ApriHop - Dogfish Head Brewery

dheacck11

Connecticut

3.44/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Nice clear orange amber with finger of brown head rapidly fading.

Nose is strongly of dry hop and apricot.

Taste is all apricot up front, with maybe a hint of other citrus (grapefruit, orange). Follows with a surprisingly biting and bitter hop profile. Finishes with another surge of apricot.

Really nice full mouth feel. Solid body.

Interesting but just feels unbalanced. The apricot is just too sweet, the hops just too bitter. Really nice independently, but together it's like a flavor disagreement in your mouth. I always want to like this more...

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 22:33:07 | More by dheacck11

andrewjraab

Michigan

3.99/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - amber / red with three fingers of white creamy head. Exceptional clarity, and good lacing.

S - Huge hop notes, with citrus, pine, and of course apricots.

T - Big hop punch, sweet and fruity with a malt foundation, hop resin. Highly and dangerously drinkable, great wet mouthfeel.

O - Very solid IPA with a sharp hop profile that bites just enough. A definite must get and I could session this brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 01:16:40 | More by andrewjraab

LeRose

Massachusetts

2.93/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Twelve oz bottle, no date on bottle or four pack sleeve. Purchased for $9.95 on 1/16/12. Poured into Sam's perfect pint.

Appearance: Golden bronze, about a half inch of foamy head, decent retention and lacing. Great clarity.

Aroma: Nice hit of apricot and a resinous hops. Seemed conflicted to me, not a good pairing.

Taste: The hops hit first, a little underlying sweetness, quite metallic, syrupy apricot on the finish. Bitterness seemed way overbalanced. Found the hops flavors undetectable other than bitter.

MF: nothing remarkable. Nicely carbonated, not overly sticky or thick. Metallic "tang" hangs around for a bit, not much aftertaste even with the late apricot flavor hit.

Overall, I thought this was kind of a mess. Overly bitter hops arguing with the syrupy sweetness of the apricot, and the apricot shows up very late in the profile. The taste seems almost segmented. To my taste buds, it was exactly the opposite of the description - way overly hoppy first, then apricot heavy afterwards. Think it could benefit from a less is more approach.I would not purchase this again, and can't say I would recommend it. Disappointing offering from DFH in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 00:38:06 | More by LeRose

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.61/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

On tap served in a snifter.

Appearance - Pours a deep amber, surprisingly. Small off white head. Gone in a flash. The faintest of foam remains with a pencil thin collar.

Smell - The description says apricots are a supporting flavor, but it's pretty dominant. Some hops and a lot of toasty malt.

Taste - Fruity apricot again, but maybe secondary to the hop. Instantly a strong toasted malt takes over. Like an amber ale. Bitter in the finish and the apricot comes back in the end with a funny, slightly acidic flavor.

Mouthfeel - Nothing like an IPA base, really. Hefty toasted malt bill. Bitter and medium bodied.

Overall - Enjoyable because of the apricots. The base IPA is not what I'm looking for, though.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2013 19:28:06 | More by Alieniloquium

rangerred

Tennessee

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a clear dark orange with a one finger off-white head. Decent carbonation keeps the head around for nearly half the drink leaving splotches of lacing on the sides of the glass.

Aroma is moderately metallic at first transitioning into tropical fruit with apricots also being detectable. There is a little caramel and dark bread underneath along with more hops.

The metal is absent from the flavor with tons of fruit up front. I'm loving the apricots along with pineapple and tangerine. There is an underlying sweetness that I find with all DFH brews but it compliments the fruit quite nicely. Just a touch of caramel from the malt but not much else. Finish is pretty sticky with just light to moderate bitterness.

Overall, a nice spring beer from DFH but I find it a little too sweet to be real quaffable. Nonetheless it is a nice change-up from wheat beers as far as spring seasonals are concerned.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 21:41:03 | More by rangerred

idResponse

North Carolina

4.46/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dogfish have gone and done the awesome yet again. Go get this beer and drink it. You don't like IPA you say? GO GET THIS BEER AND DRINK IT! Straight outta the bottle into my mouth it's smooth, slightly sweet, not bitter, not cloying, not sticky, not overly hoppy. It's sessionable yet dangerous at a 7% ABV. It's easy to drink. It's lovely, wonderful, amazing, and beautiful. Please never stop making this. It could be a flagship brew for the entire company. I want this year round. My new favorite beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 01:13:41 | More by idResponse

BeernDrum

Ohio

4.11/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This is really a nice beer. I was apprehensive at first wondering if the apricot would be over powering or too sweet. I was wrong. A nice amber color. A nice smell of citrus and the pleasant smell of the apricot. A nice smooth taste. You taste the bitter hops at first, which I like, then the subtle taste of the apricot comes in to smooth it down. Really a unique and refreshing combination of flavor. I recommend this one. Especially those who still like a strong hoppy beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 00:56:29 | More by BeernDrum

patpbr

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours amber and a shade dark and a white mild head. Smell is citrus, floral, apricot. The taste is citrus, hops, grapefruit, the apricot is the center of the beer and its done well. Finish has sweet malts and a bit of bitterness. Smooth mouth and a good twist on the IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 02:16:22 | More by patpbr

NoleDoc

Florida

4.11/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Nice color. Full of hops, although I was expecting to taste mor apricots. Hops seems to overpower the taste. Slightly tart aftertaste. Would have like to have smelled more o the apricot in its aroma. Slightly imbalanced but not too much. A pretty good choice for a spring brew.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2013 17:06:31 | More by NoleDoc

mnrider

Connecticut

3.86/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12 oz. Brown bottle. Has Bottled on Date.

A: Pours clear amber with light carbonation and a small bubbly white head.
Little retention and even less lacing.

S: Light fruits, floral hops, apricots and some citrics. Pleasant but subdued.

T/M: Fruity with some light hop bite. Sweet malts. Light grapefruit with apricots
Between light and medium bodied. Smooth with a pretty clean IPA aftertaste.

O: Interesting IPA that uses fresh apricots to complement the hops. Still has the
usual IPA taste and feel but is much subdued due to the fruits. As I am not a fan
of fruit beers in general, I had a hard time really liking this one. Other than needing
more hops this brew is easy to drink and has a pretty good taste.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 21:31:58 | More by mnrider

Jonada

New Jersey

3.71/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

2013 batch (no bottled on date) served in a DFH pint glass

Appearance: Pours a fairly clear golden amber color. A little darker than I was expecting. There was about 1 finger of an off white head as well.

Smell: Mostly citrus, floral hops and pilsner malt with some hints of pine. The apricot is noticeable as well but is more of a background note.

Taste: Grapefruit, citrus, biscuity malt. Again the apricot is present but mostly acts as a background note.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate/high carbonation. Slightly dry finish. Bitterness is low.

Overall: Pretty good IPA if you're looking for something sessionable, or just not a huge hophead.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 04:19:42 | More by Jonada

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.73/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

"An India Pale Ale brewed with real apricots." Brewed in the style of an American IPA. Spring seasonal from Dogfish Head. No bottle date, but this is from the 2013 release so it's within a couple of weeks fresh.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to a Dogfish Head glass. Served north of 47º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours an off white frothy head of a medium consistency over a sunburst orange body, thoroughly filtered, with moderate carbonation. Retention is average at best and lacing is spotty. It's a decent appearance at best, just not the main attraction in this beer. 3.25

(Smell) Pilsner crisp malts, grassy and mild citrusy hop with hints of grapefruit and tangerine. Potency is medium, balance is slightly bitter over sweet, perhaps a touch short on malt body. Apricot presence are quite mild in the aroma. Aroma is a toss up between a pilsner and an IPA, although the depth in malt character goes for the latter. Despite some mild imbalance, it's not bad. 3.5

(Taste) Up front are largely cracker malts balanced with a moderate citrusy hop bitterness and character, finishing with a squeeze of apricot juice that graces the finish. The drinkability is quite high and the apricot adds some complimentary complexity to an accessible hop flavor. Balance is better remedied in the taste, with a residual fruit syrup sweetness to round out the hop character. I'm not blown away by this beer, but it is quite enjoyable amongst the common spring seasonal choices- I found the apricot a welcome addition but a difficult one to place amongst the citrus hop character, although It's likely for the best in terms of drinkability. 3.75

(Mouthfeel) Light syrupy sweet fruit slickness with a touch of fuzzy air is the only variant from a very mild carbonation presence. Body is medium for the style, light/medium overall. Alcohol presence is very mild. This beer has a mild but very complimentary texture. 4.25

(Overall) Compared to Dogfish Head's year round liberally hopped IPAs, I don't find this one incredibly original but it's a pretty well put together IPA. Apricot is certainly discernible in the flavors and finds a comfortable place amongst the soft citrusy hop character. The textures are very soft and the thickness stays mild with a moderate sweetness for a very drinkable IPA that suggests that springtime is nearly here. 3.5

Dogfish Head Brewery's
3.73/5.00

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 02:39:23 | More by Jadjunk

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

3.96/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into schlafly tulip. A finger of head and nice lacing...deep amber color.
Nice hop forward aroma...sweet malty aroma and definite apricot aroma.
Taste is nice sweet malt and hop and lots of apricot. ..pretty nice actually.
Easy to drink but a bit sweet and heavy.
As always, good brew by dfh.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 02:56:44 | More by DrinkSlurm

Doc_Hops

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

It's that time of the year again and I could not be more excited! I made the pilgrimage down to DFH on the release date, March 1st. So glad I was able to try it on tap AND buy a few cases.

A- Aprihop pours a beautifully deep amber color with lots of carbonation and a fluffy head. Completely clean and clear.

S- Lots going on in the nose. Quite a bit of fruit but also a big bouquet of citrus hops followed by some sweet crystal malts.

T- After a nice big sip, I'm getting some great hop bitterness in the front that lasts for a while. Nice apricot sweetness balances it out but it is definitely NOT a very fruity beer. I'm enjoying a sweet pulled brisket sandwich as well and it is pairing perfectly. There's some bitterness that lingers in the back with sweet fruity notes on a majority of the taste buds.

M- Incredibly smooth. I really cannot say that enough. Bright, tingly carbonation and a perfectly balanced medium body.

O- This is one of my favorite beers of all time. I like that it is not as sweet as it has been in the past. It is every bit an IPA with fruity balance. Absolutely wonderful. ...And seriously, pulled brisket/ sweet bbq really, really works well.

Serving type- 12oz bottle poured into my DFH IPA glass. Thanks for reading.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 04:20:52 | More by Doc_Hops

Samuel906

California

2.85/5  rDev -26%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Hmm... I gotta say right off the bat this is a dissapointment, BUT, I find it hard to blame on Dogfish Head. They try some wacky stuff, and it's simply the odds that they aren't all going to be home runs. Pours clear, medium high carbonation. Smell is pretty good, and the apricot really compliments the piney hops. If only the flavor could have matched... Taste is reminiscent of the 60 minute IPA but surprisingly small amounts of apricot flavor. Light to medium bodied. Here's how I feel about it: If your're going to do something off the norm like making an Apricot American IPA, then go for it full bore with all aspects of the beer. Dogfish Head knows how to do this and they have pulled off some bizzare combinations on multiple occasions. People are going to buying "APRIHOP" because they are wanting something different and unique and are expecting APRICOTS and HOPS. Don't be subtle with crazy brews.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 10:08:03 | More by Samuel906

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12 ounce bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a clear, deep amber color with a one finger head and nice lacing.

S: Fruity with a nice hop aroma as well as some malts to balance things out.

T: Hops up front with some sweet malts and the apricot in the finish. The alcohol is completely hidden.

M: Medium bodied with ample carbonation. Smooth.

O: Not quite as good as I remember last years being, but very good nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 20:38:42 | More by nUgZ

MrBoh

Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Here it is, a day from November and I am trying this. This is not going to be fresh as the bottling date appears to be March 13th.

12 oz bottle poured into DFH snifter.

a- pours a deep, cloudy, malty brown. The head was a bit more than a finger high and was a lighter beige. Head retention was pretty good with decent lacing.

s- Strong fruity and citursy smell. Is reminiscent of grapes and figs. There is a good bit of spicy piney smell backing this up also.

t- A fruity, alcohol taste on the front. It has a bit of wine character to it, although it is malty and sweet. I maybe tasting apricot here, I am not sure as I am unsure if I have ever had one. But, trying to isolate the flavor, it is like an apple with grape accents.

m- The mouthfeel of this beer is AMAZING. There is a little unclean bitterness taste, maybe from oxidized beta acids, who knows. But, the creamyness and how well it works is still enough to round up to a 5.0.

o- A damn good beer, especially for being a non-fresh IPA. I think if it was fresh aroma could be higher, and taste could be as high as 4.5 due to the nice fresh hop aromas and tastes.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 02:00:26 | More by MrBoh

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, poured a light brown with a light tan head that lingers leaving some lacing, clear

S: sweet and sour fruity smell, light hops, apricots, grapefruit, orange

T: bitter floral hops with light apricot flavors

M: on the thinner side, lower carbonation

O: interesting take on a fruit IPA, fruit is subtle

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 15:06:06 | More by M_C_Hampton

duracell

Quebec (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a snifter. 7% ABV.

A - Peachy/amber color with reddish hues and a clear body. Medium head with OK retention and nice lacing.

S - Really malty nose with notes of caramelized fruit and apricot jam. Aromatic hops mix with it without being assertive, aromas being close to tropical fruit.

T/M - Really nice blend of aromatic hops and malt with an apricot touch that mellows nicely the flavors. Very smooth palate with a low bitterness. Smooth, medium-high body.

O - Very aromatic but, in my opinion, was missing an hoppy punch for the style. Having said that, this beer is great and well though out. Drinkability is excellent and, as for many DFH's brews, 12oz bottles look far too small! Recommended even if some hoppy heads might be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 02:50:16 | More by duracell

TBoneJones

Texas

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a coppery caramel color, finger of head and fast tiny bubble action. Head settled quickly.
Smells malty, some hops and light hint of fruit (apricot).
I like this more each time I try it. I pick up more of the apricot each time. The malt balances well, and even though there's a tangy and bitter at-odds factor I could just do without, it's still an intriguing brew. The apricot is front and center, not the hops. Drinkable nonetheless.
Nice medium carbonation, crisp in the end.
I like most everything DFH puts out, and this is no exception. It's refreshing, uses fruit well, and is a seasonal I would get again next Spring.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 02:42:02 | More by TBoneJones

BradtheGreat7

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes during my inet down time Spring 2012.

12 oz brown bottle with nice Dogfish Head label poured into a standard pint glass.

A - amber to deep copper in color. Nice beige offwhite head that does have a bit of stick to the glass.

S - Fruity and hoppy. Aprihop is faint in the nose, but a pleasent smell nonetheless. A bit of caramel malt as well. Kinda boozy.

T - Good floral taste with a sharp hoppiness. Good balance of caramel with a few other unknown malts. Aprihop is more noticable in the mouth as it really does well pairing a fruity semi sweetness with some hop kick. Alcohol flavor provides some booziness.

M - smooth mouthfeel and easy to drink if you dont mind the hits of alcohol flavor. An enjoyable brew for the spring in its own way.

O - This has typical Dogfish style. Taking a certain fruit and mixing some hops calls for a good beer. The quality Dogfish have lets them pull this beer style off. Nothing too special here. Just a great brewery making a good IPA using unique fruit flavors.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 20:44:36 | More by BradtheGreat7

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reddish-brown pour is darker than expected from an apricot flavored beer. Nice quality head with decent retention. Aroma reveals definite hops offset with malt. Great balance on flavors - apricot sweetness up front and in the end to sweeten the hop flavor. Bitterness almost disappears with the apricot.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 01:49:31 | More by Oakenator

57md

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours copper with a half finger of head that dissipates quickly, but leaves some lacing. Distinct apricot nose. Fruity upfront with a dry semi-bitter finish. There is a healthy dose of malt present as well, yet this offering remains light. This beer would be perfectly sessionable in early spring weather.

Not convinced this should be classified as an IPA because the hop profile is not quite bold enough. That said, the hoppines did get stronger as I drank this baby down. Whatever you consider it, it is rather tasty.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 04:48:21 | More by 57md

nimrod979

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz brown bottle. Bottle code I cannot read but I know this is from 2012.

Appearance: In a standard pint glass, this beer pours a clear copper color with a beige one finger head. Retention is good and am getting some decent drippy lacing on the sides of my glass. A bit dark than your standard IPA.

Aroma: Smells of apricots and other non-descript tropical fruit. Citrus hops are there but are subdued a bit. Mellow caramel malt sweetness.

Taste: Just another off-centered ale from DFH. Not really defined by the hops. There are subtle notes of piney and citrus hops, balanced by sweet almost toasty caramel malts. The apricots stand out and give this beer an interesting twist. Also getting some peachy fruitiness out of this.

Mouthfeel: A little on the thick side as far as I'm concerned. Carbonation is average. The finish is a light lingering bitterness that reminds you that is in fact an IPA. The apricot addition does add a bit of a twist to an other wise ordinary beer. I usually drink a few of these as spring/summer rolls around every year. It's a nice sessionable beer and As far as I can remember, this is the first DFH beer I ever tried.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 23:09:37 | More by nimrod979

Sam21

Connecticut

3.58/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2012 edition poured into pint glass.

Appearance: The body is deep amber with brown edges. As the beer settles into the glass, a thick creamy head of off-white foam forms and clings to the edges of the glass leaving thick rings.

Smell: Tropical fruit notes reside up front in the aroma. Apricots and mango mix nicely with more subdued citrusy aromas. There is a deep balancing malt sweetness that brings out the sweet edges of the fruit.

Taste: An explosion of tropical fruit, piny citrusy hops, and malt sweetness. It's not a particularly complex beer, but brings an interesting fruit character to the style. It possesses a sweetness that I can only describe as fleshy fruit. Think fresh slices of mango and grapefruit with a sprinkling of sugar.

Mouthfeel: This is a strong category for this beer. The carbonation is smooth and gives the body a silky creamy character. I poured aggressively to help push some of the carbonation out of the beer, which may have helped accent the naturally smooth body.

Drinkability: I prefer an India Pale Ale to be dry, heavily hopped, yet possessing a complexity in its hop character that keeps my taste buds alert and excited. Too many times, I have encountered an IPA that is very one note in the hop department and there is not malt complexity to bring a unique experience into play. Aprihop is an exciting beer. Fleshy fruit notes mixed with some more traditional citrus flavors and a good malt backbone. Simple, yet enjoyable. A perfect hot weather beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 23:47:05 | More by Sam21