Splash of the Titans

Last February I bought a stash of US beers from the likes of Flying Dog, of which I still have to finish up the big dogs now that I think of it (Canis Major, you know), and some Left Hand Brewing ones. Perhaps stupidly, I only ordered a couple of beers from Great Divide, as I'd really enjoyed their Yeti at the opening of Beer Temple in Amsterdam last year. But, whatcha gonna do? The box would only hold so much.

One that I did get, was Great Divide Titan IPA, how can you resist a name like that, when you've grown up loving movies like Jason and the Argonauts (although that was some time before my birth!)? Titan is a slightly hazy copper-amber with bubbles moving slowly to feed a creamy, broken head. Looks like there's crystal malt in there. Great! It's got a rich, sweet aroma with lashings of hops: orange pith dominant with undertones that suggest strawberries and fresh pine. It's got a good chewy body and mouthfeel. I expected some sort of hop assault (not that I object to being harangued by hops), but while full of those really juicy hop flavours that are so apparent on the nose, the bitterness takes a moment to shine through. When it does, it's big, broad and chewy, if that can make sense for something that's bitter. The finish is long and dry, despite a lingering caramel sweetness, yet it feels strangely thin considering the big boldness of the main event, and after a while began to feel a little one dimensional. Still, a rather enjoyable, juicy, hop-driven beer.