Hop Ottin' IPA - Anderson Valley Brewing Company

Damian74Shensky

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler poured into a Snifter glass.

A - Pours a orange amber with a two finger head. Head retention is good.

S - Sweet malts and citrus fruits. Hops!

T - Caramel malts, some fruit up front. Bittering hops, Sweet malt Finish.

M - Medium bodied, bitter sweet palate and with a good amount of carbonation.

O - A Very malty, bitter IPA. Pretty good IPA, will get again.

Serving type: growler

01-01-2013 00:22:40 | More by Damian74Shensky

fauxpunker

4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tap/Growler. Deep copper with persistent, thin, off-white head that fades away. Nothing fancy here. Just a straightforward, grab you by the taste buds IPA. Good hop aroma, a faint hint of malt, and plenty of hop flavor. A little grapefruit taste in the bitterness. Solid example for the style.

Serving type: growler

11-23-2012 20:48:38 | More by fauxpunker

belgaridub

Kentucky

3.48/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

amber with a small off whit e head that dissipates quickly

smell is all pine and resin - deep and almost earthy - citrus layered in with the pine as well - aroma doesn't really jump out at me, but smells potent like an IPA should

very bitter, but definitely has some sweetness to back it up - the resin continues on the tongue much more than any citrus - the bitterness almost sticks in your mouth

mouthfeel is medium bodied with fairly light carbonation so it kind of sits in the mouth - a slightly syrupy sweet finish that i don't like very much - it almost coats your mouth at the end so that i imagine if i drink anything after it will taste like this

would i want to have three or four of these? no
do i want to finish this one? definitely

Serving type: growler

04-30-2010 01:30:18 | More by belgaridub

scofielj

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 2L growler into a nonic glass.

A: Orange bubbly body with sudsy off-white colored head. Body is just a bit hazy with yellow highlights at the bottom of the glass. Good lacing down the glass.

S: Crisp hop smell of grapefruit and oranges with a slight touch of spice.

T: Nice hoppiness. Has a malty body to it which is nice as it differs from other IPAs out there, but it doesn't take it that extra step for me.

M: Better than average mouthfeel = it has some thickness and weight to it. Not too fizzy.

D: Found this very drinkable. First time with Anderson Valley which came highly recomended. Would without a doubt buy again.

Serving type: growler

02-18-2009 15:20:10 | More by scofielj

KYGunner

Kentucky

3.99/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Thick foamy and frothy the head set proudly atop a rich coppery color.

The aromas are set nicely, albeit a tad lightly. Malt and hops with touches of pine, rose, and tea leaves.

Amongst the more well balanced versions of the IPA varieties, this is not hop forward. Instead the mixture of rich grainy malt blends with piney floral hops and are balanced so that neither overshadows the other. Great taste and easy feel make this a triumph for Anderson Valley.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 19:49:13 | More by KYGunner

raynmoon

California

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A: Very clear, light amber color. Big bubbles on the head. No lacing or alcohol legs really. Looks nice.

S: Some bbq sauce-like malt, some hop astringency. I can hardly smell it.

t: That bbq-sauce malt backbone up front, very light bitterness and a nice juicy hop flavor on the back end.

m: lightly carbonated.

Probably not too fresh, but still well made.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 04:29:14 | More by raynmoon

Gatch

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Golden in color with a fluffy white head. Sweet malt dominate the nose and taste. This might not be the freshest. There's a slightly boozy, sweet, sugary malt and hop balance. This tastes more like a DIPA to me. I've had this in the past and I remember it being better. I'll give it another chance in the future.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 23:03:46 | More by Gatch

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.91/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very nice looking, lightly coppery and clear with a very nice two finger head that lasted and left sheets of thick, sticky lacing down all sides of the glass.

Aroma is nice and hoppy, but there's a nearly equal aroma from the malt base. Some caramel malt makes it way through, then earthy hops.

The taste is also pretty well balanced, but slightly skewed towards the hops. I like the malt base, it's flavorful and the body is pretty full, but it doesn't overpower the hops. Plenty of hops flavors assault your tongue when you drink this, I get an earthy hops presence first, then some citrus and pine.

Drinkability is high, as this one goes down pretty easy despite the medium body and strong hop bitterness finish.

They did a good job on this beer. I will have to try more beers from this brewer.

Serving type: can

05-19-2013 06:19:48 | More by AlCaponeJunior

Jenks

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Aroma – Fairly strong malt aroma for an IPA but it is pleasant, it reminds of caramel malt with maybe just a touch of chocolate. Hop aroma is moderate and has a mint and grapefruit character. As the beer warms the most dominating aroma is the grapefruit hop.

Appearance – Nice copper/redish color which pours a thick off white head. Beer is almost clear but does have a slight haze while looking through it. The head remains throughout the drinking experience and produces some very nice lacing on the sides of the pint glass.

Flavor –The balance of this beer is very nice in the beginning of the taste. There is good hop and malt character but the beer is definitely balanced on the hop side. Towards the end of the taste, the flavor is dominated by the hops and leaves a bit of a hop bite on the tongue. The malt flavor is present but not very distinguishable behind the hops; I cannot pick out the caramel or chocolate flavors that I found in the aroma. There are no detectable fermentation flaws or issues and I cannot taste any yeast contributions to the beer.

Mouthfeel – The beer is medium-light and goes down smooth. It does have a touch of astringency which may be caused by the hop bitterness. Moderate carbonation. Has the bitter hopped aftertaste that is synonymous of an IPA

Overall – This is a nicely done IPA that can be enjoyed year round. It is aggressively hopped and I would have liked to have sensed some alcohol warmness to go with the strong hop bitterness so an increased grain bill would be nice but I wouldn’t want to mess with the balance and body of the beer which was done very nicely. I would also imagine that this would be better as a fresh beer to really present the hop aromas and flavor on the same level that the bitterness is present

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 00:41:56 | More by Jenks

rjp217

Massachusetts

4.84/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from the bottle into a Samuel Adams pint glass. No expiration date found on the bottle or 6pack case. Pours a dark brown with a huge head, about two finger. Beautiful looking beer. Smells of floral hops, sweet malts and I get a big waft of caramel. Taste is not your average hoppy IPA. I get huge amounts of caramel, dominated the whole mouthfeel and pallet. Mild carbonation and drowned out hoppy aftertaste. This brew is so amazingly drinkable and sweet. Such a great take on an IPA. I could almost session this beer it's so drinkable. ABV is well hidden. Overall, I'm extremely impressed. This shoots close to the top of my IPA list. I see mixed reviews but I find it hard to believe. The bros hit it on the head, it's world class in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 01:06:04 | More by rjp217

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.38/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 ounce can into a DFH IPA glass.

A: Huge head is creamy and tannish. Great retention with sticky lacing. Clearish amber ale.

S: Moderately malty. Not much hop presence. Slightly herbal/spicy.

T/M: Smooth, pleasant, and rather unobjectionable. Slightly lemony aftertaste. Robust, creamy mouthfeel.

O: Unobjectionable, but pretty average. Better than the usual beers, but not great as an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 01:55:59 | More by AgentMunky

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I was disappointed with this selection at the Jamison pour house.
It was very fragrant with fresh hops
Looked okay but alittle flat and the taste had a cloying bite that was a turn off. Not much in way of hops. Malty with a slight toasted taste.
I don't think it was a tap issue perhaps just old.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2013 17:33:55 | More by micromaniac129

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.19/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Can my Girlfriend brought back from a recent trip to Winnipeg. Who knew they got this!

A - Pours a hop hazed dark golden colour. Good carbonation. Two finger fluffy, off white head. Head is nice, thick, and pillowy. Good finger of retention with good rings of lace too.

S - Great aroma. Lot's of pine. Touch of caramel. Prickly citrus.

T - Sweet caramel up front. Lot's more pine again like the aroma. Sweet tropical fruits. Ctirussy and aggressive.

M - Good, strong carbonation. Medium body, good bitterness.

O/D - A pretty solid IPA. Really classic American take on the style. Really drinkable too.

Serving type: can

05-11-2013 22:31:58 | More by tbeckett

kojevergas

California

2.94/5  rDev -27%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Self-identifies as an India Pale Ale. 7% ABV confirmed. 12 fl oz purple aluminum can with no visible best before date served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Acquired earlier tonight. Expectations are very high given its current ratings and the brewery - whose oatmeal stout I quite like.

Served cold, straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Paired with chili pepper spinach.

A: Pours a five finger light khaki colour head of nice cream and thickness, decent frothiness, decent looking texture (not horribly soft, but not off-putting), and good (~5+ minute) retention for the relatively high ABV. No lacing clings to the sides of the glass as the head recedes. Body colour is a fairly vibrant palish copper; translucent and transparent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Exactly what you'd expect an IPA to look like, but the head retention is a highlight. I don't notice any overt flaws. Standard fare, but right on the money for the style. Looking forward to trying it. Not real creamy looking.

Sm: Pleasant and diverse floral hop character is prominent, resting on a pale malt base. Lilac and other distinct flowery notes. It's a mild strength aroma. Clean and fragrant. Otherwise, I don't get other types of hop character; maybe some light grapefruit citrus esters. Some caramalt in the base. Light tropical hop notes; pineapple may be the only distinct one I can identify. An appealing aroma for the style with some interesting hop choices. No yeast character or alcohol is detectable. It's not coming off exceptional, so my expectations are for it to be good but not great at this point. I'm hoping it proves me wrong...

T: Hm. It's not your typical IPA build - especially for the emergent "West Coast IPA" style trend. Perfumey floral hop notes with plenty of tropical notes - pinapple and perhaps passionfruit among them - and a palpable half-hidden hop bitterness on the climax accompanied by a light twinge of grapefruit esters. Foundation is pale malts and a surprisingly high caramel (malt) bill. Very vague light pine buried in there, too. Sweet up front giving in to a bitter metallic taste in the third act which stays with you on the finish; that's its only major flaw. Consequently, the balance - both structurally and in terms of flavour - is far from ideal. I do find the build interesting and - dareisay - unique, but this requires serious tuning to be a truly great brew. I do like it in a general sense. No yeast character or alcohol comes through.

Mf: I'd like it more oily to accompany the noncommital pine. Smooth and wet for the majority of the structure - except for some dryness and coarseness in the third act. Okay thickness; it thins way too much in the late second act. On the harder end of water hardness. Certainly not soft on the palate. A biteen overcarbonated, but not biting or sharp. A bit rubbery and inconsistent; it's not an even texture by any means. Not as creamy as I'd like, except right on the climax - but the hop bitterness is too distracting at that point for it to be pleasant. A messy mouthfeel that doesn't suit the flavour profile except incidentally.

Dr: A bit boggled by the high ratings for this beer currently. As much as I like a lot of the brewery's other work, this just isn't an impressive IPA - especially for those of us who value balance in an IPA. I like and respect that it tries to do something different in the style; its choices in terms of hops and flavour is pretty unique. It just doesn't come off like it should. Drinkable but not worth picking up again. I'd like to revisit this on-draught; the metallic off-flavour really kills this one for me.

C

Serving type: can

05-11-2013 04:42:56 | More by kojevergas

BradMacMullin

Massachusetts

3.09/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Odd beer. I saw the 100 rating and I was pretty excited. Pours a copper color with nice lacing. The smell is odd to me. I don't get it. Honestly, the taste was poor to me - had a chemical taste and the aftertaste was bad. I looked for an expiry date and couldn't find it, but they seem to to sell a lot here at Lower Depths. I will need to try again another time, as I didn't like this but everyone else does

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 23:38:50 | More by BradMacMullin

smiga

New Jersey

4.01/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Another great craft beer in a can, poured into a Leffe Tulip.
An original, a meditation beer. Sit outside and sip from a tulip glass.

A- An awesome looking beer. One of the best rounded, floaty, heads. Feel like they do something to make it so pronounced, rounded, dense, and lasting. The retention is impressive. The head is light creamy colored, and creamy looking. The lacing is lasting, strong and sticky. The beer pours hazy apricot. Best looking IPA ever. Out of a can!

S- Subtle. Not strong waft... a calm hop presence... subtle fruity citrusy scent and a bit of Sierra stream. Seriously, smells like outdoor water.

T- Lovely first impression of freshness, with inviting and not overwhelming hops. The subtle hop aroma leads to a smooth and balanced taste. The beer is honey sweet tempered with a bitter, but not overwhelming floral esters finish. Lovely and original, in the direction of STONE IPA, but lighter.
Taste gets better as you go along. A great food beer, as well as a great meditation beer.

M- I enjoy the texture of this beer: starts creamy, but has a lighter weight. lovely and refreshing, yet, not as much gravity as a STONE IPA, TITAN, or even a 21st Amendment.

O- A must try, original ipa. Lighter smell, fresh, not over whelming, with no cliche, very original, outdoorsy, cascade hops.

Very exciting beer!

Serving type: can

04-27-2013 02:06:04 | More by smiga

FLima

Brazil

4.21/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Amber color with lots of thick off-white head with good retention and leaving laces, actually almost a curtain on the glass.
Good citric aroma from its hops with notes of grapefruit and a bit of passion fruit, and hints of pine.
Nice bitter and flavorful taste, slightly toasted malts with a citric and fruity taste with hints of grapefruit. Very dry and bitter aftertaste.
Medium to full body with good carbonation and tiny bubbles. Alcohol of 7% ABV is simply not felt.
Quality beer and very well balanced American IPA. Very drinkable for its style.

Serving type: can

04-21-2013 03:29:56 | More by FLima

ckollias

Maryland

4.11/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a Belgian tulip glass.

A: Pours an orangish-amber hue with a thin white head that slowly dissipates leaving a nice trail down the glass.

S: Citrus – Malt – and hops aroma.

T: Sweet malt up front followed by a solid hop punch to the face. Finished slightly dry and tart.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Solid IPA – well balanced and hoppy.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 03:30:59 | More by ckollias

buschbeer

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce can
Served in a nonic pint glass

A - This is the second can out of a six pack that immediately gushed all over the counter. I managed to save two thirds of the contents. Obviously, I had a glass full of tan foam. It settled rather quickly to reveal a cloudy, orange beverage with golden highlights.

S - I stick my nose in the glass and get some grapefruit and orange aromas. There is also a fair amount of bready malt. It kind of reminds me of honey on a biscuit.

T - The citrus aromas translate to citrus flavors. It starts out with orange and grapefruit. Then it gives way to a sweet bread taste. The finish is bitter grapefruit.

M - It is kind of full bodied for and IPA with less carbonation than I would say is normal. Probably due to the massive release of CO2 when I cracked it open.

O - This is a balanced IPA with a bitter finish. It is not my style of IPA though. Hopefully, I remember to open the others over the sink.

Serving type: can

04-09-2013 22:51:48 | More by buschbeer

TheMarkE

California

4.49/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Nice copper shade with a very good head and amazingly sticky lacing.

Smell: Orange peel, pine, and a touch of malt.

Taste: Bitter citrus hops and sweet hops, with some spice and herbal flavor thrown in. Very good balance.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and creamy, with a moderate bitter aftertaste.

The Verdict: Excellent. Good balance between sweet malts and bitter hops, this is everything an IPA should be.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 01:25:23 | More by TheMarkE

strimpf

Florida

3.06/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured into a pint glass clear amber with a fluffy, white head. The nose is very flowery pine notes with some slight astringent smell I can't describe any better..
There wasn't much front-end flavor, just the piney taste of hops. Seems like the malt took a holiday. The finish was fairly strong and lingering with bitter pineyness.
I don't want to use the word 'slimy' to describe the feel, but it was kind of like that. Slight tingle of carbonation on the tongue. Not unpleasant but less than expected.
With the pretty pour and flowery smell, I was hoping for some complex flavors and crispness, but was left a little disappointed. That said, this is not a bad IPA. Don't let the can fool you.

Serving type: can

03-25-2013 02:45:57 | More by strimpf

3beerdudes

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bought single 12oz bottle. Poured into tulip pint glass. Clear, deep amber/rust color with two finger head. Smelled pine with a hint of citrus in the background. First sip was good, not overbearing. Second taste was better than the first. There is not any undesirable aftertaste; drinkable, not overly hoppy, I could definitely drink another without feeling weighted down. This is a solid IPA that would appeal to those who like IPAs that don't punch them in the face. (Beer dude #3)

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 19:04:12 | More by 3beerdudes

mxchap

California

3.33/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: amber (almost exactly like a Bass). Surprisingly creamy head.
Aroma: Fairly subtle hop aroma (citrusy). Bit of pale malt.
Taste: Somewhat bitter, mostly citrus flavor (cascade and centennial?). Somewhat stale taste
at the end.
Mouthfeel: Perfect carbonation and resin from hops.
Overall: Middle of the road IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2013 21:12:13 | More by mxchap

charlzm

California

3.31/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Consumed on March 14th, 2013 in a 12 oz. Samuel Adams "perfect" beer glass. Served at 50 degrees F.

Beer pours a clear, brilliant yellow. Plenty of head on this one: three fingers of meringue-like, nearly-pillowy yellowish foam. It eventually settles down into a super-sheeting layer of foam.

Aromas are present but not especially amazing: orange peel, some dank, musty almost-funk, traces of pine.

Flavor is a touch skunky off the bat. Some biscuity malt but mainly aspirin-like bitterness. A touch of bitter orange peel as well. Not really all that well-put-together.

Mouthfeel is prickly and dry while at the same time managing a creaminess. Neat trick.

Overall, this one works well enough, I suppose, but it's far from one of my favorite IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 03:38:41 | More by charlzm

lunarbrew

Wisconsin

4.11/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A- Very good looking beer. Head retention is very impressive. The head is light caramel color and very creamy. The lacing is strong and sticky. The beer pours clear with a rich amber color.

S- Definitely a clear hop presence, although the aroma is not terribly rich. There is a pretty fruity citrusy scent of grapefruit and lemon.

T- The nice subtle hop aroma leads to a pretty smooth and balanced ipa. The beer is relatively sweet (mostly honey) with a bitter, but not overwhelming finish. The finish is mostly floral with lingering grapefruit. Definitely fits the style.

M- I really enjoy the texture of this beer: very creamy, heavy, and full-bodied. I may expect a lighter mouth feel from an ipa like this with larger bubbles and less carbonation, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

O- A very enjoyable ipa. I would prefer a fuller and richer cascade aroma, but the flavor and texture were exciting and well executed. Will drink another...Soon.

Serving type: can

03-13-2013 02:56:19 | More by lunarbrew