Hoptologist DIPA - Knee Deep Brewing Company

Lledd

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark orange, slightly page, not hazy though. Very little head, with nice lacing. No noticeable yeast chunkys.

S: Very sweet malt up front, typical of a well balanced Dipa. Aromas of caramel are pleasant. The hop aroma is dominated by the sweet caramel malt notes, but what is there is banana, slight pine, and just a wee bit of lime.

T: Awesome. The balance in phenomenal. The hops juuust sneak out in front of the malt, much different from the nose. The hops are mostly bitter with just a hint of citrus. The malt is sweet and bready. Caramel notes still there. I've had more balanced Dipa's, but not much, and it's almost a positive that the hops stick out just a little more than the malt, afterall it IS an IPA right? Finish is sweet and bitter.

M: Small soft carbonation allows the sweetness to shine. It is thick and almost chewy yet very refreshing. Very nice.

O: Outstanding beer, special thanks to Smitty5245 for this spectacular extra.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 01:32:13 | More by Lledd

SHODriver

California

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle dated 4/2/13
A: pours a slightly hazed deep orange into a duvel tulip and is topped by a one finger slightly off white head that retains well
S: smells of tropical fruits, citrus and pine with a hint of caramel sweetness
T: tastes of herbal, piney and citrusy hops with a bit of caramel and tropical fruits. swallow is oily and resinous piney and citrusy hops that coat the palate and linger for quite some time
M: medium body with soft and slightly prickly carbonation and a solid finish
O: a well crafted DIPA. Knee Deep knows how to make hoppy beers and this one is a pleasure to drink and now that they have actual bottling dates I don't worry about picking up old bottles.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 04:35:14 | More by SHODriver

MonkeymooTJ

California

3.63/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A: New penny copper with an orange hue around the edges. Two finger solid white head with a decent amount of bubbles floating towards the top

S: floral and citrus notes up front. A considerable breadiness along with a good dose of caramel lend themselves to the mix as well

T: Bitter citrus tasting of grapefruit is the dominant character. Following up is a mix of caramel and bread. This beer is incredibly sweet. There is also a hint of spice and the slightest alcohol warmth.

M: Medium body with a moderately low carbonation level. A resiny layer sticks in the mouth. Sharp grapefruit bitterness also remains long after initial sip

O: This one is decent. Doesn't wow like some DIPAs can but nevertheless does the job. Fits the style and tasted of fresh ingredients. If you like sweet citrusy DIPAs, this one is for you

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 00:22:53 | More by MonkeymooTJ

Cliffster

California

4.54/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Standard amber color; mostly clear, with a very slight haze.

S: Pure citrus--grapefruit, mango

T: Grapefruit, lemon, and caramel up front, transitioning to cantaloupe, some pine, then finishing with the perfect amount of bready malts. I prefer dry IPAs, and this one has some sweetness, but it's not too sweet.

M: Low-medium carbonation, which really works well for this brew. Medium body and resin.

O: A well-balanced hop bomb. I really think this is a better DIPA than some of the other reviews would indicate. I love the complex fruit flavors Knee Deep has going on! Their other IPAs are excellent, as well.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 21:45:16 | More by Cliffster

Beerandboards

New Mexico

3.76/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

22oz bottle, not sure on freshness

A - goldenrod, good clarity, about an inch or so of white head. Low/moderate lacing.

S - floral citrus, some alcohol sharpness, citrus oil.

T - big solid bitter lemon and orange with lots of floral notes. Backed up by a solid neutral to bready malt backbone.

M - medium mouthfeel, a little on the oily side.

O - this is a nice beer, it's just in a crowded category. Definitely enjoyable in all respects.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 23:20:37 | More by Beerandboards

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

4.09/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dull orange, slightly hazed. Only a half inch of head appears with a pretty vigorous pour, minimal lacing.

Smells fantastic! Brown sugar and grapefruit up front, blood orange, grass and caramel at the end. No boozy heat stench. Very robust.

The taste is more subdued than the smell. The citrus and sweet malt are overwhelmed by fresh cut grass pretty quick. No booze, very dry and heavily carbonated.

A bit too easy to drink at 9%. Not complaining, I enjoyed every sip, but this is a big beer. Not as fun or complex as Simtra or Hop Shortage, but still a very solid DIPA. I've had it several times and will keep it in my lineup for as long as they produce it.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 23:15:20 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

notchucknorris

California

4.19/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a clear golden color with a big, soapy looking white head. Leaves tons of foamy lace down the glass.

S: Huge tropical hop aroma upfront. Tons of mango, pine, caramel and some thick bready malts. Smell pretty good.

T: A prickly pine hop bite upfront, followed by a huge wave of malt. Caramel, angel food cake and some cracked pepper. A thick dose of citrus hops carries through the flavor and leaves a smack of resin on the finish. A really solid DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 21:08:26 | More by notchucknorris

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- A nice hazy orange color. A one finger o a light off white head.

S- Big pine in this beer A ton of citrus, lime, papaya and mango. A sweet breaddy backbone too.

T- A Nice big sugary sweetness at first followed by a massive bitterness. A tongue numbing bitter that comes with a nice variety of hop flavors. A ripe pineapple and mango, a bit of lime and lemongrass. A slight spicy and herbal note and a bunch of sharp and fresh pine. The malts are subtly flavored but add a nice caramel sweetness.

M- A full bodied IPA. Tongue numbingly bitter. A sticky mouthfeel.

O- A nice surprise of an IPA, was not expecting much but I am very pleased.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 23:28:37 | More by TwelveOunces

patre_tim

China

4.49/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Copper, filtered, medium carbonation, half finger of slight yellow white foam.

S: Tropical fruit, flowers, pineapple, mangoe, hot pepper, black pepper, pine needles, durian fruit, caramel candy.

T: Caramel, hot peppers, durian.

M: Medium body, balanced, medium carbonation.

O: Very balanced, not overly syrupy like most in this style I’ve had. Love durian, so like it in this drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 02:37:07 | More by patre_tim

Beerswag

California

4.06/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured out of a bomber into a snifter. A nice clear/dark copper color with a 1 finger head, Mosty medium to large bubbles, that rapidly diminishes. Immediately the aroma is apparent on the hops and piney scent, with a fruity strawberry nose and sweet smell. Lacing is spotty and lacks the rings I am use to seeing in a quality brew. Taste is smooth upfront with a not much bite for a DIPA. I get a little smokeyness in the middle of the taste profile. The mouthfeel has moderate bite from the hops, well balanced semi-sweet carmel tones. Carbonation is light and the finish is smooth and definately on the dry side. Overall, been wanting to try this one since it beat over Pliny(e)in the SF beer taste competition 2012. It has potential for sticking around after the ipa" hopcraze" due to its drinkability and balance at 9.0%.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 04:04:09 | More by Beerswag

GPGURU

Louisiana

3.91/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

had it at stateline brewery in Tahoe. We picked it to try a high IBU type beer. When we poured it, I Immediate smelled apple.It had a Golden/orange light haze with a medium size head. Super Hoppy bite to it. I mentally compared it to Anderson Valley boont IPA which to me is top notch ipa. This one is more crisp and has a stronger bite. My opinion was it felt short of the boont.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 22:24:30 | More by GPGURU

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.36/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

This poured out as a slightly hazy orange color. The head on top was white and fluffy looking. The retention and lacing of the beer is decent. The smell of the beer has a floral citrus aroma with a bit of malt sweetness in the back end. The mouthfeel was easy going, not overly carbonated. Overall it a a nice DIPA. Glad I got to try it.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 05:21:47 | More by Knapp85

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.91/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Orange and west coast flavour. Great hop aroma. The 102 IBU is an assault, yet good malting with caramel that makes this very smooth and drinkable.Piney and resiny.Understated carbonation works. Very nice and worth trying for DIPA fans.
Mike's bottle from SF.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 03:44:00 | More by northyorksammy

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.49/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Almost a finger of head with a copper body.
The aroma is mostly grapefruit with a lemon injection.
The taste is a bold bitterness beginning to end. A honey sweetness playing in and out keeping a good balance overall.
A crisp texture with moderate carbonation and medium body.
A good DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 01:31:03 | More by Fatehunter

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.74/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Thanks merc
The beer pours a clear golden with a thin white head that fades quickly. The nose is slightly caramel with a bit of hops, but nothing distinct. The taste is a hit of caramel and booze with a touch of bitterness at the end. The mouthfeel is smooth and drinkable, but this doesn't differentiate itself from the other IPAs I've had. Tasty, bitter west coast IPA...that just doesn't hit the spot.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 05:27:39 | More by ThePorterSorter

merc7186

New York

3.83/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to Cayenne for this extra.

A: Amber/Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Malty, Piney

T: Grainy Malts, Piney, Mild Resin

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Bitter, Mildly Drying

Overall, a more grainy DIPA but still not bad, some mild piney without the total palate burn.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 05:22:46 | More by merc7186

4000qtrap

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Source/Serving: 22oz bottle

S: Intense pineapple/guava, hints of mango and light pine. Brown sugar maltiness is there, but not sweet. Alcohol is hidden.

T: Sweet, clean brown sugar maltiness up front which becomes neutral, rather than bitter when the hops hit. Hop flavor is medium intense with orange, grapefruit, guava, and pine in equal measure. A bit too clean and restrained for me. Bitterness is gentle at most and alcohol dryness only comes through a bit. Finish is a little astringent, a bit more bitter, and doesn't have much hop flavor.

Notes: Average NorCal DIPA, but there's stiff competition around here. Drinkable and focused on new hop varietals. Not sure how this won the Bistro's DIPA festival...

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 03:09:54 | More by 4000qtrap

ElSid

California

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The Beers of California

#43

Bottled Date: None

A: Golden copper orange with faint sediment and a bone white finger of head which fades to minimal bubble leftovers.

S: Fresh spring, grass, sunshine, and pine needles. There is citrus fruit, pineapple, honey, and cane sugar. The background is caramel and bread. Some spice also, but the fresh hops singe the nose.

T: Big and spicy hop wallop which fades to a glimmer of sugary, bready maltiness. The citrus, pine, and grass come through between the spice. The pineapple and honey notes are faint but present. The finish is warm and with a peppercorn spice which never gives way throughout the whole palate.

M: Oily linger with good feel and matching carbonation. Full and smooth with good drinkability.

O: A great DIPA which sports 102 IBU's and keeps some fruit complexity. Knee Deep is a young brewery that is making some wonderful ales. I was able to pick up a couple of there offerings from a Northern California BevMo and hope to continue to experience new and exciting Knee Deep brews.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 05:12:29 | More by ElSid

BrewerB

California

3.98/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up at City Beer Store today for 8.99. Bottle dating not evident.

Pours a hazy light orange color with a thin topping of off-white foam. Intense grapefruit/citrus and mango fruits with a dash of orange creamsickle. Dominant citrus forward flavor with a piney middle and a very light toasted bread on the back-end. Bitterness is very high but not harsh and lingers on briefly in the finish. Small presence of fruity esters. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a definite smooth warming sensation from the 9% ABV.

Overall this is a big DIPA loaded up on citrusy/mango hop character and tons of bitterness while avoiding being overly harsh or astringent. Definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 05:53:17 | More by BrewerB

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Knee Deep Brewing Co.
Hoptologist

LOOK: pours a clear orange color with a off white head and rings of lacework.

SMELL: Intense grapefruit notes and a bit of sappy caramel. Earthy hop signature.

TASTE: Strong resinous bitterness, citrus rind and boozy alcohol. Finishes bitter with a sticky hop flavor. Fairly dank and herbal, with hemp oil and pine notes. Caramel note from the malt.

FEEL: Full bodied, strong flavored, and well carbonated. Has a drying hop bite that adds to the enjoyment of this beer.

OVERALL: This is a good Double IpA because the malt body balances well and the hops taste good. Any lover of hops can appreciate this beer when fresh.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 01:39:04 | More by Stinkypuss

Brenden

Ohio

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Note: some reviews seem to indicate that certain batches of this beer suffer from flaws in the brewing process (bacterial infection, phenols, diacetyl, etc.) For the bottle I review, no particular of these flaws is present.

The color is a clear, deep gold-orange, maybe just a bit beyond amber. It grows an off-white head that reaches between one and two fingers in height, and retention is more in the lasting of the foam that remains rather than how long the it stays that tall. Some really good patchy lacing sticks to the glass well.
The aroma is strong, and I get lots of wood, pith, flower herb, and pine. It seems to have good enough balance from malts, having such high IBU without being chokingly bitter.
On first sip, the bitterness lingers into the faintest hint of vinegar. That effect fades, though the wood, pith, herb, flower and pine never do. There is some sweetness to it as well, malts adding some caramel and toffee and something brighter and, balancing well. The woody pith comes back to finish it out.
The body is big enough to support the base without being too heavy. It reaches moderate levels of both crispness and smoothness with a likewise moderate and consistent carbonation.

I don't think it's the Pliny Killer, so to speak, but this is a good DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 09:24:00 | More by Brenden

WesM63

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a hazy amber orange with 1 finger off white head. Some retention and lacing present.

S: Grapefruit, pine and floral.

T: Misses the nose. Tons of grapefruit and pine. Decent malt backbone that comes on strong in the middle finishes a bit boozy.

M: Medium body and carbonation.

O: Overall, a decent DIPA. I like the enthusiasm Knee Deep has to offer, it's close but hard to beat some of the other big west coast IPA players.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 00:10:53 | More by WesM63

Chris_Cali_2o9

3.3/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber to a sam adams cup

A- Amber orange body, 3/4" white head that turns into sparkling lacing on the glass after every sip

S- INTENSELY floral & piney, like shoving your face in a christmas tree, hints of perfume, cat piss, dirty clothes (in a good way)

T- Suprise, suprise, grapefruit... slightly boozy, but not overpowering, with some heat at the end of every sip. Hints of sweet malts manage to make their presents known through all the hoppy bitterness.

M- Medium body, coats the tongue, crisp carbonation

O- When I first put my nose to the glass, all the awesome aromas smacked me in the face, catching me off guard. I thought, like knee deeps citra, i had found another diamond in the rough. Sadly, once it took a sip, i realized there really is nothing that special about this brew. Grapefruit dominates the flavor, screaming, Cascade hops!! Like every other west coast average IPA, DIPA, IIPA. Knee Deep has impressed my with Citra and Immigration Red Ale, so i wont let this one average brew stop me from trying the rest of what the have to offer.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 02:11:00 | More by Chris_Cali_2o9

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle. Served in a snifter, the beer pours an orange/amber color with about an inch off-white head. The head sticks around a while, and there's also a lot of lacing. Aroma is nice and hoppy, it mostly smells like pine and citrusy (grapefruit, tropical fruit) hops, along with some caramel malt. Taste is similar to the aroma, the hop flavor is nice and bitter. There's also a bit of herbal hops noticeable. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit slick with moderate carbonation. I think it's a good overall brew. Definitely worth a try at $6.99 a bomber.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 22:23:44 | More by bluejacket74

lordofstarside

Nevada

3.58/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

bomber to snifter

Pours a deep golden orange with a finger of foam. Retention isn't bad, nice thick lacing on the sides. Mild carbonation stemming from the very center of the beer which is pretty interesting.

Smells of juicy hops, with a strong ruby grape fruit shining through. Pine, lemon grass, alcohol and a faint sweet malt is present, has everything a good dipa should have

Taste is of hops, pine, a bit of citrus and some malt. Not a lot going on here, it's pretty bitter but the elements aren't represented well and overall leaves it pretty bland, a big disappointment given the smell

Mouth feel is pretty good, wet finish and good carbonation

Over all given the appearance and aroma I was pretty disappointed by the taste- just not a lot going on here. I'd recommend trying it, but not for the $7 I ended up paying

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 01:44:42 | More by lordofstarside