Oskar Blues Gubna Imperial IPA (Awesome of the Day)

First off, let me say that I’ve never been a fan of IPAs. If I wanted my mouth to pucker in bitter rebellion, I’d just chew on an orange peel. Breweries trying to out-hop each other with their Hop Nuclear Meltdown quintuple IPAs and Too Bitter for Satan 6 million IBU brews usually leave me wanting to follow it with a pack of Whoppers for a little malt flavor.

But I find myself smitten with the latest can o’ goodness from Oskar Blues. The Gubna Imperial IPA is a hyper-hopped beer, with Summit Hops in the boil and post-fermentation dry-hopping taking the IBU up over 100. But German Dark Munich Malt and Rye Malt balance the flavor, giving the front end a touch of sweetness. And it smells like a grapefruit, God’s own blend of sweet and bitter.

With a 10% ABV, the Gubna will be available starting today through October in most of the 26 states fortunate enough to carry the Lyon, Colorado brewery’s beer.