Hop Venom Double IPA - Boneyard Beer Company

CascadiaGrokker

Oregon

4.99/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I finally got the chance to try this after hearing many good reviews from friends. It didn't disappoint! I got a growler filled at Growl Movement in Keizer, Oregon.

When I poured it into a tulip there was a 1 finger cream colored head. The liquid is hazy, honey, amber/orange in color with good retention and lacing.

The smell was incredible! All of the best sweet, hoppy aromas I look for in a dIPA. Citrus, tropical fruit, sweet spruce needle, and grapefruit dominate the nose while a hint of malt is detectable.

The taste was very similar to the smell. The grapefruit, tropical fruit, and sweet spruce/fir flavors were pronounced, yet there was just enough malt to balance it out.

Not a ton of carbonation, but just enough. The mouthfeel is medium/ full bodied, but not syrupy or oil like.

Overall, this is just a remarkable beer. The aroma and taste offer something more that just a few beers are able to accomplish. Pliny, Hop Stoopid and many other West Coast IPA's are able to get all of the best hop flavors, yet balance them and not feel alcoholic. Hop Venom is able to take it to another level. There is something more about this beer that is hard to describe. The flavors are incredible, but there is almost a sensation or feeling in the mouth and throat about midway through a drink that takes over and accompanies the flavors. At 10%, this is perfectly balanced and drinkable.

Serving type: growler

05-25-2013 19:56:17 | More by CascadiaGrokker

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.96/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Thanks to WhiteJordan for the growler hook-up

Poured into my Upland tulip, glows orange with a nice creamy off-white head. Sticky lacing coats the glass the whole way down.

Wow the nose on this! The instant I popped the growler the aromas rushed up to my two-feet away nose. One of the stronger punches I've ever received. Lush tropical fruits, citrus and good dank pine. All hops!

Similar flavors only even more complex. A hefty dose of tropical fruit up front. Tastes like there is a lot of Citra in this one. A little bit of stickiness in the middle of the palate. This one has malts, but even at its maltiness points, hops still dominate. Finishes very dank and piney.

Mouthfeel is medium, somewhat sticky and hides the alcohol incredibly well. Usually anything above 9% in pales is a danger zone where the booze dominates. This drinks like a 6-7%. My friend I shared with was amazed when I told him it was 10%.

One of the best DIPA's I've ever had. It's got it all. Wonderful nose, complex flavor and a great mouthfeel while being incredibly smooth. Definitely a permanent ISO. Thanks Jordan!

Serving type: growler

05-03-2013 16:15:35 | More by jmarsh123

floor_6

Washington

4.9/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

February 16, 2012 @ Park Way Tavern

A+

I’m not a sophisticated beer enthusiast, but this was without a doubt the best DIPA I have tried! Some might not find Hop Venom as smooth as the younger or the elder, but it was definitely a pleasure for my taste buds. Bravo Boneyard brewers!

Look – Dark golden amber, clear with a slight haze, very pleasant.

Smell – Looked so delicious I forgot to analyze the smell.

Taste – Yes, it has loads of it. Also, very pleasant.

Feel – Nice and crisp, very pleasing.

Overall – So delicious, I was compelled to order another, and didn’t even bother with The Elder or The Maharaja which were also on tap this night!

p.s. – hey, Boneyard folks, get another keg of this up to the 253 lickety-spilt – “pretty please with sugar on top”!

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2012 20:49:46 | More by floor_6

boralyl

Oregon

4.9/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - This beer produces a small white head with nice lacing and decent retention. The beer is clear and copper in color.

S - The aroma has a lot of fruity characteristics. Grapefruit is the most apparent, but there is also citrus, orange and some piny notes. There is a nice caramel backbone throughout.

M - Medium in body with moderate carbonation. For the alcohol content, it's not syrupy at all.

T - There is a ton of dank hop flavor in this beer. Citrus and orange show up first, followed quickly by grapefruit through mid-taste. There are some piny notes and bitterness in the finish. There's a little bit of sweet malt present, but this beer is about the hops. There is virtually no alcohol presence, which is surprising for the beer being at 10%.

This is an amazingly drink-able beer. The alcohol content is well hidden. I prefer this to their even bigger Notorious Triple IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2012 01:53:17 | More by boralyl

BrainDad

Michigan

4.88/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

From a growlette (32 oz. sold apparently only by Boneyard). Tasted at the brewery with Tony, the owner, who sold it to go because they just opened and it wasn't busy.

Color is a beautiful shade of peach amber. You can tell by looking it is gonna be good. Aroma is solid hops and citrus.

No more than a half inch of head and nice lacing down the glass.

The flavor is where this beer stands out. Not grapefruit or pine, but a ripe, delicious and slightly sweet orange! No bitterness, smooth as the day is long.

I can't say enough good things about this beer. I could move to Bend from Michigan just to get it whenever available. We toured Oregon for a week and this was the best IPA out of many. I had some nice known and 1-2 unknown beers, but Boneyard is definitely a quality operation.

Serving type: on-tap

09-04-2011 00:04:09 | More by BrainDad

spicelab

Australia

4.88/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Reviewed from notes.

32 oz Growler from Boneyard Taproom. ABV listed at 8.6% - according to one of the brewers, this will be a permanent change to the recipe.

Muddy looking pour initially. Hazed bronze-orange body beneath a near white, sudsy head of about an inch. Falls to a raised ring with decent lacing.

Laser sharp hop assault of apricots, passionfruit, grapefruit, papaya, strawberries and an array of candied citrus. Never experienced hop aromas this radiant and defined. Subtle herbaceous tones behind this and a mild savoury malt backbone - which is just as it should be for hops this expressive. Amazing.

Just as brilliant. Orange sherbet, honeydew melon, pineapple, tangerine, passionfruit and perky cut herbs. Not the slightest hint of alcohol.

Discernible hop oil chewiness in the mid-palate, although just above medium-bodied for the most part. Very inconspicuous carbonation and a satisying rising bitterness.

Out of this world. Exceptionally clean and vivid hop profile that boggles the palate. Enjoying straight from the source just after being tapped may have biased my review, but this redefines the meaning of fresh hops in my eyes.

Serving type: growler

03-12-2012 04:50:43 | More by spicelab

mfavoino

Washington

4.85/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Enjoyed on tap on 8/25/12.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy dark orange with thick white head that retained pretty well.

Smell: The nose on this one is great. Tons of citrus and tropical aromas along with a more subtle grassy scent. Really potent and jumping out of the glass. Smells like a big DIPA.

Taste: Follows the nose with fresh orange, grapefruit, and other tropical fruits. Hops don't destroy the palate because of a considerable pale malt presence. Finishes with moderate bitterness that gives some more earthy, resiny hop flavors.

Mouthfeel: A full-body and rich. Would like a bit more of drinkability.

Overall: I've had this one a couple of times now and really think it rivals any DIPA in the country. Really looking forward to canning.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2012 00:49:45 | More by mfavoino

bstave

Washington

4.83/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

32oz growlette poured into Dogfish Head tulip pint

A- Poured a one finger off-white head over a semi-transparent copper body that becomes golden lower in the glass.

S- Wow! I am getting all hop profiles in the smell. Pine, citris, dank hops. This is nice!

T- Incredible. The taste follows the nose exactly, which I have found is fairly uncommon. Very bitter, but rounded out with some nice sweet malts. Not getting any alcohol. Excellent!

M- Medium mouthfeel. Thinner than some DIPAs, which I really like. Not syrupy like some DIPAs. Good carbonation provides nice mouthfeel.

O- Wow! I really like this beer. This and the Wisdom Seeker from Black Raven are my two favorite DIPAs in the Northwest. Well done!

Serving type: growler

02-22-2012 04:59:34 | More by bstave

distantmantra

Washington

4.83/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at The Pine Box. Seattle, WA.

A: Deep golden orange in color with a small head of white foam.

S: Strong notes of pine along with some floral and citrus notes.

T: Big wallop of pine and citrus, but there is caramel malt to help smooth things. Absolutely fantastic flavor.

M: The alcohol is apparent but not unpleasent. Viscous, oily and full-bodied.

O: Can Boneyard make a bad beer? I'm starting to think they can't. While RPM is more of an everyday beer, Hop Venom is one for special occasions. Drink lightly, but savor every drop.

Serving type: on-tap

05-10-2012 01:46:37 | More by distantmantra

whatsajewtodo

Maryland

4.83/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A - cloudy golden, served in a tulip glass, strong head off the pour, quickly dissipating.

S - grapefruit , fresh spring meadow, freshly mown grass

T - mixed citrus, minimal sweetness upfront, moderate sour pucker. VERY smooth from start to finish.

M - initial watery, smooth feel with mild drying after swallowing.

Overall, this is a stellar brew. Even at a whopping 10%, you wouldn't guess it. It doesn't reek/taste of booze like many imperials, hard to tell it's strength over the super hop-centric flavor profile. A must have for anyone cruising the PAC NW.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2013 22:54:39 | More by whatsajewtodo

msylvanus

Washington

4.73/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap @ Parkway 16Feb, then @ Red Hot 19Feb. A bit thinner, crisper the second time around. Boneyard seems to create multiple awesome IPA's - RPM, SkunkApe, and now that I've have the pleasure - Hop Venom. This one really stood up to a night's competition of Pliny the Elder, Younger, Avery Maharaja, and Dogfish Head 120 Minute. Wonderful stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 23:04:18 | More by msylvanus

blackie

Virginia

4.71/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Brouwer's

a: draft served in a shaker pint at the beginning of a long trek home, the beer is an orange-amber in color, layered with a finger of beige carbonation that retains well, lace clinging behind

s: the nose brings an instant punch of pungent, resinous citrus oils and juicy tropical fruits with tones of pine needles, grapefruit, mango, passionfruit; fantastically rich hop aromas just pouring out from the firm pale and caramel malt backing, sweet alcohol

m: a malty, medium body, carbonation moderate and smootho

t: complex hops dominate the hefty caramel and pale malt structure - grapefruit, pineapple, tangerine, and mango all push through, juicy and resionous, some sweetness in the middle with growing moderate bitterness, tropical candy, vivid and striking - pure hop, delicious

o: an incredible dipa to stumble into on a cool spring night, loved this

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2013 03:29:11 | More by blackie

grittybrews

Washington

4.7/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured a luminescent orange-gold with a trace of off-white head. Absolutely huge aroma of grapefruit, pine, honey, and caramel.

Moderate carbonation and a full, resinous mouthfeel -- malty without being too sticky. Fresh pine, grapefruit, and floral notes up front followed by hints of orange and a sweet caramel biscuit backbone. Nice kick of pine on the finish -- bitter without being too astringent.

Really well-balanced with killer aroma and flavor and barely a hint of booze -- top notch.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 03:32:53 | More by grittybrews

libbey

British Indian Ocean Territory

4.7/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served on tap at the Eastside Tavern poured into a pint glass.

A: The beer pours a bright clear copper orange with a nice fluffy finger of head that dissipates quickly into a tiny film of bubbles. A nice veil of lacing works it way down the glass during the session.

S: The nose on this bad boy is a full on hop assault. Layers of tropical mango and citrusy grapefruit intermingle with the tale end which has layers of resinous pine tree and evergreens. A beautiful nose.

T: The actual taste of the beer had a lot to live up to after that nose and it does not dissapoint. Big citrus and pine bite mingles perfectly with a deep candied malt base. The alcohol is there but it is expertly masked. Awesome.

M: The carbonation is spot on which holds the medium body of this beer well. The finish is a touch resiny/oily for me but there is a crisp bite from the hops at the end that clear the pallet and leave you wanting more.

O: Overall this beer has instantly vaulted itself into the upper echilon of DIPA world for me. This is a world class beer from Boneyard and should be sought out and consumed whenever possible.

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2012 22:22:59 | More by libbey

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.6/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

BIG thanks to JM03 for this!

Pours a light caramel color, clean, with a big white head. Aroma was piny, and resinous with some citrus and tropical fruits. Taste is big pine, resin, some grapefruit and caramel malts. It's got a bit of a full body to it, creamy, almost rich. Even though it was a growler, carbonation was nearly perfect.

This is a fantastic, resinous, beast of an IIPA. AWESOME!

Serving type: growler

05-31-2012 02:09:17 | More by EgadBananas

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.59/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Appearance. Pours a hazy honey-amber with a sticky looking white head.

Smell. Sticky resinous hops, plenty of citrus rinds, a little sweet malt and cedar.

Taste. Huge bitter citrus rinds, some cedar and sweet caramel malts.

Mouthfeel. Medium+ body, medium carbonation.

Overall. A fantastic hop bomb, my kind of iPA!!!

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2013 20:32:24 | More by Rutager

AlexFields

Tennessee

4.55/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to oregonskibum for this growler!

Pours a nice amber color with a big thick head.

Smell is just amazing. HUGE juicy hop aroma of tropical and citrus fruit, pineape and mango and orange, floral aroma too, pretty sweet. Damn this smells good.

Taste is only slightly less impressive. Again, very sweet, all of the same tropical fruit, strong sweet malt presence but also huge hops though it isn't very bitter. This is delicious.

A fantastic, world class DIPA. Huge juicy fruit presence and great drinkability.

9.2/10

Serving type: growler

02-10-2013 04:55:02 | More by AlexFields

mdaschaf

Washington

4.54/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Brouwer's Cafe

A: Hop Venom is a clear copper/amber color with a nice off-white head on top. Decent head retention that leaves some pretty lacing all around the glass.

S: Tons of tropical and citrus fruit on the aroma. Grapefruit, apricot, orange, and a bit of mango as well as a slight grassy aroma. There is some faint pine at the end.

T: The flavor profile backs the aroma up nicely with more tropical fruit, chiefly grapefruit upfront, but also some mango and papaya. There is a nice piney bitterness on the finish as well as some faint candied sugar malt.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Alcohol is hidden nicely and drinkability is very good.

O: First beer I have had from Boneyard and it is amazing. Can't wait to have this one again and try their other offerings.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2012 17:23:45 | More by mdaschaf

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

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

On tap at the green dragon today. Only available in 10 ounce glasses (but my bartender/waitress gave me a BIG 10 ounce glass).

The beer pours a slightly hazy, nearly opaque light orange color with very good head retention and lacing. The nose is a stunner.... outside of hill farmstead out East, no one is making DIPA's like this. I get a huge aroma of rock candy, dank earth, dry citrus and pine, pine and more pine. The flavor profile replicates the nose in this hophead's orgasm in a glass. There's some noticeable sweet malt, but the hoppy bitterness quickly grabs it by the neck and pounds it into submission. Still, this DIPA is remarkably well balanced in this hugely flavorful DIPA, and I'm still trying to figure out how they got this kind of mouthfeel. The beer is medium bodied to full, with a long, bitter, yet somehow still soft and creamy on the finish, DIPA. This is clearly a big beer, but it's not at all heavy, hot or tiring on the finish. The way the brewer has integrated the alcohol into the flavor profile... this is something I seldom see in such a kick ass, in your face, DIPA.

Impressive!

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2011 21:36:56 | More by johnmichaelsen

flexabull

California

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

Growler provided by my younger brother, thanks Bro!

Pours a bright gold color with a fine white head, very good lacing too.

Aromas are nice, a mixture of bright citrus, grapefruit, orange, caramel malt sweetness, and undertones of pine resin.

Taste is full bodied, flavorful, but not overly strong. Caramel malty, and pineapple sweetness up front, slightly creamy, with plenty of hoppiness. Hints of citrus, tangerine, pine resin, and some subtle earthy notes. This beer does a really good job being hoppy, without being overly bitter and strong. This is complex, but still well balanced,

Mouthfeel is very good, full, smooth, with nice subtle and snappy carbonation.

Overall, this is outstanding. The drinkability is second to almost none. Very impressed with how full, smooth, and flavorful this beer is, without being heavy, bitter, and overly sweet. Well done Boneyard, this is excellent.

Serving type: growler

11-17-2011 05:04:11 | More by flexabull

dirtylou

Washington

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

on-tap, urban family public house

from notes

appearance: served in a urban family goblet - bright golden-orange body, moderate beige film

smell: aromatic and bright - pine, sweet grapefruit, tropical fruit, sugars

taste: bold citrus flavors - sugared ruby red grapefruit, lemon zest, pine resin, tangerine, tropical fruit. I'm really digging the boneyard stuff thats been showing up in Seattle.

mouthfeel: slick oily body, medium, abv well hidden

overall: great IPA from Bend

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2012 18:38:22 | More by dirtylou

HuskyinPDX

Washington

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

On tap at Elliott Bay Pizza.

A - Severed a dark cloudy orange with a light tan head that fades to a film with bubbles clinging to the edges. Lots of lacing also.

S - Oranges, melon, and grapefruit.

T - Grapefruit, honeydew, orange, nectarines.

D - Good carbonation and a heavier to medium body. A touch sweeter overall, but no bitterness.

O - This Brewery is hot for a reason. They make killer beers. I truly enjoyed this one. I was daydreaming of it yesterday and today I am drinking it. Love it!

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2012 20:09:35 | More by HuskyinPDX

JTahoe

California

4.45/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Draft pour into tulip at Apex in PDX.

A - Glowing amber with a fine white head, and tight shimmering lace.

S - Fresh and bright with a subtle combination of citrus and evergreen.

T - Deceptively smooth and almost simple at first blush, yet full of flavor without hitting you over the head. Caramel malts appear first with tropical fruit coming next and a nice earthiness grounding the whole. Hop flavor and bitterness develops with each sip: pineapple, then a citric bite, next lemon zest and a hint of grapefruit, and finally resinous pine. Alcohol is surprisingly masked. The most balanced DIPA I have encountered.

M - Full body and smooth with a nice snap of dry bitterness and tight (perfect) carbonation.

O - Wow. I'm a fan of big IPAs (Mongo, Sculpin, PTE, etc.) but this is impressive in its ability to be subtle and complex all at once. Super drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2012 04:44:47 | More by JTahoe

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.45/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to oregonskibum for sending this one as what was essentially an extra in our larger trade.

Beer pours a hazy orangey-gold with a nice white head and some decent lacing. It's a little darker than I expected. The aroma here is super impressive - a big tropical/citrus fruity hop aroma with a nice amount of malty sweetness backing it up. Flavor follows the nose and wow is this an impressive-tasting beer! It's got a great citrusy hop thing going on here with a nice bitter (but not too bitter) finish. The malt plays a more significant role than I usually like in my DIPAs, but it works here, bringing a nice sweetness to the table that provides and excellent base for the citrusy/bitter hops. It's a little on the boozier side for a DIPA (hey, it's 10%!), but it still drinks pretty easily. Mouthfeel is nice as well, medium-bodied and a little bit sticky. I tend to think of myself as a bit of a DIPA snob, and I doubt the quality of each new one that arises that I've never heard of, but this one absolutely lives up to the billing. I can't wait until these guys start canning and I can get this more regularly from my west-coast buddies.

One thing of note: this beer is awesome when it's nice and cold, but as it started to warm, it got boozier and more syrupy. It still was far from bad, but I would recommend not letting this one warm up too much.

Serving type: growler

02-15-2013 02:15:27 | More by starrdogg

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.43/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a nice glowing but deep orange with a nice white cap

S: Lots of grapefruit, some pine and caramel, light booze

T: Immediate throat punch with a big pineapple, light pine and booze. The beauty of this beer is its persistence. The flavor is unrelenting. Towards the end it leaves a caramel, faded hop presence, booze sting and a lighlty bitter, stick and persistent aftertaste

M: Medium body, easy drinking for a IIPA of this magnitude and tasty

O: Good, but more than a pint would be too much

Serving type: on-tap

10-10-2011 23:07:00 | More by barleywinefiend