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Hoppus Maximus
Thirsty Dog Brewing Company
- From:
- Thirsty Dog Brewing Company
- Ohio, United States
- Style:
- American Amber / Red Ale
- ABV:
- 5.9%
- Score:
- 82
- Avg:
- 3.63 | pDev: 12.67%
- Reviews:
- 241
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 19, 2020
- Added:
- Apr 24, 2003
- Wants:
- 4
- Gots:
- 31
This beer's name will not disappoint! The complex character of American hops and amber colored caramel malts make this beer very crisp and refreshing.
Silver medal winner at the 2001 Great American Beer Festival.
Silver medal winner at the 2001 Great American Beer Festival.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by granger10:
Reviewed by granger10 from Wisconsin
3.47/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.47/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
It's odd to see an Amber called Hoppus Maximus and this one does push the limit as far as style considerations go. As soon as I poured this beer from bottle to glass I got a strong citric, fruity aroma. Almost like a starburst. The taste had more complexity and depth than most Amber ales I have tried but that's not always such a good thing. The hops seem to come forward right from the start. Very citric upfront. The body is thick and has a good caramel base. There might even be some wheat flavors underneath. But the hops continue to dominate my palate. Resin hop oils almost make this beer a little excessive. The finish has a pine hoppy prickyness to it. This is a solid beer but not one I could drink many of. I usually tend to like ambers with a little more sweetness and IPA's with a little more bitterness. This one is in-between.
Jul 27, 2004More User Ratings:
Reviewed by dbrauneis from North Carolina
3.84/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.84/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Pours a relatively clear medium to dark amber in color with moderate amounts of active visible carbonation rising from the bottom of the glass and faint burnt orange + medium golden yellow colored highlights. The beer has a two finger tall sudsy foamy beige head that reduces to a few small patches of medium thick film surrounded by a large patch of very thin film covering the remainder of the surface of the beer and a medium thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to heavy amounts of lacing are observed.
S: Moderate to strong aromas of citrus/grapefruit pith, citrus/grapefruit, and pine/resin hops over the top of moderate aromas of toasted + bready + biscuit + caramel malts with a light to moderate amount of caramel malt sweetness.
T: Upfront there are slightly stronger than moderate flavors of toasted + bready + biscuit + caramel malts with a light to moderate amount of caramel malt sweetness. That is followed by moderate to strong flavors of citrus/grapefruit pith, citrus/grapefruit, and pine/resin hops which impart a slightly stronger than moderate amount of aggressive hoppy bitterness which lingers well through the finish.
M: Medium to heavy bodied with a moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly chewy with hints of dryness in the finish.
O: A decent example of a hoppy American amber ale - kind of a throwback for me (but this beer has been around for quite awhile, not sure why I never got around to reviewing it before this). Nice complexity to the flavors of the malts balanced by the aggressively bitter classic profile hops.
Apr 25, 2018S: Moderate to strong aromas of citrus/grapefruit pith, citrus/grapefruit, and pine/resin hops over the top of moderate aromas of toasted + bready + biscuit + caramel malts with a light to moderate amount of caramel malt sweetness.
T: Upfront there are slightly stronger than moderate flavors of toasted + bready + biscuit + caramel malts with a light to moderate amount of caramel malt sweetness. That is followed by moderate to strong flavors of citrus/grapefruit pith, citrus/grapefruit, and pine/resin hops which impart a slightly stronger than moderate amount of aggressive hoppy bitterness which lingers well through the finish.
M: Medium to heavy bodied with a moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly chewy with hints of dryness in the finish.
O: A decent example of a hoppy American amber ale - kind of a throwback for me (but this beer has been around for quite awhile, not sure why I never got around to reviewing it before this). Nice complexity to the flavors of the malts balanced by the aggressively bitter classic profile hops.
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
3/5 rDev -17.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -17.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
This was poured into a pint glass. Bottle came from Batdorf, Annville PA. The appearance was a hazy red color with a slim bar pour’s kind of white head. The smell mainly had a malty sweet caramel malts with a subdued grassy/earthy hoppiness to it. The taste took all of those previously mentioned flavors to combine and give off a decent amount of light caramel notes in the aftertaste. The finish was quick. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a fairly decent sessionability about it. The carbonation was somewhat subdued. Overall, I say this was an okay American Amber ale that I could have again but nothing over the top.
Jun 25, 2017Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio
3.39/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.39/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
This was brewed long before the super bitter hop revolution here in the U.S.
That being the case, this is surprisingly potent on the hops front.
Pours a formidable head, light gold. I don't know why this is considered an amber aside from the color of malt used...it's truly a standard American IPA.
Smells of lime leaf, and pungent sticky icky. Tastes like a solid IPA with just the right amount of bitterness. Back in the day this may have lured me into the IPA craze, but now I know to stay away from anything more bitter than this.
Overall I'm impressed, considering I have access to Thirsty Dog constantly and I've never had this until now.
Jan 14, 2016That being the case, this is surprisingly potent on the hops front.
Pours a formidable head, light gold. I don't know why this is considered an amber aside from the color of malt used...it's truly a standard American IPA.
Smells of lime leaf, and pungent sticky icky. Tastes like a solid IPA with just the right amount of bitterness. Back in the day this may have lured me into the IPA craze, but now I know to stay away from anything more bitter than this.
Overall I'm impressed, considering I have access to Thirsty Dog constantly and I've never had this until now.
Reviewed by SINKTIPS_N_SUDS from Ohio
4.21/5 rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This was very much not an amber/red ale, strictly according to color. This was a pale yellowish orange, like an IPA. Great malt sweetness and a wonderful hop profile make up for the hue tho. Great beer. More of an IPA than red ale.
Oct 25, 2015
Hoppus Maximus from Thirsty Dog Brewing Company
Beer rating:
82 out of
100 with
426 ratings
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