We have reviewed several beers from Victory Brewing Company. You can check those out by clicking here. Up for review today is their Mighty Things Imperial IPA.
Mighty Things IPA pours a hazy, golden straw color. Some bubbles can be seen rising to the surface to the head. The head stood about one-and-a-half fingers tall at its height but the head didn’t last very long. It was white, foamy, and inviting when it lasted though. The aroma is fairly complex. Notes of hops, citrus, peach or apricot, and maybe mango are noticed right away. There is also a note of pine as well but it is faint.
The flavor followed the nose for the most part. The earthy, piney, and citrusy notes of the hops are noted but not overwhelming. There is a sweetness from apricot or peach and possibly mango noted. That is followed by your earth tones of pine and hops. The beer is medium-bodied and clings a bit to the tongue and throat. There is light to medium carbonation. With an IPA of any sort you kind of expect a dry finish but this finish is not that. It has a wet finish that is oddly satisfying though the beer does finish heavier than it feels at first sip.
The glass laced a lot more than I thought it would given the quickly dissipating head. The lacing ranged from minimal to slightly moderate even without a head remaining in the beer. That was actually kind of impressive.
Overall, this was a unique beer. It seemed to improve as it drank. Perhaps it was a mellowing of the apricot/mango flavors and a taming of the hops. Maybe taste buds just got used to the flavor. Who knows? What is known is this is an interesting take on your typical IPA. It lacks the dry bite of your typical IPA but it has a decent finish, even if it is a little different from what you’re expecting. It does clock in at 8.3% ABV, which was a bit surprising given the lack of an alcohol taste. It might not be a session beer but it is worth giving a try and if you’re more of a sipper than a drinker this could be right up your alley if the flavor profile agrees with you. I wouldn’t mind drinking one of these every now and then.