Hop Wrangler - Peace Tree Brewing Co.

garymuchow

Minnesota

2.58/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Mildly spicy yeast aroma with a Belgian quality to it. That's okay, but not too much else going on.
Mostly clear amber with gold to brown and orange. Smallish head.
I've had this several times and I keep coming to the conclusion that the flavors are just a mess. The bitterness is strong and not that pleasant. The malt flavors are weak and uninteresting and the hops are mostly grassy. Occasionally get some yeast flavors - they are okay. I like the idea and the marketing speak - that's why I bought it, but in the end it's just not that enjoyable .
Thinnish body, but not too much. Prickly carbonation.
In the end the bitterness is too emphasized. not very pleasing and too much.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 01:13:02 | More by garymuchow

powerss13

Kansas

3.38/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

ST: Bottle poured into a glass

A: Darker golden hue; kind of like a lighter rusty color. clear body, clouds up when mix in yeast from bottom of bottle

S: Get a more hop forward smell. Definitely get a dry hop aroma

T: Fell a little flat for me, could be because of the bottle I had. The very top of the bottle, on the lip where the cap goes over, had been chipped, so possible loss of carbonation. What I did get out of it was the dry hop in the flavor. The dry hop taste definitely helped out.

MF: Lighter body, not heavy on the hops (again revert back to my comment in 'Taste'). Low carbonation*; the dry finish from their dry hop process helped.

O: My overall experience was fair, but could be better. I will give it another try due to the fact of the bottle being "damaged".

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 16:09:22 | More by powerss13

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

3.81/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a shaker pint glass.

Look: carrot-orange color. Good head retention and lacing.
Aroma is caramel, apples, and bitter grapefruit.
Taste: Really good caramel sweetness at first, then great hops and grapefruit.
Nice mouthfeel.
Overall: good. More balanced than most. Love the stubby bottle.t

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 21:28:34 | More by JuicesFlowing

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.05/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A 12 oz. bottle (love the shape of these pseudo-stubbies), one purchased at John's Grocery in IC at the end of August. Poured to a pint glass.

Label: "Hop Wrangler 3 is a multi-national take on the classic India Pale Ale... we use American, English and Belgian malts for flavor, body and color.... includes six hop additions of American and English hops, one each in the mash and first wort, three in the boil and finally a dry hop addition in the fermenter. It is finished with a Belgian yeast which develops esters that complement the bouquet of hop aromas."

"IN HEAVEN THERE IS NO BEER" - Really???

A: Despite the labels admonition to "leave sediment in bottle", I poured it all. Oops. Amber-hued pour, a little hazy, steadily carbonated. Good head: a finger of ecru foam that holds well and leaves an undulating lace with a few puffy flecks.

S: A good, although not particularly potent, smell of fruity mish-mashed hops and malts. Has a "Belgian" tone with a crisp apple-scented balance.

T: Bready and spicy, a little lemon zest and tang. Some orange-citrus, pith and pulp. Hops have a grassy/bitter green skew, whatever Belgian yeast is subtle, but pleasing. Bold flavor overall.

M: Mellow, medium body (borderline full-bodied), well-spiced (rye), tangy and dry/bitter finish. Chewy, but not sticky.

O: One of those "sum is greater than the parts" type beers, a tasty take on a style I like - one I'd probably drink often if I lived in Iowa. Alas, I don't. Tried it once on tap there; it's every bit as good from the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 00:03:16 | More by msubulldog25

CHADMC3

Connecticut

3.85/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The head erupts from the golden body. It is white md rocky and very slowly dissolves into a scattered lacing.

Very nice floral hop aromas with hints of Belgian yeast and a lightly sweet malty backbone. Upon further review the hoops aromas are also a touch fruity.

The flavor is certainly more on the American side up front packing a nice hop punch of citrus fruit and flowers with the malt and yeast arriving towards the finish.

Much fuller in body than its Belgian brewed counterparts with massive carbonation and a puckering finish.

While perhaps not spot on compared to a Belgian brewed IPA, Peace Tree does a great job with this and the generous flavor character is very desirable.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 23:48:52 | More by CHADMC3

JEdmund

Kansas

4.03/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A nice looking color to this IPA with its rich orange glow; a bit hazy, with an average-sized head formation.

Smell is a bit tame for American IPA standards, but it's nonetheless pleasant with an overall fruity and slightly sweet smell. Hop profile seems familiar, but I’m having a hard time placing it (them).

Before the flavor, I’m first struck by how nice the mouthfeel is on this! It’s so pillowy full and soft. Not sure what they’ve done to achieve this, but it’s nice!

Taste is pretty well balanced, though of course leaning toward the hop side. Hops really take off more in the finish. Otherwise it’s just a smooth hop delivery and a pretty harmonious flavor complemented by the non-competing malts.

OK, so I just read on Peace Tree’s website that Belgian yeast, as well as candy sugar are part of the recipe (in addition to English hops and malts). The sugar probably explains the exceptional body, but I would not have guessed this had Belgian yeast at play. But now that I know, I do kind of get a slightly spicy flavor in there that’s most likely from the yeast and not a bittering hop. Also, I’m drinking this colder than I prefer.

I’m really enjoying my first Peace Tree beer, and I look forward to trying more of their beers. I probably wouldn’t buy this IPA often if I had access to it, but I’d enjoy it from time to time. Then again, as it continues to warm, that Belgian yeast finish is growing on me and reminding of the enjoyable Devils Backbone Belgian Congo Pale.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 00:21:17 | More by JEdmund

TastyTaste

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy copper, very carbonated, producing large heads with every bottle. Smell is sweet and caramely, with familiar tones of Belgian-style yeast. Flavor is drier than you would expect from a Belgian styled IPA. Has a metallic twang, and a sizable hop bitterness. Versus the style, it is what I would expect a Belgian IPA to be. The beer feel think, but the champagne-like carbonation really cuts the underlying viscosity. Definitely worth checking out, maybe the best beer from Iowa I have had to this point.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 16:23:00 | More by TastyTaste

jthahn

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Purchased while working in Cedar Rapids, picked up a 6 pack from Benz.

Bottle poured into a small glass

A - Good looking beer. Typical coloration for an IPA, good head and lacing in the glass.

S - Not your typical hop smell from an IPA, but this is a liberal take on the style. Utilizes belgian yeast which could be what changes the aroma. Additionally i don't know what the dry hop is so it may not be something with a strong aroma

T - bitter, but right on for a single. Definitely seems to be on the high end of bitterness for a single IPA but I enjoy it.

M - A tad maltier than most IPAs, but again the use of malts from several countries may be the cause for that.

O - this is a unique IPA and as such you can't fairly judge it against your typical IPA. I like the idea, however I think I would prefer either an American IPA or a Belgian IPA and not something in between which is what this is.

You could definitely use this as a hot summers day beer or a good introduction to IPAs as it isn't as abrasive as west coast styles or as heavy as english/belgians.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 00:44:42 | More by jthahn

biker30x

Illinois

3.08/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pilsner out of a bottle.

Crystal clear, deep reddish golden color with a thin white head.

Reading the label, shows Belgian yeast which accounts for the slightly "off" nose and flavor. There's no getting away from the "wang" of that yeast. Hops ride in front on this one, a sharp piny bite. If this were followed by the regular backbone of malt and citrus, this would be the kind of IPA I can get behind. The estery yeasty Belgian profile is a deal-breaker for me.

That said, this Belgian is drinkable and almost pleasant. If only the label on this one even hinted at the cross-cultural nature of this one (beyond the paragraph on the back). It's a Belgian for hopheads or an IPA for Belgian lovers, but it's a long way from a straightforward IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 02:29:42 | More by biker30x

birchstick

Missouri

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at el bait shop. Pours an orangish color with a half finger that leaves a nice lacing down the glass. The nose is a little fruity from the Belgian yeast with some grapefruit hops. Palate is similar. Starts off with some cereal and caramel Malta that transition to some fruitiness. Ends with a very pungent onion. Pretty solid Belgian IPA. I think hop sutra is better, but this is delicious in its own way.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2011 04:55:03 | More by birchstick

doughanson78

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Thanks to storminspank for this.

A: Dark amber color with a medium haze. One and a half finger off white head with good retention and lacing.

S: Light floral and citrus hops. Belgian yeast comes through a bit and lends a touch of spiciness. Slight caramel malts. Slight bubble gum aroma. Overall pretty light nose.

T: Belgian yeast mixes with the caramel malts upfront. The yeast spiciness continues through the rest of the mouth. Finishes with a slight grapefruit bitterness.

M: Light body. Higher carbonation. Slick, oily, and fairly dry.

O: A decent Belgian IPA. Don't know how fresh but the hops definitely take a back seat to the Belgian side of it.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 01:11:56 | More by doughanson78

augustgarage

California

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz stubby into my Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Glassy tangerine liquid with a slender finger of papaya whip foam up top. Delicate sandy lacing, fast running legs, average retention.

Phenols and hops intermingle, drawing you in with a gentle spicy/citrus-y mix. Floral and malty with orange zest and rock candy notes as well.

Pink peppercorn, grapefruit, and grass in the palate entry. Persistent moderate bitterness throughout. Complex earthy finish with an array of brighter fruit and spice notes. Flavors are restrained and difficult to parse, but lovely overall.

Medium-light bodied, with no effervesence but decent carbonation otherwise.

An interesting mix of (Belgian, English, and American) ingredients combine to make for a unique style defying IPA.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 05:18:49 | More by augustgarage

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to my Mom and Dad giving this to me as birthday present!

Light haze to this bronze and copper hued brew. Good head and strong film that lasts for all twelve ounces.

Nice caramel malts, faint tart apple juice, and maybe a little citric zest in the nose. A pretty sweet smelling IPA overall. Must be the yeast.

Bitter orange peel up front, a little aplle flavor hits the middle, along with that strong Orange peel hop bitterness. The caramel, biscuit malts don't really standout until the lingering finish. I got a strong caramel malt bill, then back to orange peel bitterness.

Mostyly bitter, resiny palate with a little tartness. Taste more like an American IPA than a Belgian IPA to me. Still, not a bad, beer and I'm happy I got to try it.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 00:23:16 | More by scruffwhor

Centennial

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle, poured into Ommegang Tulip

A. nice golden with amber glow 1mm bubbly head

S. honey malt, floral hops, bubble gum (no joke, like bazooka joe bubble gum)

T. Rose hips and muted spicy hops with dry bitterness in backend.

M. Medium, but carbonation is too high and detracts from the flavors

O. Average Ipa, would most likely pass this up if it was alocal on the shelves unless priced very reasonably.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 05:32:50 | More by Centennial

Pintofbrown

Iowa

3.93/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

App- Has an attractive orange-amber body,it looks much like a maerzen. There is almost no head, just a ring of white film around the outside of the glass.

Smell- There is a wonderful citrus hop flavor to this beer, grapefruit and peach. There is also a resin note to the hops.

Taste- The slick pine hops take the majority of the flavor profile. There is lots of grapefruit and tangerine here as well. Maybe that peach finish is what is harkening to a Belgian IPA, wouldn’t really catch Belgian out of this otherwise. The bitter kick at the finish is great.

Mouth feel- It has a light mouthfeel, would be better if it was more medium bodied. The lightness takes away from the smoothness of the finish, doesn’t mix well with the bitter finish.

Overall- The hop mix in this beer is very good, smells and taste great. The feel is a little off and I’m not sure what makes this a Belgian IPA when I drink it. I think many could easily agree it is an American IPA. It is still a very good IPA nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2011 15:16:54 | More by Pintofbrown

Cresant

Kentucky

3/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served this 12 oz. stubby brown bottle in a Goose Island tulip pint. No date. The modest head left only a film and ring. The body was an orange/butterscotch color with some haziness.

The smell was fruity and dirty. There was a damp basement mustiness that I would expect from a Belgian IPA.

The taste was of Belgian yeast and gentle bitterness. Some light spiciness. An understated bitterness, but quintessentially a Belgian IPA.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied with modest carbonation. I was glad to try this one but also not one I would seek out.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 14:27:33 | More by Cresant

AmericanGothic

Iowa

3.98/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Peace Tree pint.

A: Pours slightly hazy, light copper orange color with 1/2 finger of off-white head. Some retention and lace.

S: Nice peach hop aromas.

T: Starts a bit dry with equal parts peach and pine, transforms slowly to mostly pine on the finish. Also some dry biscuit. Not a lot of Belgian character, but some influence is there on the finish. Very smooth flavor.

M: Light mouthfeel, good carbonation and a little oil for a good overall impression.

O: This was one of my favorite beers last summer, and hard to imagine I haven't had it since then. Plenty tasty and a good choice for when you want a nice, dry IPA.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 23:49:38 | More by AmericanGothic

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.98/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brought this back along with a load of beers from my Iowa trip. Bottle split into tulips.

A: Cloudy amber orange. About a finger of off white head. Soapy lace remains.

S: Pleasant citrus hop profile. Belgian spice profile is present. Some mild sweetness from the malt bill.

T: The Belgian side of things is much much more present in the flavor. The citrus play s well with the spices. Hints of bubble gum in the finish.

M: Medium body. Decent carbonation.

O: I'm not a fan of Begian IPA's. However this one was tasty and easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 01:33:36 | More by beerwolf77

DesMoinesMike

Iowa

3.6/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at el Bait Shop

It wasn't until writing the review I found out this a Belgian IPA. I was at the bar thinking it had just standard flavor and less intensity than others, but for a BIPA it's nice. It does have the added fruitiness, some lemon and maybe a bit or orange. It has a bit of a kick but levels out towards the end. It looks and smells pretty and has s nice body to it.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2011 22:25:37 | More by DesMoinesMike

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

amber, light haze and cloudiness but amble carbonation streaming up the sides of the glass led to a huge head of white that scraped the sides of the glass with rich lacing.

the aroma is light citrus aromas, lemon, with hints of banana, light clove and grassy notes and a touch of light bready malts, well rounded i have to say.as i take the first sip, crisp, clean with a nice touch of lemon zest that cracks the lips. smooth yeast notes and light banana then grace the palate and leave a light fruit flavor that mingles well with the grainy malts on the way out. light dry, clean and smooth finish

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 01:38:37 | More by mikesgroove

TheGordianKnot

Tennessee

3.63/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks for the opportunity to taste this, mattafett! No bottle dating found; poured into imperial pint glass.

A- Rusty orange color sits in the glass. A vigorous pour provided an inch head with very large bubbles. It died instantly. I don't like to have to pour as hard as I needed for a head on an IPA. No stability or lacing.

S- Smells like a Belgian IPA. Yeast definitely takes the forefront of the nose with strong phenols and a balanced funk. The hops contribute delicate flowers and an oak woodiness. Sweet biscuits found on the backend to balance.

T/M- Very different. This is a spot on balance of a Belgium/American IPA. Bitterness is smooth to begin but does end astringent on the sides of the tongue. The level of IBUs is not where I want to see it, but doesn't detract from overall enjoyment- I do just tend to enjoy more of a hoppy tastebud kick. Slightly piney and woody to begin, but is quickly tackled by the Belgian yeast that tames the bitterness balances a wonderful bouquet of funk and delicate floral flavors. The carbonation is very very low for an IPA, leaving the body a little heavy and not quite cloying, but also not quite as dry as I would like it- especially knowing there is Belgian yeast in there.

O- I am very glad I had the opportunity to try this. I do feel this is one of the better American takes on an IPA with a Belgian twist (not that I have had a ton yet, though); but I just can't find myself to enjoy these more than a straight west coast IPA. Well balanced and drinkable. Definitely doesn't feel like a 6.25% beer. Though it lacks some aspects I enjoy in my IPAs, it makes up for it with its execution in other areas. I recommend this beer to anyone who could try it! Thanks again, Matt!

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 02:37:14 | More by TheGordianKnot

bsp77

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Nonic Imperial Pint.

Appearance: Cloudy, somewhat dark orange-amber with moderate off-white head.

Smell: Fairly tart, with grapefruit, pine, banana and some earthy & herbal hops.

Taste: Strong bitter and tart grapefruit reigns supreme. Somewhat funky and musty from the Belgian yeast. Malts are quite bready. Firm bitterness at the finish, which has quite a bit of pine.

Feel: Moderate carbonation, medium body, very dry finish.

Overall: A more than solid Belgian IPA, which has some nice English IPA components in addition to the expected American hops. The beer may be a little too yeasty, as I learned you really do need to leave the sediment in the bottle (which is almost the last 2 ounces), or it takes over. A little amateur and homebrewish, but very tasty nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 00:22:32 | More by bsp77

emerge077

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Sanctuary, served in a shaker pint.
Review from written notes.

It was the end of the keg, and the bartender warned of the sediment, but I wasn't afraid of a little extra vitamin B. The pint looked like murky carrot juice however. I've got a bottle of Hop Wrangler that i'll open soon and revise the review.

Color was an unusual opaque orange, due to the above circumstances, it had a thin covering of skim on top with a string of larger bubbles around the edges. Some spotty lacing but not much. Grassy herbal hop aroma, pleasant but not especially defined.

Moderately bitter with pine, dried orange peel, and herbal hop flavors. Dry, moderately bitter aftertaste with a resiny feel that sticks to the teeth. Medium to full bodied with the extra yeast. Ironically the brewer recommends decanting off the yeast... i'll review the bottle sample soon for a better comparison.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2011 14:04:24 | More by emerge077

TheQuietMan22

Iowa

3.63/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Straight pour into a tulip glass. The color is a medium amber that is still a little straw bright. Two fingers of eggshell-colored head dissipated to leave a bubbly lacing and thick ring around the edge.

Smell: Creamy and hoppy. There is a lot of grapefruit citrus from the hops, but there is also an adequate amount of slightly toasted caramel maltiness that provides a little balance. There is also a little bit of pine spice.

Taste: It has Peace Tree’s typical, farmhouse Belgian yeast taste (blah), but it is mitigated by the aggressive hops. Grapefruit citrus, pine spice, and a little bit of toasted malts (caramel).

Drinkability: Again, the yeast triggers bad memories of their saison, but this is a decent IPA. I would prefer it not be Belgian-style, but that is not Peace Tree’s thing.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2011 05:25:07 | More by TheQuietMan22

salvo

Indiana

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hop Wrangler 3 by peacetree pours a wonderful rich brown red with an inch of thick sudsy head that dissipates slowly. Only faintly laces the glass.

Smell is rich and pungent of biting earthy hops: nicely balanced and layered smells with no single dominant note either in hops or malts. Harmonious.

Flavor is rich and again layered with numerous hop notes and well balanced malts. The final Belgian finish may be lost on me, though. (The label promises Belgian yeast finish which I was looking for and really didn't get. Perhaps a little too subtle)

Mouthfeel is full and rich, overall an excellent IPA with layers of tasty complexity and undoubtable craftsmanship. I'll be looking for this one again.

Okay I went back to the bottle and sniffed the sediment which the bottle specifically said not to pour, and all the sharp bready aromas from the Belgian yeast was there. I wonder how pouring the whole thing, residual sediment and all, into the glass might have changed the aroma and taste. Now I really do wish this were more readily available! Good, complex stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2011 19:47:10 | More by salvo