Another brew from the fabulous Rogue Ales out of Newport, Oregon, Dad's Little Helper is a formidable black India Pale Ale. Formidable, but not overly strong--at 6.0% alcohol, Dad's isn't going to pickle too many livers--but at a piledriving 92 IBUs, there is some burly bitterness in this stuff. It's sold in 650mL bottles that features a dude wearing three neckties and has a little spiel about the founding of Father's Day.
Dad's is a dark mahogany ale that's topped with a thick fog of durable tan head. It has a pungent aroma that blends stanky, spicy hops with an earthy malt streak. It tastes much stronger than its 6%. This is a riotously bitter beer. Hops dominate the flavour, with spicy and resinous notes well displayed. The mouthfeel is both full and dry. There's a faintly sweet raisin stripe, and, in addition, I detected some notes of tobacco.
If you don't dig bitterness, you're going to hate this stuff. But if you worship the hop in all its sticky, swampy glory, Dad's Little Helper will earn your tick of approval. It has some charm, some subtext, and a loud clash of bitter. Another winner from Rogue, this beer isn't as special as
Yellow Snow IPA, but it's certainly a worthy dark I.P.A.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10.
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