Red Brick is at it again with their Brick Mason Series of specialty beers. Brick Mason Double IPA is release number two in the series (the first was Old Stock Ale), and it’s a hop monster of an Imperial India Pale Ale. Stats from the website:

Brewed with 5 different hops: Apollo, Bravo, Columbus, Centenial , Cascade.

90 IBU's (International Bittering Units)

ABV of 9.5%

I enjoyed the beer fresh and then aged a bottle for a year. It held up quite nicely. Here’s what I thought:

Red Brick Brick Mason Double IPA pours to a bright orange color with a very minimal head formation (indeed the beer has Almost no carbonation) and a heady hop resin nose. Taking a sip, I get bready, chewy caramel malt up front quickly followed by a huge resiny pine hop attack. The hops are big in aroma with oodles of resiny pine and a long, very dry and slightly herbal bitter hop buzz in the finish. There's a warming alcohol burn to boot.

Overall, a solid double IPA that will satisfy with malt and hops.  The only downside was the price I paid in 2012, $9.99 for a 4-pack. A little high, that, and it knocks this one down from 4 to 3 ½ stars for me.

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