Molten Lava Imperial IPA is the first specialty beer release of 2024 from Double Mountain Brewery, emerging from the brewery’s “Vault” as it was last brewed a few years ago. Originally introduced early in the 2010s, this version is a reimagining of the original, with recipe and procedures tweaked for modern palates (as all the beers in the “From the Vault” series are).

You can read the press release here; the brewery sent me a bottle of Molten Lava earlier this month to review. So let’s review!

This tweaked version is 8.6% ABV with 88 IBUs, available both in bottles and on draft.

Appearance: Copper orange color, with some haze (unfiltered), and a creamy-dense off-white head.

Smell: Savory greens and herbs, with some tobacco dankness, some citrus notes (oil, bitter peel), hop resin. There might be a hint of allium (scallion?), but it’s mild if so.

Taste: Spicy hops that go into a bit of hop burn immediately; big herbal bitterness that’s striking, and long-lasting with a sense of menthol. Much of the flavor profile goes in that direction—bitter, minty-herbal, hop-burny. Which is fine, but I’m not finding a lot of variety.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with minty character/hop burn and a long bitterness going into the finish and aftertaste.

Overall: It’s a little bit one note for my taste, but it’s a decent drinker and hop heads who look for that big menthol-bitter-burn will enjoy this.