements of this well made Dble IPA.

    O: A really well made Third Coast IPA. It tastes like the perfect blend of citrus and honey, with a little spike of flame. And it's not a clone of anything, kind carves out it's own space. OK, it's in proximity of Hopslam. Really great brew, I just wish it wasn't so hard of a job to grab a few.

    (Note: rating not reflective of my opinion, but IE browser not working with rating slide bars. I give it a 9.0)
  • 1,080 characters
  • Reviewed: Sunday, April 15, 2012 at 21:16:16
  • Tasted: Sunday, April 15, 2012
  • $3.59 for 12 oz. bottle
310 beers rated with a 8.28 average
  • 9.64/10 have another
  • A: 10.0 | T: 10.0 | L: 9.0 | M: 9.0 | O: 9.0
  • sDev: 45.40% Color: Deep Gold
  • Pours a cloudy deep golden color with a silky rich half inch white head. The head has good retention and dissipates slowly, eventually leaving a thin tightly formed head resting on top. Lots of thick sticky lacing sheets the sides of the glass.

    The aroma is rich in citrus hops and has a very tropical scent with mango and grapefruit coming out strong. A touch of pine is noticeable as well.

    The taste is just as impressive as the aroma. Starts with a clean refreshing juicy citrus hop (mango and grapefruit) flavor that continues all the way to the finish. A bready malt shows itself in the middle and continues into the finish with a pine hop joining into the flavors near the finish. The finish is impressively bitter with a bit of warmth from the higher abv is noticeable as well.

    Medium body with medium carbonation. Creamy smooth mouthfeel with a sweetness on the lips and some dryness in the finish.

    Overall, Central Waters nails it again! This is an impressive beer with an amazing amount of fresh hopped up flavor. Extremely well balanced in both the aroma and the flavors. An easy drinking beer for a higher abv brew. Put this one on your list if you are a hop head! Try one!
  • 1,198 characters
  • Reviewed: Thursday, April 12, 2012 at 23:38:02
  • Tasted: Thursday, April 12, 2012
  • $2.99 for 12 oz. bottle
1,470 beers rated with a 7.84 average
  • 9.24/10 have another
  • A: 10.0 | T: 9.0 | L: 9.0 | M: 9.0 | O: 9.0
  • sDev: 39.37% Color: Gold
  • Poured clear with a quality, white, single inch of foam. Retention was about average with a lacing that was somewhat thick and a touch sticky.

    Aroma is of citrus and tropical fruits. Sweet and bread malt. The hops are definitely the strongest of the scents. Very pleasant.

    Taste is hops up front, slightly in the middle, and finishing strong. Fruity hops touch off the beer, while the bread malts and sweetness come in the middle with a touch of pine hops that wasn't present in the aroma. The finish is more hops but mostly just bittering. Some booze warms as it goes down.

    Medium body seems mainly from the viscous nature that the hop resins give off while there is a light medium carbonation.

    Central Waters rarely disappoints and this beer delivers. From the beginning with a sharp aroma to the taste that is well balanced yet bitter enough to let you know what you are drinking, this beer is all over awesome. My frequent trips to WI always have me on the lookout for something new and exciting from CW. Enjoy!
  • 1,029 characters
  • Reviewed: Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 22:14:19
  • Tasted: Saturday, July 17, 2010
  • $2.49 for 12 oz. bottle
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Cost Breakdown
  • $3.02, 3 serving(s), 12 oz. bottles
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