Gemini (Imperial Blended Ale)
From what I learned from the guys at Gary's in Madison, Southern Tier's Gemini is a 50/50 combination of the brewery's Hoppe and their Unearthly IPA... the mixture is totally outstanding... a wonderful, interwoven conglomeration of intricate, thick, rich, sweet, and bitter flavors...Pours a hazy, copper-colored, orange hue with a minimal frothy head... Aroma is amazing... full of fresh hops, pine, and ginger... Taste was above and beyond, and perhaps one of the best American beers I have ever sampled... wonderfully rich, thick, and creamy, with strong bread and butter flavors... honey-like, caramel, vanilla taste lingers on the tongue for a long time - proving the extreme flavor and richness associated with this remarkable brew... intense hoppiness is tempered by an uncanny sweetness of citrus, lime, pine, and butter- notes... you can forget about noticing the hefty 10.5% ABV... no alcohol detected here, just extra-rich, ultra-thick flavors... This is one of my new, all-time favorites brews - a winner from Southern Tier... this one is a must-try... Definitely recommended... As a side note, the wax-taped bottle top is a pain in the ass to open and required a couple of minutes using a bottle opener and a scissor...