GLB Apocalypse Later - (Double Devil's Pale Ale)

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:07 pm

If you've been at a recent GLB event, you've probably had this, but for those of you in the GTA, it's worth noting that they just canned this stuff and it's at the retail store.

There's all kinds of play on the 666 - brewed on 12/12/12 - (dry hopped on 12/21/12), it's abv is listed as 9.9%)

Pretty dark, almost back with a slightly tanned head - it has a similar colour and head as the Robust Porter, I think.

aroma is mostly the nice dry hopping they added to it - piney, citrus, a little woody, with a little licorice undertone from the malt.

Taste is pretty interesting. The first thing you get Is the malt, but then the hops come in full force. The bitterness, I find quite bracing, but quite enjoyable (and quite drinkable).

It tastes distinctly British, other than the pine notes in the hops. But the hops seem more complex than in, say, their BIPA. I like this part.

Not really like any of the 9-10% stouts they've released - seems to straddle the world somewhere between a black IPA, and a, I don't know - Imperial American Brown Ale - not a criticism, by the way, because I think it works.

Honestly, if I had to make a concrete description it would be - try to imagine a Devils Pale Ale that has more hops, more malt, and comes out at 10%. It's a bit of an homage, as well, to a regularly available beer that's really good, and one we might take for granted a little.

It's yummy and drinkable, and at $4 a can, strikes me as a bit of a deal.

I'm hoping that this is GLB's answer to Twice As Mad Tom, and that we'll see more of it, but I understand if it's only a one-off. Then again, wasn't DPA the first Project X beer?

Sorry to ramble. Again. But go out and grab a couple cans of this.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:25 pm

Sounds delicious. Any idea how much there was? Will it last a while you think?

groulxsome · Post by **groulxsome** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 10:46 pm

I really like this beer. It's a nice hit of big hops with a much stronger bitterness than Twice As Mad Tom has. For me its a really nice marriage between the Black IPA and the DIPA: a BDIPA? Anyway, I'd drink this over Twice as Mad Tom (which I really do like) anyway.

After having a regular 666 on tap earlier, I really noticed how the Apocalypse Later really has the same kind of hop profile, just much more pronounced and richer. It's just a big ol' hoppy beer of tastiness.

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:07 am

Yeah - it really tastes like DPA, just meatier. Should last for a while. The woman in the store (I forget her name but she's the one who's often there) said they had quite a bit.

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:29 am

Huh, I didn't find it that much like Devil's at all, but then I haven't had that in a while. Perhaps it's time for a revisit!

liamt07 · Post by **liamt07** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:39 am

This similar to the 999 that Great Lakes released a couple of years ago?

El Pinguino · Post by **El Pinguino** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:52 am

They should sell this in Quebec....they love their Devil beers there.
Actually sounds intriguing...!

Soods · Post by **Soods** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 4:40 pm

I was told that they made 2000 cans of it.

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:30 pm

liamt07 wrote:This similar to the 999 that Great Lakes released a couple of years ago?

Probably - 666 is crossed out and 999 is written over it.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:28 pm

Bought a few cans of this and wish I had bought many more. Holy crap is it good! A beautiful marriage of rich, sweet malt and big resiny hops. Another terrific effort from GLB.

admviolin · Post by **admviolin** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 7:43 pm

Bought four cans today, it is so good. This needs to go into production.

Kish84 · Post by **Kish84** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 6:25 pm

I'm liking this, but I'm having trouble classifying it.

What would you guys classify this as??

I'd say the closest would be a Black IPA (maybe Imperial) but something's missing, and at this point I can't figure it out.

For the record I don't really care about classifications, I just like to know them. Good beer, is good beer, but sometimes its odd to see something doing well as one style, but not really that style. (I'm looking at you Zombie Dust...or Alpha King)

groulxsome · Post by **groulxsome** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:35 pm

Kish84 wrote:I'm liking this, but I'm having trouble classifying it.

What would you guys classify this as??

I'd say the closest would be a Black IPA (maybe Imperial) but something's missing, and at this point I can't figure it out.

For the record I don't really care about classifications, I just like to know them. Good beer, is good beer, but sometimes its odd to see something doing well as one style, but not really that style. (I'm looking at you Zombie Dust...or Alpha King)

Umm.. If I had to call it something I'd call it an Imperial Brown IPA. I guess that makes enough sense as a Black IPA. It doesn't have that "hoppy porter" character that I'd kinda expect from a "Black IPA," plus the regular 666 is more of a Hoppy American Brown Ale anyway, so maybe we could just call this an Imperial American Brown Ale? Maybe?! I don't know, I don't much care for classifications either, but puzzling them out can be fun.

ritzkiss · Post by **ritzkiss** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:41 pm

Had a can at The Only, quite enjoyed it though, as people are mentioning, it's not a typical anything. Sort of an American hopped strong ale meets, Imperial India Brown...? Bold, slightly roasty malt base with a very pithy grapefruit and pine bitterness. Love a hoppy beer with a complex, bold malt base!

Whatever it is, it drinks nicely and is a solid offering from the guys at Great Lakes.

tyler90 · Post by **tyler90** » Sun Jan 27, 2013 11:01 am

A year ago I would have said GLB is hands down the best brewery in Ontario. These days they have some tough competition, but I can always trust their releases to be solid.

From my review on RB:

Probably my favourite beer in Ontario. If Barhop didn’t have such a great list of beers on right now, I’d have drank so much of this I’d be falling out of my chair by the end of the night. This is a HUGE beer.

Pour is dark with a tan head, very much like a coffee porter or similar. Went in blind to this beer assuming it would be more like a double ipa so was shocked when it arrived.

Aroma gives the impression that this is going to be a hop bomb, with large notes of resiny pine and citrus. The roasted malt is apparent but undertoned, much to my liking. Almost a bit of dark fruit comes through in the end, further adding to the malt balance. Taste was very balanced, the sweetness and bitterness from the hops arrives first followed by the malty backbone, allowing for a very balanced taste. The alcohol provides a bit of warmth but is otherwise well hidden. The balance of this beer provides for a very ’full’ effect, no thinness in the mouth. You don’t feel cheated drinking this beer, that’s for sure. Would buy again.