Double Down Double IPA - Saint Arnold Review
Saint Arnold is Texas’ oldest craft brewery, started in 1994, and they sparked a trend like none other. And their experience and battle-born wisdom still keeps them ahead of the pack. Enter: Double Down Double IPA.
I was pleased to find Galaxy on the hop bill for this DIPA, but Saint Arnold also utilizes a new hop product that has a lot of potential for future beers: Incognito Hop concentrate. So not only does the heavenly Galaxy show up in this beer, but also Incognito Mosaic and Citra hop concentrates.
Incognito Hops are all-natural liquid concentrates that deliver identical flavor and aroma compared to hop varietal pellets. These concentrates help reduce beer loss by reducing the amount of water soaked up by the vegetative parts in hop pellets. They are also more economical to store compared to pellets, and their flavor and aroma don’t deteriorate as quickly. I think we will see a lot more of this Incognito concentrate being used in the years to come.
Now, back to the beer. It has a whopping 9.2% ABV and 71 IBUs, and in addition to Galaxy and Incognito Mosaic and Citra hops, Saint Arnold also uses Pahto, Mosaic, and Citra hops. And this is all balanced out with 2-Row, Maris Otter, White Wheat, and Cane Sugar.
Here are our First Impressions:
On the Eyes--Little head formation. It is a golden-orange color with a slight haze.
On the Nose--Hints of sweet fruit and citrus. I get a nice hint of peach that is very inviting. Double Down is very approachable for a DIPA, almost mistakable for a sessionable IPA.
On the Palate--This one is punchy in the departments of citrus and floral flavors, but the real joy in these suds is the berry, melon, and sweet fruit wave right at the start. It is so refreshing! And then the rush of resin, floral, and citrus hits you to remind you that it’s a DIPA. The berry from the Mosaic hops meshes well with the melon flavors, all thanks to the hop combination. Galaxy, Citra, and Mosaic are a great combo, and they are made even greater in the hands of skilled craft brewers. It is not really overbearing as a DIPA, and it has a pleasant touch of sweetness from the malt that really balances it all out. It is worth noting that the ABV is noticeable, but it doesn’t make me cough like some DIPAs do. Fantastic beer!
Saint Arnold said their approach to this beer ‘was to create big tropical and melon notes while integrating bitterness rather than it being a focal point.’ That is no small task for a DIPA, but they absolutely nailed it, and they made Double Down DIPA approachable and powerful. Definitely give this one a try.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew