Spiteful Brewing Bitter Biker Double IPA

Spiteful Brewing Bitter Biker double IPA. 9.5 % ABV.
I had this for the first time at a bar/restaurant called The Bad Apple in Chicago, IL. I was intrigued by the similarity to something like, say, Surly Brewing Bitter Brewer Ale. Found a bunch of bottles at that Binny's in Schaumburg, IL, and went with this one, among a half dozen choices, despite the horrible illustration. Blech! None of the others I saw were very much better. Nonetheless, I'm going to take down this bomber, starting …now.

Highly hazed…deep amber/nearly orange. Good 1/2 inch head of chalk white foamage. Not bad. Quite nice, actually.

Aroma: ah! There's the pine, there's the citrus, the mango and grapefruit and orange of it all, a bit bitter, and a bit refreshingly lovely. Double nice.

Taste: First the malt comes over, a bit o' sweetness, followed by the hop hit on the palate. Some cocoa and caramel arrives on the palate, bumping up against the citrus and pine contributed by the hops. An interesting mix.

Let's stop and read the label, shall we? ""Don't fight it. Spite it! Cyclists beware! This city is a minefield: potholes, ruthless cabbies, pedestrians texting---and a headwind from hell. (sic) Arm yourself! This double India Pale Ale was brewed for you. Loaded with Zythos, Columbus, and Falconer's Flight 7c's hops. Bitter Biker is our homage to the trials of the year round biker. Ride safe, stay bitter, and watch out for oblivious fools!" Batch #9, it also informs us, in hand-inked numeration.

I'm curious about this. I should ask my friend Adam Shulte, now a Chicagoan, and formerly a year-round-biking Twin Citian who commuted from Mpls to St.P daily. Does that happen as often in Chicago? I didn't see much biking going on in downtown Chicago while I was there. Maybe I just missed it. In Minneapolis, we're thick with them. I mean, us. But, do we have to be bitter about it? Spiteful, even? We do have the lanes, and are blessed with the Greenway, among so many other paths, but not every motorist is on board with our demarcated stripes.

About the beer: This will not challenge any lists of favorite or best double IPAs out there. Simply said, politely put. But it's what these guys are doing. Not everyone can be the best, some just do what they do. And what it is is pretty darned tasty.
I have the feeling that these guys will always be Chicago's scrappy upstarts, and they may not be the next Half Acre or Revolution, certainly not the next Goose Island. They've got a punk rock attitude, and a DIY aesthetic, but the beer comes out well, so they've got that going for them, right?

If I can get back to Chicago, maybe if I trade with a local, I'd like to try more of their wares. I just want to like their stuff.

Why is this not amazing? Probably because those three hops do not make a perfectly mellifluous blend. But high alcohol and high alpha acids do make for an enjoyable experience. I'm not bitter about this bottle.