Cold Hop British-Style Ale - Boulder Beer / Wilderness Pub

schellsbeer

Minnesota

3.08/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Gotta say...some of the Boulder Beers are winners and others are in that other category....they just plain stink. This one is on the winner side.

A - Red Golden Brown Ale with white bubbles escaping to the top. Some minor lacing but really doesn't do anything for me. Not cloudy at all. Crystal clear.

S - At first I didn't know if I liked the smell but after giving it several chances, the smell grew on me. I love hops and they are there but there is a sweet side that I just don't really care for. The hops are not that present either. It smells like a little pine tree got planted in a wildflower garden. Just kind of strange. Ok but different.

T - I do like the hops but again, it is very mild hops. It also has a sweet taste that I could really do without. I like hops so if I am going to drink a hop beer, let there be hops. Please don't sweeten it down with sugar flavoring. Kind of funky the warmer it sits. This beer needs to be consummed AS COLD AS IT CAN GET. Let is sit and it will turn into a drain pour. I better hurry this review because as my beer gets warmer, I want to lower the scores...and quite a bit too.

M - Syrup meets Bitter. Strange. This again was not what I was expecting. Didn't care for it too much either.

D - Drinkability is higher the colder this beer is drank at. It quickly becomes not so nice the warmer it becomes. Not for sitting out on a lazy afternoon after cutting the grass drinking a beer beer. Would get too warm and you would throw it away.

Again, DRINK COLD!!!! Warm....yeah, not so good. Can you say skunk?

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2009 03:36:31 | More by schellsbeer

jrallen34

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Bodega, a server's suggestion to start the night, not a great one...A dark but clearish gold, orange highlights, light head, not much retention or lacing...Aroma is sweet caramel to start, light citrus and some hops but not much...The taste is malty to start then a lot of bad hops, harsh, metallic, boring. nothing special.

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2010 16:36:59 | More by jrallen34

HOPFENKOPF

Oregon

3.13/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured a hazy cooper-orange with an off white ½ inch head that quickly dissipated into more of a film. The laces where apparent early on but nothing to write home about.

The nose seemed mild, with slight citrus, pine and floral notes.

The taste was not what I expected. It was more of a pear, bready thing going on with slight lemon citrus. The finish was dry and the malt tones rise with the temperature of the beer.

Both the mouth and carbonation where slightly under medium.

I was not all that impressed with this beer. It was drinkable but with so many other options out there I would not buy it again.

It is possible that this beer was old. Was purchased at a quick mart and have not seen this beer local in some time.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2010 22:18:25 | More by HOPFENKOPF

kennyo

New York

3.18/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bomber

found this in the Fishkill Beer store, used to be great store, now so so.
Pours a nice white head, amber color, some lace stuck to the glass. Malty aroma, some hops. Taste is a little bitter, some malt, some sweetness. Nice after taste.
A decent drinkable beer

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2007 02:21:25 | More by kennyo

blakesell

Ohio

3.18/5  rDev -17%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the 12oz bottle into a Belgian tulip.

Appearance- Beer pours two fingers deep a clear golden amber. Porous carbonation, ample lacing. Dissipates slowly and splotchy on the sides of the glass to a thin wisp over the top of the beer.

Smell- A malty background of Maris Otter, hopped well with Cascade grapefruit goodness. None of that sulfur note that I sometimes smell on English style IPA.

Taste- Nice medium roast maltiness with a good noble hop backbone. Bittering hops are a little much on the palate with lingering bitterness. Grainy and drying on the tongue as well. For as many good things that I have heard about this beer, I don't really know where they are based.

Mouthfeel- Drying and medium bodied, Highly carbonated and a bit of motor oil slickness on the swallow. The hops are too astringent for my tastes. Not warming.

Drinkability- Medium drinkability overall as well on this beer. Not memorable by any stretch of the imagination. Give me an English English IPA any day. The American imitation just isn't cutting the mustard.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2008 15:32:28 | More by blakesell

FtownThrowDown

Ohio

3.2/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a light golden color with a very nice inch of pillowy white head. Smell is subtle hops. Taste is mellow hops, with a bit of mild bitterness. This is a decent beer, just doesn't seem to come together. Really smooth and seems quite sessionable, but at 6.5% this one will catch up with you. Decent, but nothing extraordinary.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2008 13:40:17 | More by FtownThrowDown

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a caramel color with a small head. Smell is heavy of hops. Taste like it smells, very hoppy, a tad bitter. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and has average drinkability. Overall this makes for a fairly decent brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2010 00:47:32 | More by tone77

WhiteOak

Connecticut

3.23/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Yellow/orange in color with a white head that settles leaving some lace.

The smell is bright, crisp Pine and apricot.

Hops take the attack and continue to dominate this beer. More malt would be appreciated to balance the structure.

Light/medium bodied and dry.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2010 02:31:41 | More by WhiteOak

williamherbert

New York

3.25/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A really nice looking dark golden (or light orange?) color. There is minimal head, but a nice-looking texture. Very nice haze to it.

Magnificent and unexpected woody hop aroma. Has a touch of oak smell (although I don't know if any actual oak is used). Under that, a grainy, dry malt scent. Smells halfway between a pale and an IPA.

For taste, one word: Woody. There is a certain staleness to the malt, which may be a reason that it has that overwhelming oak-wood flavor. The malt is biscuity, which is good. The woody hops and the heavy oak create a major woody flavor, which is actually too much woodiness for the likes of me.

Feels thick and chunky. Severely thick. It's a choker-downer. To me it's like a heavy pale ale filtered through a dresser. I'm not positive that this beer wasn't stale, but I had it pretty recently after it was released. Hard for me to drink too many.

http://jbojangles.blogspot.com/2007/09/beer-othe-moment-boulder-beer-coldhop.html

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2007 00:51:10 | More by williamherbert

kingcrowing

Vermont

3.25/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

Pours a hazy orange color with a small one finger light yellow head that instantly gives in to some sticky lacing. Nose is fruity and fresh, it's got that distinct Boulder note that they all seem to have.

Taste is mellow and balanced, it's got a good maltiness to it but it leaves a nice sharp hop bite on the tip of your tongue. It's fairly refreshing and really easy drinking. Overall a solid EIPA.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 20:16:15 | More by kingcrowing

Mistofminn

Minnesota

3.33/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy amber color. Very nice color. About two fingers of off-white head are produced, and it has decent retention.

Even though this is an English IPA, I was hopping for more hoppy characters. This is definitely more malty than hoppy so thats kind of disappointing. I still get light notes of floral hops, and a larger note of sweet English malt.

Taste is very subtle. It's not bad, just very muted. I was expecting more maltiness given the nose, maybe even a little hop kick. What you get is a muted, slightly malty and only very subtley hopped IPA. Again, it's not bad, I was just expecting more. As it warms, the flavors come out a little more.

Mouthfeel is medium, with a bitter aftertaste that I wasn't expecting. Sharp and crisp texture. Drinkability is ok, nothing special.

Overall, English IPA's are not my favorite style, and this one is no exception. I'm more of a fan of over-hopped American IPA's than the overly malty English version. This is better than others that I've had, but just didn't do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2010 06:20:39 | More by Mistofminn

simmons

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Amber in color with a thin white head not lasting too long leaving a nice bit of lace. Pours hazy with not many bubbles rising

Aroma: Just a little bit of sweet malt is present followed by a mild but very pleasent sweet hop aroma. floral notes also present

Flavor: Malt is complex with a bit of grainyness to it and some sweetness. The bitterness is moderite and pine like followed by a very nice sweet hop flavor just as you would expect from the aroma

Mouthfeel: Lightly carbonated and well balanced. Leaves a bitter/sweet hop aftertaste that lingers around awhile.
Water used seems soft.

Overal: This is a tasty beer. The malt is malty enough but not too sweet and the hops are just right to enjoy. There is nothing that stands out to make this beer outstanding but it is good.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2007 21:04:58 | More by simmons

MillRat

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A rich tawny gold with a little orange topped by a thin but persistent cream-colored head. Read the label saying it was a British style ale, and expected an earthy Fuggle or Goldings hop aroma, and got a snootful of citrus and pine typical of the northwest US instead. Not bad, mind you, but unexpected. Like a Keith Moon drum solo in the middle of a Beethoven symphony. The malt is a solid sweet presence in the aroma, and really keeps the hopping of this beer quite pleasantly in balance. The beer is a little on the heavy side for anything but an IPA, but a second or third round would certainly not be excessive. Certainly worth the price of admission, but one that I think would be better classified as an American IPA and let folks rave about how nicely you crafted that nice malt body than claim British heritage and get knocked (like here) for malting like a Deutschmann and hopping like a Yankee.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2008 01:53:46 | More by MillRat

HomebrewPgh

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A decent EIPA. I don't try many of these maybe because I am American. I like my beers crisp and biting. This beer has a nice pour. Light gold with a few small bubbles and a one finger off white head. The aroma is a weird mix of hops and farts. Yes I said farts. Two years running and it still has this same element. Taste was light malt and a hint of caramel with a very light European variety hop aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2008 02:20:04 | More by HomebrewPgh

SaCkErZ9

Florida

3.35/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Lightly ambered in color with a thin and somewhat wispy white head. The head is the consistency of soda.

Aroma is floral and slightly fruity with a touch of earthiness. Sweet smelling as well with a hint of caramel. Plenty of grain and a little toffee as well.

Fairly sweet in the beginning. A little bt of hop bitterness in the finish but not much. A big caramel presence in the flavor makes this a little more malty than I prefer. Significantly fruity in the flavor with pineapple and peaches being the main contributors.

Pretty thin on the body with good carbonation. Not bad I guess. I prefer the AMerican version to the british but this wasnt bad at all. Probably wont purchase this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2008 20:48:18 | More by SaCkErZ9

davidt

Virginia

3.43/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a bronze-orang color, thin head rapidly fades. Aroma is hard to pin down; strong malt background with piney hops. The piney hop come through in the flavor, there’s also a light citrus flavor in the mix. A bready malt holds it together. There’s a long-lasting hop after taste. Seems to be a classic English IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2007 01:05:12 | More by davidt

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12 oz bottle into pint glass. Poyred cloudy yellow with high foam and large bubbles. Creamy head with prominent lacing.

Grassy hop smell.

Starts with a hoppy bitter taste, which remains throughout, but is balanced nicely with some sweetness. The finish is relatively clean considering the bitter taste. There is a slight fruit taste as well.

I liked this beer - the hops were evident throughout, but never overpoweing - they were kept in check by the british-style malt.

Drinkable - I could have had more than 1.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2009 02:55:59 | More by KTCamm

bfields4

Colorado

3.43/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pale gold hazy but slightly translucent. A very thin head.

Can smell the noble hops. Very fuggle herbal, but there is a nice citrus compliment.

Hmm the flavor takes on a slightly different turn. The herbal hops and earthy flavors are still present, and there is a bite not quite the citrus kind of bite. Somewhat sweet pale malt brings balance.

Nice light carbonation and a smooth body. A good take on the british ipa would like to try this on cask.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2009 02:21:40 | More by bfields4

jkrich

Indiana

3.45/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle with no freshness date found

This one poured a cloudy, goldish yellow color with minimal head or lacing.

When I opened the body, I mainly detected sweet, caramel like malt aromas

This one has a great deal of subtle flavors - there is an initial taste of malts followed by a faint banana flavor which seems out of place for a "British style ale." There is a tangy fruit flavor that dissipates rather quickly leaving a sweetness on the tongue. BA lists this ale as an "English India Pale Ale." This one has a decent flavor, but it is far from a british style ale or india pale ale for that matter.

Not very carbonated and somewhat thin bodied. There is no evident hop bitterness and the flavor is strangly sweet with subtle banana flavors - wrong fruit for a british ale.

Perhaps this was not a fresh bottle which made the flavors taste "off", but I was disappointed. For 6.5 % ABV it is very mild.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2009 23:15:57 | More by jkrich

JohnnyM2002

Maryland

3.48/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sampled from a 12 oz bottle, poured into a snifter at 40 degrees.

A - Pours a clear copper color with a small head that melted away to a very thin lacing.

S - Faint aroma of citrus and hops.

T - Juicy hops with hints of citrus-fruits and malt. Nothing over-the-top, just a nice blend.

M - Thin-to-medium body with a bitter-crisp finish.

D - A solid session IPA...I'd pick up a 6-pack if I ever saw it in PA.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 18:25:38 | More by JohnnyM2002

xare

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A typical IPA but well done... bit above average. Nice orange color with head that laces well. Floral and citrusy hops lend it a nice aroma and the taste is good. Light hop wallop makes it easy drinking. However, high ABV makes me unable to have more than two of these in a row. Also not easily found by myself. If it's easy to find for you, it's a solid IPA choice but not an exceptional IPA. Basically, it's something between a typical IPA and an excellent IPA.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2008 16:22:59 | More by xare

Florida9

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a British nonic. Slightly hazy apricot color. Forms a thick creamy stable head. Leaves sheets of lacing.
Aroma is nearly non existent, but what is there is cracker and toast, with just a hint of hops.
Taste is very mild. Light caramel malts, bread, toast. Very mild herbal hops.
Nice creamy mouthfeel. Moderate bitterness.
A decent beer, certainly better on nitro than from the bottle, but still a fairly average beer.

Serving type: nitro-tap

10-20-2012 21:56:32 | More by Florida9

Imstillthegman

Delaware

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear golden-copper hue with a thin cream colored head. There is some lacing, but only near the top of the glass.

The aroma is sweet florals, caramel, and grain. Not bad, but it seems to fade over time.

The flavor is somewhere between an English and an American IPA. Definitely sweeter than an American version, yet not quite as earthy as an English one. I get some of the floral hops, a bit of grass, caramel, sour molasses, and yeast. The yeasty bit at the end isn't a good way to finish up a decent beer.

Medium bodied with lighter than average carbonation. Aftertaste is slightly dry with a touch of bitterness. Not a bad beer, overall. But I think these two styles should be left to their own merits and not combined.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2007 16:05:03 | More by Imstillthegman

BgThang

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to kevin at grape and gourmet in virgina bech for recommending this beer

OK I do not prefer english style hopped ales but I figured since it was being recommended I would give it a shot

Looks - its a hazy, cloudy yyellowish orange. Almost looks like a lass of piss after a heavy drinking night.

Aroma - I get some grapefruit, but primarily orange and tangerine nose on this. Its also really mild nose.

Mouthfeel - medium bodied, light citrus upfront then the little bit of bitter that it has comes through on the back end.

Drinkability - This beer is a descent beer which I think it may fall under a more hoppy beer than a regular english style ipa would. the ibu's I am sure is up there with a strong pale ale or ipa.
I am glad I got a chance to try this beer,

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2008 05:25:13 | More by BgThang

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark yellow, light orange works its way in, a thin wispy head. Aroma, reminiscent to a degree with Stone's 14th, but not nearly as good.

Taste, a lot going on for a EIPA frankly, bitterness is one dimensional uk bitterness without much of a hop mouthfeel, but the alcohol warming gives this beer more of a personality. Excellently balanced.

A good beer, very ssssionable, but its taste is all over the place, aspects of all kinds of ipa, from all over the world. A hodgepodge.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2010 04:51:55 | More by Beerandraiderfan