There is an interesting trend that has been developing for a while where breweries who brew a popular IPA are making multiple versions with tweaks to the recipe. The “double dry-hopped” and “dry-hopped with XXX” beers are pretty minor changes to the beer all things considered, but add a little variety to a breweries offerings. I am more interested in the versions that make significant changes to the ABV, turning the “normal” IPA into a session or double IPA variant. This is trickier than it sounds, simply adjusting the amount of fermentables will lead to an unbalanced beer. A talented brewer will find a way to re-work the original recipe so it recalls the flavor and aroma profiles of the original but works on it’s own too. A great example is Double Voltage, the amped-up DIPA version of Mystic Brewery’s popular Voltage IPA. Mystic Double Voltage is brewed with Santiam, Ella and Perle hops along with Citra lupulin powder and is available on a rotating basis on draft and in 16 oz cans.
Mystic Double Voltage pours cloudy orange with a small white head. The aroma features a pungent burst of fruity hops, loads of citrus and tropical fruits. The hops lead the flavor too, notes of grapefruit, peach, orange candy and guava along with a mild but noticeable bitterness. The hop flavor is balanced my a light malt backbone, touches of bread dough and cereal along with just a hint of residual sweetness (although this could be a perceived sweetness from the fruity hops, it is hard to tell with these NEDIPAs). Double Voltage is medium bodied and drinks very easy for a beer with 8.3% ABV, you don’t taste the booze at all. The finish is crisp with plenty of lingering hop character. This is a stellar DIPA, it would definitely hold it’s own against the most sought after versions of the style on the local market. Hoppy Boston score: 4.75/5.
Previous Mystic Reviews:
Mystic Voltage and Echo, Mystic Kanzu, Mystic Sauvignon Blanc Barrel Saison, Mystic Vinland 4, Mystic De Varenne, Mystic India Wharf Pale Ale, BREWERY OVERVIEW, Mystic Flor Z, Mystic Melissa, Mystic Descendant, Mystic Vinland Three, Mystic Brewery visit and Day of Doom, Mystic Hazy Jane, Mystic Mary of the Gael, Mystic Vinland Two, Mystic Table Beer
Hoppy Boston 
