I'm usually thrilled to see a brewery trying something new. Whether it's aging an IPA in oak barrels or brewing a stout with strange ingredients, if it's a new idea, I want to try it. That said, I was a little skeptical when I read up on Three Floyds' Apocalype Cow. I loved the name but wasn't quite sure about the idea behind the beer- adding lactose to a double IPA. Lactose is a sugar that is mainly found in milk and, when added to beer, gives the beer a very creamy mouthfeel. I've had a few stouts brewed with lactose (often called "milk stouts") but I'd never seen it used in any other kind of beer. The idea of a creamy IPA sounded weird as hell, but in the spirit of trying something new, I decided to give it a try.
Apocalypse Cow (which may have the greatest label I've ever seen, by the way) pours a hazy burnt orange color with a creamy eggshell-colored head. The beer has a great double IPA smell with a bit of a creamy touch added. I got a lot of mango right away with some grapefruit and citrus hops. I also picked up something sweet that smelled like a 50/50 bar.
The taste was fantastic with some big tangerine and apricot flavors upfront, followed by a slight hit of peppery hops. The sweetness is big in this one as the finish brings a huge note of caramel malt and mango. While the taste was big and full of flavor, what really made this beer shine was the mouthfeel. The lactose gives the beer a rich and creamy feel that works perfectly with the sweetness of the beer. It's like a mango, tangerine and hop milkshake. I know that sounds gross but trust me, it just works. Cheers to Three Floyds for a very successful experiment.
Final Grade: A
Top 100 Beers Tasted: 25
This was a really, really interesting beer to taste, one that I think I wouldn't have a problem taking down a pint or two of. Nice review!
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