Hopluia - Spilker Ales

Todd

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

32oz brown bottle with a twist-off plastic cap seal. Best before 04/03 -- ah 04/01/03 ... close enough! Says on the label that it's a dry-hopped beer, a process that is "rare" -- actually it's not rare, but still that's cool.

Pours a bright and clear brilliant copper coloured beer, topped with a crackling foam head that settles to a thin lace and stick.

Geezus! Probably one of the most powerful hop aromas that I've smelled on a beer. Imagine putting a full sack of intense hops over your head, then breathe. Okay? You're almost there. Herbal, woody, floral, touch of fruit ... it's all there and kickin' ass on your nose. Note: it mellows as the beer sits, so get some good sniffs in before it weakens.

Medium mouthfeel, smooth (gets very dry and coarse as the beer warms), with a hard water consistency -- a bit different, and odd-ish. Malty, sweet with distinct and defining bready flavours, with some yeasty notes tucked in there. Sweetness is a tad sugary, too. Some plum in the background; ripe, sweet plum. Hops prickle the palate with herbal flavours, green wood, raw grass, hints of mint, leaf ... whoa! There's a lot of hop character, let's just stop and say it's quite complex. Finish retains much of the bready flavours, going a bit dry, but surprisingly drops much of the hops, all except a coating of oil and ripe hop flavours as you burp.

Finish is not too hot, and the mouthfeel sticks in my head as being odd, but other than that this is surely an hop experience that I will not forget. Interesting and tasty, overall.

From a bditty187 care package -- thanks!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2003 20:12:43 | More by Todd

Bear1964

Nebraska

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

03-18-2013 22:47:33 | More by Bear1964

OregonGrown7

Nebraska

4/5  rDev +12.7%

03-03-2013 17:47:51 | More by OregonGrown7

Jayschool

Kansas

4/5  rDev +12.7%

01-29-2013 20:04:53 | More by Jayschool

JarMills

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev +12.7%

01-22-2013 05:21:04 | More by JarMills

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a better than average ipa i thought, but maybe thats because i was in nebraska drinking less than stellar beers for a few days. this one poured a coppery orange color with an inch of thick white foam. the nose is really floral on the hop front, with some english smelling pale malt behind it. not bitter at all. the flavor is also quite floral, summery, even a tinge of bubblegum flavor to it, which i didnt mind until i identified it, then i didnt care for it at all. sweeter in the finish from the malts. i liked the taste of this though because all of the components can be tasted individually, but the whole is more than the sum of the parts. synergy they call that, and its on display here, in a jazzy little glass of beer, not quite english, not quite american, but darn tasty whatever it is. medium body, average carbonation, one of the better beers ive had from the state of nebraska, for what thats worth.

Serving type: on-tap

01-02-2013 21:24:31 | More by StonedTrippin

GringoKid

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

11-29-2012 01:43:51 | More by GringoKid

dna1964dna

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

11-10-2012 01:11:09 | More by dna1964dna

dbstuart88

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

09-19-2012 01:46:47 | More by dbstuart88

oldvines

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

08-12-2012 23:52:46 | More by oldvines

jhands

4/5  rDev +12.7%

07-19-2012 23:07:54 | More by jhands

crobinso

Colorado

3/5  rDev -15.5%

07-14-2012 11:07:51 | More by crobinso

ssjkyle

Nebraska

4/5  rDev +12.7%

07-14-2012 04:28:45 | More by ssjkyle

beerdhabelly

Nebraska

4/5  rDev +12.7%

07-06-2012 00:35:47 | More by beerdhabelly

theisnj52

Colorado

4/5  rDev +12.7%

06-16-2012 01:46:02 | More by theisnj52

MJS

2/5  rDev -43.7%

05-04-2012 02:12:36 | More by MJS

pBRale

Iowa

2.85/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Deviating from my usual format due to laziness.
poured into a snifter
no bottled on date, although there is a freshness date up to 6/8/12
Had this beer tonight and was not really impressed. Appearance is decent, but it's really no different than the standard IPA--a little darker, leaning toward amber in color. Smell is a little hoppy (don't notice the dry hopping the label brags about), but again nothing that stands out. Flavor is about average for an IPA, hoppy, yet balanced by substantial malt presence, again nothing remarkable. Feel is full, fairly decent, and overall not a bad beer, though nothing I'll rush to again by any means. Worth the try though.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 02:47:32 | More by pBRale

box299

Illinois

1.58/5  rDev -55.5%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Pours light amber in color. Very thin head and no lace. Like soda bubbles cling to the glass and within a minute or two they were completely gone. Beer smelled and tasted like socks... reminded me more of a Belgian wild yeast favor without all the richness of the malt. Not much of an IPA. The beer itself was just slightly above undrinkable. Avoid!

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 23:20:58 | More by box299

RDW

Nebraska

4/5  rDev +12.7%

03-04-2012 04:59:41 | More by RDW

katan

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

500ml into a pint

A - Pours a deep ruby red color. Very thick - but not hazy. Light white head formation. Bubbling is light.

S - Citrus and floral hop notes - little amount of malts, breadiness in the background.

T - Starts off lightly malty, midstream gets more hoppy, a piney and citrus mid-stream. finishes a clean, with very little flavor. The fruitiness from the english hops just don't quite through.

M - Moderate body, but a light amount of carbonation. Comes off a little bit thick. Finishes a little bit sticky. Alcohol is well hidden.

O/D - A beer that struggles to find an identity between American and English hops. The estery fruitness is almost more reminiscent of a belgian.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 04:13:15 | More by katan

greid

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

01-21-2012 04:05:04 | More by greid

zonker17

Illinois

4/5  rDev +12.7%

01-12-2012 23:05:55 | More by zonker17

ipcolling

Nebraska

4.5/5  rDev +26.8%

01-09-2012 00:12:46 | More by ipcolling

drpimento

Wisconsin

2.6/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Courtesy of John K; thank you sir. This was poured at a good temperature, with a fine, off white head that settles out and some lace. Color is an almost clear, slightly dark yellow. Aroma is malt, beer, hop, fruit. Flavor is like nose, and for a dry hopped, IPA very inadequate. Body and carbonation ok. Finish is like flavor and on the short side.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 02:30:34 | More by drpimento

Stouttyme

Nebraska

4/5  rDev +12.7%

12-20-2011 02:10:22 | More by Stouttyme