Hop Head
C'est What Durham Brewing Company

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From:
C'est What Durham Brewing Company
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
5%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.86 | pDev: 8.29%
Reviews:
21
Ratings:
27
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 23, 2019
Added:
May 11, 2007
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of eberesford
Reviewed by eberesford from Canada (ON)

3.91/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On cask at C’est What - pours a slightly hazy amber with orange highlights. mostly earthy hop aroma with good bitterness in the body well balanced against bread malts. Those looking for the citrusy / piney aromas of NA IPAs will not find it here.
Feb 23, 2019
 
Rated: 4.09 by dgilks from Australia

Apr 05, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by morningthief from Massachusetts

Jul 13, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by hunterjames from Canada (ON)

Apr 11, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by bluetrevian from Florida

Feb 27, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by DaPan from Canada (ON)

Feb 13, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by kelvarnsen from Canada (ON)

Jan 03, 2012
Photo of kwjd
Reviewed by kwjd from Canada (ON)

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On cask at C'est What. Pours a hazy orange with a finger of thick white head that doesn't really dissipate down the glass. Nice lacing. Smells a bit soapy, but has some citrus and earthy hops as well. Flavour is a bit bitter, but not over the top. I don't know if I would say this is an American IPA as it seems a bit weaker than that, but it is nice still.
Nov 02, 2010
Photo of biegaman
Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Off cask at C'est What?, in Toronto.

The beer's golden colour is uniquely off-set, a sort of faded complexion made so by a natural, healthy haziness; it's like a TV picture going out of focus, it makes the eyes dizzy. Its head was thin and appeared like a fresh-fallen sheet of snow over a still and pristine frozen pond. Curiously, however, it all evaporated very quickly (it is July, after all).

When I, like most people, think of 'hoppy' pale ales I think of bright colours, the oranges and pinks of tropical fruit zests, or perhaps the colour green because of the pine needles and the resiny sap of giant trees that North American hops emulate so well. This is hoppy, to be sure, but like its appearance, its colour is a little faded, out of focus.

The aroma, like the beer overall, has a kind of 'passive-aggressive' hoppiness. It doesn't have the greatly aromatic, wickedly citric hoppiness of an American IPA (despite that it does perspire notes of grapefruit and orange) nor does it have the passivity of most English offerings (despite that it is appreciably mild and characteristically balanced).

The flavour espouses a great deal of hoppy resins, some earthy while others more fruit-like, but they don't, by any stretch, amount to a disconcerting amount of bitterness. Nay, this beer was designed for high-gear drinking and it's perfectly suited to just that (especially when the cask is in perfect condition, which it was!)

County Durham's Hop Head deviates from the traditional English session ales as much as it is epitomizes them. Sure, it is more hop-driven than most but it doesn't become carried away with them and, moreover, it still speaks to the virtues of balance and moderation in brewing (and their necessity in making sessionable, widely agreeable offerings).
Jul 13, 2010
Photo of kjyost
Reviewed by kjyost from Canada (MB)

3.14/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Had as part of Cask IPA challenge at Bar Volo.

Came to me as part of a three 5 oz servings. None had head. None laced. WTF?

Comes to me looking way too yellow for me to honestly view it as an IPA. Some bread and light fruit on the nose, though much too light for my liking. Taste is more of the same, with the same thinness affecting the drink. Needs a stronger and more assertive malt body along with more aroma & flavour hops...
Jul 11, 2010
Photo of liamt07
Reviewed by liamt07 from Canada (ON)

3.83/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pint at C'est What. Clear golden colour with a nice head that was retained until my last sip. Massive sheets of lacing on the side of the glass. Smell was fresh, a little bit of citrusy hops, bit piney too. Tad watery at first, but there was nice smooth and restrained bitterness that I get right after. Creamy in the mouthfeel, quite nice and not heavily carbonated. Easily drinkable and a real nice beer!
May 01, 2010
Photo of mrmanning
Reviewed by mrmanning from Canada (ON)

3.83/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Cask at C'est what- Served to me a slightly hazed orange with a thin and lacy eggshell cap. Nose of fresh,leafy, right of the vine hops....hops hops hops...perfume, lemon and grapefruit with a bit of bread crust and earthy malts. I like the fresh hop aroma. I wasn't as sold on the flavour, but it was still good. Again, the fresh hops are the main star...grapefruit pith and citrus flavours...leafy greens lead to mango and then lead to a bit of bready malty sweetness. Fucking creamy as hell, I could drink this by the gallon. Very good.
Nov 11, 2009
Photo of TurdFurgison
Reviewed by TurdFurgison from Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I had this on cask at C'est What (one of five casks!). This was clear, straw yellow, with about 1 finger or froth, some lacing on the pint glass. The aroma was a little citrusy with a toasted malt base. Really nice fresh hops flavors take the lead, grapefruit and pine, but I get a lot of fresh bread in the aftertaste. Nice creamy mouthfeel as expected on cask, very full feeling. As drinkable as any cask ale, it went down fast. This is just a strong, solid choice, I'd have ordered more but there were 5 casks to choose from.
Sep 19, 2009
Photo of biboergosum
Reviewed by biboergosum from Canada (AB)

3.94/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at C'est What.

This beer appears a clear pale golden colour, with a finger or so of wispy, soapy white head, which leaves a thin ring of lace around the glass. It smells of white cereal grain, and grapefruit, grassy hops. The taste is more cereal grain, and a stronger grapefruit/mixed citrus hoppiness. The carbonation on the low side, the body fairly smooth and round, and it finishes dry and hoppy, just how I likes 'em!
Aug 17, 2009
Photo of bobsy
Reviewed by bobsy from Canada (ON)

4.14/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had numerous times on cask at C'est What? and Volo, where it is certainly helped by the excellent condition the owners keep the casks in. Nice golden appearance with a long-lasting white head and huge sheets of lacing. Fresh, lively, hoppy aroma. Taste was fresh and full of hops, with gave it a very nice (but not overpowering) bitterness. The malt base is also well balanced with the hops and provides a solid backbone of texture and flavour. The palate was medium-bodied with low levels of carbonation. Excellent stuff!
Sep 23, 2008
Photo of irishkyle21
Reviewed by irishkyle21 from Canada (ON)

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
It's pretty sad that I have to travel 4 to 5 hours to get a beer on cask but I guess it could be worse. Has a foamy white head and a golden color underneath (a little hazy). Good lacing and retention.

Smells of citric hops, fruits, theres some grass and earth in there as well.

Tastes of bitter hops, the pale malts stop in for a quicky. A great beer and its on cask!
Jul 21, 2008
Photo of TerryW
Reviewed by TerryW from Canada (ON)

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Nice hoppy aroma, hazy orange pour with a firm head and good lace. A handsome beer.

Gently bitter compared to other IPA's, nice grapefruit/citrus flavour, understated malt. Softly carbonated, easy to drink.

An enjoyable beer of some interest to fans of hops, but not overwhelming if someone is looking to try a hoppy beer.
Jul 11, 2008
Photo of Antilochus
Reviewed by Antilochus from Canada (ON)

4.18/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On cask at C'est What. Pint glass.

Cloudy golden orange body and nice sudsy and rocky white head. Great retention.

Citrusy nose, good bready malt backbone to even out the hop profile.

Lightish creamy mouthfeel. Grapefruity palate. Easy drinking. A little fruit comes out too. Great stuff.
May 30, 2008
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.77/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
One of five casks on at C'est What. Hoppy aroma draws me in. Cloudy orange. Creamy mouthfeel, taking into account this is cask. Very lacey. Controlled bitterness really, and though not very bold flavour my taste buds are preserved for something else.
May 27, 2008
Photo of pootz
Reviewed by pootz from Canada (ON)

3.3/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
From Cask at the Castle:

Pulled a pale clouded yellow into my pint glass. Rocky sticky cap had fair retention.

Decent aroma to the cask version, The Cascades and fuggles variety hops combine with the yeast esters to produce a musty-peach or earthy citrus discernment.

Thin bodied, light malt spine mild, character.

The frontside is well balanced with mild malts and citrusy hops then the fuggles take over in the thin mid palate and bitter up the finish....mild and drikable.

Nice dose of cascade flavor but this beer is too pale and thin of malts, ABV and mild to be called an IPA...possibly a great west coast style version of a mild pale but not an IPA. A nice session mild but consider me underwhelmed if this is an IPA.
Aug 31, 2007
Hop Head from C'est What Durham Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 27 ratings