HopArt IPA - COAST Brewing Company

tigerdoc

South Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a golden copper color with a thick white head that sticks around for a little while. Moderate carbonation that remains while I enjoy. The aroma is definatly unique in hop character, several different hops are likely being used. I definately get the typical floral and citrus hop aromas from American hops as well as some more earthy notes and the sweet malt comes through to balance. The beer flavor is very balanced, one of the most balanced IPAs I've ever had which may be a testement to the freshness as well as the brewing practices. The malt body and slight sweetness comes through first with the nice floral and citrusy hop flavor coming in next with a crisp bitterness and carbonation for the finish. The flavor lasts for a while in my mouth but leaves me wanting another sip shortly after. The beer has gotten better since I first tried a year ago (it was good then as wee). This is likely due to the brewers getting their system and recipe nailed down. Excellent beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2008 02:52:26 | More by tigerdoc

ncvbc

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep copper color, somewhat murky with a gorgeous off-white head capping it off. It remains and barely gets to a ring before it's gone. Sticky lacing down the glass. It appears to be a potent IPA.

Smell is very nice and quite unique. Definitely some Amarillo in here. Some good juicy, sugared, fresh citrus scents. Also, it's quite earthy. A light floral and spicy scent. Good malt presence also, reinforcing the load of hops. It's got a good biscuity tone with a light sweetness of caramel. While it's great, it's subtle, and it only makes me want to take a sip even worse!

Boom! Taste provides an explosion of flavors. A very nice combination of hops. While I'm not the biggest Amarillo fan, this has a great supporting cast: Cascade is the other main culprit with Nugget and Simcoe helping out big time. It's a wonderful hoppy bouquet and the malts do just enough backing if not too much. That said, it was supposed to be a more balanced IPA, so you can't hate it for that. The sweetness of the caramel combines with the hop profile very well, and a great biscuity flavor stays with me longer than anything else.

Mouthfeel is crazy. It has a certain bitterness to it that coats the tongue. It's more full than others but still provides the same bittering sensation minus a tickle to the tongue. Not overly thick or oily, just smooth and easy on the way down.

Damnit, I can't decide on this one. As others have said, it walks a fine line between IPA and IIPA...not quite so boldly hoppy as an IPA and not as much malt as a IIPA. Still, it's bigger than your typical IPA and smaller than your typical IIPA. Overall, this second individual bomber serving was not enough to satisfy my craving.

Personally, I like where this one stands as-is. Consider it the 75 Minute IPA of the present. Who cares what side it stands on, to me it's just a damn good brew. I just wish I hadn't sent my only other bottle to a very deserving person...

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2008 21:05:18 | More by ncvbc

BeerTruth

Connecticut

3.6/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

mikesgroove sent this as an extra, thanks man!

22 oz. bomber bottled on 3-12-08, poured into a nonic. Very impressive art on the label, me likey.

Pours a murky sunset orange with a huge two finger off-white head that has no intentions of leaving. A good amount of lacing is left behind on the sides of the glass. Smell is weaker than I was hoping for. Dirty earth like hops, a touch of citrus, and some pine. There's also a good amount of caramel malt in the nose as well. I wish I could say I enjoy the smell of this one, but it was pretty much average IMO. Slick oily hops up front followed by a dry and bitter earthy flavor. A touch of alcohol can be detected on the tongue with a fair amount of malt as well. A bit more sweetness in the flavor department would definitely help this one out. Aftertaste is a combination of dry grass and hay. Nice mouthfeel, medium body with a creamy texture. Carbonation is solid throughout. Not a bad IPA, but like I said before, make it a touch sweeter and this could be a top notch IPA. Thanks again Mike for the opportunity, I look forward to trying more from these guys.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2008 00:53:27 | More by BeerTruth

softcough

South Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Tasted from bottle, tap and growler.

This beer represents what all American IPA should be.

Looks perfect. Great head, nice lacing in the glass. Deep golden color with the faintest hint of amber.

Bright hoppy aromatics. Smooth, but not too smooth to boast its big Hop intensity. Notes of citrus pith and piney herbs.

Want more.

I feel that this is the perfect American IPA. Perfect, seriously. It walks the line of bordering a double IPA without really stepping onto it which also clearly defines itself well beyond American Pale Ale which not enough breweries can do.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2008 18:02:29 | More by softcough

jp62099

South Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I don't do many reviews, but since I was one of the few folks to be able to get some in it's bottled form I figured I would give it a review.
First release 22oz. from Teds, hand written bottled date 03/12/08.
Poured a murky deep orange, white 1/2" head. Smell was a little more subtle than I would expect, but nice. Citrusy and some malt sweetness. The taste was not as in your face as some big American IPAs, pine and citrus notes give way to the sweet malt for a pretty balanced taste and feel.
I am not a huge fan of the hopbombs out there so I enjoyed this IPA for it's more subtle character. It is somewhat like an English IPA, which I like.
I would love to drink this often, but at the current price $8, It will be more of a special occasion beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2008 21:43:24 | More by jp62099

czfreeman

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this on-tap at the Mellow Mushroom. I went in intending to sample the Kolsch, but they only had the IPA and Stouts. I wish the bartenders in SC would learn not to discard the head! Smells of citrus, grapefruit zest, and hops. Piney aromas. the flavor matches the scent, citrus, pines, hops. Not overwhelming, but good. This finish is a little sweet, kind of sticky. I would expect a little more tartness given the scent profile. Drinkablitliy is good, nice to sip. Great to see local effort!

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2008 04:51:33 | More by czfreeman

Floski

South Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I'm not a huge connoisseur of beer, but I had this a few weeks ago and to me it's as good an IPA as I've ever had. I ordinarily go for the darker beers, but this was a fine surprise. It had a very nice aftertaste, which is what sold me. I also tried their Stout and Kolsch, but the IPA was the best to me.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2007 03:07:18 | More by Floski

kkipple

South Carolina

3.45/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap in Charleston.

A. Hazy red-orange, white head, low retention, a little thick lookin'.

S. Cascade or something like it, lots of malt sweetness, oranges, booze, sugar. Two main notes here: sweet malt and grapefruit hops. Sorta like a less aromatic version of a Foothills Seeing Double (another fine beer). Needs more in the aroma department in my opinion... a little timid. At 7.7% it needn't be.

T. Sweet, with a relaxed citrus hop presence. Lots of malt here, the hops are there but could be dialed up a bit... it's smooth, boozy, and warming... Hop Art ain't overly sweet, but could've used more oomph from the hops and maybe a little less alcohol... it's in that grey zone between an American IPA and a Double IPA.

M. Very clean, average carbonation, smooth, and goes down easy. Finish is sweet sugary malt with a lingering hop bitterness.

Hop Art plays it safe, and I'm sorry to say that. It's a decent beer, (in fact there's very little wrong with it) but I was spoiled by Coast's other two successes. There's a good beer in here somewhere, but more risks need to be taken to bring it out. Still worth a shot, and if you're local to Charleston it'll likely be fresher than anything else on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2007 05:28:52 | More by kkipple

MarkSCCOT

South Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I enjoyed this beer at the Grand Opening of Coast Brewing, Charleston, SC. The brewery is run by Jamie and David Merrit. These two individuals were active in the legislative movement to "pop the cap" in SC and raise the allowable abv in our State.

A. A beautiful amber with a slight head and moderate lacing.

S. A slight malt backbone and a dominate hop profile. Very impressive in it's boldness.

T. Great!!! This is an IPA, faithful to the style. It has a bold hop taste but with a smooth finish.

M. This is a very smooth and balanced IPA. The carbonation is full but not overwhelming.

D. As IPA's are a staple in my cellar, this beer will always have a place with me. When it is bottled and locally available it will never be be far from my refrigerator.

A staple IPA that will always be in the same league as 60 MIN and Bell's Two Hearted for me. A GOOD BEER! Thanks Jamie and David!

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2007 00:00:07 | More by MarkSCCOT