Heelch O'Hops - Anderson Valley Brewing Company

metter98

New York

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is slightly hazy yellow in color and has some hints of amber hues along with a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high beige head that died down but consistently left a thin head covering the surface and some lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of grapefruit and cantaloupe from the hops in the nose.
T: The taste shares some similarities to the smell but also has additional flavors of pine resin hops and hints of caramel malts. There is a moderate amount of bitterness and some hints of alcohol towards the finish.
M: It feels a little more than medium-bodied and crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This Imperial IPA delivers a lot of interesting hop aromas and flavors and isn't that difficult to drink considering its strength. The only apparent flaw is a bit of alcohol that's noticeable in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 02:56:39 | More by metter98

Halluxone

Georgia

3/5  rDev -20.8%

06-18-2013 00:50:06 | More by Halluxone

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.21/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Dark amber and copper color produced a good 1/2" head on it, average retention, almost no lace. Aroma was very bitter, but one dimensional hop aroma conveying bitterness more than anything else, some caramel along the way.

Taste and mouthfeel came through with a substantial amount of syrupy, thick, caramel bittersweetness. I wouldn't drink too many ipa's you've never had after this beer, your palate will be fatigued or compromised regarding bitterness. The malt beer is rather heavy, so the bitterness standing out so much is a tad bit of a surprise. Seems like they're still using the old school hops. Very resiny, I'm guessing Cascade, Centennial & Chinook.

This one was kind of middle of the roadish for a double ipa. Anderson Valley was a great brewery back in the 90s, but everything they have been releasing lately tells me they are like an aging prize fighter, never to recapture their past glory.

This one just lacks flavor, its mostly bitterness and some malt heft, which somehow doesn't really absorb the alcohol or bitterness all that well.

Single IPA way better. At this strength, some flavors would be cool beyond bitterness. Pretty much your average, or slightly better than average dipa.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 23:47:21 | More by Beerandraiderfan

beagle75

Iowa

2.98/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a shaker pint glass.

A: Slightly hazy, brassy golden color with one finger of white foam head. Heavy lacing remains on the glass.

S: Classic grapefruit juice and pine foliage are noteworthy, although carbon dioxide and a chemical plastic thread tend to be disruptive. Malt goes relatively unnoticed, maybe some weak and ambiguous honey-like quality. No alcohol is detected.

T: Begins off-dry, with chewy malts that are heavy on the crystal, and pungent hops aromatics that come across initially as very one-note of pine. Acidity contributes brightness into the middle where hops flavors turn more spicy-herbaceous as bitterness begins to take hold. Honey from the smell is more well-established in the finish, and bitterness is moderate and long-lasting. Some alcohol vapors seem to linger on the palate, amidst the bitterness.

M: Thin to medium viscosity, sticky and slightly acidic on the palate, with brisk carbonation.

D/O: This strong IPA appears to place a heavy reliance upon Columbus-style hops, resulting in a questionable outcome. Its hops qualities come across as brash and heavy-handed for the style; focused, but in a misguided sort of way.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 23:24:38 | More by beagle75

PhilDaBrewer

Indiana

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light copper color with thin white head. Aroma is grassy and citrus hops, but not as aromatic as the top tier DIPAs. Tastes of caramel, bready malts, and grassy hops. Medium bodied with nice carbonation. Overall, this is a pleasant beer, above average, but definitely not top tier. With the huge variety of DIPAs around, you can most certainly find better.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 02:28:49 | More by PhilDaBrewer

Pookie

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

06-15-2013 22:48:33 | More by Pookie

SSchus87

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

06-14-2013 03:22:58 | More by SSchus87

outoffocus

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

06-14-2013 02:24:08 | More by outoffocus

Dylanjf

New York

4/5  rDev +5.5%

06-14-2013 01:43:36 | More by Dylanjf

Yesdog

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

06-11-2013 23:55:53 | More by Yesdog

AlexChillton

Arizona

4/5  rDev +5.5%

06-11-2013 20:19:00 | More by AlexChillton

I_BYE_MI_BEER

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

06-11-2013 18:01:46 | More by I_BYE_MI_BEER

Kerrie

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

06-11-2013 02:06:25 | More by Kerrie

woemad

Washington

3.99/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle purchased at Huckleberry’s in Spokane for $2.59. No freshness date on the label.

Poured a somewhat hazy, golden color with a sudsy white head that hung around for a while. Said head left lots of lace.

Big citrusy and piney hop notes, as one would expect.

Like the aroma, this one tastes like a blend of citrusy and piney hops, with a bready malt backbone that provides a decent backbone and keeps the hops in balance. So many DIPAs have really amped up malt bills to increase the alcohol content so that the beer winds up a booze bomb, but this one is just right. There’s very little sign of an alcohol content that is near 9%, so it would not be the greatest choice for a session beer, but, dammit, it tastes like one!

Medium bodied, with a slightly oily mouthfeel.

A tasty DIPA that isn’t hugely malty, like some. I thoroughly enjoyed drinking this, and would have it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 01:03:50 | More by woemad

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.74/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Hazy burnished orange color. A thin white head sits on top and lightly carb'd. Plain jane.
In the aroma I note some citrus hops against bready malts.
Tastes freh and hoppy. The hops are more dank and wet then in the nose but one can taste some grapefruit and pine. The malts are bready with underliying caramel.
The beer is powerfully bitter with a dry clean finish.
I like the fact that the alcohol is lower for a DIPA. It's more in my drinking range.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 13:27:17 | More by micromaniac129

sevenshubby

California

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%

06-06-2013 01:36:43 | More by sevenshubby

ninaturner

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

06-05-2013 02:36:55 | More by ninaturner

whiterapid

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

06-04-2013 04:20:12 | More by whiterapid

maxwelldeux

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

06-03-2013 02:36:39 | More by maxwelldeux

Chugs13

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5.5%

06-03-2013 00:49:59 | More by Chugs13

ajzy

Wisconsin

2/5  rDev -47.2%

06-01-2013 11:47:52 | More by ajzy

JakeEsterly

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%

06-01-2013 00:14:41 | More by JakeEsterly

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

05-27-2013 16:29:48 | More by Kmat10

Imperial_Sapient_Groat

Michigan

4/5  rDev +5.5%

05-27-2013 00:35:06 | More by Imperial_Sapient_Groat

Poupae

Thailand

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%

05-26-2013 16:07:15 | More by Poupae