Judge's Review: 88 Rating - Knowledge by Rhinegeist Brewery

Knowledge by Rhinegeist Brewery is being judged as a Category 22A (Double IPA). 

The aroma had complex and strong hop presence, with lemon, grass and pineapple hitting up front. This was followed by a low crackery biscuit malt presence. There were no obvious fermentation characteristics; the aroma was clean and without off-aromas. 

The beer itself was crystal clear, and a beautiful orangey-amber color with orange highlights when held to the sun. The head was off-white and moderately high with poor retention (as would be expected given the high alcohol content). 

The flavor was similar to the aroma, except the hop complexity increased even further; pine and delicate floral notes came and joined the party. The bitterness was moderately high -- perhaps a bit low for this style. The balance was clearly towards the hop, although the lingering bitterness was not harsh. 

The mouthfeel was pleasant; while the bitterness left a lingering dryness in my mouth, it did not border on astringency and it ended up leading to a surprisingly clean finish. There was no creaminess.

Overall, a very drinkable beer that I would be happy to be served. While the bitterness and alcohol presence could be a bit higher for the style, I appreciated the balance -- it's hard to craft a beer that has this many strong flavors and to achieve such balance!