New Albanian Hoptimus IPA - New Albanian Brewing Company - Pizzeria and Public House

mrfrancis

Kentucky

2.38/5  rDev -35%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

A: Pours a bright, clear gold with a thin, creamy white mousse that doesn't stick around all that long.

S: Malty aromas of caramel, biscuit, and butterscotch fill the nose. Mild, grassy hop scents and alcohol emerge later, but remain obscured by heavy malt scents.

T: Notes of caramel, cream, butterscotch, biscuit, sage, mint, basil, parsley, straw, grass, damp hay, and lemon rind wash across the palate. The finish is oddly herbal and sticky with notes of caramel, butterscotch, basil, and lemon rind underscored by peppery, prickly alcohol.

M: Medium-bodied, sticky, and resinous in the mouth. This ale is definitely undercarbonated for the style. Alcohol is initially subtle, but becomes distracting on the finish.

O: This is a truly bizarre DIPA. I feel that the brewers were trying to come up with a new twist on the style, but it never really came together. An unappealing nose, taste, and texture make this ale very difficult to drink. Giving this an overall rating of 2.5 is probably a bit generous on my part. I will not be revisiting this beer.

Serving type: growler

07-03-2012 12:26:46 | More by mrfrancis

Morey

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This potent double ipa pours orange in color with pretty good clarity. The head fades rather quickly on this one, and very little lace is left on the side of the glass.

Smell is fruity and slightly hoppy with a big alcohol presence.

Taste is hoppier than i anticipated and the alcohol is large and in charge. Malt backbone is there, but hides behind the hops and alcohol.

Mouthfeel is medium with a moderate carbonation.

I could (and have) drank a couple of glasses, but it's time to switch gears before I run into trouble.

Morey's Bottom Line: Once you get used to the alcohol, this beer is actually quite enjoyable. Reminds me of Stoudt's Double Ipa.

Serving type: growler

Originally Reviewed on: 07-11-2010 00:41:13...but it placed it under New Albanian's retired Saison, so I cut and pasted my review, and put it where it belongs.

Serving type: growler

02-22-2011 22:45:58 | More by Morey

kylehayworth

Indiana

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I have had this beer numerous times. It was at a couple beer fest I had gone to, and also grabbed a pint at grant line. I never got a chance to sit down and actually "drink" this beer.

A: It has a nice amber color, which is accented with orange and red tones. The head is bright of white.

S: Citrus and floral hops dominate the nose. Grapefruit and oranges with a nice pine smell.

T: The balance of hops and malts play along side each other nicely. Maybe leaning a little more towards the malty side. Alcohol is well hidden I thought, maybe a bit of hop resin, but not over powering.

M/D: I really enjoy this beer. Mouthfeel is crisp and ends with a slight bitter oily taste, which is nice. I think this is highly drinkable. It would be my first choice when in New Albany.

Serving type: growler

12-19-2010 16:37:19 | More by kylehayworth

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This poured with little to no head. It was a virtually crystal-clear, bright amber-colored beer. The nose was very grassy, leafy-green. The mouthfeel was thin, but full of pine, hops, and freshly-mowed grass on the palate. The finish was utterly dry with a lingering aftertaste of evergreen. This is like camping, in a beer.

Serving type: growler

02-01-2008 09:14:17 | More by woodychandler

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler received from oracle as part of the NoBS BIF. Thanks for the opportunity.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/2" off-white head over the slightly cloudy orangey golden brew. Head sedately falls to a layer of uneven bubbles. Aroma is fruity hops, and that about covers it. Taste starts with a big shot of piney hops bitterness, then the fruitiness starts to come out to play. As one-sided as it is, it is not repulsive about it. Mouthfeel and drinkability are what would expect for an aggressive IPA, takes a bit getting used to, but once you're there, it's great. Alcohol warming starts to show, explaining why some may feel this could be a DIPA. Nice one here.

Serving type: growler

07-12-2006 22:44:53 | More by ppoitras

karst

Missouri

4.43/5  rDev +21%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First let me say that paying $10.50 for a growler of this DIPA is a steal! However, I wish that I had brought my swing top two Liter growler. The Ball Jar doesn't hold carbonation very well and I would suggest a 12 hour max for the travel time. Cutting it close with my needing to drive across Indiana, Illinois and half of Missouri.

With a lower carbonation the malts emerge and the Northern Brewer bitterness starts more toward the middle. I never sensed much alcohol in the nose or flavor but by the reaction it is having on my brewbuddy I think it is in the high eights! Not quite as drinkable as the tap (but I'll attribute that to the 48 hr delay and the jar lid which is designed to seal with heated gasket and a vacumn instead of cold and positive pressure) Aroma is outstanding and as I rinsed the growler I was amazed to find my rinse water had that awesome fresh Cascade/Fuggles aromas.

A must try for the hop lovers and folks looking for an outstanding DIPA.

Serving type: growler

03-28-2006 01:21:41 | More by karst

mentor

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Growler provided by my new best friend, cerevisiaephilus. Thanks so much for the wonderful opportunity. Pours a half-finger yellow-tan head over a nearly clear sharp copper liquid. There is some tiny sediment bits suspended in the liquid, but it's an attractive brew. Perhaps it's has such an attractive appearance because the smell during the pour was incredibly enticing. To the nose, it's sugary sweet smelling with robust and rich orange oils complemented by some grapefruit pith. A little bit piney and a hint of cotton-in-the-field. Intoxicating smell, I'm aching to dive in. The grapefruit pith is less than the sweet and orange oil, but it has a peak that piercs through, I think because it's partnered very well with an alcohol sting. Okay, now for the taste. Sticky sweet, mild alcohol sting and tart hop finish. The sweet is sugary and persists from start to finish. It keeps the alcohol and hops from going overboard. For the whomping hop flavor, the bitter is less than I was expecting. Noticable and not overbearing. Fruity esters are present at decent levels, but are so far below the sweet and hops I had to concentrate to pick them out. Peaches and kumquat. Into the second glass now and the hop bitter hangs around as a flat aftertaste back by the tonsils. The sugar sweet, which had been a bit too much, is now settled. I think I'm just accustomed to the syrupy goop hanging on my tongue after the swallow. Thick chewing gum mouthfeel and mildly carbonated. This is a great smelling beer and a good tasting beer.

Serving type: growler

10-17-2005 06:12:52 | More by mentor

macrosmatic

Florida

3.68/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Reviewed from notes. Poured from bomber into an Upland pint glass.

A: Pours a medium caramel brown with a half-finger's worth of white head on average visible carbonation. Both the head and the bubbles don't last for long.

S: Light citrus (orange) and bready malt - but there really isn't a lot of aroma here at all.

T: Bready malt, a bit of caramel sweetness, and bitter hops with slight notes of grass and citrus. Lightly bitter on the finish.

M: Medium body for style. Some alcohol presence but not boozy. Carbonation on the low side.

O: This wasn't bad, but it really falls short of the DIPA "average" around now. There are just so many superior examples on shelves it would be hard to justify another bottle of this one - but still, I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 03:31:32 | More by macrosmatic

ThickNStout

Georgia

1.84/5  rDev -49.7%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2

22oz bottle from Delock's Discount Liquors (Munster, IN). 7.99. No bottling date. Served in a Terrapin snifter.

Pours murky deep orange brown with a half finger of debse vanilla-hued head. Head is gone quickly but the bubbles around the edge leave some lace.

Smells musty, sweet, earthy and lightly floral. This is an imperial IPA?

Oh no. I don't know what happened here but it is definately no IPA. Sour earthy flavor up front with a bitter metallic fininsh (someone else mentioned pennies and that is a fair assessment). Sour cherries, an almost artificial vanilla or cake sweetness, old flower petals, rust, chalk and some alcohol. Not at all what I look for in an imperial IPA (or any beer at all, come to think of it).

Oily medium full body with almost zero carbonation. Bitter metallic floral aftertaste.

Yikes. This could be an off bottle or it could be an instance of a brewer and I having vastly different tastes. Either way, I rarely drain pour and this didn't even get 6oz of my time. Just terrible in every way.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 15:34:28 | More by ThickNStout

nickfl

Florida

2.04/5  rDev -44.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

A - Pours with a small head of white foam on top of a clear, copper-brown body. The foam settles fairly quickly and leaves decent lace.

S - Spicy, musty hop aroma with some toffee and little else.

T - Brown mat and some toffee up front with a touch of spicy hop character. Some spicy, kind of rye-like notes in the middle and then it all comes crashing down with a metallic finish of asprin and citrus pith. Oh god, it just lingers on my tongue and its like sucking on a penny!

M - A moderately thick body, average carbonation, and a sweet finish.

D - Wow, this is weird. It tastes like an unremarkable, but inoffensive, overly sweet pale ale, right up until the finish, when the pennies and asprin come out to ruin everything. I have never tasted a beer that was even remotely this metallic. I could barely drink enough to review it, total drainpour.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 23:29:28 | More by nickfl

kylehay2004

Florida

2.73/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

Single finger head with thick lacing on a clear amber with golden hues body. Aroma is not very good with wet socks, toasted malts, breads, spoiled meat all coming together to not be very enticing at all. The flavor is really disorganized with weird earthy hops which finish very metallic. The malts are overdone. Medicine flavors remind me of the old chewable cherry Tylenol I would have as skid. Medium body and moderate carbonation. This one is bad from start to finish and will be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 23:28:39 | More by kylehay2004

mfanch8578

Indiana

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Not bad for a local brew. I was expecting more from the hops. I tasted the hops bitterness but not much hops flavor. Maybe should have kicked the hops quality up a notch to match the maltiness and abv. I wouldn't turn down a snifter if it was offered to me, and would be more than willing to try New Albanian's other styles. Beware, New Albanian, you have some pretty stiff competition from across the river. Visiting your brew house is definitely on my list.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 02:59:11 | More by mfanch8578

pcguitarwzrd

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle to snifter.

A: Copper colored, fairly clear.

S: Surprisingly, I don't get much of the hops. The aroma is malty, almost sweet corn like

T: Definitely one of the maltier DIPAs I've had, That bizarre cream corn malt flavor is there, The hops don't jump up till the end, and when they do it's not overwhelming.

M: Smooth, full, and moderately carbonated. No complaints here

O: I dunno, It's not a bad tasting beer, But I feel like it kind of misses the point of a DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 23:29:33 | More by pcguitarwzrd

shand

Florida

2.36/5  rDev -35.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2

Hoptimus pours out amber with two fingers of head that retain very well. The aroma has a biiiig diacetyl note, overpowering the hops and malts. The taste is a little better, because at least some hops rise over the buttery diacetyl, attempting to impart some delicious bitterness. Seriously though. There's a lot of diacetyl here, and I know this is fresh. This should have never left the brewery, any sort of QA would have dumped this batch off the line immediately. And I know it's not age, because New Albanian are brand new to Florida, Cavalier just started bringing them in no sooner than a month ago. To send product with obvious flaws to a new market is just ... I don't even know. It's a good way to ensure I never pick up another of their bottles, at the very least. The only thing saving it from the ratings abyss is a nice lingering bitterness long after the buttery taste has subsided.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 20:25:34 | More by shand

McNealc31

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours orange and surprisingly crisp and clear for an Imperial IPA. Thin layer of a white head floats atop. The aroma is all fresh, citrusy hops. The punch is not as big as expected from a 100 IBU beer, but you know it's an IPA. Loads of citrus and grassy hops give it a very fresh, summery flavor. Enough sweetness from the malt to cut through. With no bottling date, there is no way to know how old it is. The flavor is great, but I'm wondering if the hops have lost some potency. Oh, and it clocks in pushing 11% ABV.

Even if this is a little old, it's really tasty. Lots of hops, enough malt to give it some balance, and deceptively smooth for its ABV and IBU. I'll definitely do this again!

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 02:00:04 | More by McNealc31

SerialHiker

Illinois

2.19/5  rDev -40.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Appearance: Pours a light caramel and orange hue…hazy and not overly transparent…just off white head does form and remains, but occasionally does need to be livened up…(3.75/5)

Smell: Hmmm…very musty (!!!!), earthy, damp forest smell…I’m not getting too much of the classic double IPA aroma that I’m used to or any sweet caramel malts that the color would suggest…this thing smells like that old, crusty, once beer soaked rag you found underneath the bed in the corner of your dorm room (you know what I’m talking about)…I’m hoping it’s not old and moldy, but it smells funky…there’s an element of cheese that tastes like foot in here…I’m not sure what’s going on, but there’s no sign of the zesty hops that I was hoping for…(2/5)

Taste: Much like the nose, funky, old caramel malts and little hops zest…this thing is earthy, earthy, earthy…there’s some grassiness and musty bitterness in there…it’s a straight forward, earthy/musty flavor that lacks depth and decency…it’s good enough to continue to drink, but borderlines pour out and start over…(2/5)

Mouthfeel: Light body with medium carbonation…it does fluff up a bit bringing earthy/musty bitterness to the palate...musty and mildly grassy bitterness in the after taste…(3/5)

Overall: This is a major disappointment…I spent $8.99 for a bomber as I was passing through New Albanian’s distribution area and this is a total bust…I’m not sure if it’s old (there is no born on date) or what the story is, but there’s no way I can recommend this brew to anyone…I’ve had old IPA’s and IIPA’s in the past and they’ve all had better, fresher, more complex flavor than what I’m getting right now…New Albanian is a new brewery for me and I hope this isn’t indicative of what they are producing over there…barely drinkable (mainly because I spent $8.99 for it), this is a pass every time and probably twice on Sunday…(2/5)

Brewreport.blogspot.com

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 02:28:14 | More by SerialHiker

Tchfunkta

Kentucky

2.95/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I'm hoping the bottle i got was sitting for a long while. Whatever quality the nugget & cascades imparted had long since packed it's bag & left. The only thing left was the viscous overly sweet caramel maltiness. 100 ibu is nowhere to be found. Faint floral nose. Upon tasting it quickly turns putrid, sweet, earthy mediocrity. Again, i believe whatever good qualities this beer once had are long gone. I will make it a point to get over to New Albanian & sample some fresh. If i get something better, I'll re-review.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 02:33:24 | More by Tchfunkta

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This is a really malty double ipa, but I find that I like it a lot. There is a slight sweetness from malts that I find nice. And there is an earthiness to it that is hearty and appropriate. Long lasting flavor. Carbonation and overall feel is quite smooth. I like this beer, even though I don't really consider it so much a double ipa.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 00:38:40 | More by RblWthACoz

TheBigLebrewski

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance as expected. Very very good lacing retention, though the head gradually shrinks and then slowly dissipates. Color is golden with an appreciable amount of amber tinge.

Smell is pretty par. No exciting hop action, but nothing detrimental either.

Taste fucking rocks. This is an incredibly well-balanced beer. The extra hop additions are somehow tempered without any noticeable sweetness or unnecessary thickness in the viscosity.

Which leads me to the mouthfeel. It's a good feeling beverage. But let's be real; it's beer, and I love that shit. The feel leaves a tiny bit to be desired, esp for an imperial, but it's certainly satisfactory.

Based on the balance alone, get your carcass to Indiana and pick one of these up. Plus, you're supporting a brewery whose annual fest is called "beer and loathing". May life be Gonzo.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 07:25:50 | More by TheBigLebrewski

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Beautiful auburn color with a great, off-white head. Smell is kind off strange. Musty, malty and some floral, earthy hops. The flavor is great, though. Caramel malt with a touch of roast. Earthy hops, some citrus and a nice dry finish. Smooth. Good mouthful. A tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 17:39:09 | More by WoodBrew

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle.

Pours hazy dark gold with an inch of dense, fine, off-white foam. A solid skim coat on the surface and ripped sheets of lacing throughout the glass.

Aromatics feature pine, grapefruit, and sugar-dusted malt. Fruity and piney.

Medium bodied with a sticky, gummy mouthfeel. Sappy.

Sweet malt and candied fruit start the palate. Sugar-dusted grapefruit and pine resin follow through. More doughy-sweet malt follows through.

Finishes with lingering sweet malt, resinous grapefruit and pine, and a balancing bitterness.

A decent IIPA, but a bit too sweet and the nose is subdued.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 00:13:52 | More by brewandbbq

metter98

New York

3.6/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is hazy caramel-amber in color. It poured with a quarter finger high off white head that died down and left lacing on the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass; the bubbles died down but never completely faded away.
S: The smell has sweet aromas of caramel malts and toffee in the nose. No hops are detectable.
T: Like the smell, the taste is both malty and sweet. The hops only contribute a light amount of bitterness and hints of herbal flavors.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied on the palate and has some warming from the alcohol in the finish.
O: This beer definitely tastes strong but the alcohol is relatively well masked from the taste. It also seems to taste a bit medicinal and too malty for the style. It’s possible that this beer might have more hop bitterness if it is very fresh.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 02:09:34 | More by metter98

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a hazy deep copper in color with some light reddish highlights. The beer has a half finger tall white head that quickly reduces to a thin film that covers the majority of the surface of the beer with a couple of small slightly thicker patches and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: The aroma of this beer is more malty than hoppy with caramel malt sweetness dominating. There is a lighter amount of herbal, pine, and citrus hops.

T: The beer starts out with a moderate amounts of caramel malt sweetness and the hop flavors come out as the beer warms up - herbal (almost medicinal) with some lighter hints of pine and citrus. There is a moderate amount of sharp bitterness but it does not really linger.

M: Medium bodied with light to moderate amounts of carbonation. Moderate amounts of dryness, especially in the finish.

O: Far more malty than I would expect for the style but that does not make for an unenjoyable beer. Easy to drink and the alcohol is well hidden. Not my favorite beer in this style but not one I would avoid. Not as well balanced as I would like. Possibly past it's prime.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 18:59:01 | More by dbrauneis

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a hazy golden-orange color with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down fairly slowly leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of grapefruit, pineapple, citrus, and pine hops with some caramel and biscuit malts.

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

M - Medium-plus bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a dry and bitter finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice hop profile and bitterness throughout. Great overall balance with good body.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 05:37:13 | More by ngeunit1

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I split a bomber of this with my brother here recently.

Served in a pint glass because... that's all he had.

A: Poured a bright orange color, with lots of yeast suspension, along with a massive sticky, off-white 1.5 finger head that stuck around throughout the session Unfiltered to the 10th power!

S: Even on the nose, this was one massively hopped, bitter mama jama! Lots of fresh leaves along with some fresh clean linen.

T: Extremely, utterly ridiculously bitter! Wow! It was too much in my opinion and totally detracted from this being a silky, pleasing drinker.

M: The hops basically stained the teeth, but this wasn't sugary in any way. To be honest, I could have actually used more sucrose. I will say that this was definitely a sipper and that there was nothing thin here.

O: I'll give this to New Albanian: This is not for the non-hop head or faint of heart!

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 23:22:37 | More by Chaney