Got Beer? Revival’s Extra Thirsty

Welcome to another installment in my infinity-part series to explore the latest and greatest beers produced right here in RI. In the time it took me to write that sentence, four new local beers came out. I have much work ahead of me.

For my next local Rhody Brew, I return once again to trusty Revival. While I may not love every beer they make, that’s only because I might dislike a certain style, not because the beer is bad. Far from it. And for today’s offering, I found a new brew that I haven’t tried yet. It’s called Extra Thirsty, and the can itself promises something epic, super heroic and possibly a cybernetic fowl. I can’t say for certain since I’m neither a cyberneticist nor an ornithologist. I’m a beer nerd, so let’s dive right in to this beer.

A dark amber brew, the aroma coming off of this beer is a lovely hoppy cloud. I get mostly floral and citrus, but it’s strangely mild for something that counts its IBUs with the infinity symbol. If we haven’t reached the saturation point on IPAs yet, I’m pretty sure warping spacetime with alpha acids will take us there presently.

It’s delicious. The first thing to hit my palate are the hops, followed by a soothing sweetness, and finally a little heat from the 10.5% ABV. There’s a LOT to dissect in this brew, and the flavors all blend to the point where they sort of step over each other to grab the spotlight. It’s a busy little beer!

I don’t think it has infinite bitterness, but it’s potently hop-forward, and leaves little doubt that one is drinking a triple IPA. It then finishes with strong hops, blended almost in total contrast to the initial taste. While up-front it’s a bit fruity and floral, the end is more of an earthy resin. It blends better with the alcohol burn, and brings to mind burning pine. I love me a good campfire, so I enjoy this interesting heat.

Once one gets used to the intense hops and heat, the soothing malty sweetness gets a chance to shine through. It’s a nice respite, but over very quickly. It also gets very dry, very fast, the more you drink it, and not just because the alcohol is evaporating the moisture on your tongue. I’m being hyperbolic, but there is a noticeable drying effect.

It’s the sort of beer you don’t let your macro-drinking friends get their hands on, partially because it’s FAR too complex for them, and partially because a single pint will send them straight to the floor.

This is definitely a distinct IPA, and true hop-heads will love it. Personally, I would consider this an IPA to break out for special occasions, like fine china or my Yakov Smirnoff impression. Seriously, though, this IPA is a heavy hitter, and should be handled with care.