Well folks, looks like Boston Beer has done it again. It was only about a year ago that they introduced beer lovers everywhere to their Samuel Adams Rebel IPA, a so-called “West Coast IPA” (not a term I like, but they did get it right for the style). Sam Adams already had an IPA of course, Latitude 48, but that is a more traditional American IPA. Rebel IPA has been a big hit saleswise, if not amongst elements of the beer geek community.

For my part, I love Rebel IPA, and so you can imagine my delight when I heard that Boston Beer would be offering two more additions to the Rebel lineup, Rebel Rider, a “session IPA”, and the beer under consideration tonight, Samuel Adams Rebel Rouser, a double IPA.

First things first: I had to find some. Pictures of these two brews were popping up all over that esteemed font of beer knowledge, Honest Craft Beer reviews for a few weeks before I finally located a supply. When I did, I hit the mother lode, as an entire shipment had just arrived and hadn’t even hit the shelves yet. I snagged some Rebel Rider and Rebel Rouser from the hand cart, reveling in tearing open the cases.

Of course, Boston Beer has done Double IPA before, too. Under the Samuel Adams brand they still produce Third Voyage Double IPA, though Rebel Rouser is very different from that beer. There have been two under the Longshot homebrew content line, Samuel Adams Longshot Magnificent Seven and my favorite, Samuel Adams Longshot Double IPA. To be sure, not only has Boston Beer done just about every style imaginable, but for many styles they’ve done more than one fine example. Such is certainly the case for double/imperial IPA.

From the neck label:

This IPA is big, brewed with over 5LBS per barrel of American and Australian hops, and packed with fruity, citrus pine, and resin notes for a bold hop finish. Cheers!

Ingredients from the website:

HOP VARIETIES: Bravo, Galaxy, Zeus, Simcoe, Centennial, Cascade, Amarillo

MALT VARIETIES: Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend

Samuel Adams Rebel Rouser Double IPA has a formidable alcohol content of 8.4% by volume with 85 IBUs. My bottle has a best by date notched of June, though I think this could age nicely well beyond that. The beer is a true value at $8.99 a six-pack, much less than other DIPAs out there on the market today. Hats off to Boston Beer for a fair price on a great beer.

Samuel Adams Rebel Rouser Double IPA pours to a slightly hazy orange amber color with a very thick head of rocky foam and an intense hoppy nose loaded with resiny pine, citric grapefruit and coconut. A thick layer of Brussels Lace forms on the sides of my glass and follows the liquid all the way to the bottom. Taking a sip, I get a firm chewy caramel maltiness up front that serves as the perfect support for the beautiful hop blast to come, but it’s not overly done which is why it allows the hops to shine so well. Those hops hit hard and fast, with lighter notes of citrusy grapefruit but more powerful ones of resiny pine, herbal minty grassiness, and just a massive long dry bitter finish.

Samuel Adams Rebel Rouser Double IPA is a true hop blast, with massive waves of hop aroma and bitterness, but it doesn’t forget the malt. It is well balanced and matches up with the best examples of the style, and for $8.99? You just can’t go wrong. Boston beer calls this West Coast IPA, and I think the maltiness supports that, but the hoppiness is classic resin and grapefruit, without much of the tropical fruity hops that are all the rage these days.

However you peg it, Samuel Adams Rebel Rouser Double IPA is a great value, and not a beer to be missed.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft



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