Hop Bomber Pale Ale - Rivertown Brewing Co.

5thOhio

South Carolina

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

Appearance is reddish amber with a quarter inch white head that dissipated to a thin film of foam on the surface and rim. Smattering of lacing.

Aroma is malty up front and follows with slight floral/pine hop notes.

Taste is initially heavy on malt with subtle hints of, maybe, molasses & licorice but finishes with pine and spicy bitterness lingering. Mouthfeel is solid, not too thick or thin and strong on carbonation.

More malty than I would expect for an APA, but it works since the mouthfeel and appearance are also on the heavy side. A decent APA overall, but somewhat huskier than usual for this style.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 00:17:57 | More by 5thOhio

davecavemaster

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This frosty barley pop is from one of the most historic beer brewing cities...Cincinnati, Ohio. Back in the late 1800s, Cincinnati was home to over 30 different breweries. Building on that proud tradition is the Rivertown Brewing Company. My first selection from this brewery is the Hop Bomber. The bottle says that it is named for the B-24 Liberator. The Hop bomber is a very malty brew, courtesy of "Dark English crystal malt and spicy fresh rye malt" I've had malted beers that are too sweet and overpowering, but this flavor is right on the money. But let's not forget, this is "Hop" Bomber after all, so let's get to the hops. Rivertown dry hops (that means they add the hops to the wort after the boil) the brew to get a great aroma and taste. I don't know the varieties, but they use two different kinds of American hops for the process. Some of the "hoppy" beers can have a bitter aftertaste, you'll find none of that here. Beautiful dark color, nice foam head, great smell..this is one good beer. Nice to see Cincinnati putting out some great homemade craft beers again.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 02:30:52 | More by davecavemaster

ajanesz

Kentucky

2.88/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served from a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance - Dark golden bronze in color with two fingers of creamy yellow white head that sticks around. Rather murky but nicely carbonated. Nice lacing.

Smell- A slight hint of mouth watering floral citrus scent derived from the hops. Not much else here.

Taste- The first thing that hits me is the rye followed by a medium biting hop flavor. I expected more hop bite, but this pale ale has a rather malty flavor start to finish. Unexpected but intriguing spicy rye flavor.

Mouthfeel- Light to medium body with some creaminess, but still crisp.

Overall- I like the rye kick at the beginning, but it is tough for me to compare this to other top pale ales. The finish lacks character and a notable hop character that I was expecting. Nonetheless, a very drinkable ale, but not one that I would look for one the shelf.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 01:29:43 | More by ajanesz

brucer1

Ohio

2.15/5  rDev -37.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

i wonder if this old? cant really tell if its skunky or not. very carbonated... pour carefully or you'll get nothing but head. smells and tastes more like a belgian, albeit a darker version. not so good...adequate though because it is beer. the computer says i need more characters this should do...don't get this the name and bottle appearence don't jive!!!

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 02:59:23 | More by brucer1

agleas1

Ohio

5/5  rDev +45.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The most well balanced Pale I've ever had! It seems like the go to answer for most micro brewmasters is just to hop, re-hop and hop again to mask the inequities. These guys, while at a nice IBU level, don't knock off your nose or tounge with flowers. They simply wow you with their quality!

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2010 16:16:05 | More by agleas1

GoRedlegs

Kentucky

4.03/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle to a pub glass.

A: Dark honey color with an off white thin head. Mild lace.

S: Smooth malt overtones. Simple.

T: Creamy and straight forward ale with a quick finish. Warming aftertaste.

M: Slim and quick to wash away.

O: A nice example of an american ale made in my home town area of lovely Cincinnati. A pleasing offering with great drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 22:03:49 | More by GoRedlegs

jurban

Ohio

3/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Hops hit quickly but then there is a smooth and watery, but nice finish. Alcohol taste is minimal. Has a bit of an unpleasant after taste. Overall the taste is remenscent of a watered down ipa. Makes a good session beer due to its lower alchohol content and non-overwhelming flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 02:27:29 | More by jurban

bjmh

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Maybe my palate lacks the sophistication of some of the other reviewers, but I really like this beer! It is plenty hoppy with an ibu of about 50, and the complex malt comes through to give it a great balance. The rye really comes thru for me, and I find it a very enjoyable, drinkable beer. It may not be typical of the style, but taste is what I base my judgement on. I have tried four other beers from this brewer, but the Hop Bomber is my favorite. The brewery is about 5 miles from my home.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 23:46:00 | More by bjmh