Look at the photo of that can. Just look at it. Now imagine me seeing this on the beer store shelf and not buying it. Are you thinking it? Good. That thought you just had? Pure lunacy. Of course I had to buy this, what kind of fool do I look like?
Rico Sauvin Imperial IPA from Against the Grain Brewery in Louisville, Kentucky is an imperial IPA brewed with Nelson Sauvin hops, a variety of hop grown in New Zealand and named after the Sauvignon Blanc grape, due to it’s fruity, crushed grape and white wine-like aroma. Apparently these are some fancy-pants hops that cost way more than the traditional variety. Plus they’re from the land of Hobbitses! What better way to showcase these splendid hops than to plop them in a can featuring a shirtless man with a bunch of grapes in his trousers accompanied by a ball-gagged sheep?
Poured into my trusty glass, this beer looked a hazy golden amber with a thick, fluffy white head and smelled of tropical fruits, no doubt due to the aforementioned Nelson Sauvin hops. The scent of white grapes, passionfruit, and tasitness drifted up from the glass into my noseholes.
The fruitiness continued as I poured the beer into my face. I tasted some upfront maltiness, immediately followed by bitter and sweet tropical fruits, such as pineapple and passionfruit, along with white grapes. It’s medium-bodied, creamy and slightly dry, much like wine, and has moderate carbonation… just enough fun little bubbles to tingle the tastebuds. Though it clocks in at a touch over 8 percent alcohol, I didn’t really pick that up while drinking it. A crisp finish makes this one fine DIPA to tickle your nipple to.
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