High Water Brewing Company - Hop Riot IPA; Retribution Imperial IPA

The High Water Brewing Company is in San Leandro, California.

www.highwaterbrewing.com

Hop Riot IPA - This 7.3% ABV beer pours slightly hazy, dark golden and light orange in color.  There is a near half-inch of thick and creamy off-white foam.  The aroma is jammy apricots and orange marmalade, thickly sweet fruitiness, over a rye toast like maltiness.  The taste is a tropical fruit market, lots of sweet fruit on the edge of being overripe, on a solid malt base, finishing with toast under the fruit, dry and bitter.  It is interesting that this is their "IPA" when it is as strong as and drinks like many double or imperial IPA's.

Retribution Imperial India Pale Ale - This 9.5% ABV beer pours dark amber and burnt orange in color.  there is a half inch of thick and creamy head, off-white to light brown in color.  The aroma is hoppy, tropical fruits, spicy, over caramel maltiness.  The taste is very ripe melons, touch of tropical fruits on a solid caramel maltiness, with a very dry, yet smooth, and bitter finish.  The aftertaste is piney with an increasing bitterness.  This is a whopper IIPA, but enjoyable.