Last night I finally opened a bottle of Struise/ Mikkeller Elliot Brew I’ve had sitting around for about six months. It’s a partnership brew for RateBeer.com’s Worldwide Masters Series. It’s got an overall rating of 99 on RateBeer.com and a B+ on Beer Advocate.
The Beer Advocate page notes that this is the hoppiest beer ever brewed in Belgium, which I can buy into. I was attracted to the bottle because it’s listing of 130 IBUs – something I thought I’d really like, and did. The broadest and best way to describe the flavor is it does in fact taste like a double IPA brewed by Belgians. That is, it’s got the hoppiness you’d expect from the IPA, but the yeast and body give it a distinct Belgian feel.
I drank this after having another bottle of the Founder’s Harvest Ale, and could definitely tell the difference in the wet hopped Harvest Ale and the drier Elliot Brew. The dryness wasn’t offputting at all, however.
I doubt I’ll find another bottle of this, so I’m glad I had it. One of the more unique double IPAs I’ve had.
This Is Why I'm Drunk 