Hopnotic India Pale Ale - Cricket Hill Brewing Co.

avalon07

South Carolina

3.78/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a yellow color and a hazy texture. There was an inch of foamy, fairly long-lasting head. Good lacing.

S: A very citrusy aroma here, with some hops as well.

T: Tasted of hops, some citrus and a bit of malt. This is one of beers that has a solid, decent flavor, but isn't exactly exciting or groundbreaking.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a dry, crisp finish. Medium-bodied.

O: This is one of those beers that doesn't try to do anything spectacular, but still manages to produce something drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 13:21:39 | More by avalon07

Georgiabeer

Georgia

2.73/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Picked up single bottle of this at a local store since I hadn't seen it in the state yet. I have to say, I was disappointed. Pours a quite hazy golden with very little head. What head there is does stick around as a light swirl and leaves some scant lacing. Light notes of citrus and paraffin in the nose, and not much else. Undercarbonated, and frankly, the beer seems unfinished with some raw wort notes of a sweet graininess and a bit of acrid bitterness. A tad grainy as well and generally it has flavors that can only be described as murky. There are some faint citrus flavors of lime and orange, but they're generally lost in the muddle. Meh.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 20:14:23 | More by Georgiabeer

metaltec15

Iowa

1.78/5  rDev -44.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

12oz bottle with no bottled on or freshness date poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a clear very light golden color with no carbonation at all.
S: No Hop aroma at all was not sure if I was drinking an IPA or a Miller Lite.

T: pale malt, some yeast, maybe very little herbal hops.

M: Smooth and clean and no carbonation.

O: If you are going to call a beer an IPA you need to be able to smell and taste the hops. This was a far cry from an IPA. It was lacking lots of hop aroma and if I didn't know what style it was I would think I was drinking a light lager.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 03:37:49 | More by metaltec15

Forb

Nebraska

3.1/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle...

Appearance: Hazy golden hue with minor head and minimal lacing.

Smell/Taste: Nose is almost in-existent but a very minor grassy hop presence is apparent. Palate is faint with a minor burst of earthy hops alongside a sweetness reminiscent of honey.

Mouthfeel: Light with mediocre carbonation.

Overall: Decent beer. Nothing I'd rave about.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 22:56:15 | More by Forb

bpw28

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Look: Small bleach white head, hazy pale gold (about a 5 SRM), nice lacing, alot of carb.

Smell: Very light citrus, bit of funk (good kind), coriander, light yeast, light yeast, sweet, light malt, fresh cut grass, oaty/hay/animal feed.

Taste:Spicy, bit bready, little grassy note, little funk not as strong as nose, mandarin orange, hop bite is weak for an IPA (IMO), perfect carb, floral, jasmine, piney tail end.

Final Thoughts: Very...interesting. I've been in the mood for a kind of funky beer, but I didn't expect it to be from a random IPA. The yeast on the bottom really changes this beer. The first time I had it I didn't realize it was bottle conditoned and it just tasted like a plain IPA. After that first, I realized it was BC, so this time I got at it and it changed the beer totally. I can't say I wouldn't buy this beer again, but I can say I will not buy it under the auspices of an IPA. A good post-post-lawn mower brew. One to have after that witbier, hef, or ipa you have after the lawn.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2011 14:20:22 | More by bpw28

9InchNails

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a growler I got filled at Cricket Hill Brewery into my Wormtown Brewery pint glass.

Off white foamy head that has good retention. Noticeable sporadic bubbles. Light golden color body that's cloudy.

Floral hops with some bready yeast. Aromas are on the weak side.

Floral, some bitterness that mixes with a bready flavor. The breadiness really is the main focus here with the bitterness in the background. It's an alright tasting IPA.

Leaves a dry feeling in the mouth. Carbonation is medium with a light body. Feels okay, very easy going down.

This is a average tasting IPA. The flavor and aroma are on the bland side. Cricket Hill has so many better brews than this, like their: American Ale, Colonel Blides and their Shandy that they have only at the brewery. I wouldn't completely steer clear away from this IPA; I believe they're a lot better ones out there.

Serving type: growler

07-16-2011 04:14:35 | More by 9InchNails

Azurescens

Washington

2.58/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle with no bottled on or freshness date, poured into Hair of the Dog tulip, reviewed on 6/25/11.

A: Pours a clear very light golden color with whitish head that leaves some nice rings of lacing around glass.

S: Pale malt and yeast, practically no detectable hop aroma.

T: Sweet pale malt and honey, some yeast, maybe some herbal hops.

M: Fairly smooth medium body with low-moderate carbonation.

O: If you are going to call a beer an IPA you need to be able to smell and taste the hops, this beer is lacking big time in the hop department. Its not a bad beer, if I were reviewing it as an English pale ale it would have gotten much higher marks but if they label it an IPA I will review it as such.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2011 03:44:10 | More by Azurescens

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev +5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up in Totowa since it had been a long time since I gave this a try and wanted to see how it held up since the last time I had it. Sure enough, it wasn't as good as I remember it being but that could be because my tastes have changed so dramatically over the years. As many have alluded to on here, the hops are quite subtle and difficult to find, which is probably this beer's biggest weakness.

Light pour to this both in the amber hue and the head, since it didn't last long. Nearly no lacing could be detected and there wasn't much of an aroma to this either. The mouthfeel was strong in lemongrass and a ginger-like spice with a pretty malty backbone underneath everything. The grassy hops came out in the aftertaste but never did I get the impression that this was an IPA, even if it was English and not the stronger versions that I've become accustomed to. Between the light taste and mouthfeel, accompanying carbonation, and sweetness of the malt, this just didn't cut it for me. Sure, it's beer and it goes down easily but I would have preferred it to stay true to stylistic form. For some odd reason, this seemed like a lager to me.

I don't know how strong this is in the alcohol department but just like the taste, there's no punch to be packed in terms of the strength of this beer. It's not a bad choice for the summer and this would go great with Thai food but that's about all I envision for this beer. For the casual drinker, there are better and more memorable choices on the market. There's no doubt that this could use another dose of hops to up the ante.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 06:11:35 | More by JerzDevl2000

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a hazy yellow to orange-ish color with a small white head. In the aroma, sweet orange citrus. In the taste, orange citrus hops and quite sweet, with a lack of malt backing. A small hop bite and thin and lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a small dry orange citrus in the aftertaste. Nice orange citrus, but sweet and lack of body and balance.

Serving type: on-tap

06-11-2011 15:33:01 | More by OWSLEY069

tkepx182

New Jersey

2.42/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Although this is not a strong IPA as some i have tried, it does have the same drawbacks and the rest of them. It had a hoppy smell and a stronger aftertaste then what im used to. Cricket Hill did do a good job with this beer, it is a shame that I did not prefer this beer

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 00:58:13 | More by tkepx182

JohnFatAss

New Jersey

3.2/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

This has a hazy golden orange color. Not much of a head and almost no lacing left on the glass.

It has a very mild smell. Fruity with some hops.

Taste is very mild too. Sweet upfront with a dry, bitter after taste.

Lightly carbonated, almost watery, but very easy to drink.

A good IPA, it just does not stand out.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 01:26:40 | More by JohnFatAss

aasher

Indiana

2.1/5  rDev -34.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

This beer was split from Cricket Hill's variety pack with a couple BAs at work. It poured a bright orange in color, very light, and very clear with a light off white head. It smelled of pale malt with a light orange twist. This beer literally just arrived but it smelled like a skunked Dortmunder. There was ZERO hop presence at all. This beer is definitely not an IPA, not even an English one. This beer has the hop profile of Miller Lite. It drank very light and thin. It didn't have any of the stickyness or dryness that you get from most IPAs. This beer was an awful interpretation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 00:15:16 | More by aasher

biggred1

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Light orange with a fluffy eggshell cap that leaves some filmy lace on the glass. Herbal hop notes and sweet malt, pretty tame for any kind of IPA. White fleshed fruit and earthy hops with ample bitterness and minerality. Medium bodied and creamy. A decent tasting English style IPA and a nice lawnmower beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 22:06:35 | More by biggred1

dsa7783

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Single, twelve-ounce bottle copped from Total Wine; overall, pretty good stuff; a light, satisfying IPA. Easy on the palate, not too pungent in aroma either. Hints of hops balanced with a mild backbone of malts evident. A local brewery comes good on this British depiction of a pale ale. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 00:06:20 | More by dsa7783

MicroBeerMan1980

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +27.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Golden alfalfa honey color. It's cloudy like a hefeweizen. Foamy creamy head that stayed thick for a few minutes. It thinned out but is still clinging to the glass.

S: Yeast, bread and malts. The hops are very mild, but there.

T: Great malt profile shines brightly. Hops are balanced very well with malts. It's not over bearing like many IPA's. It tastes like a traditional English IPA or ESB, and not like it's American counterparts which are known to blow your hair back with hops.

M: It's level and moderate on the palate. Not tannic or heavily carbonated. Smooth with a pinch of bitter. It's what you'd expect from an English bitter.

D: Very drinkable. If you're in a pub, and you see it on the hand pump, ask the bar keep to pour you one.

Serving type: cask

04-22-2011 02:45:49 | More by MicroBeerMan1980

Icehouse57

Iowa

2.63/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

What a great LOOKING beer.... and I'm sorry to say it stops there.

Looks beautiful, nice copper color. Not much of a lasting head though.

Taste was very underwhelming. I'm told its supposed to be an English IPA but nowhere on the packaging does it say that. Even if it were, its a very long way from Samuel Smith IPA. Not much malt, and not much hops in the taste.

Mouthfeel was undercarbonated. Maybe it fits with the whole English IPA thing, simulating on cask? I did notice a little bit of crustiness around where the bottle cap was supposed to be. Maybe this whole sixer had loose caps?

Overall... I'm sorry. Its just somewhat below average for a craft beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2011 20:23:41 | More by Icehouse57

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.4/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This beer has a few of the elements of a good ipa. The main thin that I felt that was missed was the big hoppy flavors. The color was on the copper side and fairly clear in color. The beer was just a little weak to me. Not the greatest IPA out there.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2011 00:20:28 | More by Knapp85

HosP

Indiana

3.35/5  rDev +4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Another brew thrown my way from Patchmaster. 12oz bottle.

A- Pours dull gold in color. One finger white head. Small amounts of lacing left on glass.

S- Interesting nose here as the malts come through stronger than the hops. Caramel malts are nice and sweet. Some grassy, citrusy hops come through at the end.

T- Very smooth creamy flavors here. Everything is blended, with nothing jumping out. Grassy hops at first. Bready malts mixed in afterwards.

M- Medium body with moderate carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel.

D- First attempt at an English IPA. Interesting drink, but I'm still American, give me a regular IPA. Still a good drink though, just not my style.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 02:13:31 | More by HosP

lawlerj

Nebraska

3.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

The beer pours a clear gold/amber. One finger head that dissipates quite quickly. Leaves a bit of lacing.

There is some malt sweetness in the aroma - a little bit of hop bitterness, but no citrus/resiny smells like with other IPA's I've tried.

The first taste is the sweetness up front followed by a moderate amount of hop bitterness. Definitely not a beer for hop heads, but very pleasant and easy drinking.

Light mouthfeel - nothing too offensive here.

Overall, this is a smooth easy drinking brew. I am but unclear as to why it's called "Hopnotica" as it is definitely not that strong on the hops for an IPA. But, all the same, enjoyable and a beer I would drink again with a burger and fries.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2011 00:10:30 | More by lawlerj

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.63/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This one poured a very nice hazy amber with a good three fingers of frothy white sticky lace on the top. Nice slow faded left behind a good amount of side glass lace and a good amount of frothy stuff sitting on top.

The aroma was nicely hopped, with a good floral bouquet of sticky citrus smells. Lots of orange peel and tangerine mingled in with a good amount of sugar. This was laid down on top of a good bread like malted base. flavor was very nice, blended well into the bready base was a good orange flavor and a nice, albeit quick biting bitter finish. Nice long dry pause lengthened out the finish and kept you wanting to come back for a little more. The flavor was a touch light I have to admit and this became more apparent as it went on. Nice and smooth, this medium to light bodied ale never really felt thin. Nothing too dramatic that would make you think twice, this had all the earmarks of the kind of easy drinking brew that you would have no trouble with at all.

Overall this was a nice IPA. I have of course had better, and also had much, much worse, but this one will definitely work. I was surprised by the balance it posed, not simply relying on a ton of hops to push through the flavor. A really nice choice and a good call.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 20:20:43 | More by mikesgroove

Naugros

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A half inch head forms on the pour but doesn't last long. The remaining ring of suds and film leaves behind very thin and spotty lace and only on the side of the glass you're drinking from. The beer is an golden yellow/orange with a mild hazing and visible carbonation.

The smell is rather weak for an IPA. I get the malts (light caramel) and the hops come through as a mild citrus with a splash of pine and herbs.

The taste is different entirely. Pine resin dominates and the difference in the smell leads me to believe that many variety of hops with different flavor profiles were used to bitter and finish. The malt flavors are as unremarkable as they were in the smell leaving the melody of hops to shine through. Drink at different temperatures and with food and without and you'll grasp all the different hops used in this one. The beer is well balanced. I also have to give them credit for not jumping on the bandwagon of Pacific Northwest hops. They're in there but they're not the only kids in the sandbox.

Medium-bodied, the bitterness does not overwhelm even though it presents itself immediately and all across the palate and corners of your mouth. Aftertaste does not carry through the bitterness, yet leaves behind some of the sweetness from the malts. One of the easiest drinking IPAs I've had in a while, but that's because it's one of the weakest.

This brewery is within 10 minutes of my house and yet this is the first bottle that I've bought. I had one of their beers on tap at Cloverleaf Tavern, but can't remember which. Their beers tend to be low in ABV and they claim to concentrate on flavor. If this is a concentrated effort then I'm a bit disappointed. It is good enough for me to seek out their other brews and give them a shot...a tour of the brewery is definitely in order due mostly to its proximity than the result of this offering.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2011 18:50:50 | More by Naugros

mralphabet

Virginia

3.23/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass

A: Copper colored with about 1/2 a fingers worth of head that settles to a nice layer with very nice lacing.

S: Slight hint of hops with a notes of lemony grapefruit.

T: Hops right up front, but it is very light with hints of lemons and grapefruit, then I'm getting a slightly sweet malt. Ends with another hit of light hops.

M: Mid bodied with lighter carbonation than I was expecting. Pretty basic.

D: Pretty low ABV, but not as Hoppy or flavorful as I was expecting. Pretty average overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2010 04:10:53 | More by mralphabet

ism

New Jersey

3.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Excited and voluminous white head crowning a pale honey body with effervescent carbonation scrambling to break free. Nose is sweet malt, with a slight phenol farmhouse character. Moderate carbonation, light body with a slight slickness. Very sweet malt base, somewhat bready, completely unbalanced with hop character barely emerging. Slight pine dryness in the finish.

Fairly easy to drink, if not for the utter blandness and lack of complexity, but I suppose that's the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 03:08:34 | More by ism

sholland119

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours a pale amber, nicely carbonated, with a long lasting off white head and great sticky lacing.

S-Bready malt with a faint citric hop presence.

T-Lots of bready malt in the front along with some nice caramel sweetness. A mild finish of pale citrus hops does not subdue the malt.

M-Light side of medium bodied, a bit watery.

D-Not really an IPA in my book but drinkable enough as a pale ale, I guess.

HV

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2010 01:23:55 | More by sholland119

msubulldog25

Oregon

3.53/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

My first encounter with this brewery - at the coffee/beer shop 'Brew' in Philly. I added a 12 oz. to the mixed sixer I was making and carried it back to Portland. Poured to a pint. No dating on the label.

Speaking of... a simple one, orange and white on black, the 'cricket' logo crafted with just a few brush strokes...

A: Sunshine golden hue radiates from the glass. Was almost clear before the last ounce or so poured - lots of silty sediment at the bottom. Caught myself before pouring too much; the result is a fine haze that can't hide a fair amount of rising carbonation. Small head, a short-lived half-finger of whitish cream. Pretty nice lace in wide, broken cobwebs.

S: From an English IPA, I'm not expecting a ton of hops like an American version: I'm correct here. Very little hop nose, more sweet caramel with a little spice and sweet orange.

T: Subdued hop presence makes this seem more like an English Pale or Bitter. As one who prefers a maltier IPA any day, I'll admit finding this pretty enjoyable although it does seem weaker even within its style. Fruity sweetness (candied citrus, apple) and earthy spice. A slight chalky/medicinal bitterness in the finish.

M: Refreshing and light-medium bodied, subtly carbonated with a cleaner finish. Body seems to get thinner later in the glass, as if the carbonation is fading; at the same time, smoothness grows exponentially.

D: Perfectly 'pub-like', a small-feeling IPA (ABV: unknown, but seems 4.5-5%) that's balanced and easy to drink. It's a bit of a misnomer to punnily call your beer 'Hopnotic' when there really isn't a big hop presence. Oh well, regardless of name this is a beer I like enough to have again.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2010 00:55:46 | More by msubulldog25