Bigger Hop IPA - East End Brewing Company

beerphan

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

@piperpub Hand pump -> 20oz Pint
2011

Review from notes

Arrives a cascading almost ghost white and settle to an almost clear lighter orange. I.m thinking alot more hops here, but not more malt, hence the name. Sporadic clumps of thin lace.

Nose: pale hop citrus notes along with sharp green apple skin

Thin and slick as expected. Smooth creamy start is quickly overcome by bitter crisp bite. With the same citrus tone and apple from the nose. The bitterness coats and lingers. Simply delicious.

Serving type: cask

08-06-2011 22:16:18 | More by beerphan

davidIPA

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

06-27-2012 01:18:28 | More by davidIPA

gjrey

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

05-20-2012 15:09:26 | More by gjrey

cld253

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.4%

01-24-2012 09:57:18 | More by cld253

agriff401

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.4%

12-14-2011 20:29:56 | More by agriff401

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.4%

11-18-2011 17:02:54 | More by mgbickel

sideshowe

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.4%

11-16-2011 14:15:06 | More by sideshowe

Retail1LO

Pennsylvania

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

Straight 4's. Poured from a growler (they bottle this in a one litre swing top). Pours a light, hazy orangish-gold hue. Nose is very hoppy. The taste? This is the biggest grapefruit bomb ever. All grapefruit all the time. There's also a very prolific pine aspect that permeates throughout a sip of this. The mouthfeel is sour and creamy at the sane time. Overall, this is an incredible beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2011 00:00:57 | More by Retail1LO

matthewb9

New York

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle during a tasting at East End on my trip to Pittsburgh. Glad I found this little gem.

A - Nice orange color. Slight haze though.

S - Citrus flavor definitely present. Comparatively much hoppier than its baby brother, Big Hop. Notice some grapefruit and orange aroma.

T - Powerful hop presence. Could use a little maltier flavor to balance out bitterness. Definitely stays on the palate for awhile.

M - Pleasant body and mouth with good complexity. Carbonation was spot on for style.

O - I was lucky enough to sample a number of beers from this small brewery, and this was most likely my favorite one. It is definitely a step up from their "Big Hop." Not sure if I'd go out of my way to find one again, but snipe it if it's in the mix.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 22:32:42 | More by matthewb9

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to bboynfuel aka Jeff for bringing this one to our IPA day party.

A - Pours copper orange with a nice one and a half finger tall white head leaving spotty lacing down the glass.

S - Smells of grassy citric hops, caramel sweetness, tropical fruits; grapefruits, lemons, and oranges; and some light spice.

T - Starts off with a big dose of grassy hops slowly giving way to a mix of caramel malt sweetness, light spice, and hints of tropical fruits like grapefruits and lemons. The finish is quite bitter with a bit of dryness, lingering on the pallet for a short period of time.

M - Medium body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Bitter, dry, feel that lingers on the pallet for some time.

O - Pretty good. I liked the direction this one was heading but I feel like it left me a few blocks from my destination. I like this one better than the "Big Hop."

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 23:23:01 | More by orangesol

DaveHack

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Capones, served in a tulip.

This beer looks beautiful. Nice dark gold, a little bit of haze.
Unfortunately the smell is somehow absent? I healthy swirl produces a bit, but not much.
Very nice bittersweet hop flavor. I'm loving that. The flavor of this beer is amazing.
It truly is an experience in the mouth. It isn't light, bit not overly heavy. This really is how I personally define DIPA.

Do, do seek this out. I hope it is this delicious in bottles.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2011 22:09:14 | More by DaveHack

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I enjoyed this from a 1L swingtop into a tulip.

The color is golden with extremely hazed appearance kind of like lemon juice with rocky cap of white and spray of lace all over with ultra fine bead. The smell is mild with lots of kumquat and bitter grass with a slight malt sweetness in the aroma and alcohol ester accenting. The feel is bitter with some slight malt accents that seem more dry and the alcohol presence is there with a drying finish, tangy with a slightly astringent aspect that gives a edge with mild earthy nutty undertones.

The bigger hop taste is good with some bitter orange and mild grassy elements from the hops with s slight malt body and generally strong bitter flavor, the astringent flavor is kept in check but there is a grassy note that combines with the mild citrus in the taste to give a pleasant overall hop that is bitter yet outweighs any alcohol that might creep into the flavor as it warms. This has a taste that is slightly acidic, but the grassy tannic aspect stands out with an overall good taste and drinkability, but only a little better than average in the overall scheme of things, I enjoyed this bottle and found it to be pretty decent in terms of an American Imperial IPA.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 12:44:07 | More by Slatetank

Deuane

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes found in a long lost notebook. On tap at Bocktown.

A-Deep copper with a medium off-white head that held on strong and left spotty lace.

S-Spicy floral hops popping through backing a fairly significant malty sweetness.

T-Spicier up front with backing floral notes. Subtle tangy tangerine like flavour in the back. Caramel malt sweetness backs up the hop bill and balances things out nicely.

M-Medium body, semi sharp with a touch of lingering sweet syrupy quality.

D-Good but a touch to malt heavy for me. I would prefer something more hop aggressive. Nice floral aspects come through though I would like more.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2011 21:56:08 | More by Deuane

coachdonovan

Rhode Island

2.95/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

"Bottled 9/4/09 - for hoppiest results do not cellar this beer" oops. but from the nice whoosh of the flip top bottle, it appears that this one has help up OK.

pours a true amber, but there is a little haze to it. aroma is not DIPA at all; this is where it starts to fall apart. there is some faint hop citrus but there is also some Belgian, spice, cardamom. taste is the same. it took me a second to identify it, but to me this tastes like a Belgian IPA. at best it's one of those Belgium/West Coast cross-breeds. but i don't get the double IPA at all. if i'm reviewing this against the style, it falls short.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2010 22:30:18 | More by coachdonovan

route66pubs

California

4.3/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to biglite351 for the awesome trade. Finally getting some East End regulars, and they are worth their weight, to be sure. A couple of months old, but sill good enough to be enjoyed, to be sure!

Pours a DEEP orange-yellow, with a very small, white head. Very little in the head, but good retention as I sip it back. Looks unfiltered and thick, very cloudy to the pour.

For an IPA - no, a double IPA - it's very bready and malty. I hate to have to say this, but the aroma is not to style, even though the (yet to be written) mouth feel and taste are overwhelming. This is definitely no West Coast hop bomb, but this is completely a compliment in this case as the balance here, as you will see, if wonderful.

Oh my the malt in this is incredible. It completely counters the intense first-taste hoppiness, and the overwhelming malt that is left is so incredibly balanced that I could drink this night and day, day and night, endlessly enjoying its incredible-ness. If this were rated on a 10, it would still be a 9.5. For a double-IPA, I have never tasted so much complexity and balance in my life. This overwhelms me, to no end.

And that complexity is there in the mouthfeel also. Carbonation, to be sure. Slight, though, with sweet overtones. Despite the double-IPA label, this is so perfectly concocted that I am not overwhelmed at the first sip. It may be 9% but this could certainly be a session beer. There is absolutely nothing to get in the way of total enjoyment with this.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2010 03:30:45 | More by route66pubs

BigPapiBrewingCo

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle to fatheads pint glass.
Pours clear reddish brown. smells of carmel and hops some cinnamon notes.
Taste hop bittness carmel a wierd cinnamon hop weird in a good way. There a but of etoh burn as it warmed. It was good east coast ipa.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2010 15:58:16 | More by BigPapiBrewingCo

Kadonny

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Purchased at Capones in a 1 L swing top bottle. I will note this was about 4 months since I purchased it and kept it cold in a refrig. Why do I say this? Read on.

A: A dark copper color with absolutely no head and no glass lacing. Uh oh, this beer is dead flat.

S: Citrus hops that are nice and juicy smelling coupled with some pine and bready malt.

T: Even though the beer is flat, I get nice flavors of citrus hops that include grapefruit, lemon, orange sided with some pine and grassy undertones. I even get a bit of spearmint or some other minty flavor. The large bready malt backbone keeps the hops very understated. Finish is creamy smooth.

M: I hate to do this but mouthfeel was totally unacceptable being dead flat. We ended up pouring out half of the beer because of it. I gave it a 2 because the alcohol was still really well hidden for a 9% beer.

D: What can I say, had it been carbonated this score would have been higher.

Overall this is unacceptable. For how much I paid for this beer to be flat 4 months after purchase is just totally wrong. If you can't keep the beer carbonated in the flip tops, then switch to capped bottles. I'm bummed too because I can taste how good this beer can be had it been carbonated. Shame.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 15:21:57 | More by Kadonny

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.05/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Cheers to DavoleBomb for this one. opens with a solid whoosh

Pours an effervescent apricot color with a finger of ivory colored head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Biscuitty malt, & a touch of banana & island fruits

T: Follows the nose, not getting DIPA here...this almost tastes like Ugly American minus some of the hops, also getting apricot & pear along with dryness. Some bittering hops & grapefruit kick as this warms, along with honey malt & pineapple & a touch of booze. Finishes with leafy & woody hops, along with tropical fruit & banana, WTF?

MF: Syrupy up front then the carbonation picks up, medium bodied

Drinks okay, I'm a bit underwhelmed at the hop profile, not sure If this was a screw up at the brewery or what? The "hoppy" beers from this brewery haven't really delivered for me..

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2010 05:37:17 | More by russpowell

plaid75

New York

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

Poured a medium copper hue with a wispy white head. There was little retention and lacing.

The smell featured a juicy sweet hop and a balmy malt.

The flavor consisted of juicy fruity hops, resins and a smooth sweet caramel.

The mouthfeel was toward thelighter side of style.

Overall a very nice hoppy ale. Smooth as glass on cask.

Serving type: cask

02-05-2010 17:30:13 | More by plaid75

weeare138

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to hopdog for sharing this 1L swingtop bottle...
Appears a hazy golden toned amber with a small head of white fluff that slowly fades away. Tiny streaks of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of citrusy hops, gentle malt grains, and a touch of caramel.
Taste is of the mentioned aroma with more of a fight going on between the bitter hops and sweet, grainy brew fighting it out to a citrusy, orange, and pine clash of hops winning out.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, highly carbonated with an herbal, warming finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2010 20:41:42 | More by weeare138

PittBeerGirl

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this tonight on-tap at Bocktown.

A- More of a pale amber hue that is minimally cloudy. Served with an approximately 1 finger soapy white head that quickly subsides to a thin collar. Traces of lacing are left behind in the glass.

S- The nose is subtle but is a great balance of mild pink grapefruit and cool rigid pine. Nothing else is detectable in the nose.

T- The flavor is similar to the nose but much more prominent. Upfront (after the carbonation) are sweet grapefruit juices and a hint of pine flavor. The finish is a blast of cool piny hops and in the background is a twinge of sour grapefruit. All that lingers is a piny mouthwash-like coolness.

M- Carbonation is high and body is light and slightly oily and smooth. You would never guess this is an DIPA from the mouthfeel.

D- This is an awesome,drinkable DIPA. Drinks more like a session ale than the imperial ale that it is. This ale lends no hop bitterness and is all citrus and piny hop flavor- which is what I love in an IPA...ABV is undetectable and this is a very chilling beer. Not sure what it is like bottled...but on tap it is awesome and another great brew of Scott's.

I'm not getting the herbal or spicy hop profile others are tasting.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2009 02:29:41 | More by PittBeerGirl

steeltown71

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

1L bottle from 9/09

A: Translucent gold, short-lived, narrow head.

S: Hops, spice, grapefruit

T: Not overwhelmingly bitter for a DIPA - upfront sweetness, grapefruit, spice. Decent hop bite on the finish but still not overly dry.

M: Medium bodied, lively, low viscosity.

D: The liter didn't last long - definitely one of the most quaffable DIPAs

Not overwhelmingly complex but nevertheless a strong offering from EE. I actually found it to be a refreshing break from the huge, dry, bitter hop bombs.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2009 02:40:17 | More by steeltown71

Ezekiel81923

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Found this at Capones. Poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: Hazy golden color with a small 1 finger head. Head is around for a little while before settling back to a thin layer. Leaves moderate amounts of lacing, but nothing special.

Smell: Herbal hop aromas as well as grapefruit and citrus. Faint presence of a malt backbone and another faint presence of alcohol.

Taste: Follows the aroma a bit, with citrus and grapefruit hop flavors. A bready malt backbone is present. Not as much of a hop flavor as I'm used to in a DIPA, it's more sweet than anything. The finish also has a mentholated twang to it. Sometimes I'm ok with that, this time I don't think it really works. Mild bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Light-Medium carbonation with some lingering bitterness in the finish. A bit of an alcohol warming. Hop oils linger as well, allowing a sweetness to hang out on the tongue for a quick second.

Drinkability: Medium bodied. A little too much alcohol presence for me. I drank the whole 33.8oz without a problem but as it warmed the alcohol and a buttery sweetness got stronger and stronger and made it more laborious to finish.

Not bad. East End has better beers though.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2009 16:31:25 | More by Ezekiel81923

Stigs

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Big bottle poured into Duvel tulip.

A - one finger of white, bubbly (think dish soap) foam. kind of sitting there not doing much. rich golden amber color.

S - bitter grapefruit and citrus, faint alcohol.

T - really sweet for an IPA. the hops dont come into play until the sweetness dies down. healthy butter & caramel malts. alcohol definitely present in the taste. doesnt really taste like a DIPA.

M - thick and chewy. subtle carbonation. this one is a sipper.

D - not going to lie, finishing off this big bottle by myself is going to be a test for myself and MNF.

this one is almost trying a little too hard. im a bigger fan of the regular Big Hop and Big Hop Harvest.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2009 02:25:12 | More by Stigs

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a cloudygolden orange amber color with golden yellowish burnt orange hues when held to a light siurce and a one finger foam white head that quickly dissipates.

Earthy dank oily hop aroma with a very nice citrus presence, dry pine, alcohol and sublte malt. Hints of orange peel and grapefruit really come through as welll as some other light fruit, mostly strawberry. Biscuit graham cracker malt presence is there but pretty subtle.

Chewy resinous thick mouthfeel. This is a very bgi beer and much thicker than I expected or prefer. Lots of alcohol heat throughout and especially in the finish. It's only 9% but the ABV is not very well masked. Dry pine hop presence up front with a very sweet citrus peel presence midpalate. Lots of orange peel and grapefruit. Biscuity caramel malt backbone provides decent balance but overall there is a lot of alcohol astringency and bittery earthy dry pine hops.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2009 03:21:34 | More by corby112