Moylan's Hop Craic XXXX Quadruple Ale

Moylan's Hop Craic XXXX Quadruple Ale. Brewed and bottled by Moylan's Brewing Company, Novato, CA. Alcohol 10.4% by Volume. Contents: 1 pint, 6 fl. oz.

I've had this before, on tap, as part of one of beer events at the Blue Nile. I think it was last year's Hop Heads Only. I meant to take notes on it then, but the keg was gone too fast for that, forcing me to wait until I could find a bottle of it. A bit expensive, at about $14 a bottle. (If you've been following my continual kvetching about bomber pricing, yes, this one is worth it.)

Appearance: clear, bright copper-y coloring, off-white head, slim, but lasting.

Aroma: Piney, resin-y, and as hop-gooey as it gets. That's my way of avoiding the nonsense word "dank" which has seen much proliferation of late. Ablaze with citrus, grapefruit and lemon galore. Slight hint of caramel malt whispers below. Pungent aromatics, to say the least. It's a surfeit of hop aromas, a tsunami, an overblown explosion.

Taste: Bam! Pow! Boards the palate with bravado, landing on the tongue and commanding the terrain with the brashness and swagger of pirates taking on the ship of the senses. Nothing meek, meager, mild or mellow in this, it's an all-out assault. Intense stuff, massive mouthfeel, a straight hit of hollowed-out hoppitude patched directly to the main vein. Thick and luscious.

Another one you should plan to drink just before bedtime. It will ruin all other beers if you don't.

Here's where I feel like reading the label copy: "As if our Hopsickle wasn't IMPERIAL {their caps} enough….Some cravings need to be taken to the next level. LAced with resinous oils from the lupus cultivar, Hop Craic satiates and satisfies the appetite of the hard-core hop lover. New World hops will send you on a journey you will want to take again and again."