Reaper Ale Brewing Company- Sleighor Double IPA: Not Slayed In The Least
Monday, March 8, 2010 at 6:23PM | by Jason 
I love my beer guys around the corner at O’Meara’s Spirits & More. They usually have my favorites on standby as well as frequently have some surprises waiting for me on my next visit. During one of my recent visits, one of their fine employees and I were discussing IPAs and he recommended that I try one that he spoke very highly of. The brew is Sleighor Double IPA by Reaper Ale Brewing Company out of Lake Elsinore, California.
Reaper Ale Brewing Company classifies this brew as an Imperial/Double India Pale Ale and their website describes Sleighor Double IPA as, “Sleighor is an Imperial version of the West Coast-style India Pale Ale. Tipping the charts at over 9% ABV, this ale has a full-bodied copper color with a sweet malty flavor, intense hop bitterness, and a fresh floral and citrus aroma. Topped with a thick tan head, this complex blend of hops has a fresh clean after taste that will leave you craving more.”
Sleighor Double IPA pours slightly hazy dark amber with a 1 ½” light tan head and has a strong hop/citrus aroma and comes in at 9.1% ABV.
I have to say that the bottle artwork is a wicked looking Reaper St. Nick riding a sleigh led by a skeletal reindeer flying through a full moon lit evening, pretty sweet looking. Unfortunately, that is where it ends for me. This is very grapefruit forward IPA and it almost kills what I would expect from an Imperial IPA. This much grapefruit should be reserved for a Sunday morning brunch buffet, not an IPA in my opinion. I don’t mind hints of grapefruit but to overpower the entire taste is too much for me. Their website states an IBU rating of 105 but it tastes nowhere near as bitter as some of the other IPAs that are in the 80 IBU range that I have tried. It finishes with a very floral/malt sweet taste that borders on weird. I have to say that I would have to disagree with my fellow IPA lover on this one, I was expecting to be slayed by this brew but was left feeling a little empty.
ABV: 9.1%
Consumed: Imperial Pint
Verdict: Buy A Six Pack
