Pure Hoppiness - Alpine Beer Company

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Slightly hazy, golden-yellow with a big, foamy, soapy, off-white head that leaves great lacing and decent retention. Gotta admit I'm a little disappointed after Duet being so good-looking. But I'm partial to unfiltered beers.

S: Amazing nose with a proper pour. My first pour was bad but halfway through the pint, a good swirl builds the head back up into a tall, fragrant pile of bubbles. Some sweet malt in there but this is all piney, resiny, woody hops. Sharp and pungent. Incredibly floral and fruity if you dig your nose in after a good swirl. But the sweet, reminiscent-of-honey malt keeps this tuned towards Imperial IPA. The hop is a beautiful thing.

T: Much sweeter than Duet. A more resiny and piney hop presence but the pronounced and lingering malt presence sets this apart noticeably. Much more balanced than Duet. Should I even be comparing the two? I just drank Duet but this is a IIPA, after all. Slightly boozy. Has all the qualities of the style. This is a big brew. Tons of hops and IBU's that leave the palate pretty worn out after the whole bottle.

M: Has that filtered feel to it. A more tingly, carbonated body. A very slight cloying aftertaste, surprisingly. Apart from all that, this is exactly what an Imperial IPA should be.

O: You really gotta let this beer warm up. Becomes exponentially better, as expected. After reading about this beer on Alpine's website, it sounds like an insane amount of hops were used. The IBU's are definitely really high and it's very "West Coast." Very unique and delicious beer. This should definitely be the last beer of the night.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 02:30:10 | More by Gatch

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.31/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

My third Alpine IPA in just over a week, thanks to the generosity of BeerThirty. Tasted 29 March 2013.

Pours a deep bright orange. Very clear, and with no bubbles visible. Half finger of whitish head, decent retention, some nicely patterned lacing on the glass and the surface.

Smell is delightfully fruity. Apricots and oranges, and a dash of tropical fruit. Backed with a big dollop of caramel malts, coming through as honey and a touch of white sugar.

As expected, this is a bigger, badder IPA than their singles like Duet and Nelson. It's decidedly more bitter, but sweet on the front end. The contrast makes for a really nicely balanced beer. And there's a gentle fruitiness throughout, a really pleasant positive hop flavor that comes through well. Smooth, balanced, and flavorful.

Feel is fine. Medium-bodied, sticky, with carbonation right on the level. Fuzzy carb, rising up slowly and dropping off quickly. Lasts just as long as I want it to, fading out when the bitter becomes too much.

A really tasty big IPA. It's moderately sweet, moderately bitter, and good all the way through. Great fruit presence in the smell and the taste.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 06:20:31 | More by zeledonia

writerLJBerg

Oregon

4.24/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22oz bottle. Thanks! 2 weeks old.

A: Orange tinted cider color with a thin whipping of head. Decent legs.

N: Truckloads of pineapple and mandarin oranges. There's a modicum of spurce and a dense layer of malt at the base. A little oniony zest.

T: Good correlation between the taste and the smell. Pineapple, dense pine - more so than the nose - clementines, crystal sugars. There's a wonderful sweet base that yields to the stern bite of the bitterness.

M: sticky with a medium-full mouthfeel. Quite nice.

O: This is a delightful tropical treat. It's very balanced in its approach, which is an aspect I greatly appreciate in my (D)IPAs. Kudos.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 22:31:20 | More by writerLJBerg

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.15/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Obtained via trade from ThaFATkid. Poured from a bottle with no freshness data into a Goose Island tulip. The pour is hazy and orange-apricot in color. Carbonation is low and a rough pour produces only a thin lacy head. The nose is divine. Sweet oranges, peaches, grapefruit, and fresh herbs.

Medium body and a feel that is a bit thin, yet still sharp and crisp. Very refreshing and easy to drink. No booziness at all. I get a nice graininess up front (like a cracker) and the hops are all citrus fruit. Lots of orange zest and lemon. Botanic, pithy, and slightly herbal on the finish.

Overall, an extremely well-balanced beer. Lots of fruity citrus-like bitterness with just a touch of sweetness. Drinks like a hopped-up wheat beer. An excellent beer for a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 16:26:05 | More by deadonhisfeet

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Received as an extra in a trade and poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a nice crystal clear orange hue with a one finger white head that quickly fades to a thin thin blanket and leaving a thicker halo as well.

S - Dank, wet hops here. Big grapefruit, faint tropical, light malts. Even as aromatic as it is it is quite balanced. Smells enticing.

T - Taste is solid. Like the nose but with a bit more malts. Nice citrus notes along with lighter pine. Like someone else said, pretty sure there is some Nelson hops in here as there is that earthy almost onion note. Nice bitter earthy finish as well.

M - Mouthfeel is solid, just solid. Good carbonation for the style, and quite drinkable. Stuff goes down incredibly easy.

O - Overall, a delicious west coast DIPA here. Enjoy basically everything from Alpine and this stays true with that.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 23:12:30 | More by rudzud

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This poured out as a nice clear golden color with a white head on top. The retention and lacing are pretty good. The smell of the beer is hoppy, loaded with piney aromas. The taste of beer has a bitter resin-like flavor with a pine finish. The mouthfeel of the beer is smooth, lightly carbonated and sharp dry finish. Overall a solid IPA, well balanced and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 03:23:37 | More by Knapp85

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.36/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Bomber poured into a tulip

A- Pours hazy golden orange with a one finger of a quickly dissipating white head.

S- Super citrusy. A big grapefruit aroma, a little cat piss. A slight mango. Actually smells quite balanced.

T- A bitter bite at first. A very tropical hop flavor in this beer. A Sweet citrus fruitiness. Grapefruit, lemongrass and mango. Of course, a slight cat piss from the hops. The malt backbone doesnt provide much flavor here but does a good job of showcasing the hoppiness.

M- A slight stickiness from the mouthfeel. Relatively low bitterness and alcohol taste. A good body, syrupy sweet and great carbonation.

O- A fine DIPA. I would kill to try more Alpine brews.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 00:08:59 | More by TwelveOunces

StubFaceJoe

Colorado

4.15/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bomber split with the lady, into a New Belgium Globe.

Pours with a golden copper, very clear. Less than half a finger of head from a slightly aggressive pour and very little lacing as it goes down.

Smell is wonderful. Super rich bouquet of peach, lemon oil, very slight pline.

Taste follows the smell, lemon oil with other citrus and some peaches in the background with slight hoppy resinous and bitterness. Slight mineral flavor from the water perhaps?

Mouthfeel-Very light on the palate for the style, a little "bubbly" as well and finishes drier than expected.

Overall- A great DIPA but not quite as much as a expected.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 19:10:04 | More by StubFaceJoe

t420o

California

4.48/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Alpine Pure Hoppiness

A- pour produces a 2 finger light tab head on a deep golden-copper body. Good lacing and decent retention. 4

S- heavy hops. Beautiful. Citrus, pine, some oniony hops (not sure if there are Nelson Sauvin hops in this but it smells like it). Earthy and lightly herbal as well. 4.5

T- very similar to the nose but the malt is a little more noticeable. Nice piney, citrus, and oniony hop tastes going well with the light malt graham-crackery backbone. Excellent beer. 4.5

M- good mouthfeel. Smooth carbonation and medium body. 4.5

O- another excellent IPA from Alpine. I wish I still lived in San Diego and had easy access to their stuff. 4.5

A

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 22:35:16 | More by t420o

CurtFromHershey

Pennsylvania

4.36/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Pours a crystal clear tannish orange with a thin but steady head.

Smell is very hoppy.... pine, grass, pineapple, and perhaps even juniper on the nose.

Flavor is bitter, citrusy, clean, with hints of tropical fruit. Not as well balanced as I tend to prefer, bit I find myself wanted more.

Mouthfeel is fault-free. Proper carbonation, dry, crisp.

Overall a great beer. A bit hoppier than necessary in my opinion, yet I can't seem to wait more than a few seconds between sips!

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 00:24:23 | More by CurtFromHershey

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Clearish copper pour, with a small white head; moderate retention and lacing. Nice aroma of fresh hops, citrus, pine, tropical fruit, and not much else, as the name promised. The taste follows the aroma, not quite as juicy and fresh as some of its contemporaries, but still loaded with hoppy goodness, citrus zest, pine, quite bitter, there's a pale malt base in there, but it's mostly dominated by the hops, which stick around into the aftertaste. Body was medium, crisp and moderately carbonation, appropriate for the style. Very nice overall.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 08:39:19 | More by Rifugium

ALBuff

Hawaii

3.93/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

This beautiful orange double coats your mouth like a cup of bitter honey. Plenty of big grapefruit notes on the nose and on the front of the tongue upon first quaff; but as the Pure Hoppiness spreads over the tongue, it's the much more bitter pine and nut flavors that leave a lasting impression.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2013 22:21:55 | More by ALBuff

Bringthebeards

California

4.08/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - orange sunset hay

S - earthy hops, mellow pine notes

T - pine, slight tropical fruit, touch of bitterness on the finish

M - DIPA mouth coating, resin and bitterness lingers after swallowing rather than a floating hop

effervescence

O - Balanced. Almost too balanced. Perfect foundation but I need a tad more hop bite.

Enjoyed thoroughly none the less.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 03:59:44 | More by Bringthebeards

Hamburgers

California

4.13/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours clear copper. One finger white head fades to a thin cap leaving little to no lacing. Aroma is slightly piney, citrusy with some tropical fruit notes. Flavor has notes of grass and grapefruit. Thin to medium body. Not heavy on malt. Moderate carbonation. Crisp, clean finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 07:07:11 | More by Hamburgers

pschul4

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to Ehammond1 for hooking me up!

A- Pours a light orange hue with a small white head that leaves just a ring around the top of the glass

S- Huge piney hops! Malt? We don't need no stinkin malt!

T- Again the huge bitter piney hops but a dash of citrus in there that brings everything to balance. Simply wonderful

M- Light, refreshing, prickley, gorgeous

O- This doesnt quiiite match up to Nelson or Duet but let's be honest, hardly any IPAs do. This is delicious and Alpine certainly knows how to brew a damn IPA

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 03:38:44 | More by pschul4

Drunk_And_Sarcastic

California

4.54/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a snifter. Bottle was purchased on December 27th, 2013.

A - Dark gold to bronze

S - Citrus notes and grassy. Mostly a hop forward nose. Some biscuity/yeasty smells are noticeable after a little swirl.

T - Lots of citrus and tropical fruits from the hops. Lots of grapefruit, orange and pine. You also get a little toasted malt and biscuit toward the end. The finish is classic Alpine. Its crisp and resinous.

M - It's medium to light bodied. It has that oily/sticky body that I love in IPAs. Its very drinkable and hides the 8.00% Abv well.

O - This is another example of an amazing (D)IPA by Alpine. The classic resinous and crisp finish makes this beer extremely drinkable. Although I prefer Nelson and Duet to this (just barely), this is still a top DIPA that ranks up there with Heady and Pliny.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 00:26:25 | More by Drunk_And_Sarcastic

rlee1390

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Cloudy orange, one finger head that leaves behind some lacing.

S-Lots of pine and grassy hops. What a hop forward nose.

T-Lots of pine, some toasted malt, ends with solid bitterness. Well rounded with the earthy hops and the bitterness.

M-Medium bodied, hop resins and nicely carbonated.

O-A damn good DIPA. Had after PtE and Heady so it didn't match up there, but still a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 00:07:30 | More by rlee1390

marysparks18

California

4.14/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A: clear, golden orange yellow, almost no head

S: like you want to go swimming in it:-) yeasty, strong

T: HOPPY, strong, good contrast of sweet malt and bitter citrus hops

M: smooth, medium body, malty,

Overall very refreshing, and drinkable. Pairs well with almost any food. Great disguise for the amount of alcohol

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2013 03:46:10 | More by marysparks18

macrosmatic

Florida

3.48/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to dujayhawk for this one. Reviewed from notes. Poured from bomber into a CCB pint glass.

A: Clear, dark gold that glows under light; only mild visible carbonation leads to a small white head.

S: Tropical fruit, citrus, and grassy hops, overlying a little biscuit malt.

T: Unfortunately, doesn't follow the nose here. Caramel maltiness fights with citrus, piney, and spicy hops into a disaster. The spicy hops get more prominent as the beer warms, which is even worse with the caramel malts.

M: Very low carbonation sensation, a small amount of alcohol noticeable, and a medium body.

O: Well, this does have some good points, primary among these the aroma. But not my preference to say the least. Caramel malts do not play well with American hops! I'm glad to have tried it, but there will likely not be a repeat performance for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 02:49:19 | More by macrosmatic

BilbosNuts

California

4.4/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a clear, pure golden color with a moderate amount of carbonation. A thin, pearl white head sits on top and reduces to a thin film. Spotted lacing is left behind.

S: Wonderful hop profile on this one. A balance of pine, orange, grapefruit and other citrus.

T: The taste follows the nose nearly identically. Pine and a plethora of citrus dominate while a mild sweet malt backbone appears during the finish along with a significant bitter bite.

M: Medium bodied with a resiny/oily sort of feel. The flavors coat the palate, leaving a lingering bitterness.

O: This is one of the best examples of a DIPA out there. I'm always excited to try beers from Alpine and I haven't been disappointed yet. Just wish they would start distributing to Northern CA.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 21:13:03 | More by BilbosNuts

Psyko

California

4.45/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Alpine Brew Pub and from a growler purchased at Alpine Brewery 12/27/12
Served in a pint and tulip glass

A: This beer pours a nice amber reddish 1-2 finger head with some lacing. Some alcohol legs are visible. A small head lingers.

S: Dank pine and grapefruit dominate the aroma. there is no alcohol in the smell.

T: Malty citrus flavors dominate the initial flavor profile. On the back end there is a nice palate cleansing bitterness that cleans up the malt backbone. This beer is fantastic with spicy food like the buffalo chicken sandwich served in the Alpine brewpub.This is a great beer.

M: This beer has a clean crisp mouthfeel. The effervescence does help cut down the dank mouthfeel, the finish is bitter crisp.

O: This is my favorite of the Alpine standard on-tap beers. Highly Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2013 21:50:04 | More by Psyko

TWStandley

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into my Urthel glass. Split with my brother.

Thanks to Brianthebrewer13 for this as an extra. My first Alpine!

Poured a crystal clear reddish orange color with a two finger white head.

Smell is quite potent. First you detect some pine and grapefruit, followed by some more citrus notes. Very earthy smelling as well, almost moss-like.

Taste starts with a typical hop bitterness, making way into some nice fruity notes including lemon, orange, and pineapple. Not quite sweet enough IMO, could use some more malts.

Mouth feel was where it should be. Not much of an alcohol presence which is good.

Overall this was a solid DIPA. I think I have spoiled myself recently with ultra fresh Heady Topper, HF Ipas, and Kiwi Rising, so I was not blown away. Regardless...solid beer. Stoked to try Duet which I hear is superior to this.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 22:18:06 | More by TWStandley

zac16125

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bomber into a snifter
no born on date but picked up from the brewery less than 2 weeks ago

A big thanks to harink for sending this long time want over as part of one of my all time favorite trades (Pure Hoppiness, Duet, Nelson, and BA Speedway!).

A: Pours a clear dark amber with almost reddish hues and just a thin sliver of sea foam white colored head. The small amount of head that is present dissipates quickly but manages to leave a good amount of lacing down the sides of the glass.

S: Aroma is a huge tropical fruit sweetness that can be smelled well before you put your nose anywhere close to the glass. There are also some dank hop characters and an almost astringent alcohol-like presence.

T: Taste is somewhat muted at first with generic hops notes followed by some piney bitterness on the finish. Once it warms a bit it gets better with other flavors coming out including citrus rind, lemon zest, a touch of booze and some caramel malts. Piney bitterness becomes more prominent at it warms, as well. This certainly tastes like its stale, doesnt taste fresh at all, even though it was picked up from the brewery less than 2 weeks ago and at the same time as both the Duet and Nelson, which both tasted super fresh. Still tastes good, and improves as it approaches room temperature, but still a let down from what I was expecting.

M/D: Pretty smooth, appropriate carbonation, full bodied, big drying finish leaves you eager to take the next sip. Drinkability is good.

O: Overall, this was good, but certainly didnt live up to the hype, and was a pretty big disappointment (especially after recently having Nelson and Duet.) I am curious as to how fresh this bottle is, because from start to finish it comes off as stale. Yet another reason for breweries to bottle date their IPAs/DIPAs! I'm glad I got to try it, but next time I seek out Alpine it will be for one of their many other strong offerings. Of the three Alpine brews Ive had in the last week Id rank them as follows: Duet -> Nelson-> Pure Hoppiness.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 15:33:42 | More by zac16125

MEsoJD

California

4.48/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

[Poured into a generic Tulip Glass]

I: I'm so happy I was able to get a hold of a bottle of this stuff. Even living in California, getting brew from this company is hard. Their most famous and sought bottle would probably be "Exponential Hoppiness", but scoring some "Pure Hoppiness" is the next best thing. As a hop head, I'm mostly hoping for a big hop presence.

B: [8% ABV 22 FL. OZ Bottled December 2012] The beer is good, but not great in terms of presentation. The artwork and label texture don't mesh. It needs a more papery/rugged feel. Parts of the artwork are almost reminiscent of ms clip art/paint. The information provided though is great. Brief description, abv, size, origin, etc... If I do end up keeping this bottle, it will be for the hype and quality.

A: An orange transparent body with a nice fluffy/slight creamy white head(moderate dissipation), and decent lacing. A standard ipa in appearance.

S: Nice pine hops, fruity citrus, and sweet malt.

T: Quite tasty! Sweet malt, grapefruit (tropical presence), spicy pine hops throughout. Balanced presence of all flavors throughout. Salivating aftertaste due to it's slick characteristic on the back of tongue.

M: slick/crisp/slight dry finish, medium bodied, perfect carbonation, and apparent alcohol(not intrusive).

O: Pure Hoppiness stands out because it's probably one of the best examples of the style. It has great balance in every category and it makes you salivate for another sip (one of my favorite qualities in a good beer). The only gripes I have is that it's not complex and I really feel Alpine can really do a better job in their presentation. Still great balance and presence. I highly recommend this and while the bottle isn't the greatest looker, it's worthy keeping. Savor Great Beer!

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 05:14:39 | More by MEsoJD

Resuin

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a Golden Monkey Goblet. I have been assured this one is only a couple weeks old - so plenty fresh.

Appearance: A deep gold/amber color - darker than IPA's, and even a bit darker than most DIPA's in my experience. Leaves a nice finger head which diminishes relatively quickly but leaves some lace.

Smell: Dank hops! A nice smell, it's one of hops through-and-through. Some citrus and pine as well, but definitely dominated by the wonderful aroma of hops.

Taste: The hops definitely come through well in this one. Hops, pine, perhaps a bit of grapefruit plus some earthy tones, maybe even a hint of tobacco. This beer is quite complex and wonderful. This one is like a game trying to identify all the little, intricate flavors within. Hops are the dominant one though.

Mouth-feel: A lovely amount of carbonation. This is full-bodied, but not as heavy as some other DIPA's I've had, and I dig it. Extremely smooth and drinkable, but without compromising any complexity whatsoever.

Overall: A fantastic version of a DIPA, this is a hoppy beer that has plenty of complex flavors within. Even though it's a hop-dominated beer it is complex and balanced. Well worth a try for IPA/DIPA lovers.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 04:50:47 | More by Resuin