Imprint’s Triple Dry Hopped Train Swaying
Imprint Beer Co. opened back in 2018 but, after their massive success, they underwent a massive expansion in 2021 and now features a retro gaming arcade, their own line of spirits (bourbon, vodka, and gin), their own coffee, and their own pizza company!
Imprint has been at, or near, the top of my list of Pennsylvania breweries for a little while now. And I even named the Hatfield, PA brewery as the best brewery in the state back in April. But despite all that, they have never appeared on Belt’s Beer Garden. Until Now.
Today I have Triple Dry Hopped Train Swaying, an Imperial IPA thrice dry hopped with Citra, El Dorado, and Galaxy hops. It has a big 8.2% ABV and a single 16-ounce can cost me about $7.50.
Pouring a bright, yet murky golden straw color, this Imperial IPA had just under two fingers of head build upwards. The eggshell white foam hung around for a few minutes before fading down to a thin dusting across the top.
As it disappeared, there was some solid lacing left behind. Initially nearly the entire side of the glass was coated and then a new line appeared with every sip, marking my progress down the pint.
The aroma was thicker but juicy. A bit of pithy citrus rind and hoppy dankness could be picked up but the vast majority of the scent was that of fruits – like guava, pineapple, tangerine, and peaches. A vanilla-like sweetness could also be found peeking through at times, as did a flaked wheat characteristic.
Each sip begins with a nice fizzle of carbonation and a bitter twinge of hops (note: after that hoppy bite on the initial sip, each additional swig did not have that same intensity and it became easier and easier to drink).
After a short moment, those fruity flavors begin to appear, quieting the harsh beginning. Clementine/oranges and pineapple led the way with a massive burst of fruit juice and just a hint of acidity. Quickly following behind was a hefty dose of peaches and sweet vanilla that made the middle portion quite delightful – that vanilla a very interesting addition. Not sure where it was coming from but was quite glad it was there.
The backend turned a bit harsher, much like the beginning. There was a bitter hum that carried on underneath the main flavors while the hops added some resinous grapefruit peel and honeydew melon qualities. That resiny aspect added a bit of dryness to the beer as well.
However, it actually finished mostly clean. A light grapefruit and pineapple quality was left lingering on and there was some stickiness and some dryness…but it all faded relatively quickly. I was also surprised at how sessionable this beer was for 8.2%. It was not nearly as heavy as I thought it would be from the aroma and, instead, it drank dangerously light and easy.
Overall, it’s a very tasty, very solid triple dry-hopped Imperial IPA. The vanilla flavor was an interesting feature, despite not having any actual vanilla additives, and there were plenty of fruity flavors to satisfy hazy lovers. It was a bit bitter and a bit dry but, outside of that, TDH Train Swaying was quite nice.
