Mikkeller Amarillo Single Hop IPA

A showcase of the Amarillo hop variety, a stalwart of powerful US IPAs.

Looks fine in the glass, and the lacing clings nicely to the sides. The aroma actually comes off pretty well rounded with elements of peach and grassy pine.


This brew is typically balanced for a Mikeller IPA with a malt presence that is evident from the first sip and remains pretty much the whole way through. The amarillo washes in after that - bitter without being overwhelmingly so, few pine needle notes, fruity and on the sweet side. Peppery notes come through toward the end and provide a spicy front of the mouth finish.

Canvassing opinion on this found people split between very good scores and just average. Personally, the hophead in me says this beer could do with a bit more bitterness still, to really give it a bite and lift the malt heaviness a little. As it stands however it's a balanced introductory IPA and a good way to start to piece apart the various strains of US hops. 7.0