Copper Cone - Epic Brewing Co.

KajII

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

[Suggested Glassware: Tulip Glass]

The pour was a hazy medium to dark copper orange with an average (1-2 finger) off white creamy head that was mostly diminishing, down to a large puddle of residue and a medium collar which produced awesome sheets of sticky streaky lacing.

The aroma was of a sweet toasted grain malt, pine and floral hops and a doughy yeast with notes of caramel, citrus (grapefruit peel) and a slight fruity ester (pineapple).

The taste was bitter sweet and rather malty with a light caramel sweetness and a mild fruitiness early on, and then became a tad bitterer and very hoppy with a pronounced citrus peel bitter ending. The flavor lasted an average time after the swallow, with a sweetly bitter hoppy taste fading steadily off the taste buds.

Mouthfeel was right between light and medium in body with a dry and slightly oily texture and a medium carbonation.

Overall I found that I really enjoyed drinking this brew, the fruity caramel sweetness was offset nicely by the harsh citrus peel bitterness and the smooth hoppy profile. This all together created a smooth easy to drink Pale Ale. I think, I just may have another…

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Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 18:31:46 | More by KajII

kagent777

Utah

3.78/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bomber from batch 34 purchased directly from the brewery and poured into my perfect pint. Bottle says this batch is 6.7 %ABV. According to Epic's website, bottled September 14, 2012.

Appearance: A bit hazy copper amber colored beer with a three finger, rocky, well retained, off white head.

Smell: Hops oils. I smell pine with the malt hiding behind the hops. The smell is one dimensional, but really pleasant.

Taste: A solid hop smack right up front. Pine and general bitterness. I have to look for the malts, but they might be described as biscuity. The bitter finish lasts a good long time.

Mouthfeel: The body feels light to medium with solid carbonation.

Overall: As a hops head, I love this beer. It is simply hard to classify. I am not sure it is an APA, it is a touch too strong. But, to be an IPA it needs a bit more balance with a stronger malt backbone. This beer is an occasional treat for me due to it's higher price point (~5.5 bomber is equivalent to an eighteen dollar 6 pack). I love that it is local and a showcase of hoppy goodness.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 02:13:00 | More by kagent777

jtierney89

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

hazy deep burnt amber hue with about two fingers of sticky white head. Pungent hoppy piney nose with undertones of caramelized citrus and grapefruit.

Thick syrupy mouthfeel, sweet big caramel and pale malts up front followed by a big juicy fruity hop profile. Just enough carbonation to break flavors apart while holding them all together. Great balance, simple but big bold flavors that come together and blend nicely. To call this beer a pale ale though at 6.2%? Well yes, flavors are of that of a big pale ale, at no time does this beer get overwhelming, its just enough, in all the right the places.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 00:55:23 | More by jtierney89

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer #45 in my great Utah Brew Hunt.

Whew. I popped this one and it the fragrance from it was hitting my nose from a foot and a half away. (Literally.)

The only unusual thing about this beer is the color of it: much more of an amber hue than one would expect for the style. The head on it is really nice lookin' though. And since I mentioned style, you could label this an IPA and get away with it, I think. It's quite malty, but there is a thick body to it and a fair amount of hop spices as well.

A hearty beer, for an apa. But a nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 23:43:34 | More by RblWthACoz

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a chance to give this a go, given that I had never tried anything from Epic before. The name was a bit intriguing and even though I've had enough examples of this style before, I thought that this was a pretty good APA. The name was appropriate since the hue was indeed copper and there was a bit of pine cone in the taste. The dry-hoppiness really shone through without being overshadowed by the alcohol. It wasn't quite like anything I've had before and for novices, this would be a good beer to start off with!

The pour was true to form as this had a good copper hue to it and the head had a good amount of froth as well. The aroma wasn't that strong but it had some earthy pine to it which came out much more in the taste. For a beer that was so dry up-front, this went down easily as the hops faded away to a more wet back. There was a hint of lemon and citrus here with a little bit of tropical fruit underneath it. Not a lot of bitterness here but just enough of a reminder of what style this fell under.

This could have been a bit weaker but the alcohol didn't detract from the taste or session at all. While this wasn't bad, I didn't rate it higher only because there are so many beers like this on any given shelf at the moment. While not a bad choice, this didn't stand out from many of those and as a bomber, this is just fine on it's own. Just a bit more body and a resin to it would make this really rise above its peers.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 12:30:53 | More by JerzDevl2000

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a cloudy copper-orange with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is grapefruit, pineapple, citrus, and pine hops with sweet caramel and bready malts.

T - Starts off with grapefruit, pineapple, mango, and citrus hops with some bitterness and some sweet caramel malts. Through the middle, some pine hop come through with some more bitterness and some bready malts. The finish is a mix of sweet bready malts with grapefruit and pine hops and some bitterness.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with dry, bitter, and lightly sweet finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice hoppy APA. Good hop profile and bitterness with a good malt and hop balance.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 06:43:50 | More by ngeunit1

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle: Poured an amber color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some light lacing. Aroma of pine and resin hops with light dry caramel malt base. Taste is also a mix between some resin and pine hoppy notes with some dry caramel malt. Body is about average with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Well brewed and quite enjoyable with pretty good hops punch for an APA.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 19:26:36 | More by Phyl21ca

mactrail

California

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

Quite an orangey tone to the amber brew, more like an IPA color. An earthy and flowery aroma.

A sweet and grainy stew of flavors. Lots of malt. Surprisingly warm and rich. It's more like a DIPA with a couple percentage points knocked off. It's not so amazingly bitter, it's just totally stuffed with hops. It ends up more on the fruity side with just a touch of spice. Some sharp hop acidic flavors after some sipping.

This is Release #28, packaged May 14, 2012, and 6.6% ABV. Epic's informative website lists the hops: Columbus, Zeus, Centennial, Amarillo, and Summit, and dry hopped Simcoe.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 04:03:33 | More by mactrail

Cresant

Kentucky

2.73/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Served this 22 0z. brown bottle in a Sierra NevadaHops glass. Release #13 is stamped on the label. The body was cloudy. Caramel-orange in color with a tan head that left some lacing in the glass.

The smell was bready with a hard candy sourness.

The taste was Jolly Rancher tartness. Some bread sweetness with a gentle bitter aftertaste. A nondescript fruitiness. Not a "clean" tasting APA. Maybe this is an older bottle, pretty disappointing really.

The mouthfeel was medium to light and had mild carbonation. This is not one I would seek out again.

Addendum: Researching on their website show this beer was brewed April 22, 2011. Eleven months old, past it's prime.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 14:22:02 | More by Cresant

Ego

New Jersey

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

stamped release #12, about 1 year old, cellar kept

eyes...
the smell already hit me but let me stick to my retarded anal retentive way of reviewing and go eyes first... (a toast to OCD!)

a nice orange hue, about one finger of slightly off white head forms on the surface, soapy-ish lace is well represented, ample carbonation jiggles up the insides of the cylinder which does lead to good head retention, and who doesn't like some good head retention ? A very nice looking brew.

nose...
not over the top citrus (specifically grapefruit) and pine with a belly of floral notes mixed with honey, slight malt haunting in the back. consistent upon every sniff, solid, just like the appearance

taste etc...
good bitterness from the hops, oddly enough the carbonation doesn't feel right, it doesn't "pop" like you want a pale ale to, this makes for a bit heavier feel than I like. The hop character is pretty varied - all over the tongue but nothing out of place. Slight warming from the ABV. There isn't anything bad here but it just seems to miss the mark a touch.

verdict?
in fairness it was probably better when released but even now it is a good PA.

listening to: WTF podcast

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 04:30:56 | More by Ego

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Release #12

A: Slightly hazy copper to orange color with just a hint of visible carbonation. The beer has a half finger tall beige head which dissipates quickly leaving only a thin ring of bubbles at the edge of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Primary aroma is that of citrus hops with some hints of pine hops int he background.

T: Upfront it is caramel and malt sweetness followed by citrus & pine hops and a bitter finish. The hop bitterness I would describe as smooth or easy, not harsh.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: Very easy to drink and very enjoyable - could be a very nice session beer. I really enjoy the way the hop bitterness is not too harsh making it more approachable. I would definitely get another one of these.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 15:27:42 | More by dbrauneis

metter98

New York

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

A: The beer is very coppery orange in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin beige head that quickly died down and left a thick ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass and some lacing on the surface.
S: There are moderately strong aromas of orange and grapefruit in the nose.
T: Similar to the smell, the taste is quite citrusy and has notes of caramel. There are lots of hop flavors but only a slight amount of bitterness, which is enough to mask away any malty sweetness.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer has a very good drinkability and goes down easily. It’s a nice selection if you are looking for lots of hops but don’t want to settle for an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 13:11:48 | More by metter98

oberon

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an imperial pint glass a slightly hazed burnt orange with a tight formed one finger white head that left a solid ring of lace as it settled slowly into a frothy mass.A mix of caramel/biscuit malt and sharp grapefruit-like hops in the nose,good balance.Sweet biscuit malts play a big role on the palate up against a healthy doe of citri and piney hops,a well balanced beer to me true to APA form.This a solid pale with a great hop profile that doesnt get out of control,a very nice beer in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 22:56:56 | More by oberon

mpyle

Maryland

4.43/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Pale amber color, fairly clear but not brilliant. Pours a decent sized just off white head, tightly bubbled and creamy, and with good retention.

Wonderful sweet, fruity hop aroma with some pineapple and a little bit of pine. Caramel malt shines through as well.

Some caramel malt sweetness at first, but quickly met with the citrus and pine of the hops. Hop bitterness in the finish is assertive, but not harsh or overpowering. Nice well rounded hop character, but the malt is present as well.

Medium (or slightly fuller) body, and medium carbonation. Surprising amount of warming for a 6.7% ABV beer (per my batch's label), and feels like a bit of a fault.

Overall the aroma and flavor are off the charts nice. Aside from the alcohol warming, this approaches perfection as a bigger APA.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 20:49:21 | More by mpyle

azdback

Arizona

3.23/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Release # 17. Poured into a Spaten Tumbler. Dark and cloudy orange color. A large explosion of carbonation leads to a huge three finger head. The head is rocky and just a bit off white in color. Lace is very sticky as well. Nice looking beer.

Smell is fairly musty yeast, bread or biscuit. There are also some mild citrus smells of maybe a blood orange or some other overripe citrus sweet smell.

Taste is similar to the smell, the dank/musty yeast tastes are much more mellow but still there. I wish they weren't. There are some dull citrus bitter. Maybe the taste of an overripe pink grapefruit with some sugar sprinkled on top. Tastes a lot like Hop Wallop, a beer I didn't like at all.

Mouth is crisp and carbonation is from round to spritzy. Body is medium and the finish is average and a bit dry.

Overall I liked how this one started out but really didn't like much more than the appearance. If you like dank yeast then you might like this. I did not.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 03:10:02 | More by azdback

argock

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 22oz brown bomber into a Duvel tulip. Release #9 on side of front label. Purchased at Wine Warehouse (Charlottesville, VA) for $5.99.

A: Hazy amber with thick, frothy beige 2-3 finger head with several layers of lace.

S: Big blast of pine, citrus, and floral aromas and a subsantial base of pale malt and caramel.

T: Copper Cone is a great tasting beer with big malty toffee and caramel flavors coupled with generous hopping with pine resin, orange and grapefruit citrus, and floral notes. A solid to very good APA.

M: It walks the line between body and dryness very well. Very drinkable despite ABV 6.7% with medium-body but a good crisp, dry edge that keeps it easy to consume.

O: A very good pale ale but very steep pricewise.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 04:09:26 | More by argock

FightingEntropy

Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hazy gold to copper American Pale Ale with a nice dirty white head. Nice grapefruit, lemon, spice and caramel. Nice nose that makes me anticipate liking this beer more than some of the earlier Epic beers I've had. And...nope. Taste is adequate, but doesn't live up to the nose. Slightly thin body, good malty base but overwhelms the hops, and the bitterness and body are muddled. Some of the fruit carries into the body, but seems set a part from the rest. Perfectly good beer, but not going to go out of my way for it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 02:01:37 | More by FightingEntropy

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bomber courtesy of 2dogbrew- thanks Russ!

Rather dark orangey amber color with a light tan head. Below average retention and lacing.

Bready, pale, bisctuit malt action hits up front-- just a touch sweet, but primarily pretty dry. The hops are big pine notes and a bit of citrus. Nice balanced flavor with a big old oily bitterness. Very dry finish.

Not a bad beer here, but seeing as how I LOVE pale ales, I tend to rate these a bit tougher than other people... Understand that with this style especially, I rate to a C average...
Very drinkable beer, but doesn't hit the flavor notes I look for most in a pale ale.... Good carbonation, good medium body, oily slick feel.

Overall, I would drink this again, but I won't be adding it to my wants or asking for it at all...

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 00:14:48 | More by AleWatcher

beer2day

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very deep, hazy, dirty orange, heck almost brown. 1-finger medium cream head, with very faint retention and very light lace. Like the color.

Nose is very intense right out of the bottle for a straight pale, but fades a bit with time. Earthy hops predominately, with a good bread malt backbone. Getting a bit of metal and pine as the bottle warms. Quite nice and somehow substantial.

Big bread malt slightly overshadows the pine/herbal hop flavor. Very heavy glass of beer. Light resin and a touch of oil. Good flavor for a pale.

Heavy body, only slightly oily.

Overall, a very nice glass of beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 01:22:36 | More by beer2day

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A dirty orange is dense in the glass offering some cardinal red highlights. The head is sandstone in color, a finger high, with a initial one part creamy, one party frothy head that was fairly withstanding. A light slow rise of effervesce is detected within.

S: For aroma there are strong indications of fresh pine scents mingling with a caramel sweetness. Good show of strength.

T: The flavor was dry pine, grapefruit peel set against a dry toasted grain backing. Toasty dry, strong hop offering, flowery citrus that has some oily resin moments. The beer starts dry and toasted and finishes much the same way while there are intermittent instances of caramel sweetness that peeks out mid-way.

M: fairly sharp, but not crisp, rather oily with a malty fullness that left a good bite of bittering citrus behind.

O: Overall a high level of hops, bordering on ipa standars, big malty body makes for a fulfilling pale. Not your typical crisp summertime offering, but rather more suited as a fall beer with a slightly high 6.9%abv that will limit this in numbers no doubt. Worthy by the bomber.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 23:06:49 | More by beerthulhu

bogus564

New Jersey

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

22 fl oz, poured into a pint glass.

I'm done with a tough week at work, I'm looking to a three-day weekend, and what better way to start off than with a beer I haven't tried before? Away we go...

Looks like an IPA, actually; burnt orange color, orange rind-colored head, a good 3 cm in height, holds a couple of minutes before dissolving into lace. Off to a good start.

Smells largely of pine, then grapefruit/orange, then a light peppery sensation, not sweet at all in the nose. Okay...

It's first bitter, then sweet. Very piny with the hops up front, then grapefruit, some orange, an unexpected biscuity feel, with some roasted malts there as well. Some clove and a hint of pepper at the back. I wish the proportions were slightly different, but that's just personal taste. Not bad.

Mouthfeel is not to my general liking, but I'm not going to bash it. Medium-bodied, good on the carbonation, swims decently over the palate, but man, is it hoppy and bitter at the finish.

My overall impression is good, not very good. If I'd had a good piece of chicken or fish with this, perhaps my opinion would have been different; something is needed to smooth out the bitterness of this beer. Still, not bad. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 01:04:09 | More by bogus564

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

$6.49 bomber from Bourbon Street, Greenwich.

Hazy but bright red orange body, topped by four fingers of rocky white foam, good lacing.

Inviting aroma of oranges and apricots.

Opens with a smack of sweet caramel, followed by a big dose of oranges and apricots. Mild bitterness at the swallow. More juiciness in the afterglow.

Solid medium mouthfeel.

Overall, an enjoyable pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 04:17:22 | More by RonfromJersey

Gavage

New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: pours a dark hazy orange color with a 2" head.

Smell: caramel and a hop bitterness are up front. Some citrus is a bit softer in the background.

Taste: caramel, orange, sweet grapefruit, and a bit of earthy bitterness.

Mouthfeel : medium bodied. Lightly crisp from start to finish. Aftertaste is short-lived.

Overall: a nicely drinkable pale ale. Nicely refreshing and tasty. Worthy of a try.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 20:52:45 | More by Gavage

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a hazy dark copper color with a thick, one fingered creamy, sticky head.

S - Semi-fruity citrus and pine jump right out of the glass accompanied by a crisp, but mild malt backbone and floral bouquet. Compared to many of the pale ales I've had, it has alot more fruit character going on in the nose. I can best describe the aroma as "crisp".

T - Semi-fruit sweetness, mild pine resin, and sweet caramel are up front and stay evenly balanced throughout the entire sip. There's some earthy character and very mild spice from the hops, everything blends together quite nicely and makes for an enjoyable pale ale. (although it's a on the dark side for a "pale ale".

M - Medium body that's slightly on the thicker side for the style. Mild pricklies on the tongue up front but quickly dies down to a smooth and velvet like finish on the tongue.

O - I've purchased a bunch of beers from Epic lately and have been impressed overall. There's been a few I haven't enjoyed so much but you can't expect to love every batch a beer artisan brews. That being said, as a brewery, Epic gets a thumbs up...check this particular one out.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 00:18:18 | More by jzeilinger

maximum12

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled this one a couple times & came away impressed, so time to put fingers on a bottle & bring it home. Split with my wife on our return from the girl's first Boundary Waters Canoe trip. Good fun! Batch #11, which per Epic's website was brewed in March 2011.

Pours true to the name, a murky copper, plenty of headiness. Smells good, pale malts very evident along with a dry, patchy earth dose of hops.

Copper Cone is my kind of pale ale. The pale malt base is paired up with a nice bill of hops, so while the pale malts are in Capricorn rising, the hops contrast well. A nice shot of bitterness comes in mid-course, along with piney hops, bit of distant fruitiness, wheat chaff. Malts bring sweetness to the finish. Somewhat sticky, hellaciously drinkable.

Great beer, just excellent. One of the best pale ales I've had in...well, maybe ever. Deliciously balanced. Epic, please consider giving your rivals & friends some pale ale brewing lessons. This one's a keeper.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 02:46:10 | More by maximum12