Hercules Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company

    Hercules, the mythological Greek half-god hero was known for his massive strength and heroic deeds. In naming their Double India Pale Ale after Hercules, Great Divide Brewing Company (Denver, Colorado) is suggesting that their beer embodies some of the traits which made this hero a legend.

    Hercules pours a hazy orange color with a long-lasting two finger head which leaves a good amount of lacing on the glass. The beer's color could perhaps be likened to the sun-kissed skin of a Greek demi-god, though I think that this simile might be a bit of a stretch for Great Divide.

    The Double IPA's aroma is actually much maltier than I would have expected. Hops scents are present, though subdued. A piney, resinous scent mingles with citrus against the sweet malts. The ale's aroma reminds me of being in a pine forest after a summer rain.

    Great Divide's Imperial IPA is medium bodied with a light level of carbonation. With a name like Hercules, I was expecting the ale to have a massive body, not that the beer's smoothness is a bad thing. The ale's mouthfeel is a bit syrupy, though with the low level of carbonation it comes off as creamy. At 10% ABV, this beer's strength warrants the name Hercules all in itself.

Hercules Vs. The Hyrda, as recorded on ancient Greek pottery.

     Just as in the aroma, I am surprised by the huge malts in the Double IPA's flavor. Sweet, almost Barleywine-like malts give the ale its main flavors as well as those of candied fruits. Almost in the background are the citrus and pine notes of the ale's hops. For an ale with such a huge alcohol content there is no harshness whatsoever, just a slight warmth on the tongue. The balance of the hops and malts is amazing in an ale like this with so much going on inside it. The ale's massive flavors seem to play out subtly, against all reasoning.

    My comparison with the hero Hercules and the Double IPA Hercules has obviously fallen through. All I can imagine is that Great Divide named their beer after the legend due to the strength of the two. I have to say that I rather enjoy the idea of a bottle of Hercules going around in ancient Greece, beating up Cyclopes and rescuing fair maidens. It would be a dangerous job for a glass bottle however, so I guess I'll just leave it to Kevin Sorbo.

    Hercules Double IPA shows an amazing balance between sweet and bitter that confuses the palette into thinking that the huge flavors of the beer are actually subtle. Even if you are not a fan of IPAs, I would highly recommend that you give Double IPAs a try as they tend to be much sweeter and better balanced than singles. I will warn you, however, that Hercules's 10% ABV will sneak up on you and hit you with a stick as though you were a Manticore if you aren't careful, so drink responsibly!

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