Sierra Nevada Hoptimum Imperial IPA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Omnium

Pennsylvania

3.89/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle > Pint Glass

A - Pours a nice orange yellow color, shy of a finger of head that fades quick, medium lacing.
S - Orange preserves, toffee, hop oil, earthy and herbal hop scents, sweet caramel malt.
T - A bigger and strong assault against your palate, orange candy, light pine, syrupy malt, and a tad boozey.
M - Overly sticky feel, and very very heavy. Not something you'd want more than one of.
O - There's wayyy too much of everything in this beer, too much IBU, malt sweetness and over the top alcohol flavor. I cant remember what I thought when I had it last year, but I'm not really a fan. Its not god awful, but if you're looking for a full forced palate-obliterating beer, this would be one.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 00:31:49 | More by Omnium

hoptualBrew

Florida

4.71/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Light copper in color near glowing shade of orange. Clear without any sediment or cloudiness. Cream white head with active carbonation rising. Sticky lacing.

Aroma of wet pungent piney grapefruit hop varietals. Very perfume forward hops with a complimentary floral bouquet and caramel malt sweetness to balance out. Clean, no yeast esters.

Bitter floral, pine and sweet citrus. Sticky hop oils, sweet caramel malt and building astringency. Bitterness stays around for a long time, balanced by character of the malt bill. Very easy to drink, the 10.4% abv is not transparent with the exception of a very mild heat in the back.

Carbonation is perfect, lets the hop oils stick while also allowing it to be easily drinkable. Medium full mouthfeel with lasting bitterness and hop flavors.

Great IIPA, by one of the best in the business. Sierra Nevada nails just about every beer they put out, with this being the epitome of their style.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 20:36:08 | More by hoptualBrew

da_beers

New Jersey

4.6/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Have heard great things on this one, even the girl at the checkout counter commented on it... Knew I was in for it!

A - Pours a nice coppery orange with a finger of head, great carbonation coming up.

S - Hops, hops, hops! What a blast to the nose. This smells like the Yakima Valley during the hop harvest. Brings me right back to home. Sweet malts dance around the nose as well.

T - Out of this world hop experience. The full cone hops make a great difference. Resiny quality comes through brilliantly. Some sweet malts, but mostly masked by hops.

M - Sticky, medium bodied, great across the palate. Full flavored for sure.

O - LOVE it! this is fantastic, and it being somewhat readily available makes my day! Will be getting a sixer of this next time at the market.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 02:58:12 | More by da_beers

Arithmeticus

Maryland

4.59/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured chilled in standard ale glass with @davewhite4

A: copper color; 1-finger head; clear; decent lacing
S: begins with a pilsner aroma, then pales to nothing; give it four minutes and voila it opens up into a pleasant bubblegum-hop aroma
T: unbelievably good; complex, sweet, very piney and fresh; boozy but complemented so nicely by the hop array
M: thick, mealy

I have not had such a good IPA in...forever. Wow. Get it. It's very repeatable.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 22:15:59 | More by Arithmeticus

clayrock81

Virginia

4.14/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured a golden orange body w ith two finger soapy head and lots o' lace that left itself hang around while I drank. Hoppy aroma, natch, with any adjective you might want to use for DIPAs: citrusy, hint of grapefruit, earthy, soapy, dirty. A strong hop aroma but there are wiffs of caramel malt that sneak out as well. What I like best about this beer and something that is hard to do when you have this much hops and alcohol (ABV over 10% and it is not noticeable, making this one real easy to pound a couple and feel it later) is that not only is not a palate wrecker but is smooth, somewhat chewey and creamy, and even with all the spicy, sharp citric and grape hops in there, one can pick up some sweet caramel and bread malts as well as touches of other fruit which I'll bastardize and say "tropical". Well-balanced, great beer and to summarize both hoppy and pleasantly balanced with some sweetness and a must have for any serious beer drinker.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 12:49:09 | More by clayrock81

SigEp271

Virginia

4.79/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance - Nice golden appearance with very little head.

Smell - Smells how a true IPA should. You get a nose full of hop, which I think it centennial

Taste - Right off the bat you get hit with hops. If you can imagine a hop literally slapping you in the face, that pretty much explains it. Nice after taste and as the beer starts to warm you get different flavor characteristics. For a 100 IBU this is very impressive, loved DFH 120 IPA and this is much more affordable and is just as equally impressive.

Mouthfeel - Crisp taste with a nice long after taste. With the IPA had a little bit more depth, but wonderful beer.

Overall - Great IPA. Normally hate Sierra Nevada but had to try this. Well worth it

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 01:19:24 | More by SigEp271

HedleyLamar

California

4.63/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

WOW! This is amazing beer! Sierra Nevada was one of the first Pale Ales that I had ever tried years ago when craft brew were gaining popularity. This beer is full of flavor and it packs a strong punch with a high alcohol content. If you have not had this one, give it a try.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 00:23:12 | More by HedleyLamar

DenverHopHead

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I've been overlooking Sierra Nevada. I'll have a SN Pale Ale at a wedding reception or at an everyday bar just because it's so established, but never seek them out. As my love of Cali IPA's grow, I decided to give Torpedo a go again and loved it. Never had Hoptimum, but as soon as I finished off Torpedo, I put it on my must have list. This is dangerously easy to drink at 10.4% ABV! I dare you to find much fault here. Pick up a 4 pack at just $8 (here in CO), it's a steal!

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 20:30:08 | More by DenverHopHead

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.26/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 12oz bottle into HF tulip. Purchased single at Total Wine in Norwalk, CT for $2.50. Pours an amber orange with sticky lacing but not much head - but can be expected for such a big ABV. Nice resinous pine and bready malt aroma...some sweetness. Taste is fantastic. Sweet piney bready...wow really amazing. Its so smooth for the abv..I mean scary smooth. Its almost a chugger. Its rare to come across a beer that is so smooth at such a high abv. Really a fantastic DIPA/strong ale. Serious deal for this brew at $2.50!!! I recommend this for anyone looking for a great amazing hop flavor without a huge mouth puckering bitterness...

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 02:34:51 | More by DrinkSlurm

highdesertdrinker

Arizona

4.11/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance-
A pretty golden orange with nice head and carbonation. Moderate lacing.
Smell-
Hops and pine with a slight waft of grapefruit.
Taste-
Pretty much like the smell with a huge burst of hops, dank with pine, then more hops and pine with an undercurrent of grapefruit, and then it mellows out a little in the middle where the malt and fruit flavors become more evident and then a hoppy, spicy, boozy finish.
Mouthfeel-
Medium, chewy, resiny, and a little dry.

This is a hop bomb but it also has balance and flavor that makes it drinkable but it is not for beginners or non hopheads. Sierra Nevada does a solid job as usual.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 03:01:19 | More by highdesertdrinker

rlee1390

Indiana

4.38/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-A clear golden orange with about one finger head, some lacing

S-Hops. Some More Hops. Citrus flavors as well. Very grass and pine heavy.

T-Starts sweet and citrusy. Has a strong earthy pine note. Ends bitter, the bitterness lingers. This thing is a bitter bomb. Could be more balanced, but this beer delivers.

M-Smooth, much smoother than most DIPAs. Medium bodied.

D-Very drinkable, maybe too drinkable for a DIPA. Downed the entire bottle in about an hour. Maybe should have savored it a little more but damn to was tasty and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 19:24:46 | More by rlee1390

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

2013 12oz brown bottle, poured into snifter. Golden orange-yellow with a medium white head. Smell is floral and piney hops, spicy alcohol and sweet fruit as it warms. Taste is sweet and thick up front, bitter hops on the finish. A relatively heavy DIPA, even as American IPAs go. Still delicious by my account.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 04:48:19 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

neenerzig

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured out of a 12 oz bottle into one of my pint glasses, this beer pours a fairly clear, deep medium to dark golden color. White head is initially about an inch thick when poured. Eventually settles to a nice medium sized white ring lining the inside of the glass with a few spots of foam dotting the surface of the beer sporadically. Not too much lacing though unfortunately. Aromas of piney, resinous hops with hints of grapefruit and citrus that give way to some slightly toasted caramel malt sweetness. The taste is pretty much the same. A good mix of earthy resinous piney and grapefruit citrus hops that aren't overly bitter and that give way to some slightly toasted caramel malt sweetness. The bitterness certainly dominates flavor wise but, unlike several of their other beers I have had, it is not over the top bitterness that completely blew out my tongue. Good balance of flavors here. Has a crisp, yet smooth and frothy, sort of chewy and sticky medium mouthfeel with an oily like residue that really coats the inside of the mouth nicely and hangs around for awhile. Medium carbonation. A fairly refreshing beer on this very warm spring night here in Cleveland, OH.

Eric

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 03:25:55 | More by neenerzig

Andrew61923

Connecticut

3.79/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from the bottle into my Gandhi Bot glass.

A: Pours a dark orange hue that borders on amber with a stubborn finger's worth of white, foamy head. The head sticks around more than I would expect and leaves behind some nice lacing where it does fade.

S: Picking up on a lot of different notes of citrus rind, a bit of mango, pine, and some caramel sweetness. I like my IPAs and DIPAs to be a bit more juicy in the nose, but I can tell that this has a lot going on.

T: Holy bitterness. I feel like my palate just got assaulted. Lots of pine and more of the caramel from the aroma. Not sure if this much of a hop attack is my thing, but it definitely accomplished what it set out to do.

M: Definitely on the syrupy side and has a thicker mouthfeel than I'd want on a drink-more-than-one basis. I'm glad that I only picked up a single since there's no way I'd get through two of these...and I say that as a fan of hops. Carbonation is pretty solid.

O: One thing I respect most about Sierra Nevada is their ability to make a wide range of styles at a solid level. I loved Narwhal, enjoy Torpedo, and SNPA is a great anytime beer. While I don't dislike Hoptimum, it's just not really my thing. Enjoyable in some aspects, but maybe it's too big a beer for me. There's a part of me that's curious how this would taste with some time on it, but I'll let someone else experiment with that.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 00:40:15 | More by Andrew61923

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

4.41/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The 2013 batch is absolutely drinking like a champ right now. It's big, bitter, and boozy in all the right ways. This is now my favorite shameless palate wrecker on the market - so much so, that I'm raising scores.

---

12 oz. bottle poured into a Samuel Smith pint glass.

A: Pours a golden copper color with excellent clarity. The head is a two finger offwhite color with a moderately frothy texture and decent enough retention. Spotty streaks of lacing left on the glass.

S: This features a good blend of various hop scents: herbal pine, dank earthiness, and juicy tropical fruit, with hints of brown sugar breaking up the hop assault. The smells like it will be right up my alley.

T: Hops! Initial sips bring out the strong tropical fruit flavor that mixes with brown sugar and caramel maltiness. Actually, this isn't as hoppy as I hoped it would be, in fact, it's surprisingly malty (and not so surprisingly boozy) with only a subtle underlying bitterness near the finish...at first. Herbal and piny notes accumulate on the aftertaste gradually but surely. The hops slowly become more aggressive in their flavor; actually it becomes pretty damn imbalanced - and I love it.

M: Incredibly smooth and creamy, with a heavy body. Oily hop resin builds up as more of the beer is consumed. Booze lightly tingles the tongue and throat as well in conjunction with the carbonation. Not the easiest drink, given its texture and alcohol presence, but the long, lingering aftertaste is enjoyable.

O: This drinks and tastes like Torpedo on horse steroids, but it's slightly less enjoyable in my opinion. This is due to some of its drinkability niggles (understandable), but you bet I'll drink this again (and again) in the future.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 21:19:07 | More by ThisWangsChung

xShoWTeKx

South Carolina

4.51/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from bottle to tulip, pours a brilliant crystal clear amber with a one finger white head with a nice amount of bubbles rising in the center.

S: A slight sweet/candy smell up front followed by a spicy, piney hop note

T: Right in line with the smell there is a slight sweet note followed by a piney hop taste. the alcohol is very present in this beer but not overwhelming.

M: Medium to full bodied, good carbonation, slightly dry finish

O: Very good definitely met expectations and at a very fair price. Will definitely drink again.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 03:35:43 | More by xShoWTeKx

JoshBrews

Missouri

4.7/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is a pretty solid offering from Sierra Nevada!

I poured the bottle into a (not exactly) snifter-type glass. The beer was a little cool when I first opened it (chilled it too long). I let it sit for 30 minutes before really getting into the beer.

First impression was a nice piney / citrusy hop aroma, which I found wonderful.

First sip had me...I was a nice, bitter (but not overly bitter for 100 IBU) beer with a really solid malt backbone. As it sat and warmed a little more, the maltiness increased and the beer almost became sweet, which was not unpleasant but was not expected.

For the size of the beer, I really could not detect the alcohol in it either. This is just a solid beer in my opinion. I am going to (try to) save one to see what 6 months does to it...maybe a year.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 13:45:20 | More by JoshBrews

LI_PO12

Pennsylvania

4.36/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottle into Tulip (2013, no exact date found)

Appearance- Deep gold, fairly clear, 1 finger of head that dissipates quickly. nice lacing.

Aroma- Nice hops, very piney, some citrus, grapefruit, earthy, pungent, slight malt in the background.

Flavor- This is very bitter at 100 IBUs, lots of pine, earthy hops, spicy, slight citrus, very clean, alcohol present but I probably wouldn't guess 10%. very nice.

Mouthfeel- Medium full bodied, medium carbination, alcohol warmth

Overall-This is a great hop bomb, leans toward pine, and earthy hops rather than citrus, very enjoyable. A sipper for sure. This is my first time trying it and I will be getting more for sure.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 04:23:05 | More by LI_PO12

LambicPentameter

Kansas

3.91/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured out of a 12 oz bottle into a large snifter glass. No discernible freshness date, but this is the 2013 batch, so likely fresh within the last month or so.

Appearance - An aggressive pour yields a one-finger head resting atop a body of glowing orange, with hints of umber. The head dissipates quickly to leave a ring of foam around the edge of the glass and an island of medium-sized bubbles in the center. Lacing is pretty generous as I drink the level of the liquid down. Hangs around for quite awhile.

Smell - Orange zest pushes its way through at first, along with some herbal notes and perhaps a hint of pine, but the aroma is predominantly fruity. After a few smells, I can detect a little bit of the alcohol that is coursing through this 10.5% beer. There is almost a hint of locker-room funk to it as well. Interesting smell for a DIPA.

Taste - The hop bitterness dominates, but rests on a bed of citrus notes. I'm a little surprised there isn't more depth of flavor going on here. I certainly expected more. However, it certainly does showcase the hops, which are present from start to finish, and even linger on after the beer has been long swallowed.

Mouthfeel - Lingering bitterness is actually pleasant, and hints at grapefruit where the smell and taste did not. For lack of a better term, the mouthfeel is "wet", and by that I guess I mean there is a hint of cloying sweetness to it, as much as it makes sense for a descriptor like "cloying" to be paired with a "hint".

Overall, a satisfying beer, but there are a handful of Imperial IPAs that I would pick off the shelf prior to this one. I will say that it's quite drinkable for 10.5% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 21:45:35 | More by LambicPentameter

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.61/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Clear golden-hued copper. Bright. Head is off-white and leaves a solid creamy, rocky head. Drops to a 1cm cap with splotches of lacing. Moderate carbonation on the pour.

Smell: Oily earthy citrus. Loaded with oily pine. Some backing malt sweetness, but it's hops galore. Floral and delicate...but assertive, because that makes sense. Super fresh leafy hops. Lightly bready with a slight backing spiciness. Some of that trademark Chico yeast in the back. Unique, but still distinctly Sierra Nevada.

Taste: Fresh wet and leafy hops. Oily and smooth. Tangerine in the back of a solid floral and slightly spicy hop profile. Building earthiness as it warms. Pith with some mint. Some toasted malts liven things up a bit. Pale and bready malts bring some added sweetness. Grapefruit. A bit sweeter than I would expect from Sierra Nevada. Lingering moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Slick and oily medium body. Moderate carbonation with a clean finish. Wet.

Overall: Hoptiminimum.

Sierra Nevada makes better beer. An explosion of wet and leafy hops, but it feels a bit too all over the place. I'll take a case of Celebration any day, but this is worth drinking a bottle every year.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 19:26:49 | More by Goblinmunkey7

Hoptometrist

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served from bottle into a tulip glass

A- Poured a semi-hazy dark orange color with huge fluffy white head that left huge clumpy and dense white lace. Sierra Nevada IPAs always have the most incredible lacing. Lots of visible carbonation.

S- Huge piney, dank, earthy, and grapefruit hop notes. Lots of candy sweetness and caramel malt.

T- Very dank, piney, and earthy hop profile. Dirty hop profile. Lots of candy sweetness, caramel malt, and grapefruit hops. Huge pungent hop character, but also a massive malt backbone to make this balanced yet bold. Quite a bit of bitterness and a lot of sweetness.

M- Smooth, medium to fuller bodied, slightly syrupy, some alcohol warming on the finish, very dry

O- Really unique hop profile reminiscent of Deviant Dales. Based on appearance, mouthfeel, and drinkability I would never guess this was 10.4% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 03:41:16 | More by Hoptometrist

ClintBEERME

Maine

4.49/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Must complete IPA undergraduate degree before attempting to study and enjoy this beer. This beer is an a homage to the friend we all revere and love, HOPS. This beer will be overbearing for amatuers, but professional hop drinkers will relish in its unrelenting hop glory. The whole cone experience results in a grassy, piney, citrusy, HOP punch in the face. Enjoy it. Beer is proof God wants us to be happy.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 22:47:35 | More by ClintBEERME

ShreddedThumb

Michigan

3.79/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

The Dorm Room Review

While moseying around my local beer store, I happened across a lone bottle of Hoptimum. This beer was on my short list of beers to try, so I'm glad to finally taste it.

Poured into a blue solo cup. (I moved into a new dorm with a sink, so I'll invest in a snifter or something.)

Appearance: Pleasant resinous color with a creamy head.

Smell: Moderate to strong DIPA smell. Resin, hops, some malt.

Taste: The 100 IBUs are there, but clearly not as potent as some other beers (Stone Ruination comes to mind). Smooth, bitter, strictly DIPA. Perhaps some citrus notes would make Hoptimum more complex and enjoyable, but it definitely has a pleasing, slightly alcohol-warming taste.

Mouthfeel: Hoppy characteristics linger shortly, then expire after twenty seconds. Not exactly unique; general IPA feel.

Overall: I really enjoy trying the popular DIPA offerings by US brewers, and Hoptimum is no different; however, Sierra Nevada's strongest IBU offering doesn't exactly compare to the revered Hopslam, which I couldn't help but compare to the SN beer (I think it's the equally cool logo). Typically, I give Sierra Nevada above-average marks, and Hoptimum clearly deserves the same as its cousins.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 22:11:54 | More by ShreddedThumb

maxcoinage

Illinois

4.26/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured a bottle dated 4/18/13 into a large snifter. Color is dark golden with an inch white head. As the head settled it leaves a nice lacing.

Smell is of resinous hops with some citrus undertones.

Mouthfeel is a medium carbonation and body.

Taste starts of with a very strong hop flavor, resinous like the aroma. There's a bit of grapefruit but then a pine flavor that finishes and lingers for a bit after.

Overall - this is a hoppy beast. I'm definitely digging it but wish I was eating some food to balance out the crazy hops.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 22:31:33 | More by maxcoinage

Cubatobaco

Virginia

4.41/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

A - hazy, golden amber in color that pours with a 1/4" head. Once settled, there is hardly any lacing and a good amount of carbonation.

S - a nice malty sweetness, with loads of pine, hints of citrus. Definitely full of hops.

T - hop overload! A very pleasant bitterness with pine upfront and tons of malty sweetness coats the palate. I'm surprised how well the alcohol is disguised considering the reviews I've read. Although, it still makes itself known. At 100 IBU's, the bitterness from the hops lingers for a good 45+ secs. If this had more citrus flavors, it'd be hard to beat

M - mouth coating and very viscous. Good sweetness that lingers with the bitterness on the end. A modest amount of heat from the booze makes its precense on the end as you begin to swallow. Reminiscent of a scotch.

O - If this was brewed year round, it would be a staple in my fridge. I'm surprised at how easy-drinking this is. Going deep on this was not a mistake.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 22:18:48 | More by Cubatobaco