Be Hoppy - Wormtown Brewing Co.

xerotime

Massachusetts

3.05/5  rDev -28.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On tap at Peppercorn's served in a Sierra Nevada pint glass.

A - Pours a very cloudy medium orange with a solid 1 finger head that dissipated rather quickly but left nice lacing the whole way down.

S - The usual suspects of citrus and pine some light malt and yeast.

T - Firmly bitter with a large yeast bite. Not much in the way of hop flavor.

M - Medium mouthfeel with good carbonation

Overall a nice attempt at a West Coast style IPA but seems to me that it may have been rushed out of the brewery to have such a prominent yeasty flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2010 14:57:27 | More by xerotime

bum732

Maryland

3.38/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

S: Grapefruit rind, touch of burnt plastic, fresh hops, additional citrus, some maltiness hidden underneath.

L: Cloudy burnt yellow, creamy white head with great retention.

T; Grapefruit rind with complementing breadiness. Medium high citrus like bitterness. Hoppy bitterness lingers into the finish. Toasty malt complements throughout.

M: Medium high body, slightly creamy, medium carbonation.

Ok, solid IPA, but nothing special IMO.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 02:55:26 | More by bum732

NEhophead

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 fl oz brown bottle served in a tumbler.

Bottled in August 2011.

Slightly cloudy, pale straw in color. A bit of noticeable carbonation. Dense, bright white foam of a head. Condensed and spotted lacing with good strength.

Bright pine and citrus hops; both seem to be a bit thin and a touch solvent-like. Some medicinal notes along with a moderate earthen must.

Lemon, lime, and pear citrus qualities up front; again, a bit thin in spots. Spruce and pine that overwhelm the palate which leads to an overpowering, bulky bitterness. Touches of peach and melon in the aftertaste, along with the bitterness.

Medium in body; thin in spots, but remarkably gritty. As with the taste, the texture is just out of balance.

Intensely hoppy; however, the various hops don't quite marry. Lacks a refined touch.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 18:35:40 | More by NEhophead

brureview

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Brew date: August 2012. Purchased October 2012.
Not sure if the beer is fresh.

Poured a nice golden color with a two finger head.

Aroma: orange rind and tobacco.

Good bitterness, and not overwhelming.

Mouth feel very smooth, not very carbonated.

Taste: grapefruit. No sweetness as other reviewers have noted.
Perhaps the bottle has lost its freshness?

2nd tasting: definitely drink this IPA at 50 F. More hoppiness, tartness, orange rind, malt.
The IBUs are more pronounced at this temp. A good beer, but I would like to taste a more recent brewing date.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 01:40:48 | More by brureview

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle into a tulip glass.

Pours a clear gold (with a bit of a coppery sheen to it), with a finger of bright-white foamy head. This retains with roughly a rich ½ finger or so of froth, which throws up a sudsy cascade of lacing that slowly drips down the sides of the glass. The aroma smells leafy, and a little flowery in the nose, with bright citrus undertones and definite herbal textures that work their way in as well. A touch of fresh pine and some tarter lemon character starts to emerge as this warms. Sweet neutral grains add some support underneath the hop flavors but it’s that fresh (and slightly earthy) bitterness in the nose that shines the brightest here.

The taste starts out similar, with vibrant and flavorful citrus flavors up front, but then bitterness and resins spread out into the mouth with a bit of a harsh and unrefined feel that carries itself into a fairly dry and piney finish. A biscuit-like sweetness from the malts and some softer tropical flavor (that strengthens as this warms) does hang on the edges of the profile and do their best to balance this (and even hang some light sugars in the finish) but there is a lot of aggressive to this, especially from those pine resins here. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with some sharpness on the edges of the feel that then gives way to more of a creamy slickness that rides down the middle of the tongue. There is a touch of warmth from the alcohol that adds some extra boldness to the hops but I can’t really say that it inhibits the drinkability of this in any way.

This one was a bit of a mixed bag for me. It had that type of bright and flavorful citrus flavors that I love to find in my hoppy beers but then also had some more overly aggressive character as well that really kept this from reaching that next level for me. If I had to pick though, I’d definitely say that there is more to like than dislike with this one though, as that combo of vibrant hops and easy drinking body left a favorable impression on me.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 14:37:49 | More by Kegatron

sentomaster

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- pours a bright golden hue with a thick cap of sticky foam.

S- Strong hoppy nose full of citrus and a touch of pine. A bright grapefruit bitterness shines through.

T/M- This is one tongue-scraping hoppy bastard. There's enough malt backbone and hop fruitiness to keep your palate from being pounded into oblivion, but the citrus and lemon tartness are huge. I wish there was a bit more fruitiness around the edges to balance. Body is on the lighter side of medium.

O- really nice brew that is easily one of the best east coast IPA's. A few more touches (tropical fruit and floral notes) on this and it could be a favorite.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 14:01:27 | More by sentomaster

ms11781

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

After having multiple discussions with someone who's opinion I respect about how some IPAs (and which ones) hold up over time and which ones don't I was given this bottle to try, which I have had fresh on tap and in the bottle. This one has about between 3-4 months on it.

Bottled in August 2011. Sampled on 11/26/2011. 22oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours an extremely cloudy, but bright golden color with a thick finger of creamy foam sitting on top. As the beer warms it ends up being just a bit hazy so perhaps it was a bit too chilled at first. Nice lacing sticks to the glass with each sip.

The nose is a somewhat subdued when the beer was cold but some nice citrus notes, mainly grapefruit, come out when the beer is allowed to warm. There is a nice, slightly resiny pine aroma as well. Some light bready malt notes are present as well.

The taste is a step up from the nose. The grapefruit that was in the nose is here, along with some other citrus notes. The more prominent characters are some earthiness and bit of grassiness that weren't in the nose. They come on strong through the middle before a good piny bitterness takes hold. Nice bready malts make a nice base for the hops to play off of.

Surprisingly lively carbonation. It gives the beer a crisp and lighter mouthfeel. The flavors are so clean that the light body works here. A nice bitterness comes on at the end but it doesn't stick or linger.

This is a beer that has held up exceptionally well over a 3-4 month period. It's not at the optimal point it was when it was extremely fresh but the hop flavors and aromas are still potent and give the desired affect. If I had not had this beer in the past and someone told me it was fresh I wouldn't bat an eye.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 02:26:00 | More by ms11781

ExtraStout

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On draft @ the Horseshoe Pub in Hudson, MA.

A: This beer pours a slightly hazy light golden color with a one finger of white head. Head recedes relatively quickly and leaves nice wisped lacing on the glass.

S: Nose is floral hops, pepper, a touch of pine and a nice solid bready, malt backbone.

T: Taste starts with a nice peppery, floral note before a nice balanced bready, malt fills through the middle with hints of grapefruit. Finish has an underlaying grapefruit flavoring that compliments a strong pine presence.

M: Medium body, medium carbonation, oily feel with a rather dry finish.

O: Goes down easily, tasty, not too filling, mild kick, nice representation of style. I haven't had an IPA with much floral notes lately, so this was a nice change of pace and very nicely done.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2012 23:40:21 | More by ExtraStout

beer4colin

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap @ UBH.

A - A hazy straw pour with little head. Light lace clings.

S - Very citrusy and the aroma tells you that you will have a mouthful of hops.

T - Surpringly a bit laid back - atbthe start. No mistake, lot of hops here with a pretty bitter finish. A bit metallic after is a retraction.

OA - A very good IPA, better since it is local. Next time I am in Worcheshire I could grab a growler.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2011 20:10:11 | More by beer4colin

hooliganlife

Missouri

3.95/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

thanks trevdawg

bottled oct 2012

pours a clean crisp light golden yellow. light head, decent retention

some citrus and tangerine, hints of caramel and malt. sweet and rich.

more hop forward flavors, nice and a bit complex. some slight pine and bitterness with a equal amount of juicy fresh fruit. a bit zesty.

nice filly mouthfeel, mild to moderate carbonation.

really good, i'd imagine it would be killer within a few weeks of being bottled. good stuff, a pleasure to drink.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 00:06:39 | More by hooliganlife

eclipse54

Idaho

3.98/5  rDev -7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A 22 ounce bottle I received from FluffyMcTingle; thank you very much! Bottled in August, 2011 according to the back of the bottle.

Pours a slightly hazy gold/yellow color that really glistens when held to the light. I was happy it wasn’t completely translucent, as I find those slightly less appealing (not sure why really). About an inch of pillowy, pure-white head rose above the liquid and lingered for some time; scattered patches of sticky lacing clung to the glass. Smells of pine resin, bittering hops, some straw, and bountiful citrus notes (lemon, orange, and a touch of grapefruit). While they seem very well balanced, they are a bit muted, and don’t jump to the nose very much. You really need to dig for them. It tastes similar, with the citrus flavors right up front to greet you before the hops, pine, and grains take over. A faint caramel background rounds it out nicely. The finish is crisp, and slightly dry in the mouth. Overall a very good IPA that I’m happy to have tried. I’d gladly drink this time and time again.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2011 00:16:41 | More by eclipse54

MoreThanWine

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a 2" custard head of decent lifespan. The body is a hazy raw sienna yellow color. It smells of malt and citrus hops. Taste again has the malt, plus citrus and grapefruit hops and even a little subtle melon to it. Although not the hoppiest IPA I've had it certainly is above middle of the pack. Finish is pretty long. Nice product.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 01:36:47 | More by MoreThanWine

jlindros

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap @ Prezzo in Milford, MA.

A: Light 1 finger creamy head fades semi quickly over the semi clear golden orange slightly hazy beer. Also leaves a nice lacing.

N: A nice fresh hop aroma, with some pine, citrus, very light musty fresh hop, a little chewy hops, and touches of a malty base.

T: Again fresh musty hops hit first. It adds some citrus and pine, and quite a bit of tangerine, orange peel, and some grapefruit. A slight chewy hop with little malt too. Overall a pretty bitter and spicy hop presence. There's even a little hop oil. It's a nice hop character, not the best around, but done pretty well. With that is a touch of malty sweetness.

M: Medium to light with good carbonation.

F: Pretty bitter as it seems to ramp up quickly but hits a peak quickly as well. Pretty dry as well. It has a very citrus orange peel on the finish especially, almost like biting on an orange rind. Slight sticky syrup feel too somehow, with a fresh wort taste. With the slight fresh wort and heavy strong spicy bitterness I get the feel like I'm chewing on the trub at the bottom of the finished brew. A decent west coast style IPA brewed on the East Coast.

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2010 17:15:50 | More by jlindros

taez555

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Horseshoe Pub in Hudson MA.

Pours a crystal clear yellow/orange body with a bright white head.

Nose has a nice mix of citrus and malt.

Taste is light to medium bodied. Very clean and easy drinking. Lots of citric and grapefruity hops but amazingly well balanced agaist a smooth bready caramel malt. Hop bitterness is nicely in check.

A very nice MA MOR IPA. Perfect session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2010 16:19:57 | More by taez555

Wasatch

Utah

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks goes out to portia99 for this brew.

22oz. Bomber

Pours a nice hazy golden yellow color, nice carbonation, nice one-finger foamy white head, with some sticky lacing left behind. The nose is hoppy, with some nice malt notes, slight citrus. The taste is hoppy, malty, nice little touch of citrus. Medium Body, nice bitter finish. This one surprised me, pretty tasty.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 00:23:13 | More by Wasatch

jegross2

Illinois

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewing the Be Hoppy from Wormtown Brewing Company out of Massachusetts.
Score: 90

No bottling date, but received this one in a trade as an extra in the last week of March. Served in an Avery stemmed beer glass and enjoyed on 04/09/12.

Appearance: Pours a translucent golden color with three fingers of foamy off-white head that slowly settles to a thin layer. Excellent lacing, pretty good retention. 4/5

Smell: Lots of sweet grapefruit, lemon and fresh citrus. Plenty of piney hops. There is an orange juice aroma in the background of the nose. 4/5

Taste: Juicy citrus and grassy hops. Malty orange juice backbone. Lemon, grapefruit, orange and mango. Lingering bitter citrus and malty orange juice finish. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Juicy mouthfeel. Bitter and slightly malty sweet finish. 4/5

Overall: A really solid and juicy everyday IPA offering. Refreshing and flavorful.

Recommendation: If you live in Massachusetts, seek a bottle of this stuff out.

Pairings: Rainbow sherbet ice cream.

Cost: $8 for a 22 oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 23:19:42 | More by jegross2

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From BeerAdvocate magazine Issue #60 (Jan 2012):

LOOK: Brilliant pale gold color

SMELL: Toasted orange peel, mint, evergreen, ripe pears, figs, hemp seeds, white peppercorn, caramel, cake batter

TASTE: Think resin, floral, herbal, oily, fresh tobacco, citric rind, fresh mint, guava, very bitter, passionfruit, dates, dry finish

This is a sleeper IPA, waiting patiently for more people to try it. Despite the gripes of West Coast naysayers, it appears East Coast brewers can indeed brew hoppy beers of epic proportions. It certainly sent our palates for a ride and fed our hop addiction. A must-try for hopheads.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 19:00:52 | More by BeerAdvocate

GbVDave

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle into 3 pint glasses. Thanks to Steve and HeatherAnn for the assist! Extra special thanks to jayli for the hook-up!

A: Pours a bright golden hue with a slight amount of haze. 3 fingers of bright white foam cling to the inside of the glass for quite awhile before leaving a sticky and lacey mess on the sides. Perfectly carbed.

S: Bright citrus hop aromas. Lemon, tangerine, lime, orange, and grapefruit. The hops are quite dominant but a subtle toasy malt presence makes itself felt.

T: As above with some pine. Loads of hops that were all over the place. Not bad at all, just very busy. Could've used more of a malt counterpoint.

M: Sticky and slick with a suprisingly bone-dry finish.

O: Nice suprise with this one. Interesting how the hops led out in a million different directions and then were reined in by the finish. Nice!

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 18:41:16 | More by GbVDave

Durge

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed at the Ale House in Amesbury, MA this IPA is cloudy, yellow-ish tan with a solid white froth on top and mad lacing. The aroma offers skunk cabbage herbal hops with wheat cereal nuances. The first mouthful suggests a brisk herbal hop bite with some citrus accents and lots of biscuit grass brightness. This is medium bodied with a brisk feel full of vigorous but tiny carbonation. A titilating but fulfilling feel that goes down pretty readily if you like a skunky flavored hop specialty brew. No complaints here, quite a decent IPA choice and not a typical one.

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2011 01:58:29 | More by Durge

BeerResearcher

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz. brown bottle. Bottled on date Nov. 2011
Served in a SA perfect pint glass.
Pours a hazy gold color with a full 2" white head and lots of webby and trailing lacing.
The smells are surprisingly mild considering the name. There are plenty of Pale Ales with more hop-forward noses. That said, the citrusy, floral and resinous hop smell is very pleasant. A faint peppery spice is noticed as is a bit of an alcoholic fuminess.
The flavors are where this IPA shines best. Juicy grapefruit, lemon zest, tart orange and spices explode in the mouth with a West Coast-like abandon, yet there's a subtly sweet caramel malt
and very light Graham Cracker-like breadiness that tempers the hop bite in a very pleasing way. A little alcoholic heat warms the back of the throat and can be noticed on the breath rather quickly.
Although this is an edgy and hoppy IPA, it's a fairly fluid and wet brew that invites a few large gulps.
Tasty, drinkable IPA...nice!

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 01:36:54 | More by BeerResearcher

9InchNails

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Peppercorns.

Golden body with a nice creamy head with great head retention.

Very sweet aroma with a bready malt with a citrus and pine hop.

Very sweet malt up front, citrus in the middle with some pine and a nice bitter ending. Very tasty brew!

Medium body, leaves the mouth feeling dry. Carbonation is noticeable but not prickly. Really smooth and feels really nice.

This is a IPA that has to be tried if you come to Peppercorns or the Wormtown Brewery next door. I wish this was in a six pack that I could get by me. Incredibly well balanced with the malts and hops.

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2011 03:37:02 | More by 9InchNails

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Clear, golden-yellow with a very bubbly, fluffy, white head. No head retention and no lacing.

S - Strong fruity, floral hops with a hint of toasted malt.

T - Smooth, mostly balanced IPA. Very nice hoppy, fruit flavors and a malty finish. On the more bitter side of the style; a hop head's IPA.

M - Slight carbonation and great drinkability. Smooth with very pleasant lingering flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 22:07:56 | More by Gatch

jmerloni

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - A clear golden yellow-orange with soapyish head (this is one of Wormtown's flaws in the 3 I've tried from them so far?) that recedes pretty quickly. It laces fairly decently, though.

S - Awesome. Citrus and grapefruit pine with a lemon zestyness. Some hearty yeast. And hops!

T - Very good. Follows the nose with a nice hop afterkick. A lot of hops in this one. As advertised.

M - Very nice. The hops dance in your mouth and it's carbonated well. 69 IBUs.

D - Drinkable. The hops chip away at your tastebuds but every sip is pretty delicious. I like this brew a lot. The best from Wormtown so far and increases my hopes from them in the future.

Pretty pricey though?? $10 for a growler seems pretty excessive. The others have been $8 and that's reasonable. Might just be start up costs - breweries with scale in Mass (Berkshire and Opa Opa) sell growlers for $6 or $7 - but I hope they lower their prices as time goes on. But this new brew is very good, nevertheless! Well done, Wormtown!

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2010 21:39:22 | More by jmerloni

silentjay

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a rather light and perfectly clear copper with a decent off-white head that laces very well, but settles to a thin film rather quickly.

very aromatic brew hints at heavy dry-hopping. tons of pine, lots of freshly cut grass, some earthiness, and some citrus. a bit of biscuity malt can be detected too.

flavor isn't as heavy in pine as it is with the earthy and grassy hops. very distinct flavor that is somewhat unique in a style that has been done to death. bitter, yet refreshing. some grapefruit and citrus peel, but not the "juicy" flavors, rather the bitter and acidic qualities. would maybe like a little more pine like was promised from the aroma, but thats been done before.

light-medium bodied and oily on the palate with ample carbonation and a lingering puckering from the bitterness.

goes down well if you like bitter beers. not the most bitter, but the distinct dry hop aromas and fresh flavors make a decent experience. One I will revisit again plenty of times as long as I am in the mood.

Serving type: growler

06-09-2010 03:55:43 | More by silentjay

WSB

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

"Be Hoppy" pours a beautiful dark, somewhat hazy, amber/yellow, with an inch of fluffy white, loose head.

Smell is awesomely, happily- and expectedly- hoppy. There are subtle spicy and bready malt undertones, but the bright, sunshiny hops are the star here.

Mouthfeel is light but very active- lots of carbonation and bubble action.

Taste is oddly mild, citrus bitter up front, nicely balanced out and neutralized by a healthy malt profile. Finish is a touch spicy, bitter, and super flavorful. It leaves the palate lingering with an awesome fresh hop taste that I absolutely love.

A great IPA. I expected the 69+ IBUs to be devastating, but it wasn't, in fact, I found this beer extremely drinkable. Reminiscent of a west coast style IPA in that it leaves you with an abundance of bright, fresh hop taste, yet it doesn't overwhelm with bitter.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 15:41:07 | More by WSB