Hoppy 4th of July! For this special holiday review we take sample Three Floyds Apocalypse Cow. A double IPA , Apololypse Cow is one of many hoppy  brews from  from Munster Indiana’s Three Floyds Brewing Company. Hop forward beers like Gumballhead, Alpha King, Zombie Dust, and another DIPA, Dreadnaught (9.3%ABV / 99 IBUs). All delicious examples of some of the best hopped beers in the world. Three Floyds has won Best Brewery in the World from RateBeer.com 5 of the past 6 years for good reason. These beers are consistently superlative.

So how about another double IPA in the lineup? Can it compare to the Dreadnaught or other world-class double IPAs? To start, it differs from its sister beer the Dreadnaught primarily by the addition of lactose milk sugar. This gives a creamier body in the same way a milk stout is smoothed over. But what will that do to an IPA? Enough prologue, let’s taste this bovine!

TASTING NOTES

A big citrus nose flows out of the frothy headed, amber colored ale. Amazing grapefruit and tangerine assault the palate immediately, followed by bread-y sweet malts covering up most of the 11% ABV. Going down the hatch with brisk carbonation you get a cheek pinch of bitter hops, lemon and some faint ethanol burn. This is a flavor explosion of citrus and floral hops, sweetness, booze, wrapped around the slick body! Drinkability is far too high for such a boozy brew. Compared to 3 Floyds’ other DIPA, the Cow has more body and sweetness, complexity and finishes at least as bitter.

CONCLUSION

The Apocalypse Cow is a seasonal release for June. It just appeared at my local bodega and I’m guessing it won’t last. If you like Bell’s Hopslam, Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA, Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster, or any big IPA, give this a try. You may have a new favorite hop bomb.

9.5/10