Hoppy Poppy IPA - Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.

ithacabaron

California

3.83/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a glowing, candy-coated tangerine; like liquid orangettes. A head rises and falls, but there's some nice lacing alongside. Very clear. Solid start.

Smell is big and blooming -- massive waves of papaya lead the way, with jackfruit, honeydew melon, and the slightest suggestion of halva rounding out the nose. Lovely.

Taste is a bit more astringent than the nose, but not unpleasant. A bit of alcohol slips through, and there's a constant drying, almost mineral sensation. Yuzu, agave, and quinine flavors wash around, but it never quite comes together. Points off here.

Mouthfeel starts out foamy and rich, although the carbonation, as I travel through the glass, noticeably drops). The beer feels thin; I'm reminded of Golden Road's Point The Way IPA, and not in a good way. Still, it never becomes cloying, which can happen with IPAs at this strength. It seems like the issues come more from the mash schedule than the carbonation.

Overall, the beer's a solid pick. Are there better options out there? Sure. That being said, there's far more good than bad going on here. I'm interested in seeing what's next from the folks at Figueroa Mountain.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 03:46:06 | More by ithacabaron

TheBoog013

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

05-23-2013 20:30:01 | More by TheBoog013

visionaries

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

05-23-2013 17:01:06 | More by visionaries

Topher78

California

4/5  rDev +1.3%

05-23-2013 02:41:13 | More by Topher78

likeemdark

California

3/5  rDev -24.1%

05-19-2013 19:18:30 | More by likeemdark

Irrationalist

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

05-18-2013 01:20:30 | More by Irrationalist

eulerthegrape

California

4/5  rDev +1.3%

05-16-2013 17:55:09 | More by eulerthegrape

c64person

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%

05-14-2013 22:17:57 | More by c64person

baybassboy

California

4/5  rDev +1.3%

05-14-2013 05:19:35 | More by baybassboy

mrebeka

Michigan

4/5  rDev +1.3%

05-04-2013 22:31:47 | More by mrebeka

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.49/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Dense amber in color, the ale carries a hearty haze that's capped with a frothy ivory foam. Firm withstanding, its foam structures slowly dissolve back into the beer. Spotting the glass with lace, the beer looks like a richer IPA.

Sweet and fruity to start the beer's character begins with caramel-dipped citrus and tropical fruit. Somewhat honey-like in taste, texture, and aroma the beer goes from floral and perfumy to soft resinous bitterness and semi-dryness to close. A middle palate chocked full of "Tropical Punch" taste retains sweetness and pushes back on the would-be bitter dryness. But the later bitterness is pithy with grapefruit and stemmy with wood oils. Wavering only mildly on its malty weight and soft butterscotch feel; the ale prefers a more balanced attitude and softer grip on the gullet.

Poppy's medium body lingers deep into the session and resists the classic dryness and bitterness that American IPAs prefer. The beer's warm, crisp, or clean finish is also lightly compromises by a light buttery texture.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 19:36:10 | More by BEERchitect

CEDAMA

California

4/5  rDev +1.3%

04-25-2013 01:59:33 | More by CEDAMA

tbeq00

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%

04-22-2013 03:14:39 | More by tbeq00

InlandTaipan

California

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

04-22-2013 03:09:57 | More by InlandTaipan

LuauLarry

California

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%

04-17-2013 03:15:54 | More by LuauLarry

Ilovebeer1549

California

3.25/5  rDev -17.7%

04-13-2013 19:27:21 | More by Ilovebeer1549

Nightrain87

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

04-05-2013 16:46:47 | More by Nightrain87

rawfish

California

3.74/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a hazy amber into an Alesmith tulip. Two fingers of stark white lacing. Attractive lacing on the glass and decent retention.

Caramel and cereal grain malt, a bit husky and seedy. Hop aromas are rather stock with light pine and orange citrus, more tangerine than grapefruit, slight lemon zest.

Balanced with a caramel sweetness atop a grainy backbone. Piney hop character, bright herbal tones with an earthiness that is pronounced in the finishing bitterness along with a mellow cereal grain.

Lighter body despite the coloration, carbonation is smooth and the beer dries well. Alcohol lightly touches on the palate.

Balanced ipa, a bit lackluster in the aroma and flavor but there is no denying the craft that went into brewing this ale. The malt and hop profiles and well integrated, along with an interesting brewing ingredient thrown in without any loose ends.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 06:53:56 | More by rawfish

LegalBrew87

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

04-05-2013 01:16:48 | More by LegalBrew87

Guyute

California

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%

03-27-2013 03:07:50 | More by Guyute

DannyNoonan

California

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%

03-25-2013 21:21:03 | More by DannyNoonan

dominic4beer

California

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

03-24-2013 14:17:53 | More by dominic4beer

EyePeeAyBryan

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%

03-20-2013 06:29:57 | More by EyePeeAyBryan

mhaugo

California

2/5  rDev -49.4%

03-12-2013 05:42:33 | More by mhaugo

JoshTellez

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

03-11-2013 01:10:48 | More by JoshTellez