Flying Dog Week - Part 3

Today's beer is Double Dog Double Pale Ale. This is the doubled version of the Doggie Style Pale, with a website-reported 'insane amount' of dry-hopping. Crystal malt, several types of hops (with Cascades getting the lion's share), 85 on the IBU range and . . . woof, 11.5% on the abv. On paper, this is not timid. I'm expecting good things here.

Much like the others, not a great deal of head. Flying Dog does not appear to have fondness for carbonation. It's a pretty beer. Cloudy, reddish/golden hues - I liked the look. By comparison to the other beers this week, this is big on the nose. Hops. Wait, let me try that again: HOPS. There, that's better. It's the sweet-smelling, flowery version that you tend to find with red ales and it's not shy about letting you know it's in the room.

The smell is legitimate advertising for the taste - hoppy, fruit-like front end that starts a roll toward the bitter finish. Ah, but hang on, we've got a delayed blitz. The bitterness is de-freakin'-railed by a blast of alcohol. The 11.5% is definitely saying hello. I wouldn't say it's a bad thing (you're drinking a double-digit beer - alcohol is kind of the expectation), but just know what you're getting into.

If you gave this to me blind, I'd say it was something from Lagunitas. Their roster is heavily loaded with shotgun blasts of alcohol and hops and Double Dog would fit in without a problem. If that combination matches your desired tastes, this will float your boat.