Ninkasi Tricerahops could be your desert island Double IPA; the one beer you hope to get stranded with to help ease those conversations with that volleyball. In fact, this double IPA is so good, it could turn that desert island into a tropical paradise.
In classic, double IPA style, Ninkasi packs this beer with Chinook, Cascade, Summit, Centennial, and Palisade hops, resulting in a floral/citrus bomb of a beer (with a whopping 100 IBU’s). Floral notes dominate your senses as soon as you pop the cap. The nose is intense, and acts as a warning of what lies ahead: an overwhelming hop bouquet. And the initial hop characteristics of this double IPA don’t disappoint, coming on strong at the forefront of the sip. But the beer quickly begins to reveal sweeter citrus notes, adding a pleasant complexity to the hop profile. Keep drinking and you’ll find greater depths to Tricerahops, as a smooth, caramel-tinted malt flavor takes hold, effectively balancing the heap of hops as well as the high alcohol content.
The amber beer sports an inch head with a lacing that lingers on the glass. There’s enough viscosity to make it feel substantial on your tongue, but not so much that if detracts from the beer’s drinkability. The beer’s multi-tiered flavor profile keeps you guessing, and makes you want to reach for another and another in an attempt to grasp just exactly what is going on inside that bottle. Be careful, though—after two or three of these 8.8% ABV bad boys, you’re not going to be able to grasp much.
Brewery: Ninkasi Brewing Company
City: Eugene, Ore.
Availability: Year Round
ABV: 8.8%
IBU: 100