Hoplar Imperial IPA - Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

2beerdogs

California

3.99/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very interesting!
Amber hue, rich head stays around. Quite pretty to behold. The nose starts out with hay, pine, and well... poplar. A nice hint of wood. The taste is clean hoppy, earthy grass with a lite woody coating on the tongue. Reminds me a bit of a tamer Pliney with poplar notes. Beautiful lacing following each sip. Makes you want to crawl into your glass and tongue scrape each ring of lacey sediment left behind...could use my archaeology background to work through the sedimentary levels. HAHA
Finish has a slightly oily stickiness yet the mouthfeel changes to a watery, not a bad thing, swallow.

Overall, I liked this one a lot. I'd love to get another one to share. It's very unique.

Thanks to ASUBeer, NCBeerFan, beerness, and Wino47 for this beauty!!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 04:20:15 | More by 2beerdogs

jmutoml757

Virginia

3.8/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at the Hardywood brewery in an old fashioned plastic cup.
Appearance -was a deep copper color, maybe a burnt amber. One finger head with few carb bubbles but some lacing throughout.
Smell- got my lowest rating. Nothing stands out. The hops comes through with a slight floral note.
Taste- great hops taste that has a hint of grapefruit and perhaps caramel. Nice bite and bitterness
Mouthfeel- excellent balance on the front and back of the tongue. A little lingering metallic taste. But the hops stand out nicely.
Overall - what I love in an IPA . Great hops bite. Highly recommend it.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2013 20:48:49 | More by jmutoml757

Jason

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

750ml brown corked and caged bottle, vintage date on the label.

The head retention alone won me over ... to start. Seriously, an amazing head and perhaps the best looking one this year! Hazed copper hue is inviting. Aromas of wood, spice, fresh pine sap, melon rind, mango, papaya, parsley, yeast, yellow cake. Deep smoothness, semi-creamy medium body. Big hoppiness, very bitter, heavy wood, earthy, spice, vanilla, peppery, resin, slightly pungent, hint of caramel, dried grass, yeast, tropical fruit, warming alcohol, long bitter and woody finish.

Someone pinch me ... mind-blowing.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 03:17:12 | More by Jason

wvsabbath

West Virginia

4.35/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Serving Type - 22oz caged and corked bottle.

Appearance - Burnt orange/tan with a 1 inch thick, foamy head and tons of lacing.

Smell - Piney grapefruit hops, lemon, orange, some wood and oak notes, a little vanilla and added sugars. Not overly strong aroma.

Taste - First sip starts off with huge piney hops and a strong malt backbone. Woody oaked flavor Is certainly present, adds a nice dimension to this 100 ibu dipa. More flavors come out like added sugars, spices, and a herbal note. Nice balance with some minor alcohol warmth at the finish.

Mouthfeel - Huge piney hops really coat and bitter the tongue, leaving a hoppy resin. Malts, oaked wood and sugars hit the palate. Nice herbal flavors come in near the finish. Aftertaste is woody, malty, hoppy, bitter and sweet.

Overall - I admit im a huge oaked, wood flavor fan, so im a bit partial to the style, but this is really good. Tons of flavors, balanced, but nothing is over the top or too much of. My first hardywood beer, and im very impressed, cant wait to try more, and cant wait to get more of this one. Awesome beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 22:48:26 | More by wvsabbath

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A- A very good looking amber color that has hints of orange and gold. Bubbly off-white head that leaves some lacing and leaves a thin layer of bubbles around the edges of the glass.

S- Big piney hops with a strong wood smell similar to oak. A hint of sweet maple and vanilla are in the wood aroma as well.

T- The hops do not come through as much as they do in the nose. Almost has a similar style taste to something like burton baton, which is a blended IIPA. Tons of wood flavor along with pine and vanilla. Everything is pretty well balanced.

M- Full bodied, medium carbonation, a sipper, but good feel.

O- A solid offering and a well done IIPA with wood. Worth seeking out for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 17:40:01 | More by stephenjmoore

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle courtesy of ncaudle. It was poured into my Firestone Walker tulip.

Hoplar pours a fairly clear bronze, with some orange highlights. Two and a half fingers of bone colored foam crown the beer. Head retention is good and a decent bit of lacing is left plastered onto the inside of the glass. Aside from the color being a bit dark the beer looks very nice. The nose is largely shared by woody and grapefruit aromas, with a bit of vanilla just noticeable as well. The flavor profile manages to add more layers. Some caramel sweetness leads things off, and that a subtle vanilla flourish give way to a noticeable, but not overly aggressive bitterness. The back end of the beer is made up of a woody base, on top of which grapefruit and tangerine zest proudly display themselves. The mouthfeel just misses by a bit. The body's a hair too malty and the carbonation's a bit too dull for it to really shine. My initial reaction has been to be fairly skeptical of wood aged IPA. That said, between White Oak Jai Alai and now Hoplar, I'm forced to reconsider my opposition to them.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 02:04:21 | More by axeman9182

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A-slightly reddish deep amber color with a nice off-white head and good lacing

S-malt, citrus fruit, wood, brown sugar

T-caramel malt, citrus, pine, wood, hint of vanilla, a little booze coming through, moderate bitter finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth and crisp

O-an interesting DIPA but more malty than I prefer, I like the wood though

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 20:58:34 | More by MDDMD

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.69/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Gift from the ever generous Brad. Shared with the dudes in the band this afternoon.

The beer is transparent and radiant orange with an inch of off white head. Hops and wood in the aroma, as expected. Fresh cut pine, woodshop scents. Very dry finish. Grandiose wood presence. Extremely dry finish, like sucking on a board (that's what she said). Grapefruit rind and pine cones. Wood aged IPAs are really not my thing, but this is done well. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 20:00:15 | More by Huhzubendah

Mattyb79

Virginia

4.55/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served from a 750ml cork and caged bottle into a Hardywood Park tulip. This is my first review ever, but this beer made me want to write one up.

Appearance: Pours a dark amber color with a minimal 1/2 finger head. Almost looks like real maple syrup in the glass. I can smell the beer as soon as the cork pops.

Smell: I get a little piney hops first, followed by some sweet fruit smells similar to grapefruit, mango, and a touch of orange. A touch of vanilla smell comes through as well.

Taste: Wow! I have had quite a few brews from Hardywood, but this one blows me away! I get a lot of sweet citrusy fruits right off the bat, followed by some woody vanilla characters, and ending with a mix of piney hop bitterness and vanilla. This beer is amazing in the way you can pick up on so many different flavors. The only downside that kept this from being a 5 is a slight bite from the charred poplar that hits right at the finish. It doesn't really detract from the beer, just noticeable.

Mouthfeel: Perfect for the style IMHO. Just enough carbonation to tickle the tongue, but syrupy enough to coat your entire tongue with the amazing blend of flavors.

Overall: Again, I have never took the time to review a beer, but this made me want to do it. I am quite impressed with this and would buy it all day everyday if it was a bit more affordable. $9.99 for a bomber is acceptable, since it is well worth the price, but for me this will be a special occasion beer. Too bad it's not year round!

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 23:08:46 | More by Mattyb79

UCLABrewN84

California

3.51/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Bottle pour for New Brew Thursday's 3rd Anniversary event held at Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Long Beach, CA.

Pours a murky orange-brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus fruit, citrus zest, and brown sugar. Taste is much the same with a tangy flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but I am not sure where the tangy flavor is coming from.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 01:32:18 | More by UCLABrewN84

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.4/5  rDev -39.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to Matt for picking this bottle up. Served in a cervoise. Pours a fairly-dark caramel-copper color with a short off-white head. The nose has a fairly-pronounced bit of poplar wood with some backing citrus and pine. The hop aromas aren’t really overpowering at this point. A bit too malty as well. Flavor is again fairly malty with a fairly-strong bitterness. Heavy wood presence. It seems like the hop flavor either wasn’t really there, or has fallen off. For wood-aged IPAs, I’m never normally too much of a fan, but I’m not sure why places don’t just ferment in the barrel to extract the character and not lose volatile hop flavors and aromatics while it’s wood aging.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 19:58:08 | More by Thorpe429

drabmuh

Maryland

3.68/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Eh, wood aged IPAs hardly ever turn out to be good. This one is OK though. Beer is amber with a mild haze, a white / off white head of small bubbles, low retention, no lacing, moderate carbonation.

Aroma is piny with some oak.

Beer is medium in body has an odd bitterness on the backend, an interesting beer all around but the hops are subdued, some pine in there some resin but nothing else. It is OK but I doubt I'll have it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 15:44:49 | More by drabmuh

TechTriumph

Virginia

4.4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From notes on 04/04/12:
Growler from the brewery; Poured in a Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass.

A - A bit more than a half inch of off-white frothy head that sticks around for a minute or two; Deep, dark caramel/copper in color with a very cloudy appearance; Awesome webs/veils of sticky lacing left behind

S - Not quite the potent aroma as you'd expect from a DIPA, but what's there is very pleasant with notes of spicy pine, grapefruit and orange citrus, cracked black pepper, and toasty, biscuity, and caramel character; Nice presence of poplar/wood notes with very subtle vanilla

T - Very flavorful and robust here; Nice combination of sharp spicy pine, grapefruit citrus, vanilla, toasty malts, black pepper, earthy poplar wood, and subtle sweet caramel that immediately come forward; Good shot of bitterness lasts from start to finish, though it does weaken towards the end; Finish is fairly peppery with hints of pine and poplar that linger for awhile - pleasant and delicious

M - Below moderate, but fairly prickly carbonation; A bit above medium bodied; Very smooth going down with a bit of alcohol warmth; Nice, sticky, dry finish that leaves a thin oily coating within the mouth

O - It seems like Hardywood just can't miss with their creations. I like this DIPA quite a bit, but after giving it some time to warm, it becomes even better and showcases some pretty harmonious flavors. The combination of flavors is unique for sure, but the end result displays great earthy/wood character and is one of the better DIPA's I've had the opportunity to try. This has gotten me even more excited to see what future IPA's Hardywood has in store.

Serving type: growler

07-21-2012 11:06:26 | More by TechTriumph

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 750mL C&C bottle to Bruges hybrid glass on 7/10/12
*From notes

A: Hazy blood orange in hue. A 2.25 finger eggshell white head lingers on a good pour. Solid retention, lacing and collar follow.

S: Unlike any IPA I can recall. It's herbaceous. It's woody. It's got a really rustic and old world vibe to it. Nothing if not unique.

T: Not too far off from the nose. Very sticky, and pine forward. The wood works it's way in there, and adds a complexity I've not found in an IPA before. It's like they brewed the beer knowing that the brewed product was the rough draft, like they brewed it with the wood fully in mind. Really tasty stuff. I'm getting some tannic acid, light toast and a firm malt backbone. As it warms, intense lemon becomes more prevalent.

M: Chewy and dense. This is easily the best mouthfeel of all the Hardywood beers I've quaffed.

O: I am always down for something different, and this, then, is right up my alley. The integration of wood and hops is really well done, as I've never encountered an IPA that sat in wood and was actually good. But I guess there's a first time for everything. Another solid offering from what's quickly becoming Virginia's finest brewery.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 04:19:33 | More by Rhettroactive

avalon07

South Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a tulip glass. Had a copper color and a clear texture. There was a big, two inch, foamy, long-lasting head. Very good lacing.

S: A very underplayed aroma of hops, citrus, and malt.

T: Tasted of hops, a little citrus, some malt, grass (not that pleasant), and the advertised poplar. Not quite as powerful or complex as it could have been. Decent, but not a spectacular flavor.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a sharp finish. Medium-bodied.

O: Definitely an uneven beer, Hoplar does have some good attributes. Could have been better than it was.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 13:05:35 | More by avalon07

starrdogg

District of Columbia

3.58/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours an orange/amber with a fluffy off-white head. Already I have the feeling that this is going to be a malt-forward DIPA without smelling or tasting it. The smell is a little underwhelming - I'm just not getting as much of a hop aroma as I would expect in a DIPA. I'm getting more of a harsh wood/piney hops aroma, which is nice, but doesn't stand out as much as I would like. Flavor is interesting, it's certainly a maltier DIPA, but not sweet at all. It's actually very bitter - the wood and the hops come together to give it a harsh bite, especially in the finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with nice carbonation. Overall, this just isn't my kind of DIPA, but it's far from a bad beer. I like slightly sweet, big citrus flavors with the malt playing a small role in the DIPA, and this beer really isn't citrusy or sweet and it's quite malt-forward. Fans of Dogfish Head 90 Minute might enjoy this, but I'm not the biggest fan of that one, and I don't love this either. That said, it's well-constructed for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 00:02:44 | More by starrdogg

DmanGTR

New York

4.93/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to BJ for this awesome bottle. Shared with Jacqui last night after a nice dinner. Review from notes.

Poured a beautiful dark maple/copper with honey blonde highlights in the kitchen light. A well retained white head kept lacing the glass as the liquid disappeared. Huge hop notes of citrus, pine resins, and tropical fruit, especially pineapple. It almost reminded me of Hop Stoopid. Nice bold caramel and grainy crystal malt body to hold up the intense hop bomb. A bittersweet forefront that carried juicy pineapple and citrusy hops throughout each sip. A very earthy and piny finish. Nicely carbonated, but needed a little swirling to decrease the carbonation. If I could drink this beer as my staple IPA, I would.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 16:05:43 | More by DmanGTR

Beejay

Virginia

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Slightly hazy in the glass, and peach to tangerine in color. The dense head is tan in color and fairly solid.

S: Citrus notes as well as a hint of grass. There is a nice malty sweetness that comes out in the form of caramel. There is a touch of pine, as well as a little bit of fruity sweetness. Perhaps in the finish there is a little cherry, or almond.

T: Huge citrus flavor; grapefruit, orange, and lemon peel. The brew is resinous with pine notes followed by a caramel malt flavor. I am picking up a little woodsy flavor, I think you have to search a little to find the poplar. The bitterness seems to linger on for a while, and with it a touch more of the wood flavor I want from this brew.

M: Medium to medium thick in body. Carbonation is appropriate for the style. The finish leaves a lingering bitterness and a little bit of a hop oil feel.

O: Overall I like it. The bitterness is solid, nice hop flavor, and some good malt balance. I wish the poplar flavor was a little more forward, but still a good brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 03:06:44 | More by Beejay

RocPorterFanatic

Ohio

4.83/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a opaque reddish copper with a solid 2 fingers of off white creamy head.

S - Very pungent citrusy, floral nose. This stuff could peel paint.

T - Nice malty backbone on this beer. The intense bitterness is mellowed out pleasantly and the wood aging helps to compliment the entire package.

M - A little hot yet, the alcohol is very much in the game. Agressive carbonation keeps everything in check, leaving your mouth clean sip after sip.

O - Delicious beer, near perfection. Thanks to Beejay for sharing this one with me.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 23:27:16 | More by RocPorterFanatic

RVAIPA

4.58/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Serving Type: Enjoyed from a goblet at Mekong in Richmond, Virginia

Appearance: Cloudy amber would be the best way to describe it. The head started off at about half and inch but quickly fell. Beautiful lacing throughout the experience.

Smell: The poplar pops out at you like you were walking through a poplar forest. The hops are noticeable as well.

Taste: I know I am biased being a Richmonder but this would have to be one of the best IPA's I have ever had. The poplar comes to you at first and leads right to the hops. You dont get that bitter copper flavor you get with many other IPA's that lingers too long.

Mouthfeel: Like I said earlier, my favorite characteristic about this beer is that it doesnt leave a copper-like after taste in your mouth. The smoothness created by the poplar/hop combo is fantastic

Overall: If you are in the Richmond area, you have got to try this unique IPA. It is truly a religious experience. Hardywood keep it up.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2012 15:28:13 | More by RVAIPA

Crazyale

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle poured into a pint glass. This is an IPA that was aged in a barrel made of Virginia poplar.

A: Pours a slightly cloudy dark amber, with orange highlights on the edges of the glass. Big frothy head that sticks around a leaves a sticky web of lacing on the glass.

S: Citrusy hops hit the nose first, but the aroma is more complex, with some pine needles, wood chips, and honey.

T: I'm picking up the poplar wood taste first, which is quite forward tasting. I'm not getting the big vanilla taste you get from oak; instead I'm getting more of a woody sapiness. Then the hops escape from the wood with a nice bitter citrusy kick. Due to the poplar, it actually takes several seconds for the hops to fully develop on the tongue, making this beer something of a "creeper" tastewise. I could probably spend all night talking about this beer; it's very complex and unique, and keeps producing new flavors.

M: This is a medium bodied beer with low carbonation. Due to the creeping effect of the hops, the aftertaste lingers on the mouth forever, changing its character as the seconds go by.

Overall, this is a unique and delicious beer from Hardywood. I was leery about an IPA conditioned in wood barrels, but this sappy poplar is the perfect complement for an IPA. My only complaint is that it is difficult to drink this big a beer in the 750ml format.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 04:11:02 | More by Crazyale

siege06nd

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This one is aged on a Virginia tulip poplar. Poured into a nonic pint...

A: Pours a cloudy copper with a massive three finger eggshell white head. Tons of lacing that positively coats the inside of the glass...I'm talking a good finger of lacing on the glass alone. Pretty good head retention as it settles to a half finger and lingers. Color is not quite as vibrant as I would hope...a little murkier and dark for the style. One of the most impressive head retentions and lacing I have seen.

S: Very very good. What stands out most is how floral the bouquet on this is, no pun intended. I get rose and tulip petals, citrus, honey. Not lots of pine resin or spiciness detected on the nose, just a beautiful floral aroma with hints of citrus. I like.

T: Extremely sweet. I get a lot of honey, some very light pine and herbal bitterness, floral notes, some woodiness, and perhaps a touch of booze. The flavors are good, but not particularly bold. And the honey flavors are a little over the top...lots of the sweet stuff, maybe even a little vanilla and caramel. Huh.

M: Interesting flavors, but lacks balance. Sweetness is too much and hop presence is decidedly thin and one note. I also thought the carbonation way too low for the style.

O: This is definitely a unique DIPA, with a very memorable nose and flavor profile. However, the sweetness just undercuts everything, covering up both the malts and the hops and making this one drink a little thin and one-note. Very very very interesting, but needs a step up in hop profile (or down in residual sugar) as well as additional carbing to make it a bit more crisp and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 22:43:35 | More by siege06nd