ApriHop - Dogfish Head Brewery

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

Willytee3

New York

4.19/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Medium amber-orange with what could be called apricot color. Thick 2 finger head off white with intense lacing.

Smells of apricots, tropical fruits, and pine.

Strong apricot flavor, not sweet, and off set well with a short bitter bite that then lingers and is carried on a slightly resinous pallet. Nice mid-dry bitter and resinous malty finish. Nice mouth feel.

Serving type: growler

10-09-2012 04:31:42 | More by Willytee3

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

kojevergas

California

3.25/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a conical Guinness pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average for no particular reason; I guess I'm just in the mood for an apricot beer. I forget where I acquired this.

Served straight from the refrigerator and allowed to warm only slightly over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a 2.5 finger head of nice cream, good thickness, and good retention. Colour is a semitransparent somewhat dark caramel. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Fresh fruit and floral hops, caramel, biscuit malt, and a nutty note. I detect no apricot whatsoever. Call me crazy. An average strength aroma.

T: Vague indistinct floral and fruit hops, with a hint of pine accompanied by caramelized malt, biscuit malt, that nutty note again, and a hint of caramelized peach - I guess you could call it apricot. Strangely balanced, but strangely well. It lacks focus but works as a sort of hodge-podge scattershot brew. It's as though for once things just fell into place for the brewers at Dogfish Head. Quite sugary and sweet to make it palatable for the masses. Overly sweet? Perhaps. Pretty decently built for an IPA; at least the hop bitterness is balanced. Not horribly complex or subtle, but I'll take from Dogfish Head what I can get.

Mf: A bit thicker than it needs to be. Smooth and wet, with slight coarsness towards the finish. Some hints of cream; I wish the cream were more developed. Good carbonation.

Dr: A drinkable little IPA, but a strangely balanced one. Apricot fans should look elsewhere for their fix (maybe even Pyramid's hefeweizen), but this is a decent offering from Dogfish Head. Of course, I'd never get it again on account of the price...

High C+

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 02:24:10 | More by kojevergas

JohnnyMc

Ohio

3/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Off centered ales for off centered people indeed.

This pours out a very nice deep amber, ruby red with hints of orange and a nice 2 finger white and fluffy head.

The aroma is mainly toasted malts with hints of piney hops and a slight sweetness from the apricots.

The taste is also very malt forward for an IPA. There are subtle amounts of piney/earthy hops and then those are followed by slightly sweet, but mostly hidden apricots. Very heavy on the malt flavor.

Very refreshing and crisp, but not very bitter.

Overall, this is a nice beer, but for the cost it's probably something I won't purchase in the future. Gotta give it to Same though, he is always willing to do something new.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 17:16:45 | More by JohnnyMc

BostonHops

Massachusetts

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

12oz bottle served in a snifter.

plours a translucent, coppery deep amber tone with about 1" foamy light beige head. decent retention but even better lacing. citrus hoppiness with a piney secondary note or two first emerge from the aroma; the apricot presence is readily perceivable but not overpowering. some malt presence.

flavor largely follows the nose: citric hops, a dash of pine, and an enjoyable apricot turnout - again, enough to appreciate without going overboard and ruining the beer. good dose of balancing malts. medium-bodied mouthfeel; carbonation seems a hair below average.

overall this is not a world class IPA. however it is super drinkable, very tasty with the apricot twist, and perfect for spring - in fact i'd go a step further and say it would be just the brew for a warm summer evening.

(originally reviewed: 05-01-2011)

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 23:43:32 | More by BostonHops

BilbosNuts

California

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a clear copper color with a high amount of carbonation. It has a creamy, two finger, off white colored head that sticks around for a few minutes and leaves behind nearly solid rings of lacing.

S: Nice hop profile that includes slight pine and citrus aromatics. A moderate toasted malt presence provides a solid backbone. The addition of the apricots complements the hops and malts perfectly.

T: The taste is much more malty than hoppy and isn't as well balanced as the aroma. The apricots have a moderate presence towards the finish and a slight bitterness from a hoppy bite finishes it off.

M: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. The bitterness at the end creates a refreshingly crisp finish.

O: I enjoyed this IPA quite a bit. The addition of apricots provided a refreshing new spin on a style that has been beaten into the ground. I'll continue to pick this up seasonally.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 23:44:14 | More by BilbosNuts

brewskifan55

Mississippi

3.73/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a plastic cup at the Knight's Inn right after the Alice Cooper concert at the Beau Rivage Casino, Biloxi, MS.

A: Clear, dirty brown with an off-white half finger head that slowly dissipates. Decent lacing.

S: Piney hops, clean, grassy

T: Hoppy, grapefruit, a smattering of apricots, smooth, slightly bitter finish. Medium body

M: Medium with medium carbonation

O: Very sessionable. I'm not a hophead, but this was an easy drinker. Not overly impressed, but not bad, either. Makes me long for an Indian Brown.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 16:44:06 | More by brewskifan55

Giggy

Michigan

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

A: Nothing impressive upon pouring. Light ruby to amber color with a white head.

S: Floral IPA smell. Light hops and light malts.

T: Faint apricot flavor. Was expecting a little more.

M: Nice carbonation.

O: Mild IPA. But because it is mild, you can drink more than one in a setting. It also makes a nice summer beer because it isn't as heavy as other IPAs. Apricot flavor comes out more as the beer warms.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 00:12:15 | More by Giggy

BierStein711

Illinois

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

From the bottle into shaker pint

Oaky, amber color with two and a half finger off white head,

No freshness date visible

Smells: floral hop, apricot

Taste: Pilsner malt, and hops very visible at the start, then the apricots come to play; they are very noticeable in the middle of the sip. A hoppy bitterness provides a denoumet.

Mouthfeel: perfect!

Overall, this isn't bad! Try it.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2012 05:21:31 | More by BierStein711

TheBishop27

4.48/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A- a nice bold reddish amber really like the color reminds me of a beautiful mahogany wood

S- a standard IPA aroma nice floral hoppy notes with a little spice

T- starts off sweet like an apricot of course goes into a hoppy flavor and ends with a beautiful hoppy apricot flavor

M- love the mouthfeel just enough carbonation with the spicy hoppy taste

Overall- really like this beer, but I am partial to IPA gotta love those hops. enjoyable thats for sure the apricots add a nice sweetness to the already bitter IPA. would definitely recommend this to any hophead who is looking for something a litte different

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 01:11:27 | More by TheBishop27

Jamesthebrit

Michigan

3.83/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: A pretty bold reddish dark brown amber.
S: A pretty standard IPA smell. Floral spicy...
T: Good on the taste. The fruityness really comes through and it blends well with the spice and bitterness of the hops.
M: Sits a little light with quite a bit of carbonation. Spice really hits hard.

Overall a pretty good IPA. The fruit certainly adds something but I don't know how much. It's a good IPA otherwise. Pretty good but nothing overly spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 21:43:35 | More by Jamesthebrit

brandonlovesbeer

2.1/5  rDev -45.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

The Pour:
Not alot of head. Dissipated almost immediately. It just, sort of, beaded up in the middle.

The Look:
Light ruby color. The head is white. Go figure, red beer and white head.
There was minimal carbonation. Just a small stream coming from the bottom. Although, as the beer warms up, the carbonation does become more pronounced.

Aroma:
It wasn't really what I was expecting. I don't smell any apricot. The aroma was very similar to the 60 minute IPA. Light malt, light hop, just light everything.
The crystal malts were probably the most prominent aroma.

Taste:
I was pleasantly surprised because there was no apricot/peachy flavors to speak of. Only an astringent peachy aftertaste. The Hops and Malt are definitely the prominent taste in this beer.
The apricot definitely doesn't do anything for this beer. It's almost as if it was an unwanted accident. And DFH said, let's just go ahead and bottle this beer anyway.

Verdict:
It's very astringent, it's not very hoppy. I can drink it without cringing (I guess). This is just... It's not that good. Definitely not as good as what they are charging for it. I would give this a 'C'.

I'm never gonna buy this again. I'm never gonna look for this. I'm gonna get through this glass but... It's nothing special. I'm definitely not going to waste my money buying another one of these.

I don't really care for the astringent aftertaste that the apricots provide. The plus is that it's NOT a fruit beer, as the name would suggest. But on the down side, It's certainly NOT an IPA either. I've had weak American Ales with more hop presence than this. The hops are VERY subdued. The DFH websites describes it as being... "continuously hopped with irresponsible amounts of amarillo hops."

Irresponsible? I don't think so. Maybe in the brewery, but it doesn't come through in the smell or taste.

Worth the Money:
So based on all of that, is it worth the money?
$2.99 per single bottle == .25 cents per oz
$10.99 per 4 pack. == .23 cents per oz
$9.99 per 1/2gal growler. == .16 cents per oz.

I don't believe in 4 packs. Especially not for a beer with such low quality (compared to the style it is classified under). If this were about $9 for a 6 pack, I can see myself paying that for this particular beer. But it's not worth more than that. And I am stretching here to find some positive aspects.

Most people like this beer. I don't know why. But you make your own decision. Maybe this beer's for you and maybe it isn't.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 20:56:03 | More by brandonlovesbeer

Chickenhawk9932

Pennsylvania

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

Poured copper with a frothy cream colored head. Nice lacing down the glass.

Big punch of apricot in the nose with some subdued hops in the back slightly citrus with some bitter herb.

Big apricot flavor up front, then the hop bitterness dances around the palate = very lively, nice carbonation. Goes back and forth with sweet and bitter, finishes dry with syrupy body that is both sweet and bitter.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2012 01:55:36 | More by Chickenhawk9932

vonnegut21

New York

3.6/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a mellow, golden brown with a two finger white head. Smells of pine, citrus and light stone fruits. Tastes like a standard IPA with light, mild sweetness. Very hop forward, with a nice malt backbone. Medium bodies with decent carbonation. Overall, a decent IPA with an interesting twist.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2012 21:49:12 | More by vonnegut21

t420o

California

3.63/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Dogfish head Aprihop

A- pour produces a 1-1/2 finger tan head resting on a golden-amberish body. Good retention and lacing.  4

S- getting into the smell it's like floral hops and juicy apricot. It smellls very good. 4

T- very light tasting and neither the hops or the apricot really stick out at all. The flavors are a bit muted. It's probably good that it's not overdone with apricot, but I'd add some more in and amp up the hops as well. 3.5

M- excellent mouthfeel. Good body and carbonation. 4.5

O- I think this brew could be done much better. As is it's good but not good enough. 3

B

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 05:48:31 | More by t420o

Giovacchini

California

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- pours a copper color with a thin head that dissipates.

S- grapefruit, pine, sweet maltiness, apricots, and lemon.

T- malttiness, juicy hop oils, grapefruit, grain, bread, apricots, and pine.

M- subtle carbonation with an oily mouthfeel and nice bitterness.

O- this is a decent brew but not my favorite. I wish fresh DFH beers were easier to find here in California. It was hard to review this beer without a bottled on date. I am also not used to a malt heavy ipa and prefer a little malt like most West coast IPA's

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 03:00:57 | More by Giovacchini

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to GusDom for this bottle; unfortunately, there’s no more Dogfish Head to be found in Indiana.

Brewed around three months before the date of this tasting (“BOTTLED IN: 2012F21:24” I’m guessing means bottled on February 21, 2012).

A: An incredibly good-looking ale: the body is blood red, like Founders Red’s Rye, a shining ruby hue. The head is all cream, with a thick texture and a contrasting off-white color. An inch or full retention, as well, accompanied by strings and strings of lacing. A superb presence.

S: Just as I anticipated, this nose is all about the IPA character: caramel malts, a rich underbelly of toffee, in a balancing act with some flowery chamomile, pine, and grapefruit rind. The apricots are extremely mild, showing only a bit of flesh form the fruit in the malt profile, along with mulberry and apple. It’s an incredibly balanced nose, though a heavy hit of alcohol does show up.

T: A very interesting brew – there is a certain fruity quality to the smooth DFH pale ale taste. It begins with a wondrous malty influence, showing flavors of cornbread, pilsner malt, wheat husk, and a barnyard graininess (a more-than-sound IPA malt flavor). The grapefruit pulp is huge here, so palpable that it’s nearly like taking a bite of the real thing. It comes with a sticky citrus rind hoppiness, as well as a luscious fruit juice flavor that comes from the apricots, I presume: peach, apricot, and tart cranberry. It’s an acidic, fruity taste, sweet mixing with the resin of the hops; a character that comes through in the dry, yet mildly tart aftertaste.

M: Extremely drinkable for this style of beer; it’s thick, yet smooth and not very filling. Every sip is full, yet juicy, like a fresh apricot – imagine that.

O: A fresh hit of fruit really kept this beer fresh and interesting; it’s not usually a complicated style, but it’s nice to get this kind of balancing flavor. If I had access to this, I’d definitely buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 01:56:24 | More by BarryMFBurton