Bells “The Oracle” DIPA Ale
September 15, 2009
I’m the proud new owner of six Bells “The Oracle” Double IPA. If everyone hadn’t heard, Bells brewed a small batch of this Double IPA. It came out a couple weeks ago, and they finally reached my beer store, where a six pack was safely stuck aside for me. The beer differs in malt/hop profile from the Two Hearted and Hop Slam. It is just as good as everyone says (see Beer Advocate reviews – click here). This beer is a hop bomb. A huge citrus smell and taste. A very upfront hop wallop, with the malt flavors sitting far in the back.
I’m not sure it’s confirmed, but I read somewhere it weighs in at 10.4% ABV & 110 IBU’s. Wow. For as “big” as this beer is, it’s very drinkable. I sipped on one out of my favorite Bells tulip glass after dinner tonight, but had to take a break half way through to go mow the lawn. I put the glass in the refrigerator, came back over an hour later, and the beer still has a slight head on it. I haven’t seen these at any store, but keep your eyes opened and report back to us. Mine were $3.19 per bottle. I read on Beer Advocate that they arrive at stores and quickly disappear. Maybe the popularity of this will give Bells reason to brew it once a year. We can only hope!! Thanks Bells, another fantastic release.
Posted in Beer News, Beer Pictures, Beer Review, Beer Style, beer
September 16th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Ahh,
My brother in law found some for me for my birthday on 9/13. I enjoyed every last drop…
September 16th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Had some at Ann Arbor Brewers Guild meeting on Friday. It’s quite tasty.
I don’t believe 110 IBUs, though. That’s almost physically impossible, as the solubility of alpha acids in beer tops out around 100 IBUs. (I need a reference on this…) Stan Hieronymous had a good post on this: http://appellationbeer.com/blog/how-many-ibu-about-one-hundred/
An anecdote: A friend was lucky enough to go to “beer camp” at Sierra Nevada a couple weeks ago. He related a story, told to him by one of the brewers, that another California brewery came in with one of their beers, labeled at “100 IBUs”. They measured it at 61 IBUs. (The other brewery decided not to change their label, though.)
The IBU numbers that most breweries quote are calculated, based on formulas that are of questionable accuracy over about 40-50 IBUs.
September 16th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Oh, yeah, you want a beer that is measured at 100 IBUs, try the Stone 13th Anniversary. It is hugely aromatic, simultaneously malty sweet and bitter, and still very drinkable.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
When they posted on their facebook page about the oracle being available at the general store right when it was released, they made it a point to say “Clocking in at 100+ measured, (not calculated) IBUs, this is one of our most bitter beers yet!” Can’t say that that means 110, but it’s measured and not just calculated. (for reference, their post http://bit.ly/znw6B)
September 19th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Found this in singles @ Village Corner in AA (Forest St and South U) on 9/17 and put on into my mixed 6. Very much looking forward to it!