Ithaca Excelsior! Ten

Top Tastings 2008. A shorter version appeared on facebook January 2009.

ABV: 9.9%
Origin: Ithaca, New York, United States of America
Website: www.ithacabeer.com

Ithaca Beer Co Celebrating 10 Years

According to the bottle, “too many malts to list” and “an excess of American hops” went into this rather special beer, which I bought bottle conditioned in a 750ml bottle from Bierkraft in Brooklyn. Ithaca was founded by Dan Mitchell in the town of the same name in New York state’s wine country in 1998, and has since established a very firm reputation. Ten was the anniversary beer, brewed as an “Imperial Strong and Special Double Red Ale” with additional hopping during fermentation. The website gives the hops as Chinook, Cascade and Amarillo and the malts as pale, Extra Special, C-60, smoked and black. The beer has since been superceded by further annual anniversary issues in the brewery’s limited edition Excelsior! series.

It’s a red-brown beer with its big, bubbly orange-yellow tinged head. Ripe fruit, spice, and slightly dirty, sulphury, cream and ceramic notes are apparent on the aroma, while a firm malt palate has thistly, intense nettly hops and ripe fruit, starting fruity and malty and turning bitter with some coal-like hints. There’s lots of overripe fruit plus mineral notes and a touch of roast in a bitter but warming finish with well-defined hops and a hint of pepper. Vivid and very hoppy, yes, but also well integrated and stimulating.

Read more about this beer at ratebeer.com: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/ithaca-excelsior-ten/84751/