ApriHop - Dogfish Head Brewery

Lucarelli3062

Ohio

5/5  rDev +29.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Great mix of Fruit in the a beer with lots of hops aroma and taste.I was not sure about even trying it. I thought it would be to sweet and have no hop taste, but it really surprised me. I love this stuff and am going to try and brew my own batch!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2011 20:28:53 | More by Lucarelli3062

nortmand

Virginia

4.97/5  rDev +29.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours copper orange, with a somewhat poor white head. The head is a bit fizzy, which I know from experience is a problem with wheat beers.

Smell is a mix of rich toasted malt, resiny hops and juicy peaches.

Sweet toasted malts up front blend into a wonderfully peachy citrus hop experience. Ends with a measured bitterness accompanied by a fanastic bready flavor.

Very big mouthfeel, an absolutely fantastic beer, one of DFH's finest.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2006 01:12:01 | More by nortmand

berpwillie

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +29.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

wooowww. this beer is F@#$ing fantastic. pours a clear amber-copper color, the aroma of apricots and hops is fantasticly overwhelming. Not sure i'm going to find a beer i'll enjoy much more than this one. perfect for a sunny spring/summer day, but i could enjoy this beer year round no question about it. if you have never had the pleasure of enjoying this beer. i suggest you do so asap.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2010 14:31:54 | More by berpwillie

tosshin

Pennsylvania

4.95/5  rDev +28.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

a: light amber, clear, small white head
s: apricots, lemon, pine needles
t: tastes like DFH 60 min with a nice blend of citrus and apricots. the sweetness of the fruit smooths out the hops
m: really smooth. the hop bite is smoothed out by the sugars in the fruit.
d: this is like the 60 min but better. I want this all year round. can't wait for next spring!

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2009 00:06:01 | More by tosshin

Brad007

Vermont

4.93/5  rDev +28.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Beer pours a light copper color with a thick, frothy head. The aroma is hoppy and full of the apricot essence. The taste gives away a wonderful hoppiness balanced with some sweetness from the apricots. It leaves a smooth mouthfeel and does not come off as too bitter or too sweet. Well balanced beer and certainly a better example than the other beer of this style that I sampled.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2007 17:02:28 | More by Brad007

avylover

Virginia

4.9/5  rDev +27.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Excellent looking deep golden clear brew, with a massive off white head that seems to stand still. Light bubbles rise up to the head. Good citrousy hop aroma, with a slight hint of the labelsake's apricots. Taste is hoppy , yet refined. Nice citrous flavors with the slight taste of apricot keeping things smooth. Grainy tastes and a decent maltiness hold it together nicely.Great hop flavor, with a mild bitterness finishing things. This beer tastes like the perfect summer IPA. Medium bodied, with a slick, starts wet/finishes dry mouthfeel.Dry aftertaste, but great lingering hop flavors. Drinkability is top notch, I could drink this to no end. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2004 19:56:48 | More by avylover

kgs

California

4.9/5  rDev +27.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Oh so pretty. Dark golden with a head that slowly subsides to lacing.

Smell: An ineluctably tempting combination of fruit and hops that wafted toward my nose as soon as I opened the bottle. Springlike but grownup.

Taste: This is the first fruit beer, beyond He'brew Rejewvenator (before they went from figs to dates), that I have ever enjoyed. The hops/apricot counterpoint is perfect: assertive hops paired with gentle apricot, grassy and sweet. Almost unworldly.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, round, caramel feeling, a wee syrupy but in a nice way. The mouthfeel is the most seductive part of this beer.

Drinkability: Dangerously so. At 7% ABV this is not beer for chugging, but it goes down very easily, . Made me sad I had no blue cheese in the house!

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2010 02:54:33 | More by kgs

irrevjim

Massachusetts

4.88/5  rDev +26.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I really loved this take on an IPA. It's about perfect balance. It's hoppier than an average IPA, not as hoppy as 90 minute IPA, but the (sweetness?) of the apricots balances the harshness of the hops and makes for a crisp but very smooth glass of beer and the fullest flavor and highest ABV of anything I can honestly say was "gone in 60 seconds". It went down like a light pisner or lager on a 90 degree day but felt like a full bodied beer in my mouth. I really can't imagine changing a thing.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2005 22:23:21 | More by irrevjim

jcdiflorio

West Virginia

4.88/5  rDev +26.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poued into a large flaired tulip glass from a 12oz brown long neck bottle with a crimped-on cap

Clear,viberant reddish/orange with a glowing red hue,beautiful color.
2" creamy white head with good retention leaving lace curtians on top of the glass lots of spotty lacing the rest of the way down.
Very lively looking beer many tiny bubbles stringing together very tightly knit together streaming from the sides and center of the glass.

Very clean pleasing aroma, nice blast of apricot just perfect,not overdone,but plenty of it with some slight carmell notes,no real hop aroma detected.

Clean taste the ipa malts tastes come through a bit a the start with a good carmell feel with some slight burnt notes. The apricot taste just blends in perfectly. Amazing balance of tastes. Just a very slight hint of alcohol with some slight hop bittering detected.
Finishes with a refeshing apricot blast with clean sharp mouthwatering bitterness. The taste doesn't get much better for a fruit beer.

Suprizingly light mouthfeel very creamy, juicy describes the mouthfeel best. Goes down so easy the light.creamy feel and the balance of tastes make this beer exceptionally drinkable and very enjoyable.
One of the best fruit beers i've ever tasted. A must try beer in my book.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2007 03:09:59 | More by jcdiflorio

thebrood1987

New Jersey

4.85/5  rDev +26%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

What a refreshing beer. I definitely know why this is their Spring seasonal because it is excellent to drink in this weather. You can smell sweet fruits with that apparent apricot and some pine and some fruitiness from the cascade hop. I can always tell if they use a cascade hop if I just think back on how Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale smells. The taste is very nicely balanced with a sweet caramel bread like malt with the sweetness from the apricot hop flavor and malt in the middle and the apricot in the back melding together with the hop bitter finish. The sweet and bitter tastes in this beer are perfectly combined.

I could tell they wanted to make this different than their 60 minute IPA so they used a completely different malt bill which is a rich sweet caramel and bread. I like that you can taste like you ate a fruit even minutes after your last sip. That is a sign of an amazing beer in my mind. They really used the right hops for this beer to meld with the apricots to make it seem like its not a fruit beer at all.... which is probably why they call it a fruit beer for hopheads. Not to mention the apricots taste REAL, they definitely don't use a cheap overly flavored extract.... which accounts for a better fruit balance with the hops.

Dogfish really nails the tastes of their beers and when they say thats how it will taste thats how it will definitely taste in a balanced manner. There are so many other flavors than just the apricot in this that it just makes it an awesome complex beer that anybody can enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 23:06:27 | More by thebrood1987

nickthetick

Maryland

4.85/5  rDev +26%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A: pours a lighter mahogany with ruby tinges. It starts with two fingers of dirty white head that slowly thins to about half a finger and leaves some nice lacing.

S: its floral but tart in the nose, blood orange and lemony hints with some mild fruits muddled in.

T: still floral but the apricots come in unlike the nose and take over. Fruity but tart, a nice hop profile keeps it from being cloyingly sweet and fruity.

MF: refreshing but not to light of a body. Good carbonation.

O: one of my favorite seasonal brews and my favorite overall to take on a hike.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 19:16:59 | More by nickthetick

erica

California

4.83/5  rDev +25.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I loved it! DFH never ceases to amaze, do they? To start off, it is a golden amber colour, clear with a white fluffy head. Smells maybe a bit apricoty, a bit citrusy, I guess from the hops, but mostly malty actually. I had a few bottles of it and I still am not getting the apricots, and there's not any extreme hoppiness that would warrant a name with HOP in it. Besides all that though, I truly enjoyed this beer and if I could I'd make it my 'regular.' Mouthfeel is very smooth and just the right thickness. Not very thick but I couldn't call it thin. Basically it's not extreme in any way,. but it is so well blended that I think I'll be buying bottles for as long as supplies last!

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2004 20:47:43 | More by erica

AlvinStraight

New York

4.83/5  rDev +25.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

God I love this beer. I love big hops and fruit beers, so this is a natural beauty for me. Knowing it was going out of season, I stocked up on this for the winter and am happy I did.

Neither the hops or the fruit is overbearing, and the mix is a perfect balance of hoppy, citrusy, fruity goodness.

Another Dogfish Head masterpiece as far as I'm concerned. This is truly one of my favorite beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 03:45:38 | More by AlvinStraight

rtratzlaff

North Carolina

4.8/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A decent head on deep amber body.
The smell is of apricots, pine-like hops.
The tase is surprising. Don't go in expecting a fruit beer. This beer benefits from the slight apricot flavors and the goodness of a dogfish ipa. Taste of fruit, sweet malt, and hops. As with all other dogfish brews, this one is well balanced. A step above the 30-minute and better in my opion. If you like the 90 minute, you'll probably enjoy this one as well.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2006 18:31:55 | More by rtratzlaff

mindlucent2007

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

appearance: Amber with a creamy head

smell: Fruit up front and also flowers and hops. Spring is here.

taste: Starts with an intense taste of hops. I like how the hops are presented in this. The balance of them along with apricots and other fruit is what makes this brew interesting. There is a hoppy aftertaste as well.

mouthfeel: Light carbonation. Creamy and very smooth for a 7% IPA. Nectarish.

drinkability: I can easily drink this brew since it is a laid back IPA. Another Dogfish Head with a subtle 7%. My kind of IPA. I was glad to find this on draft and I will be grabbing 4 packs when I see them.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2010 23:40:16 | More by mindlucent2007

billybob

Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

very nice amber color pours with a one inch head that does not last very long. nice mouthfeel slight hoppy taste but the apricot flavor comes right through. slightly sweet sugar taste. very enjoyable beer would definitely buy again and often even though the price is a little high.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2006 03:22:56 | More by billybob

albertjr21

New York

4.78/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I'm excited to try this for the first time! Into a DFH glass this pours a clear and dark reddish-copper color under a sparse but thin well-sustained head. Aroma is an appealing nose of sweet syrup nectar citrus hops (perhaps Apricot noted...?) There's a smooth and delicious punch of hops here that's harmonized wonderfully with the toasted malt and complementary apricot. Cheers to an East Coast IPA Giant!

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2011 00:58:19 | More by albertjr21

Kyrgyzbrewer

Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Dogfish Head is a brewery that is hit and miss for me. I either love their beer or I hate it. That is as much a comentary on the willingness of the Dogfish crew to try some funky things.

This beer is a hit for me. Some brewers add fruit to a beer almost for the interesting nature of adding it creating a "huh that's cool to get that kind of flavor as part of this beer." It is rare to have a beer where the fruit is more than a side note. With this beer, there isn't that "oh this is a cool additional note" with the fruit. Instead you think "oh this is a well balanced beer. Wait the balance to the hops is actually the fruit."

It is wonderful, and I am not a hop head. I wish this beer where available throughout the warmer months.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 13:10:12 | More by Kyrgyzbrewer

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.73/5  rDev +22.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to Rutager for this one.

A: 1" tan coloured head over amber liquid with excellent clarity.

S: Floral, perfumy, citrusy and piney hops.

T: Wow. Apricot, grassy hops, tangerine, grapefruit, white grapes, and sweet pale malt.

M: Medium viscosity and a medium level of carbonation.

O: Dangerously drinkable, very smooth and quite sweet. Beautiful.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 16:57:08 | More by DaftCaskBC

mrpivo

Wisconsin

4.72/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I ran into Aprihop at our October, 2003 Beer Barons of Milwaukee officers meeting. I had no idea what I was ordering, but being a Dogfish Head creation I was sure to be different. The glass I received had a nice half inch thick head sitting upon a slightly cloudy straw colored beer. When I raised it to my nose I detected the aroma of Cascade hops. I thought to myself that this was just another American Pale Ale. Upon tasting it, I couldn't have been more wrong. I have to tell you that I'm not a fan of fruit beers, but THIS fruit beer made me a convert. Very complex. That's how I would describe my initial reaction. I couldn't decide what I enjoyed more: the APA bitterness, the subtle sweetness which no doubt was due to the apricots, the almost subliminal taste of the apricots themselves, or the perfect carbonation which only enhanced everything else. All in all a fantastic beer. Being a homebrewer, I'm already planning to duplicate this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2003 15:33:36 | More by mrpivo

jimspivey8

Ohio

4.72/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Orange as a pumpkin, with a creamy soft white head.

Smell: Citrusy hops dominate, with a fruity malty sweetness behind.

Taste: Perfectly balanced between hoppy bitterness and rich malt, with a subtle apricot flavor.

Mouthfeel: Fine, sharp carbonation provides a contrast to smooth, almost oily texture.

Drinkability: Excellent, despite the high ABV.

Overall: Aprihop is one of my top 10 favorite beers, ever. This is very strange because I generally don't enjoy fruit beers. However, while most fruit beers (and many IPA's) are exercises in excess, Aprihop is an ode to balance. The apricots lend this beer such a gentle and distinctive taste, nestling in between the malt and hops beautifully. To me, it is as close to the perfect IPA as I have found, and one of the few beers that I find myself coming back to again and again.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2005 01:45:57 | More by jimspivey8

jameaterblues

New York

4.72/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer poured from 12oz bottle a clear golden amber color with hints of orange. The head was fairly thin off white, with a white bubbly lace.
The smell of was of sweet apricot and clean crisp hops.
This beer had apricot that hits the tongue first. Although they call it an IPA the hops in this particular beer, very prominent in the middle of the body, reminded much more of a pale ale, maybe the apricot mellows it out, but none the less this was an interesting and wonderful beer. The apricot provided a smooth fruitful finish with a slight bitterness. The slight bitterness almost reminded me of a lightly sweetened tea(I think the apricot and hops combination provided this).
Mouthfeel/drinkablility: This beer had a great mouth feel wonderful balance between fruit and hops, ample carbonation, and these things made the mouthfeel almost perfect. Because of the combination this fruit beer is much more drinkable than most. I did not quite see that this was a "fruit beer for hop heads" as dogfish boasts...it definitely had more hops than most, but it was a little deceiving.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2006 13:08:46 | More by jameaterblues

wahhmaster

Virginia

4.72/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Samuel Adams Boston Lager glass.

Appearance: Pours a deep brown color with reddish hues. Has a large, frothy head that dissipates slowly and leaves some nice lacing.

Smell: Smells strongly of citrusy, grainy hops with a hint of apricot fruitiness.

Taste: Wow. Strongly hopped up front with dry, grassy hops (tastes dry-hopped). Finishes hoppy with a touch of sweet maltiness and a strong, complimentary apricot flavor. The obvious comparison for this beer is Magic Hat #9 but there really is no competition. The apricot in this beer feels less like an added component than a natural flavor in the beer. Well done, well done indeed.

Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and refreshing with an expressive carbonation.

Overall: Wow. This beer is fantastic. Dogifsh Head once again proves that it can make experimental and "off-centered" beers that are also accessible and delicious. Major kudos to them for this one!

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 14:34:36 | More by wahhmaster

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.7/5  rDev +22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A very drinkable but complex brew. Has a faint but noticeable nose of apricots and hops. Pours golden with a nice but not overwhelming head. Has an intriguing taste of Apricot fruit followed by bitter almond/apricot pit that immediately transitions into a medium hop bitterness. The transition from fruit to the melded bitterness of pit and hops is what makes this beer sublime.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2006 05:33:46 | More by Georgiabeer

dashmartino

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +22.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This stuff is a great spring/summer beer. Swig it down on a hot day, goes down super smooth! This is a apricot beer for the conesiour or hop head. Anyone who thinks Magic Hat #9 is too sweet or wussy should give this a try. Appearance is very pretty, dark coppery color that is see through with a light head. Super smooth drinking. So sweet to drink, yet you get the wonderful hop finish (and a good hop belch if you drink it quick!) This beer is fantastic, look forward to it this time of year!

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2009 23:12:38 | More by dashmartino