Review: Dogfish Head/Sierra Nevada's Rhizing Bines

I know what you're thinking: this beer is made by the gods! It most certainly is. Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada are the top craft breweries in America, and this isn't the first time they've partnered up on a beer. In 2009 they released Life & Limb which was a darker maple syrup-based beer. Now they've come together to make the obvious: an imperial IPA. I mean, between SN's Torpedo IPA and Dogfish Head's 90 Minute IPA, they've certainly established themselves as breweries that know their hops.

Continually hopped in the classic Dogfish Head style, Rhizing Bines is chock full of citrusy Bravo hops and a new kind of hop only known as Hop 644. I'm eager to see how this baby holds up, so let's get right into the review:

Appearance: 3.5/5
Rhizing Bines pours a light golden amber with a damn good amount of head. The head doesn't last all too long, but it leaves some decent lacing. With a pile of head on top, it's a nice-looking IPA.

Nose: 5/5
Boy, those Bravo hops pack a wallop. Rhizing Bines smells quite powerfully like citrus. I already know from how good it smells that it's going to be one hell of a hoppy experience.

Taste: 5/5
Rhizing Bones isn't quite as powerful as you may think. It's definitely hoppy, don't get me wrong. I taste strong citrus notes and some bitterness, but there's also some sweetness to it to counteract the bitterness. I'm thinking that Hop 644 is a sweeter breed of hop, which is a good move. Too much bitterness and citrus taste could have made this beer unbalanced and straightforward. Instead, it's quite balanced and smooth.

Mouthfeel: 5/5
A moderate body, mostly sporting hop character versus malty thickness. Pleasant on the palate.

Finish: 4/5
Rhizing Bines goes down quite smooth. The finish is nice, leaving behind a good amount of citrus taste. It's quite pleasant and rounds out the experience well.

Total Score: 96.5/100

The kings did a pretty bang-up job on this one. While it's not the greatest IPA out there, it certainly holds its own. The taste and aroma will definitely have you wanting more, that's for sure. Pick yourself up a bottle if you're interested in collabs. Until next time, cheers.

-Blake