Hoppy Birthday - Alpine Beer Company

rudeboy916

California

5/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Pours clear golden with a thick fluffy head

S - This is probably the best smelling hoppy beer to ever visit my nose! TONS of pine and citrusy fruits. Absolutely amazing!

T - This tastes even better then the aroma, which I don't know how that's possible. Just a hint of bitterness, but a bouquet of hop flavor! Citrus and pine, grapefruit, lemon. Simply delicious!

M - Appropriate carbonation, low bitterness, which is stellar! Smooth and balanced.

D - I could drink this everyday. One of the best beers I've had from Alpine! And that says a LOT! Perfectly made!

Serving type: on-tap

08-31-2011 22:10:21 | More by rudeboy916

pperrecone

California

5/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Smell man so many layers of hops. nelson, cirta, simcoe, amarillo, pacific gem and one more I cant name. layers of smell.

tast is as the smell layers of hops and balance of bitterness for a session beer. A++++

Body is perfect nice and dry

Over all one of the best beers on the market.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2012 07:09:01 | More by pperrecone

largadeer

Kentucky

4.97/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Growler from ArthurPendragon. Thanks, old friend. The beer is a hazy, glowing yellow peach color. An inch of sudsy, frothy foam tops the body and retains nicely for the duration of the glass, which was admittedly brief. The first whiff displays huge tropical fruit and citrus hop aromas. Pineapple, papaya, a plethora of words that begin with P. Also mango maybe, which begins with M. Malt character is faint, possibly even imaginary. The taste is explosively hoppy yet quite dry and nuanced, with a light biscuit malt foundation barely perceptible beneath the hops. The hop flavors range from tropical fruit to fresh pine needles to juicy citrus. The body is light, but this has a ton of flavor. It finishes with a silky smoothness, only moderately bitter really, and with incredible balance. This is exceptional. Superlatives and Alpine seem to go hand in hand.

Serving type: growler

06-03-2010 03:25:17 | More by largadeer

graymoment

California

4.95/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Beautiful appearance with tons of fluffy, white head, which retained for quite some time in the glass.

Citrus and some pine all over the nose, with a very distinct "Alpine" aroma. No discernible malt could be detected whatsoever, either in the aroma or in mouth. Bone dry, all hop, no malt, with very little bitterness.

How they achieved the level of hop complexity without any malt and very little weight or ABV is quite intriguing. I believe it is a Citron dry hopped APA, but presents more like an IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2010 07:57:12 | More by graymoment

MrVonzipper

California

4.95/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Thanks to DarthKostrizer!
Pale clear golden. Fizzy short white head. Low retention and lace. 

Huge bright fresh nose. Bright citrus. A touch floral. Very nice. 

Flavor is very nice for a pale ale. Big crisp flavor. Nice floral and citrus hops.

Mouthfeel is very nice and light bodied with pretty high crisp carbonation.

Overall this is an amazing bright, clean, well balanced fresh pale ale. I love Zombie Dust, but this is even better!

Serving type: growler

05-07-2012 01:50:36 | More by MrVonzipper

stawn

California

4.93/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Growler fill from the brewery on 6.12.10

A - Pours clear golden with a thick fluffy head

S - This is probably the best smelling hoppy beer to ever visit my nose! TONS of pine and citrusy fruits. Absolutely amazing!

T - This tastes even better then the aroma, which I don't know how that's possible. Just a hint of bitterness, but a bouquet of hop flavor! Citrus and pine, grapefruit, lemon. Simply delicious!

M - Appropriate carbonation, low bitterness, which is stellar! Smooth and balanced.

D - I could drink this everyday. One of the best beers I've had from Alpine! And that says a LOT! Perfectly made!

Serving type: growler

06-12-2010 23:32:55 | More by stawn

JRhode

California

4.93/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

From a pitcher at the new BBQ joint shared with Jessethehutt.

Nice light golden/orange glow with frothy head that leaves sticky lacing.

Has the Alpine smell with sweet orange/tropical fruit and some piney floral scents as well. Remember thinking, "hope this tastes as good as it smells."

Tasted at least as good as it smelled, with an amazing amount of flavor packed in to a low abv package. Great fruity/bitter hop character that dries out perfectly on the finish. No "balance" whatsoever, just hops. Let those east coast/midwest folk make "balanced" IPAs.

Lively carbonation and refreshing, light mouthfeel.

Drinkability is phenomenal.

I would call this an IPA for sure, and may be my new favorite Alpine IPA. They need to crank out batch after batch of this stuff; no longer on for tastes or growler fills in the tasting room.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2010 19:32:06 | More by JRhode

Arbitrator

California

4.93/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Chilled growler into a glass. Yeah, I killed it alone, shut up, Roger.

Thanks to Chris (largadeer) and Ted (chswimmer) for grabbing it for me.

A: Pours a clear, golden-tinged peach body that is capped by 2" of fluffy, off-white head. Retention is great, and the beer deposits tons of sticky, white lace down the sides of the glass. Great look for a pale ale.

S: Tropical citrus all the way. They took pains to refrigerate this growler for the 5 days before I got it, and the aromatics really show. Fresh-cut pineapple, passionfruit, jackfruit, mango, grapefruit, tangerine. I could go on and on listing tropical fruits that only my girlfriend actually eats. There's a small touch of pine as well.

T: It has a light biscuit malt presence, just enough to give it some body to offset the huge hop flavors. As noted in the nose, it's tropical citrus all the way. It's not very bitter at all; a nearly clean flavor, in fact. Some small pine flavors are noted, but they barely offset the residual biscuit malt, and absolutely pale (ha!) in comparison to the citrus varieties.

M: Light-bodied. It's not crisp, but it has enough cleansing carbonation that the next sip (and many dozens after) are as fresh as the first. The right balance of residual sugar to offset the hop flavors and prevent this from tasting like watery hop juice.

D: I killed a growler. 'Nuff said.

Is there a better pale ale out there?

Serving type: growler

10-28-2010 22:23:33 | More by Arbitrator

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.93/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Growler shared by yourefragile. Thanks Michael!

The beer appears straw yellow and slightly hazy. The head is thick and white, displays lasting retention, and leaves ample lacing on the tulip glass. The aroma...wow. One of the best aromas in a pale ale I have ever experienced. This would give any IPA more than a run for its money. Fresh hops and a blast of varied citrus. The flavor is absolutely phenomenal. This is perhaps the most drinkable and enjoyable <6% beer I have had the pleasure to sample. Perfect? Ya, pretty much. My highest recommendation.

Serving type: growler

04-27-2011 23:39:54 | More by Huhzubendah

notchucknorris

California

4.93/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at Toronados

A: Golden color with a 1/2 inch cream colored head.

S: I don't even think I can begin to put the smell into words. It's absolutely amazing and the best smelling pale ale I've ever come across. Huge candied grapefruit, mango and citrus hops with a little honey as well. Perfect.

T: Somehow, the taste is just as good as the smell. A hint of mango and then a big hit of citrus and slightly piney hops. Some caramel malts balance the hops before they can get too bitter and the finish has just a touch of pine hop resin. A picture perfect pale ale. Must get more.

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2011 20:18:27 | More by notchucknorris

OTB

California

4.93/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Finally got around to bringing a growler home after missing out on the last few releases. First time with this brew.
Poured into my tulip the brew is a beautiful pale orange with a thick one inch bright white head that leaves curtains of webbing as I drink down. The nose is amazing, pure Citra hop aromas with white flowers and peaches, simply one of the best noses on any beer I've had. The flavor profile follows the nose with concentrated citrus, stone fruits some bitter hop bites and a beautiful glance of light biscuit. The mouth is crisp, dry, and cleanses the palate with perfect carbonation. By far the best pale ale I have ever had, another world class effort from my favorite brewery on the planet.

Serving type: growler

05-17-2012 00:17:21 | More by OTB

321jeff

Maryland

4.9/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Growler shared by yourefragile, thanks!

Pours a cloudy golden yellow with a couple fingers of mostly white head that slowly fades to a thin layer, leaving tons of lace on the side of the glass.

Aroma is a solid mix of all the hop smells I can think of, piney resins, grapefruit, pretty much everything but the kitchen sink. Some hints of sweet malts in the background.

The taste is loaded with resiny hops and some sweet citrus flavors. There's plenty of bitterness from the massive amount of hops. It almost tastes more like a mild IPA than an APA, but either way, the flavors work together perfectly and just taste spectacular.

The mouthfeel is equally as good, full and meaty with lots of carbonation. Overall, this is one of the best surprise beers I've ever had. It completely blows any other APA out of the water, and there are some really good APA's out there.

Serving type: growler

04-28-2011 00:18:11 | More by 321jeff

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.9/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Huge thanks to MrHirschybar for this one.

A: Pours a clear golden color with a nice white head, pretty unassuming looking, but nice nonetheless; I had no idea what was coming

S: The aroma is incredible. It's got a huge dank hoppy, citrusy smell that makes my mouth water.

T: The flavor here is incredibly complex, there's so much different flavors here and they all seem to co-exist perfectly. It's both citrusy and piney at the same time. The flavor is huge, like a DIPA, but it's also ridiculously drinkable. Overall, incredibly delicious.

M: It's medium-bodied, a little bit of creaminess up front, but very dry on the back end.

O: This beer is unlike anything I've ever drank and is another huge success from Alpine. They packed so much flavor into a small APA package which combines for the most flavorful borderline-session beer I've ever had.

Serving type: growler

05-13-2011 16:03:29 | More by starrdogg

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

4.9/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks again to starrdogg for sharing a growler of this amazing beer, thanks Matt. Alpine is quickly becoming in my book the go to brewery for hop heads like me.

A: Very clean almost lager like look with an orange/gold hue with a small ring of head and some good lacing. Some chunks of hops are floating in there, a good sign in my book.

S: What an amazing dry hop smell. So open and inviting, the smell has all the hop goodness of pine, grass, citrus rind, and weed in there. Some sweet candy malt compliments nicely to the hop barrage in the smell. Outstanding smell, just incredible.

T: The taste is so complex, I'm amazed the ABV is so low, not to say I detected any heat, but 5% beers are just not this tasty and all out hoppy. Lemon grass, fresh pine and grass, some citrus (dry), and just the right amount of crispy sugar malt rounds it out. What an awesome beer! The tastiest APA I've ever had, and this is from a die hard 3F fan (Alpha King, Zombie Dust both are amazing but this one may take the cake.)

M: Nice bitter back, and an overall very dry west coast hop beer thats great. Still semi sweet and smooth. Great medium feel, a little spicy.

O: Amazing, just an amazing beer. I absolutely love Alpine.

Serving type: growler

05-13-2011 17:30:28 | More by Dreadnaught33

DarthKostrizer

California

4.9/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

On tap at Alpine

Look: Nice golden yellow in color with a nice 1/2 in white head and great retention and lacing

Smell: Is a perfect combonation of floral and citrus hops they are in such perfect balance it almost creates a perfume like note that I want my wife to wear

Taste: Is very similar to the nose with the exception that it also has a very nice frutiness to it. Hands down the best tasting pale ale I have tried

Mouthfeel: A little less than medium body so it could use just a bit more body and perfectly carbonated

Overall: About as perfect as a pale ale can be. Absolutely loved this beer and now I am kicking myself in the ass for not getting a growler of the stuff

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2011 21:35:04 | More by DarthKostrizer

WeisGuy

New York

4.88/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Growler from Ultraman9000 - thanks, Martin!

Pours a slightly hazy, bright amber color with a two-finger, frothy white head. Head retention is very good, as is lacing. Tropical fruit and citrus really shine in the nose, with pineapple, tangerine and mango notes coming through. There's a nice cracker and caramel malt aroma underneath the hops. The taste is much the same, with pineapple, mango and tangering fruit flavors melding nicely with a substantial cracker malt with a slight caramel sweetness. Alcohol is unnoticeable. Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation and a fairly dry finish. Drinkability is off-the-charts here - this really hits everything I look for in a sessionable beer. The flavors are refreshing and interesting with a very nice balance, though, obviously, this leans to the hoppy side. Overall, another incredible hoppy beer from Alpine. Every time I try something new from this brewery, I am more and more impressed. This might nudge Alpine slightly ahead of Russian River as my favorite brewer for hoppy beers.

Serving type: growler

02-19-2011 00:40:11 | More by WeisGuy

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.88/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

o it began. Hobo tasting No. 7 commenced at Ingles on an overcast and slightly damp day. It was an impromptu event that really was not solidified until a couple hours before, but none the less went off without a hitch. As me and Calton chilled for a good hour enjoying some of the finer craft offerings in our multitude of glassware and bottles and growlers, one could only wonder how much better it could have gotten, enjoyed during a hell of a good time on 04/21/2011.

The first offering of the day the monster growler was opened up to get the ball rolling. This was not an easy feat to track this one down but boy was it worth it. Pouring out a wonderfully light golden amber color, the cloudy body produced a head that was nearly three inches in height over the top of the bottle and easily coated the entire glass with sticky and gooey lacing that left webbing long after we had finished.

The first notes that are picked up from the aroma are super bright citrus hops. Light lemon layered on top of pineapple and grapefruit, but very bright, light and clean. A burst of freshness through the air that was only slightly cut by light grains as it warmed. To call this a sessionable beer is an understatement. So clean, fresh, and easy going we had a hard time not going for pint after pint. Just a quick hit of hops on the first sip that open up the palate and cleanse the senses for a ripe display of fresh fruit and light grains that then wash over you. Fresh and perfectly carbonated it was an effortless offering as the lemon and pineapple flavor melts into a sea of grapefruit and dry finish that begs you to take another sip almost as soon as you finished the last one.

Overall one of the best, most drinkable IPA’s I have ever come across. This was just nuts. I would like to see someone do better than this, incredible light offering that seems it was made to be shared!

Serving type: growler

04-22-2011 22:41:18 | More by mikesgroove

ehammond1

California

4.85/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

On Tap

O'Brien's Pub
San Diego, CA

Hazy golden orange and yellow. Thin white head. Some lacing, but not as much as I was expecting.

This beer smells like hop heaven. It's an absolutely, unmatched, perfect smelling pale. The hop aroma on this is massive--orange, grapefruit, citrus rind, pine--WOW!

Taste falls in line right behind the nose. Bitter enough, but the bitterness never gets in the way of the terrifically pungent citrus and pine flavors biting and wrestling with the tongue--just delicious!

Medium bodied.

The perfect pale ale. It's astounding that so much hop flavor, aroma, and character is packed in to this sessionable, pitcherable, gulpable 5.25% pale ale.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2011 22:00:38 | More by ehammond1

AgentZero

Illinois

4.83/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to spycow for sharing this at DLD.

A - Hazy golden colored beer with a foamy white head that left some nice looking spots and lace on the sides.

S - Great hop smell including citrus that is not too grapefruity, pine resin, and some nice dankness that isn't moldy. The pale malt character keeps from being too sweet and is pretty near perfect.

T - Explosion of hops with sweet citrus and tropical fruits balanced out by bittering resins. Very hop-forward APA, but exceptionally well balanced with its malt backbone. One of the best, if not the best, hoppy APAs I've ever had.

M - Medium bodied, active carbonation, bitter, but clean, finish.

O - Awesome beer, great to drink pretty much anytime, anywhere. Wish I could get this regularly, awesome.

Serving type: growler

05-15-2011 22:03:57 | More by AgentZero

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.83/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Big thanks to Ultraman9000 for the growler!

Pours a clear dark straw with a big 3 finger white creamy sticky head.

Smells wonderful. Bright notes of citrus with a fresh floral scent and just a touch of pine.

Starts out citrusy. Orange and lots of red grapefruit with a touch of floral. Very hop forward. Finishes floral, bitter and dry.

Smooth creamy mouthfeel with medium carbonation.

One of my favorite beers ever and I love it every time I get the chance to have it. Light and refreshing, but still loaded with good IPA flavors.

Serving type: growler

02-05-2012 17:45:25 | More by jmarsh123

jamex

California

4.78/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from the tap at Alpine Brewery. Poured a beautiful gold with a nice head.

S: The aroma was amazing. Pine, tangerine, some floral scents and tropical undertones. Like taking a deep breath in a uncharted pine forest while your girlfriend peels an orange about five feet away.

T: I partied like it was my birthday. Hop explosions laced with wonderful citrus and delightful floral notes.

M - Nicely carbonated and refreshing.

D - This was an all around delicious beer, like many of the Alpine beers. They really have hops down to a science. Congratulations on this lovely beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2010 23:47:59 | More by jamex

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.75/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Growler shared with 321Jeff and Huhzubendah. Thanks JohnDoe8 for hooking us up!

Pour is a hazy, glowing pale golden with a dense, retentive stark white head. Thick rings of clumpy lacing.

Aroma is much more of an IPA than APA (though I won't hold it against it in the rating). Reminds me a lot of Sculpin. Fresh tropical fruits, grapefruit, pineapple, mango and mild caramel malt.

Medium-thick body with soft carbonation and a pleasant lingering dry hoppy finish. Sweet and juicy ripe tropical fruits dominate from the start and dominate throughout. Amazing. Again, maybe not a great APA per style, but an incredible beer regardless. This growler was ~2-3 weeks old; fresh this would have to be near perfect

Serving type: growler

04-27-2011 23:55:10 | More by yourefragile

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Thanks to Spycow, I think, for the share.

A - It pours a hazy orange-golden hue, and is capped with a big tan head that looks like pancake batter. Lots of lacing ensues.

S - Jeez this is good. It is very reminiscent of the 4-day-old Pliny shared by nerd the other day, except lemon-forward where Pliny proffered tropical and dank. The nose is just pure hoppiness; there is pale malt and pristine minerality somewhere under the hops, but who woud bother looking for it? Anyhow, lemon zest, verbena, lemongrass, tangerine, and hazy cannabis are hugely implied in the aroma.

T - This is one of the best hop-centric beers I've had; the taste is truly world-class. A pristine minerality is suggested by the pale malt base, and it is the basis for extraordinary depth of hop flavor. Lemon-centric notes lead the way but are nearly equaled by a melange of tangerine, mango, and grapefruit. The more I drink of this, the more it seems that the flavor begins as lemon and actively morphs through tangerine and mango phases, ending in a bitter grapefruit astringency. Quite mouth-watering.

M - Lighter than medium by a tad, and plentifully carbonated.

O - Fantastic stuff; this is what APA, and hop-centric, should aspire to be.

Serving type: growler

05-07-2011 04:41:44 | More by ktrillionaire

Overlord

California

4.72/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

More IPA than pale ale, this brew reminded me of the Sierra Nevada Harvest series. BUT WITH THE DIAL CRANKED TO 11!

Pours gold with a hint of orange. Big white sudsy head.

Smell is a gigantic bouquet of floral, grapefruit, and pine notes (you seldom see all three together with such abundance), with a ton of tropical notes and sweeter citrus. Maybe oranges, definitely pineapple, yipes. Insane tropical notes.

Taste is just resplendent with hop character. Almost no malt or citrus sweetness to be found. Just hops everywhere. Grapefruit, both sweet and bitter varieties, fresh cut pine, some acrid lemon/orange rind notes. HOPS!

Very nice bubbly mouthfeel. Tons of thanks to a generous benefactor. Managed to guzzle the entire thing through the Lost finale, which took the edge off a very underwhelming close to the series.

Serving type: growler

05-24-2010 17:25:49 | More by Overlord

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.72/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Happy birthday, Matt! Oh, and thanks, Chris! This has spent 2 weeks in the growler already, lets see how it is.

Crystal clear sun-kissed gold with a billowing, off-white head that has exceptional retention and lacing. Just perfect. And the nose? Jeez. Pure hop nectar. Plenty of pine, moderately resiny, grapefruit and a slew of tropical fruit aromas. Sweet, ripe pineapples, blood oranges, tangerines, just beautifully rich and layered. The hop profile probably makes me think of Duet more than any other Alpine beer, but with less bitterness, maybe?

The palate is outstanding. Opening with a big, bright hop flavor, there's tropical and citrus fruit galore. Pine isn't particularly prominent, this has plenty of tropical and citrus. Bitterness is moderate-to-low, allowing the flavor to dominate. Oranges and grapefruit with a definite pineapple character, the full hop flavor is rounded off with a resiny feel that ties together all the flavors. Light in body with soft carbonation, this beer has a long, dry finish that's moderately resiny and quite fruity with a mild bitterness, allowing this to be an insanely drinkable beer.

Oh, and I guess I forgot to mention it, but there's no malt character present, but given that this is a hoppy beer from Alpine, that description is rather unnecessary, isn't it? But I kid. There's a little bit of a light biscuit/cracker-like malt flavor, but it does nothing but provide a brief respite from a wonderful hop character. Thanks a lot, Chris. This makes 99% of the IPAs out there superfluous. I'd have to say this is one of my favorite Alpine beers yet, probably up there with Nelson and O'Brien's IPA. The last beer I drank a growler of, solo, in one sitting, was Younger. And that's very high praise.

Serving type: growler

11-06-2010 01:08:26 | More by DefenCorps