I mentioned the other day that I picked up a couple bottles of Half Pints’ Humulus Ludicrous at the brewery on the day of its release. HL is Half Pints’ annual double IPA seasonal, claiming to be 100 IBUs (which is a lot by the way – IBUs stands for International Bittering Units and is a standardized measure of how bitter a beer is). It is a highly-sought-after beer among the beer geek crowd, and for good reason.

Double IPAs are tricky, and they are all the rage these days. They are not really designed for the average beer drinker, but instead try to please the experience craft beer consumerThe hard part is finding balance. Many American versions go nuts on hop impression, presenting little else. I liked Paddock Wood’s Loki, which went the other way by accenting malt and balance. If I were to classify, I would say that Half Pints HL slips inbetween . The hop is big in this beer, but malt gets its fair chunk of space as well.

This year’s version is a orange-copper with a touch of haze and a relaxed white head that hangs around like a comfortable couch blanket. It has a huge citrusy hop aroma but that is not all. I also pick up a bit of crystal and light, unrefined sugar sweetness, some pear and peach fruitiness and a bit of grapefruit and lemon.

I sip it and get hops, hops and more hops, but not a crazy, out of control kind. A soft malt sweetness and a bit of an alcohol bite balance. I also get lots of fruit, some toffee and sugar, and a bit of citrus. The hops takes some time to describe. It is clearly dominated by American hops as it is citrusy with some pine and grapefruit (yes, I know that is citrus) thrown in, but I also get some flower and grassiness as well, which is less American. The finish is big on a lingering citrus and pine hop flavour – quite enjoyable. The alcohol lurks nicely (or should that be menacingly as this beer is 8%) in the background.

Anybody can throw stupid amounts of hops into a beer. What I look for in a Double IPA is drinkability. Can I get through a glass, marvel and its hop wonders and still consider ordering a second one (even if it means I am not driving home)? On that scale this beer is a huge winner. This beer has enough hops to satisfy even the most crazy hophead, yet it doesn’t get all Rambo with the hops. It might be 100 IBU (I have no way of confirming), but it doesn’t taste like it. And I mean that as a compliment.