If you're a regular reader of this site you probably won't need an introduction to Holgate's Millennium Falcon, given in contemporary craft beer years it debuted a long time ago in a galaxy far from the one we inhabit today. If you've not come across it before, however, it's an imperial – or "Empirial" – IPA they release ahead of May the 4th each year. The brewers like to play around with the hops each year too, with their 2021 selection contributing to what I reckon is the best MF in years.
There's a danger when making IPAs this high in alcohol that one can lose the potency of hops on the nose, yet the dry-hopping with Azacca, Idaho 7 and Mosaic (with a splash of Citra in the mix) delivers a pleasingly fruity nose – candied fruits, pineapple and ripe orange. If you're in the "Make beer clear again" brigade then this is one for you too, as it positively gleams in the glass, while it's as clean and lean as its predecessors, its sweet 'n' fruity flavours balanced by a noticeable bitterness, and a touch of warming booze completing the picture.
It's a reminder of the benefits of honing a recipe over time – even if you're only doing so once a year.
James Smith
- Style
- Imperial IPA
- ABV
- 9.0%
