Sierra Nevada Hoptimum Imperial IPA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Bosoxfan20

Missouri

4.31/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2013 version

A- Pours a clear light amber/dark copper into my Spiegelau IPA glass. 1-1.5 finger creamy, off white head with average retention. Spotty lacing that makes an effort to grab hold of the glass. A whole mess of carb bubbles flowing to the top

S- Assortment of NW hops bring out pine, grapefruit, touch of spice, citrus, herbs. Sweet malt breaks through in the end.

T- All the smells, but so much more intense. Wow! 100 IBUs smack you around a little. Huge hops up front, followed by a sweet pale malt base that puts up just enough of a fight to keep the resinous hops honest. Biscuits. Warm finish that goes bitter quick...in a good way.

M- Mid body that borders on full. Creamy. Bitter but smooth. Dry. A little boozey, but at 10.4, does a respectable job of not letting it control the palate.

O- Big flavors from a big beer. Hop combination and dry hop process lets the cones go wild, but finds a way to stay balanced. If you prefer your DIPAs a little on the sweet side with outstanding balance, then you will love this one.

No bottled on date
$10.99/4 pk

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 15:45:59 | More by Bosoxfan20

DanE

Connecticut

3.73/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a Stone RIS tulip glass. 2013 brewed sometime in late March. My first 2013.

A: Clear, amber color. Great lacing. Poured a 1 finger white head which quickly dissipated.

S: Nothing really going on here. You get some dry hopping. whole cone aromas - or what I think those aromas smell like. I get more "lager" type smells, almost some oxidation - like a stale SNPA.

T: This is where this beer shines. Bitter throughout with nice pine and tropical fruit. Betters with a little warmth.

M: Nice and oily - you know this beast has been dry hopped.

O: Pleasant. I tend to drink this by itself when I only need a beer or too. Not very refreshing so I drink it more like I would a stout. Very tasty though. Worth a 4pk.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 20:40:18 | More by DanE

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.55/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. - Hoptimum Imperial IPA - 1pt 6 fl oz bottle

Look - Pours clear copper amber with a glorious soapy head that sticks around. Sticky lacing. Minimal carbonation.

Smell - Smooth sticky smelling sweet malts with hearty hops on top. The whole cone hops put off a unique and awesome aroma.

Taste - Snappy malt blast and hops creep in after. Full flavored candy malts and hops.

Mouthfeel - Hop assault and a sticky malt mouthfeel. The lingering taste of this brew will not be soon forgotten. Resiny fresh hop lingering is my thing.

Overall - Great brew, sticky and sweet but a hop blast as well. Would recommend!

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 19:49:59 | More by JMScowcroft

take_it_sleazy

Vermont

4.39/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12 oz. bottle into Good Nature snifter. Ooh la la

A: nice orangey copper color. Lacy white head that disappears pretty quickly. Bubbles scattered haphazardly along the inside of the glass.

S: strong, characteristic, hop smell. Citrusy and sweet

T: hoppy, earthy, and honey sweet. Taste really lingers on your tounge and more hops come out at the end. It's actually a pretty unique balence of malts and hops, both strong throughout the course of enjoying this one.

M: medium-bodied, I'm thinking from the malty aspect of the beer. A bit astringent toward the end, like if you were to let a cup of tea sit out too long. Medium-low level of carbonation, pretty standard of most DIPAs.

O: would definitely recommend this one to any hophead. For $8.50 and an abv of 10.4, it's absolutely worth picking up if you can find it. Would absolutely pick this up over torpedo if they were side to side on the shelf.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 19:38:35 | More by take_it_sleazy

JamesMN

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Caramel color with a frothy cap of off-white foam and lots of visible effervescence.

Aroma: Lots of hops but slightly subdued. Pine, citrus, and a general sweetness. Some caramel malt is detectable.

Taste: Immediate hop punch to the face, this thing is East Coast in a great way. Starts with a moderately sweet hop character of sugar-crusted pine and then wham, you get all 100 IBUs at once and it is fantastic. From there it's all echoing bitterness and a great caramel malt flavor that gives the whole palate a surprising balance. Finish is dry but not drying. Aftertaste of bitter pine. The high 10.4% ABV is almost hard to believe because it is no where to be found in the flavor. Absolutely no off-flavors or anything bad about this beer.

Mouthfeel: Feels medium in body with a slight syrupy quality that is good in this case. Average carbonation that adds a little extra zing to the hop bite. Good drinkability.

Final Thoughts: I enjoyed the 2012 release of Hoptimum but my palate has developed much more since then and now I can truly cherish this year's release. Sierra Nevada proves to be a solid brewery time and time again. Although best enjoyed fresh, I think the hop blend and high ABV of Hoptimum will lend to a good life span for this style. I have three words of advice for any hop heads reading this review: seek it out. Would I drink it again? Yep.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 01:56:22 | More by JamesMN

Rainier

California

4.94/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I'm so glad I stopped by this random liquor store by my apartment to check their beers out. I could not believe that they had the Hoptimum in stock! I'm probably gonna buy some more if they still have some for sale. It's one of the best Imperial IPAs I have ever had. I think Pliny is still at the top, then Sucks, then Hoptimum, then Enjoy By(4.01.2013). That's how good this beer is! My bottle is probably fresh too!

The taste had a very strong hop bitterness, which I love so much! I think they used more hops on this one than a lot of beers out there(minus the triple IPAs). It's a very pleasant hop taste.

It was kindy pricey though. I paid like $11 for a four pack. Oh well, it's so worth it!
Would definitely buy again.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 07:00:52 | More by Rainier

alex_hart

Massachusetts

4.66/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: a hazy orange with a white half finger head that dissipates quickly. a small bit of visible carbonation.

smell: first smell, surprisingly, was quite sweet. I was expecting an explosion of hops in my nose, but it was more closely related to a sweet citrus followed by some pine notes. very pleasant.

taste: Oh my gosh! Nothing at ALL what I expected, and in the best way possible! This is flat out delicious! The sweetness of honey comes through and it is balanced perfectly by the hop note. A small bit of citrus comes through at the end.

Moutfeel: Good carbonation on the tongue and the right amount of residue in the mouth after the swallow. Once again, pleasant.

Overall: I really wasn't sure what to expect from this 2013, but it blew me away. By far my favorite DIPA. It is a flat out work of art.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 04:10:50 | More by alex_hart

Rope

Illinois

4.41/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2012 Hoptimum

Appearance-
A hazy orange, quickly dissipating white head.

Smell-
Sweet citrus upfront, with a the slightest bit of caramel.

Taste-
The sweetness is bright, but not sensing a lot of citrus like the nose. The bitter hops really save it from being too sweet. The most pleasant note is a subtle honey that lingers to the end.

Mouthfeel-
My ideal. Clean sharp carbonation, it refreshes, leaves a slight aftertaste.

Overall-
Amongst Imperial IPA beers, this one is up their for the bitterness I find many others to lack.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 00:09:10 | More by Rope

BeerNotes

Ohio

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

A: Goldish Amber in color. A little hazy and pours with a 3/4-inch head that disipates quickly, but coats on the way down.

S: Citrus, pine, and hops: up front and in charge. Down further, a bit of malt comes through.

T: On the lips it’s mild, with a hint of caramel. On the tongue the tartness of the hops hits, and the grapefruit builds as it moves back. The finish is a full hop bite that lingers, with just a hint of alcohol. The aftertaste is surprisingly balanced, with the tiniest bit of toffee and caramel.

M: Full but smooth. Plenty of carbonation.

O: One of the better I’ve had of this style. More balanced than most, but doesn’t skimp on that full hop experience you’re looking for in a DIPA. The bottle says it uses whole-cone hops and is, “Aggresively hopped, dry-hopped, AND torpedoed,” and I can’t argue with the results. It tastes extremely fresh and clean, which makes it incredibly drinkable, especially in warmer months. It’s easy to see why this isn’t a year-round beer from Sierra, AND why it’s so hard to come by when it is available, especially given the whole-cone hopping.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 18:33:58 | More by BeerNotes

smooth_aleing

Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pour into pint glass, from bottle.

A= beautiful honey color with amber tint. Nice, frothy head with decent lacing.

S= Honey, pine, wildflowers, berries. Powerful hop punch to the nose. Sweet, toasted malt smell.

T= Wonderful hop kick. Bitterness throughout the tongue, but doesn't overwhelm. Well-balanced hops, with a very nice honey taste.

M= Lightly carbonated, light and easy to drink.

0= A wonderful double IPA. Truly great bitterness, as one would expect from an IPA. Very, very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 20:38:16 | More by smooth_aleing

4amepiphany

Illinois

4.44/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

The IPA that turned me from belgians. IPA's used to give me headaches, and I felt they were too intense. Then a close friend caught me at just the right time, and I savored all its glory. I was quite medicated at the time, but I remember an amazing golden pint with a handsome amount of head. A smell of grapefruit and other citrus seemed to visibly emerge from the glass. Then, POW it proceeded to coat my tongue with a heavy mouthfeel I have never experienced before ( this was before I got into crafts ) and I thought, "This is it. This is changing the way I look at beers. No longer will I avoid IPA's, but I will embrace them." Availability is good, price is good.. for an amazing brew.

That said, my top IPA's have moved on to 120min, Alchemy Hour, Hopslam and of course Hoptimum. I haven't had much else since I'm new to the game, please feel free to send me recommendations!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 04:37:06 | More by 4amepiphany

adam42381

Florida

4.28/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a tulip. Bottled on March 19, 2013 per Julian date code printed on bottle.

Appearance: Pours a clear medium gold with a 1-2 finger fluffy eggshell white head which dissipates slowly, leaving a ring around the edges and a pool of bubbles in the middle. Nice head retention and lacing.

Smell: Excellent blend of hoppy goodness that features aromas of sweet citrus, grapefruit, pineapple, bready malt, a hint of pine and a touch of alcohol.

Taste: Pine, floral hops and bitter citrus up front followed by bready malt and grassy hops in the middle before ending with a huge blast of bitter, resinous hops at the finish. Aftertaste is extremely bitter and long-lasting. The IBUs really come through while the alcohol is well masked.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Very smooth and the hop oils really coat the mouth.

Drinkability: Very good drinkability. This doesn't seem like a beer with 10.5% ABV.

Overall: Excellent beer overall. This is a hophead's dream. At 100 IBU, this one is very bitter - and I like it that way. If you like hoppy beers, this is a must try.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 19:58:10 | More by adam42381

BrantleyJ

California

4.91/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Hoptimum is one of the best tasting Imperial IPAs that sadly I have not been able to find since their original release. Hopefully Sierra Nevada will bring back this hop monster soon. Based on the price one can only assume it cost a pretty penny to produce but from a consumer's perspective it is well worth the money.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 02:17:49 | More by BrantleyJ

Qwest_35

Florida

4.24/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I picked up some Hoptimum today that is only about 1 month old, pretty fresh, so here we go. Pours almost like a lager, golden-clear, no haze at all, which is weird for a DIPA. Head is about 2 fingers of creamy tan bubbles. I would say this beer smells more in the piney-earthy realm more than the tropical fruit realm, along the lines of their Celebration Ale. This beer is all hops! Wow, bitter and boozy, but in a good way, don't look for any malt here, the malt got run out of town. So overall, I gotta say in my opinion, this beer is a bit too unbalanced, but if it's a hop experience you are looking for, than this is your beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 00:42:44 | More by Qwest_35

MCain04

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle, on sale for $10/4pack, poured into a 12 oz Bell's Tulip. Bottling date (unbeknownst at time of purchase) is 9 months prior to drinking.

A: Clear amber body with nice creamy 2 finger head with excellent retention and lacing.

S: Very unique nose. Grapefruit, mango, some other tropical fruit that I can't place. Maybe some sour cherries? Not especially piney or floral. Still nice though.

T: Unique hop profile carries over to the taste, but some lingering sourness and skunkyness is present. Not really the best aftertaste. Malty body but fairly balanced. Not much heat at all. Bitter, but not 100 IBU bitter (as it is described).

M: Pretty creamy with a good body and adequate level of carbonation. Dry finish.

O: This is not good 9 months from being fresh. I hope to re-review this fresh one day.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 03:22:48 | More by MCain04

FlatRabbitRed

Arizona

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I have been assimilated into perfection, ... Bravo, Sierra Nevada!

First off reading some of the other reviews ... you really are not a hop lover is you are saying things like "wow I actually cringed at how bitter it was". These type of beers are pallet wreckers as a warning on a bottle of Stone Ruination will tell you.

Color copper golden... fantastic just to look at. The smell can only be described as what it must smell like in hop field. Well balanced piney floral hop bite ...it's an eye opener, hits you hard and changes to a mellow after bite.

I got my beer fresh in 2012, I do not like aged beers like this, they will lose character over time.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 13:38:47 | More by FlatRabbitRed

PrimScrewhead

Rhode Island

3.83/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I like hop bombs but they gotta have some character to them. This beer blasts you in the face with a straight hop punch!

Appearance - Standard IPA light amber

Smell - Nice sweet hops nose.

Taste - This is where things falls apart.No nuances or no layers to it all. ONE HOP FLAVOR and BOOZE that's all folks.

Mouthfeel - Medium body which plays into the 10% ABV

Overall - I was a little disappointed. I've come to expect a little more from Sierra's IPA offerings. With other hop bombs, you usually can taste the different types of hops during the course of a glass. Not so with this one. -

Overall Part II - I went back to this and I liked it better the 2nd time around but I still feel it could have been so much more.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 01:06:01 | More by PrimScrewhead

hopley

Massachusetts

4.9/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is now a once a year 4 pack treat. Very aggressive imperial IPA. Fantastic taste, not overly bitter. Nice to look at, nice to smell and nice head. Nice label and marketing - love the green coloring and the whole cone tone. Sierra Nevada really did themselves out on this one - awesome beer!

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 04:14:28 | More by hopley

Brew_More

Kentucky

4.05/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I sometimes drink beer warm. I also sometimes cork the bottle and finish the next night. I have discovered that this beer actually taste better the second night. When you let the beer go slightly flat, the bitterness is less, and the flavor improves. I like the beer cold and fresh. However, I'm curious if anyone else has heard of doing this. (I just didn't want to throw the beer out and put a cork in the bottle.) When I tasted it the second night, I liked it better. (The beer is very carbonated, I also had a cork in the bottle) I have tried this more than once with this particular beer. Let it go slightly flat, the bitterness leaves, it taste great! Cold or Warm. Even when it goes slightly flat it is more carbonated than some other beers.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 02:48:02 | More by Brew_More

Bernardkowalski

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Absolutely one of my favorite beers!! honestly can go good with anything, but you are better off enjoying this beer by itself. it has so much too offer, such great combination between the yeast and malt's making this an outstanding brew. you can put this on my list of top beers.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 23:40:55 | More by Bernardkowalski

rdilauro

Connecticut

4.69/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

I've been waiting for this one. Poured a nice light golden pale straw with a frothy but not enormous head.

The bouquet was unquestionable. There was going to be a lot of good hops here.

My first taste, I was somewhat surprised. It was Hop, after Hop after Hop, different styles and flavors, but not one of them too much or over the top.
It almost reminded me of drinking three different beers at once.
The taste lingered and left me wanting another sip.

This is a real nice brew for this time of year. I can see myself purchasing many more of these delightful 4 packs

*Retasted this one several times since my first exposure. With each tasting, this beer is getting better and better.

When customers ask about this beer, I tell them it is not a "Hop Head" beer, despite the label. The Hops are they and will stay with you for each sip. Though each sip almost presents another hop variation. A real exciting beer.

02/14/13
This was one of the 4 IPAs I tasted together. One of my other reviews took a previous "5" down just a little. I am doing this here also. Still a fantastic beer, just that when I compare to my best ones this is just a little below

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 16:42:01 | More by rdilauro

silverking

Florida

4.66/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

It pours a slightly hazy golden amber with a tan head. Head retention is very nice, but it eventually fades to a thin layer of foam with beautiful lacing. The aroma is pure hops, citrusy and floral with strong underlying pine. The aroma alone is intoxicating. Moving into flavor, lots of pine and very bitter. The bitterness fades for a moment but the pine remains. The Bitterness returns in the finish in the form of incredibly bitter grapefruit with notes of pine. Mouthfeel = Excellent. Low carbonation and a full, almost oily mouthfeel. It coats the mouth with the taste of resinous hops. My only real complaint is that it's not available year-round.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 23:35:32 | More by silverking

Jae9979

New York

3.35/5  rDev -20%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Too bitter for me. I hae tried on numerous occasions and keep longing for a Pliny or HT to wash it down. Generally enjoy iipas but feel this one missed a portion of the balancing act. Wouldn't turn it down but wouldn't seek it out either. Pushing through my 4 pack so I can free up fridge space.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 22:49:19 | More by Jae9979

GNRoofDawg

4.88/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Excellent, simply excellent. Very smooth beer, with excellent hoppiness. Easily Sierra's finest beer, which is saying a lot considering they have torpedo and celebration. Have this one in a goblet glass and enjoy it like a fine liquor or wine. I would give this an A+

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 02:26:47 | More by GNRoofDawg

--Dom--

Missouri

4.76/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Pours a slightly hazy copper, minimal head, doesn't stick around. Smells of strong piney hops and also sweet malt. The nose is full of sweet aroma.

All I can say about the taste is wow. It's just great. Opens up with huge piney hops, bitter grapefruit that is well in balance. The bitter is just spot on, all the right bitter flavor and none of the bad. Not to knock hopslam in any way, it's a world class beer. But this one has the hop profile I wanted to taste when I got hopslam. There is certainly a good malt presence but the hop always remains forward in this beer. It's near perfect for me.

Thick mouthfeel as to be expected. Carbonation is good. Overall, I love this beer. The flavor, the hop profile, everything about it is excellent. It's probably taking the number one spot as far as imperial IPA's go for me. Try it, you may not love it as much as I do, but it is definitely not something you want to miss.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 05:56:42 | More by --Dom--