From the Brewery: 

“Tecumseh is our Triple IPA and is brewed to be the highest General in the hop army of India Pale Ales. This Imperial IPA is highly decorated with pounds of hops throughout that give it a dank, citrusy, grapefruit flavor and aroma. Join the General’s army and we’ll drop hop bombs on your palate.” 10.8% ABV Imperial IPA

Purchased from the brewery in Fresno, California.

The Pour: 

Poured from a 22 oz bomber into a snifter glass. The color is deep amber orange, and has pretty clear visibility. A khaki-colored foamy head is poured, which dissipates to a thin covering and leaves good lacing. Moderate carbonation is visible.

After finishing the first glass and pouring the rest, it became apparent that Tecumseh is bottle conditioned. The second glass was super hazy from all of the yeast gunk that came out of the bottle. I would have been more careful with the pour if I would’ve known it was bottle conditioned.

The Nose: 

Huge grapefruit and citrus hop aromas emanate as soon as it is poured. As I get my nose into it I get a heavy dose sweet, syrupy caramel malts. I also get a bit of bready malts as well. Tropical fruit and citrus notes round out the profile.

The Mouth: 

Tecumseh is rich bodied and thick in the mouth, going down harsh from big alcohol presence that is prominent as soon as it enters the mouth. Grapefruit, tropical fruit, and some general dank represent the hop flavors. It finishes with a good bite of hop bitterness, with a lingering aftertaste that combines the thick, syrupy caramel malts, alcohol and hop notes.

Final Thoughts: 

Tecumseh is a big IPA; big malts, big hops, big alcohol presence. I find it doesn’t match the level of sophistication of Tioga-Sequoia’s Double Dry Hopped General Sherman (which is probably my favorite offering from them). The pieces of this Triple IPA puzzle just don’t fit together as artfully as they seem they should. I honestly think that the best way to give this beer its proper due would be to age it barley wine style, to achieve a mellowing of the alcohol and smoothness of the overall mouthfeel. That would degrade the heavy hops included, but it already seems under its 126 labeled IBUs. Maybe I’ll find another bottle and give it a re-review in a couple of years. All that being said, I’m certainly not trying to put out a negative review of this one. I had no trouble finishing the bomber, and had fun doing so. It’s just not quite Tioga-Sequoia’s best offering. 7/10.

Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company – Fresno, California