I’m biased. I know this and, frankly, I don’t care. I believe my local brewery, Galveston Island Brewing, is one of the best breweries in the state. They know who they are and know what is good. Fortunately, others are taking notice and seeing how great the beers are down south.
One of my colleagues from Houston Beer Guide, Josh Frink, bought a kegerator and declared this beer as his new “white whale” in terms of commercial kegs. I have to agree with him. This is flat out next level when it comes to double IPAs in the state.
Granted, the double IPA market is overdone and every brewery has their version that they believe is top notch. However, there are very few that hold a candle to this superstar. Sorry Brash…you have new competition in the Houston double IPA market.
This beer, clocking in at 9.5% ABV and 100 IBU is bitter without being overpowering. Citrus flavored, without being overly tart. Strong, without knocking you on your ass. Basically, brewmaster Jason has mastered the art of balancing this beer.
Like I said, as a local that visits my local frequently, I’ve probably drank every single beer this brewery has ever produced. However, this one is the single best beer ever produced in Galveston, which is saying something. My previous favorite, Samson, was a barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout that knocked me on my ass after two beers. Even though this beer is high in alcohol content, I was able to drink two and feel satisfied and not like stumbling.
The perfect blend of citrus, dank, and bitter is the best way to describe this beer. Any commercial account that has been lucky enough to get this beer, including Houston favorite Nobi Public House, has said how delicious this beer is. My suggestion is to make the trip down to the island and get this while you can.