Hop Notch IPA - Uinta Brewing Company

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Bilco for the bottle.

Appearance: Perfectly clear orange-hued gold. head is bright-white, a little chunky, and drops to a thin cap. Minimal lacing, but some notches for sip demarcation.

Smell: Mango, pear, and something that reminds me of Flintstone's Vitamins. Fleshy orange and grapefruit layered over a sweet malt base. Caramel sweetness coupled with the juicy fruit. Some notes of pith and rind, leaning toward grapefruit. Powdery and floral.

Taste: Citrus and more citrus. Nice touch of tropical fruit, mainly mango, and mealy pear. Lots of fruit going on here, Malts are bready and sweet and balance the hops nicely. Great level of balance. Lingering bitterness is present, but minimal. Faintly floral on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Clean, medium body. Carbonation is moderate and helps dry things out a touch.

Overall: Decent all around. I can't get over the vitamin thing on the nose, but other than that, there's a nice balance and some solid potential to knock a few back without fatigue. Great profile in the long run.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 03:03:06 | More by Goblinmunkey7

Drinkerofales

California

3.93/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottles 1-11-12, poured from the bottle on 2-23-12.

Pours a clear liquid gold. A fluffy huge almost white head has good retention and heaps of lacing.

Smell is dominated by piney freshness and is grapefruit strong. Bitter, not tropical.

Taste isn't quite as big, though consistent. Bitter hop and a hint of citrus is the primary taste, and I don't get much else.

The bubbly and hoppy sting are nice. Easy to drink and carbonated well.

Another one where I wish the taste lived up to the smell. Other than that, no complaints about the beer.

DOA

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 04:27:56 | More by Drinkerofales

troysoy2

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a large tulip, bottled date of 2/08/12.

Nice copper color, but where this beer really shines in its awesome fluffy, white head. Two fingers, with nice retention, and really impressive lacing.

Very fragrant, with plenty of pine, a little bit of a floral scent, and a faint, biscuity foundation. Robust, yet delicate.

Sweet and spicy on the front, with a wet, refreshing finish. The hops are nicely balanced out, and really just pleasing to the palate. Goes down smooth and easy, showcasing pine flavors without launching an assault on the tastebuds. The alcohol is well hidden. Plus, this IPA doesn't make use of the abundant, prickly carbonation that a lot of others tend to have. Smooth and delicious. Maybe a little bit too drinkable...

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2012 18:46:47 | More by troysoy2

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a duvel tulip

A- pours a nice slightly hazy orange witha nicy fluffy one dfinger white head. Excellent lacing.

S- heavy on the hops, citrusy, piney, tropical fruit, faint malt sweetness, smells delicious.

T- pine and citrus through out, lots and lots of hope deliciousness rounded out with a touch of sweetness, grapefruit and tropical fruit notes are deffinatly there, very nice

M- medium body with tight medium carbonation that scrubs the palate, dry and bitter on the finish with a bit of a grassy, citrus hop aftertaste. There are points, that I feel like the body is a bit lacking in this one, almost getting to watery, which is why I didn't give this 4 in this category. Well that and the long aftertaste.

O- a great ipa with a very nice hop profile, a bit bitter and lingering on the end but if you are a fan of nice chewy citrusy hops
You'll like this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 01:52:23 | More by PeterIngemi

BigPlay1824

New York

3.5/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed in a pint glass

A: pours a clear golden color with a slight amber touch, pours with a ton of carbonation bubbles and a finger of pure white very creamy head that lingers nicely and leaves a very nice amount of lacing sticking to the glass
S: very nice floral hop notes, smells very fresh and clean
T: begins with a very bitter note which transitions to nice hop notes and then finishes with a very bitter note again which lingers for a while afterwards on the palate
M: leaves the mouth very dry, drinks smooth but with a slight carbonation bite up front
O: i had hoped that the taste would be more in line with the scent, the bitter note was more extreme than i like to see in IPA's, i know this sounds way out of wack but this wasnt just a bitter note, it was like an all encompassing bitter flavor which just over powered the floral hop notes that hit in the middle, there are better beers out there IMO

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 00:35:59 | More by BigPlay1824

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

16 ounce pint - $5.25 at Taco Mac in Canton, Georgia.

Appearance: Clearish, copper-gold body with one full inch of sustained white foam. Good lacework on the descent.

Smell: Pale malts with a simple breadiness about it in the aroma with an element of alcohol mixed amongst the hop notes of resin, citrus pith, and florals.

Taste: Sweet, bready pale maltiness with a very, very thin edge of caramel. Spice, lemon rind, and a light dash of resins. Moderately bitter. A slight alcohol presence gives a lift to the bitterness (on the far end of the spectrum at 7.30%) Bready, bitterish finish with those resins still sticking around.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Overall: A little more alcohol than needed or desired. While not great it's decent enough, it's an IPA that just holds it own in the vast sea of IPA's out there these days.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2012 16:43:36 | More by ChainGangGuy

TenHornsProud

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear orange with a big, white fluffy head that is quite appealing.

Smells of spicy and floral/fruity hop with some slight bready malt. There is also some soapy and metallic notes. Not a huge nose.

Up front grapefruit hop and cracker malt that fades into a more light/stone fruit and ends on a bitter fruity and pine hop finish with some lingering hop oil feel. Nice enough blend of spicy/pine/fruity hops.

Medium to lighter body with medium to low carbonation.

A solid IPA, not much else to say.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 04:20:01 | More by TenHornsProud

PerHops

California

4.15/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured a 12 ounce bottle into a pint glass. Bottle dated 1/11/12. Very nice golden orange color with great head retention and lacing. It is quite clear with very little cloudiness. The smell is really interesting. Not as much citrus on the nose as I expected, although it is there, but accompanied by some vegetal notes, some herbal character, pineapple, and a subtle onion and garlic quality. The taste is more straightforward than the nose, but also has some complexity to it. A good amount of tropical fruit flavors balanced by some soft malt flavors a touch of pine and a mild medium bitterness. This was my first time trying this and I am glad I bought a six pack rather than a single bottle. Great IPA that is new to me.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 02:14:10 | More by PerHops

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

on tap at khyber in philly

Pours a hazed golden orange color with a larger fluffy white head resting on top. Patchy retention on the beer which leaves rings of lacing on the glass.

Pretty hop forward in the nose with touches of citrus peel and pine. Notes of sweetness from caramel and bread, followed by a bitter bite with a touch of warmth.

Hoppy and juicy up front with citrus peel and hints of oranges. There's an underlying notion of pine with some sticky tones. Bready malt backbone creeps through with a decent amount of sweetness, which somewhat tempers the citric hop bite. Finishes bitter and dry with a soft glowing warmth.

Medium body, decent carbonation, sticky and dry on the tongue. A nice drinking, citrusy IPA - maybe not anything mindblowing but something I'd try again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 18:57:27 | More by xnicknj

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.23/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Copper appearance, a little haze, nice white head, amazing lacing on an ipa, especially considering the amount of hops in this one. One of the nicest looking ipa's out there. Aroma was juicy, mango and pineapple hop aromas. Utah does tropical fruit very well. . .

It continues on the tongue, nice, label says 82 ibu, but none of it is abrasive, its nice, green, lush, like a rain forest and the juiciness of the hops along with that fruity sweetness comes along. Not a ton of caramel, this is a light body, but deliciously paired with the tropical fruit like hop mouthfeel. Bottled on 1/12/12, drinking it right now during the Marquette/UConn game, so its about 5 weeks old and drinking magnificently.

Uinta really has been making strides in their beers, especially the hoppy ones, used to just be a good barleywine, now they have a few ipas to go with it that I'd take anytime.

Towards the end it takes on a little more bitterness, making the ibu count make more sense, but its always enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 18:26:06 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Blargimus

Colorado

3.43/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into tulip. Bottled 1/11/2012.

Pours a straw color with very little head that fades very quickly. Leaves a lot on the glass when swirled. Not much visible carbonation, just a few bubbles here and there.

Nice and citrusy on the nose.

Predominantly grapefruit, with subtle malt undertone. The bitterness sticks around for a while.

Medium body. Medium-low carbonation. Perfectly acceptable.

This is a good IPA - clearly, I'm having trouble saying anything more specific about it. I enjoyed this single, but I don't think I'd buy a six-pack.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 03:26:07 | More by Blargimus

BerkeleyBeerMan

California

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled on 1/11/12. I wanted to dig into this one a week or so ago but I had some other things to drink. Oh well it's still pretty fresh.

Be aware this is one of the stronger non-double IPA's. .10 Stronger than Sierra Nevada Torpedo. I suppose this falls into that extra IPA category.

The beer pours a cool hazy color with a slight haze that obscures total clarity. The nice off-white almost buff colored head foamy head provides some thing lacing and decent retention.

I will begin by saying this beer exhibits exceptional balance in care in the brewing of an 86 IBU 7.3% beer. It comes off much more delicately and nuanced than I would expect. The bouquet isn't huge but this beer is entirely pleasant. It isn't as assertive in aroma as Sierra Nevada Torpedo but that doesn't stop it from being a good beer. I catch some semi-distant pine oils and hints of grass. It is moderate doses of tropical fruits, especially mango, apricot and kiwi that make this a fine beer. There is also a moderate orange flavor. Beneath the assertive hop character are fine toasted biscuit malts. It has a fresh baked bread smell I can appreciate.

The taste is fruity. Apricot and mango dominate. Herbal hop flavors are detectable though distant. The citric fruit bite is sticky and nicely complemented by a sourdough bread quality. Candied caramel runs through the malts making this beer sweet.
The bitterness is much milder than I expected. The alcohol is warming but well concealed.

The balanced and delicate mouthfeel make this beer refreshing. The flavors could be fine tuned a little more and the hops could be more present as the bottle illustration advertises it as hoppy.

A good, strong affordable bitter IPA that won't wreck your wallet. It walks a fine line between West Coast and East Coast IPA and DIPA. I respect this beer even if it doesn't unseat Torpedo IPA as my favorite in the category.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 06:08:02 | More by BerkeleyBeerMan

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a pint glass. I enjoyed this within a month of the 1/11/12 bottling date.

Pours a crystal clear golden copper, with a finger of thick, bright-white head that is showing maybe a bit more of an off-sheen depending on how you look at it. This holds tight, with a foamy ½ finger that leaves back a rich cascade of patchy lacing that sticks. The aroma smells floral and piney, with some bitter smelling fruit. More ripened tropical fruit mingles with herbal accents to help round out some of the harder edges of the nose, while a touch of honeyed sweetness from the malts sit along the back.

The taste has a full feeling citric bite to it that is packing some bright flavors, spreading bitter pith, resins, and spice the whole way to a strong lingering finish, with that pine laying in especially hard. This is mostly balanced by a lightly toasted grainy sweetness and a combination of some softer fruit notes and herbal tones that run the whole way through this. The overall bitterness here though unfortunately gets a little out of hand at times. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and while initially sharp on the tongue, spreads out nicely into more of a creamy slickness as the carbonation works itself towards the back of the throat. There is a bit of an alcohol presence to this which mostly pops the aggressiveness of the hops here.

I liked the initial full-on fresh power of the hops in this IPA but things ultimately finished a little too harshly for me to call this anything other than average to good. The aroma and overall feel are definitely high points of this though. I’d still say that it’s maybe worth checking out a single bottle of it before committing to a six-pack.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 16:55:26 | More by Kegatron

Yoda22

North Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a clear orange with long lasting 1.5 fingers of head. Excellent lacing.

S - Wonderful aroma that practically travels halfway across the room. I get sweet notes of orange and grapefruit and some grassy or faint pine.

T - Pretty bitter hop taste up front, the citrus/grapefruit flavor hits you, slight malt finish but the hops still dominate. The mouth is left with some lingering hops and citrus afterwards, a little orange and a little lemon.

M - Pretty light to medium body and carbonation. It works. The hop bite is ever-present so more carbonation is not needed in my opinion. This beer lingers in your mouth ever so nicely.

O - Overall a very wonderful IPA. This would definitely rank somewhere in the middle/end of my top 10 IPA's.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 22:04:57 | More by Yoda22

drabmuh

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer on draft at Churchkey in DC. Beer is yellow and mostly clear with a thin white head, medium bubbles, some lacing on the glass.

Aroma is hoppy and sweet with a nice citrus aroma, it is a little weak though.

Beer is medium to light in body, it is fine on the palate, a little bitter on the finish and a little dry. Malt backbone is subdued, it is fine but nothing special about this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2012 16:16:44 | More by drabmuh

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a Sam Adams Imperial Pint Glass

Unita's IPA glides into the glass nice without a overabundant head. The liquid is a very clear golden color with a small amount of amber peeking through. The cap is an inch of white foam with decent retention and OK clinging ability. Smell is what you would expect, hopped up nicely with a big malty background. I can smell the alcohol pretty clearly. Some tropical fruit scent coming off and a bready malt bill. Taste is a very hop forward ale with a sweet side to it. The malts come first and than some alcohol, reminding me of some East coast DIPA'S. After that the hops form a bitter seal on the tounge and cling for a good amount. A grassy aftertaste is left and the alcohol stays. feel is right dead center medium and a bit syrupy. Easy drinking beer but a bit rough around the edges.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 03:40:42 | More by onix1agr

Halcyondays

California

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours goldenrod to light orange with a medium white head, nice thick lace, solid retention.

S: Has some dank greeness initially but that blows off to reveal a lot of citrus.

T: Nice lemon zest with a lot of tropicality, pineapple for sure. Orange in there as well with a good hit of pine oil. A complex hop flavour, quite tasty.

M: Medium-bodied, resiny, soft carbonation, quite drinkable.

O: A very solid IPA right in that $10/6-pack arena which is good to see. This one was exactly one month old when I had it so I had it pretty fresh. Good beer, another nice IPA in the Southland at a great price.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 09:49:45 | More by Halcyondays

DeanMoriarty

California

3.28/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a 12oz bottle for $1.79 at Olive Tree Market here in OB and poured it into a Odell Brewing tulip glass.

A: Pours a clean honey-like hue with a thin white head that dissipates quickly leaving good amounts of lacing in its tracks.

S: Sweet carmel malt up front, earthy/grassy hop that is faint in the overall mix, some citrus in there as well, sourdough finish - less hop than expected with a name like "hop notch".

T: Basically what the nose suggested - too much malt and too little hop in my opinion - finishing sweet and boozy. Not loving this one at all.

M: Medium-bodied and well carbonated for the style, clean and dry - the booze is a little hot on the back end - hop oils linger for a while though which is nice.

Definitely not loving this one - reminds me too much of an East Coast IPA - too sweet and malty. The hop is oily and in the mix, but just doesn't make its presence known like some of the better IPA's out there - too much sweet malt and crackery/bready yeast.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 03:28:33 | More by DeanMoriarty

BucannonXC5

California

4.22/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12-oz. bottle into a pint glass. Color was caramel paleish. About a finger of head. Gray lacing on the top with a very small gap near the sides. Film was frothy on the sides, pretty even.

Smelled pretty balanced initially. I got citrus hops with tangerine seeming to lead the way with some lemon in there, too. Also some nice sweet floral notes. Once again, very balanced smell.

Tasted pretty similar to the nose with the impressive balance of hops and floral notes. Citrus hops, grapefruit mainly, coming in there.

Light body. Thin, oily texture. Average carbonation. Smooth finish.

A pretty good beer overall. I can’t get over how balanced this beer was.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 09:43:25 | More by BucannonXC5

hopfacebrew

Colorado

4.33/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle dated 1/11/12 poured to pint glass. Pours a slightly hazy orange color with a 1 finger white head, some retention and some lacing. The nose is a pleasant mix of fruity character: lemon, grapefruit, pineapple, and floral hop tones. A hint of toasted malt on the back end. No alcohol detected. Again, the flavor starts with a strong fruity character with the floral pineapple, grapefruit, and almost tangerine type flavor. A bit of earthy hops. Medium bitterness. Malty sweet. Finishes with a lingering sweetness and nice hoppy flavor. Medium bodied and though hop-forward it was nicely balanced. Medium carbonation. Finishes crisp and tasty. Overall, I really appreciated this beer. As it warmed the flavors and aroma seemed enhanced. I would happily buy this again. Hides the alcohol well and is quite easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 02:46:30 | More by hopfacebrew

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4.18/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle served in a standard pint glass.

L - hazed copper color with a white head that left fantastic lacing, I'm talkin' some serious lacing.

S - piney and citrus hop aromas fill my nostrils.

T - lots of tropical fruit flavors with a good dry and bitter finish.

F - medium bodied, it goes down smooth and easy.

O - a fine example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 01:03:08 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a shaker: Hazy golden-orange under nice lumpy eggwhite head with lots of small, fast nucleation if you look closely. Head drops to a thick coating & leaves a crown of sticky lacing.

Smell has a bitter orange character to it at first, with a little fresh bread supporting it soon after. Nice fresh zest character.

Citrus zest is there in the taste at first, too, but there's a leafy greens bitterness that comes in leaves it somewhat dry & clean. Some biscuity, sweet malt there too if you look for it toward the back end. Restrained bitter aftertaste, again like orange zest.

Medium-bodied & pretty smooth, but leaves a bitter dryness.

This is good enough, but I can't honestly say that it stands out from scores of other IPAs I've had. Definitely wouldn't turn down another one, but it's pretty forgettable, in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 00:57:17 | More by OneDropSoup

SawDog505

New Hampshire

4.4/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a 13 oz tulip glass, bottled 1/11/12. Pours a clear bright orange red, with a sticky one inch white head, tons of lace. Smell is tangerine, pine, grass, and grapefruit. Taste starts with sweet citrus and finishes with a burst of grapefruit. For a standard IPA it is a big body, a nice amount of life, not dry, and very drinkable. Thanks to my friend for noticing this yesterday, excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 18:35:54 | More by SawDog505

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle. Bottled 1/11/12. Poured into a Bruery snifter tulip glass.

A: Really clear light orange amber color.  Finger plus of bright white head.  Swirl causes lots of lacing sheets.

S: Almost muted fruit notes.  I think I get some grapefruit and citrus, but mostly pine and some malt. It smells nicely balanced.

T: Nice hop punch on the tip of the tongue.  It's not abrasive.  Then you get those pine hints and some grapefruit in the mid sip of the tongue.  The close is nice and not overly bitter.  Easy drinking nice IPA.  Drinking maybe too warm.

M: Medium bodied.

O: B+ beer for sure. Great sessionsable IPA. I can't believe tha the ABV is higher then 6% n this one. Very smooth.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 15:28:58 | More by inlimbo77

bennetj17

Arizona

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap @ 1702. Cloudy orange-ish appearance, with a decently thick white foam. The aroma has a balanced mix of grassy hops and some cookie sweet malt notes. Definitely not the resiny, overabundance of hops I was hoping for.

The flavor also has some decent malt balance, though it's not overly sweet, it's a bit doughy with light dryness. The flavor hops are milder, although I do enjoy a hefty bitterness at the back. The alcohol is nicely disguised. Mouthfeel has solid carbonation, and there is a medium body, without any syrupy heaviness you sometimes find.

Overall a drinkable IPA, but nothing to get real excited about.

Serving type: on-tap

02-03-2012 17:55:20 | More by bennetj17