Ska Brewing's Decadent Imperial IPA

It's an ugly day in Colorado. Yesterday, we had blue skies and nice warm temperatures. Today, it's 35 degrees and the drizzle is threatening to change over to snow. I heard the weather whizzes saying winter was coming so, I got the mower out one last time. The sweet smell of cut grass got me remembering summer. As soon as I finished in the yard, I went in search of some hoppy beer grassiness. In the fridge, I found a big, brown, bomber bottle, filled with Ska Brewing's Decadent Imperial IPA.

Decadent's packaging is outstanding. You've got a thick coating of deep, red wax that covers the top and neck of the bottle. It drips seductively down over the label, guarded by a nasty looking skeleton in his tie and top hat. He clenches a big green branch of hops jauntily between his crooked teeth.

Pour the brew. Decadent is a rich, copper colored beer with a really tight, off white head. It might look a little hazy. Mine did.

Pick up the pint glass. Here is the Decadent difference. While many Imperial IPAs lead with hops, Decadent is silly full of citrus. The bitterness of a grapefruit rind slaps your nose, fills your mouth, coats your tastebuds and lasts long after you swallow. It also seems to muzzle the hops and malt flavors in the beer. What the citrus does not cover is the alcohol taste. Decadent carries 10% Alcohol By Volume (ABV), and you will feel the alcoholic warmth that goes with it. You will also feel the sting of carbonation. Decadent is a fizzy beer.

Bottom line....Ska's Decadent Imperial IPA is big and it's bossy. It's a heavy hitter that slaps your face with citrus and carbonation and pounds your head with its high alcohol content. I liked it. I really did. Even so, Decadent is not be my "go to" Imperial IPA. It needs a lot more hops...over the top hops...to be "go to" on that list.