Tag Archives: Chocolate

Intergalactic Brewing Double Hopped Andromeda IPA and Rebel Alliance Imperial Stout

Yesterday I stopped by Intergalactic Brewing because I had to try their latest collaboration brew with 2Kids Brewing, an Imperial Stout brewed with cacao nibs, coconut, and vanilla beans. Little did I know that this stout was 10% and absolutely delicious. I did have high expectations because both breweries have made some delicious stouts in the past. 2Kids makes one of the best chocolate stouts in San Diego. I decided to get this particular beer from Intergalactic because I already have a growler there and they tend to have IPAs in the style I crave.

I ordered a taster of the Rebel Alliance Imperial Stout along with a pint of a specialty Double Hopped Andromeda IPA. When I tried the Rebel Alliance first I was blown away. This is one of the most delicious Imperial Stouts I have ever had. It is much sweeter than the delicious Sea Monster stout and doesn’t have the coffee flavors of Speedway Stout from Alesmith or Zumbar from New English. The flavors blend together nicely and give it a delicious sweet flavor that goes down smooth. Though I only had a taster at the brewery, I left with a 32oz growler, despite the $18 price tag, so that my husband can have some tomorrow at home (where there is air conditioning, unlike the brewery).

Rebel Alliance Imperial Stout.
Rebel Alliance Imperial Stout.

The Double Hopped Andromeda was also quite delicious. I have been quite happy with the direction the Andromeda has gone since it started. Originally it was a bit too malty for my tastes but this last batch really stepped up the hops. If you had any of the Andromeda from the last batch, this one is even better. The mosaic hops really help it knock you out with the fresh citrus flavor that I love so much. If I didn’t already have too many growlers at home and plenty of beers that need to be enjoyed fresh I would have left with a 32oz growler of this one as well.

Double Hopped Andromeda IPA.
Double Hopped Andromeda IPA.

Intergalactic is turning out to be one of my favorite small breweries in San Diego. 2Kids still has one of the best stouts in the middle of the alcohol range but just doesn’t have the hoppy beers I crave. I hope this collaboration will help get 2Kids some extra exposure because they have some interesting ideas to share.

Update: After tweeting to Intergalactic how much I love this double hopped IPA, they responded to let me know that it will be replacing the regular recipe for the next batch.

Paul McGuire

Paul McGuire is a craft beer enthusiast. He likes to travel with his husband and enjoy the great outdoors. In his day job, Paul is a divorce attorney serving clients in San Diego California.

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Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale 2013

If you love both hoppy beers and dark beers you might find that most dark beers are too sweet, or not bitter enough. Sublimely Self Righteous is the cure to that, giving bitter chocolate flavors you might recognize from a porter and mixing in the hop flavors that hop addicts love. To see if those who hate IPAs and exclusively drink porters and stouts think, I gave my fiance a taste. He pursed his lips and said “too hoppy” so don’t expect to share this with the less enlightened among you.

Sublimely Self Righteous Ale.
Sublimely Self Righteous Ale.

In some ways, it is the darker version of the Alesmith Winter Yulesmith. Where the Winter Yulesmith has malts, this has chocolate, but both are perfectly balanced with the hop flavors. At 8.7% you might be able to finish a bottle on your own, though I don’t know if I can say the same thing about the Double Bastard. Make sure you get a bottle of this while this year’s batch is fresh, before the end of November and into the first half of December it should be the best. 

[As a fun side note, my brother thought this tasted more like beef jerky. He didn’t like it much either]

Paul McGuire

Paul McGuire is a craft beer enthusiast. He likes to travel with his husband and enjoy the great outdoors. In his day job, Paul is a divorce attorney serving clients in San Diego California.

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