Count Hopula - Barley Island Brewing Company

neckbracesub

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

12-17-2012 13:41:41 | More by neckbracesub

davemathews68

Ohio

4/5  rDev -2.4%

04-09-2013 14:27:26 | More by davemathews68

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

3.03/5  rDev -26.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

The IIPA was sampled at Winterfest 2013 in Indianapolis on 1/26/2013. I love Imperial IPAs, so I planned my schedule to make sure I was at Barley Island for the release of this one.

The ale was a copper orange color with a modest white head. The aroma was mildly fruity with very mild citrus notes. On the first taste, I could not get over how flat this beer was. I was like an open bottle of beer left out over night. I really did not get any hoppiness. There were some citrus hints, but this was not very IIPA-like. Despite a high ABV, even the warming in the aftertaste was muted. The very nature of the beer made me wonder what Barley Island did to this beer that has such high reviews. Based on my experience, I can not recommend it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2013 01:30:07 | More by JohnnyHopps

bertram

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%

12-24-2011 22:15:19 | More by bertram

1Adam12

Indiana

4/5  rDev -2.4%

12-04-2011 21:04:17 | More by 1Adam12

JamesS

Indiana

3.85/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Tomlinson Tap Room. Poured a nice copper color with decent head and lacing. Very nice earthy and floral hop aroma, although it could've used more malt sweetness in the back; light apple aromas. Nice deep malt sweetness up front in the taste, with a huge earthy and floral bitter ending; hops stay on the tongue for a while. A fair bit of hop roughness and the alcohol comes through a bit, but not overly bad for a high ABV DIPA.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2011 23:26:12 | More by JamesS

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A very solid and un-Barley Island-like because of its aggression and refusal to stand for mediocracy.

A tad on the darker side of IPA's, the beer takes on a Red Ale or Amber Ale color with a froathy sticky head that's built for aroma release.

Juicy with tangerine, ripe ruby reds, pineapple, appricot, and mangos only begin to describe the plether of citrus and tropical fruits that are represented it the hoppy nose. But the flavor has a hard time competing with the fragrant nose. Those bright fruity elements are paired with a burst of light caramel and maple syrup flavor that nearly rival the hops. Smooth bitterness accompany the sweetness up front and then have a subtle fade to resiny bitterness in the finish.

Creamy and full early, the beer holds onto the sticky and syrupy feel thoughout, with only a light reprieve of hop dryness and alcohol thinning/warmth late. If the beer had a more complete transition from it's sweetly upstart and to malty/fleeting dryness, then we would have something special here.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2010 17:41:34 | More by BEERchitect

Lukafer

Indiana

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Count hopula

Comes to me in a chalice with a very thin white head.  Color is dark amber.  Smells are sweet malt, and hops!  Citrus hops, grapefruit, smells delicious. Tastes are citrus hops at the front followed with a nice malty backbone, excellent hop finish.  This beer is so smooth for the high IBU and ABV.  Mouthfeel is great, small amount of carb, expected for this style, and drinkability is enormous, again, for a beer of this high of ABV and IBU.  Very good, I wish this was bottled, probably the best beer I've had from Barley Island and it's one of the better DIPAs Ive had.

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2010 04:08:22 | More by Lukafer

muskabeatz

Indiana

4.45/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had this on tap multiple times in the past week. Served in a snifter. 90 IBU's

A- Rich woody, amber hue with a nice white head to contrast what lies beneath it. Beautiful

S- Bubbling with the scent of fresh hops, citrusy, and slightly piney.

T- Excellent. A hop bomb of a slightly different sort. Big juicy hop presence. Underlying notes of tropical fruit that combine with the subtle malts to make a nice sweetness that balances the hops very well.

M- Nice carbonation, and the perfect amount of body for a DIPA.

D- WOW. At ~9.5% ABV, this brew is a killer. You don't taste the alcohol at all, and the flavor just begs you to come back for more. Also this has been very approachable for some friends of mine that are non-BA's.

Overall, a great beer. I believe they will start bottling it around October-ish, so I hope that proves to be true

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2010 00:57:11 | More by muskabeatz

kylehayworth

Indiana

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: This beer looked glorious, it came from an illuminating tap handle with a count sitting atop it.

S: Serious hop smells going in here.

T: This is a very big hop beer. It starts off with light citrus hops, then a big pine resin/citrus ending, with a small amount of oilyness to it. The finish is a long lasting bitter hop flavor.

M/D: The carbonation is spot on, and very well balanced. This beer delivered above and beyond, the name is just an added bonus.

Serving type: growler

04-05-2010 19:11:44 | More by kylehayworth