New Holland Imperial Hatter - New Holland Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle at Mondiale 2010. Hop aromas, emminating from very golden coloured body with a white hjead and lace rings. You can see the carbonation bubbles. Good piney hops and creamy malts, hits the bullseye for the style. But you can detect the a.b.v. Bit above average mouthfeel.A little more drinkable the second bottle courtesy of Christian of Chancey Smith.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2010 20:10:38 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.18/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

"Very young children eat their books, literally devouring their contents. This is one reason for the scarcity of first editions of Alice in Wonderland and other favorites of the nursery."

--A.S.W. Rosenbach (U.S. book and manuscript collector and dealer)

Vintage 2010. Harvest orange with diamond-like clarity and several fine bubbles streams ascending within. The Imperial looking head is closer to sandstone than alabaster, has a firmly creamy texture, develops some impressive rockiness as it melts, and is doing a bang-up job coating the glass with lace.

The aroma is classic C-hopped American DIPA. The malts smell largely pale, the hops are white grapefruit-orange peel fruity, and there's the smallest hint of alcohol imaginable. If there are enough lupulins in the house, this might be pretty good stuff.

Imperial Hatter is good beer that tastes like quite a few other American DIPAs that I could name. That isn't a knock, because truly great DIPAs are relatively hard to come by. It makes no major missteps and seems to have a lot going for it in the first few ounces.

In spite of the orange color, there can't be a very high percentage of 'darker than pale malt'. Maybe a wee blip of toasted bread and that's it. The citrus fruity hops are on the aggressive side, though their flavor and bitterness are tamed to some extent by all the malt sugars. That's precisely why IPAs (rather than DIPAs) are my favorite style.

Warming brings the expected changes: more cushy malts, bolder hops, and more mellow alcohol. The taste score still doesn't deserve a bump, but the drinkability score does. This really is an easy drinker considering style and ABV.

The body/mouthfeel is impressive now that mid-bottle has arrived. It's glassy smooth and the carbonaton is dead... solid... perfect. Amazing sheets of BB-shot lace (once the beer falls with drinking) result in a well-deserved appearance score increase.

New Holland Mad Hatter IPA was one of my favorite American IPAs back in the day. It's time to revisit that brew the next time I have the opportunity. Imperial Hatter isn't quite that good, but it's a rock-solid example of the American DIPA style circa 2010.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 12:33:38 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Another great addition to the lineup at the cask fest at Duckworth's yesterday. Everything really came off great during the afternoon, This was served in the standard 11.5oz glass and filled to the rim. Consumed on 03/27/2010.

The pour was rather average in my opinion as the light amber colored ale was very cloudy and only had a small head on top that quickly faded leaving it mostly bare. Light carbonation streaming up but nothing to write home about. Aroma was light, hints of citrus and pine mixed with light grain and an herbal, meadow like presence. Too light. As I take a sip sharp alcohol bites the tongue but mellows quickly, but the overall profile is rather unbalanced. Sharp citrus and grain are quickly fading away from the taste buds leaving the mouth dry and looking for something else. Body is a bit thin, nothing terrible, just needed a little bit more IMO. Drinkable, but you feel it with every sip.

Overall it was decent but I was expecting more from it to be honest. Still good though.

Serving type: cask

03-28-2010 18:43:03 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes.

Pours a darker shade of golden amber with a nice off white head. Nose brings some diverse hops with some pine and citrus zest being the most prominent. Taste brings the bitterness but not as much of the flavor from the hops. Nice bitter finish on q nice body. Drinks well and is another nice hoppy brew from New Holland.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2010 13:06:26 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.35/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Medium copper body, clear, and underneath a two-inch-high head of lightly yellowish foam. Decent lacing on the descent.

Smell: Resinous, pithy and slightly alcoholic with notes of citrus pith, distilled florals, and a sliver of pine.

Taste: Lightly sweet, bready-tasting malts with a very faint toastiness. Briefly sweet. Pithy citrus and a spiciness that's sharp, like popping a hop pellet in your mouth. Medium-high bitterness. Drizzle of orange oil. The orange character remains for the dry, warming finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation. Smooth mouthfeel.

Overall: The raw, coarse hoppiness isn't entirely disagreeing, but one one-time helping is more than enough for me.

Serving type: on-tap

10-13-2011 20:48:56 | More by ChainGangGuy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

2.73/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Bottle: Poured a slightly hazy dirty orangey color ale with a small foamy head with OK retention and no lacing. Aroma of sweet malt base with light floral hops. Taste is too sweet for the style with some floral hops though not as much as expected. Body is above average with medium carbonation and no apparent alcohol. I found that this was way too sweet for the style and not enough hops presence - bottle has been kept in fridge since I received it though I wonder if this was maybe a bit too aged.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2009 03:34:38 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

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

A pretty standard DIPA that focuses on a firm hop blend of citrus, pine, and hop resins. Yet, the beer has on extraordinary elements that make it a standout.

As all really good big hoppy beers do, this one carried a medium copper, light amber color with firm and creamy off-white foam. Very good lacing and a bit of hop haze.

Aromas and flavors mirror each other with an early focus on resiny and bitter hops. A wave of moderate malts carry a bit of bready taste, caramel sweetness, and sunkist grains. Mid-palate brings on more citrus hop flavors, mild fruitiness, and less sweetness. Later, the beer continues the hoppy citrus and pines but the malts begin to dry out into a graham cracker crustiness. All this is pretty typical of most big IPA's. Tack on a acetone/fruity alcohol note and we'll put a wrap on this one.

Body carries a lot of heavy sugars up front and the beer struggles to dry out later. Still, the beer is not a Barleywine comparison and still is validated as a big IPA. I would like more dryness and crispness though.

The heavy body that never dries out comnpletely, the hop profile that remains average, and a typical ester and alcohol profile keep this from becomming a standout. But it's good control of recipe formulation and relatively error free brewing keeps it from mediocrity also.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2009 03:03:16 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Mad Hatter was the very first IPA I ever had back home,it was the first beer where the aromas stood out and led me down the path of becoming a hophead...enough of that shite.Poured into a impy nonic a deep bronze with a large clingy white head that settles oh so slowly,leaving multiple rows of lace behind.A mix of resiny hop and caramel malt in the nose with the hop profile winning out,flavors are "green"with hops,leafy and herbal with some citrus notes, a biscuit base holds up well to the onslaught.Its nice with more of a herbal "green" hop profile,its not as in your face as many wich might be a good thing,I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2009 21:59:12 | More by oberon

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Another VDubb directive, this one outspokenly for vicariousness. (By the way, I just now learned that's a real word.) It pours a clear ruby amber topped by a half-finger of very light ecru foam. The nose comprises plenty o' pine, chives, pearl onions, and a stiff undercurrent of sweet caramel. The taste maintains the onion-y flavors (must be the hop variety(-ies) in there), along with the pine sap and sweet caramel. Pretty straightforward DIPA flavors, though, again, those hops have a rather onion-forward taste, something that does not bode well for the beer as a whole. The body is a fairly solid medium, with a light carbonation and a somewhat dry finish. Overall, a decent DIPA, but those damn hops force this one into a bit of a tailspin. Beyond that, though, things seem pretty solid.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2010 02:25:39 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

New Holland Imperial Hatter

Lightly hazed, amber to crimson appearance....dusky orange?nice white head, die too quickly in this pour.

Caramel tones, and herbal notes in the aroma, citrus-y notes peek out, then the pine, then the prickly pear, the apple...all swirled up with caramel-y, chocolate-y malt. This is no naked, raw in-your-face hop attack in this nose, it's blended and complex.

In the mouth, more of the same. Juicy malt, with bombastic hop attack coming from behind. Not a big, bitter bruiser. Not a ripper of the palate, but it is bigger than the normal IPA. Bitter and sweet, hand in hand, nicely balanced.
The extra ingredients, and the higher alcohol make this Imperial, and it becomes dominant quickly. Sweet, caramel malt remains large in the flavor, hop quotient just below.

I like this okay, but wouldn't go back for more, just not my style. Like the graphic, with a hug of beer in the Hatter's hand. What if he had brew at that tea party, how much madder would that party have been? How many more sizes would Alice have grown? Curiouser and curiouser...

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2009 08:09:26 | More by feloniousmonk

zeff80

Missouri

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a clear, copper/burgundy color with a small, ivory, bubbly head of foam. It left some nice rings of lace.

S - It smelled of grapefruit, citrus and burnt toast.

T - It had a nice roasted malt flavor with sweet caramel notes. The grapefruit and citrus flavors were understated but provided some balance to the bitter hop bite.

M - It was crisp and very sharp on the tongue. A medium bodied imperial ipa.

D - This is a pretty good brew. I enjoyed it more than regular Mad Hatter

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2009 00:17:35 | More by zeff80

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer was pumped out of a cask, it had a nice foamy head on it. The lacing wasn't to bad. The color of the beer was a nice looking copper color. The smell was hoppy and had some earthy tones to it as well. The taste of the beer has a soft bitterness upfront that changes into a more harsh bitterness in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel was smooth and creamy. Overall this isn't the best IIPA, but it wasn't bad. I'd drink it again if I was out somewhere and saw it.

Serving type: cask

06-23-2011 15:55:01 | More by Knapp85

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

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

12oz bottle, vintage 2011. A souvenir from a trip to Detroit last month.

This beer pours a clear, medium copper hue, with one finger of foamy, melted marshmallow, off-white head, which leaves a singular broad, eerily Michigan-shaped swath of lace on the lee side of the glass as it drops away. It smells of fairly strong bitter citrus and pine resin, and equal to the task bready caramel malt. The taste is more kind to the caramel/toffee, bread pudding maltiness, in the face of a steadfast, edgy pine and citrus rind fruity hoppiness, underlain all by a sneaky, simmering booze warmth. The carbonation is Plushables soft, the body a solid medium weight, and as smooth as a slightly scratchy Barry White album. It finishes off-dry, the big, enabling malt having nowhere to go, what with those crazy lurking hop notes, which have ironically, and wistfully faded.

A crazy-drinkable DIPA - 9 and change points of booze, and barely a warming, nicely offset imperial IPA players, and well, this is done like dinner, before you even know it. Insert maniacal Mad Hatter laugh...

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 01:10:39 | More by biboergosum

WVbeergeek

Ohio

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

Reddish copper hue with a clear body, forms with a light beige khaki tan head leaves behin fine speckled lacing with my first sip. Aromatics offer up citrus peel mainly grapefruit and a bunch of pine accents. Flavor grips the palate with hop harshness and mimimal hop flavor, go figure. Great Lakes hop heads beware this brew is pricey 4 something a single, yes it's worth a nice DIPA but this isn't as worthy as most examples bodied around that region. Mouthfeel is fuller bodied with bitterness left behindall day, the raw hop flavors describe most DIPAs but the palate here is left abused and it's quite the harsh experience. I like me some malt and hop flavor balance to go with my bitterness. Drinkability overall isn't bad but I don't think I will revisit at this pricing.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2010 06:07:10 | More by WVbeergeek

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

(Served in a teku)

2011 vintage

A- This beer pours a sightly dense deep caramel body with a thin broken film that sticks to the glass a bit after each sip. There are a few long strands of microbubbles that glide up the edge of the glass to the surface.

S- The clean nose has some soft green pine hops with a cream quality that comes through as the beer opens. There is a dry caramel aroma in the finish that only comes through as the beer warms a bit.

T- The slightly sweet caramel malt is stopped by a piny bittern finish that is a bit woody but is mostly just hop bitterness.

M- The medium mouthfeel as a gentle fizz hint and no real alcohol heat noticed.

O- This beer has a bigger bitterness that the other hatters but much less hop aroma and flavor. There is also much less depth to the malt aswell.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 20:42:30 | More by rhoadsrage

Jason

Massachusetts

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

12oz brown bottle with no freshness date.

LOOK: Rocky dense head, reddish brass color.

SMELL: Spearmint, pine sap, grapefruit rid, pipe tobacco, pineapple, mango, cake batter, booze soaked golden raisins.

TASTE: Bitter, pungent, grassy, citric, minty, biscuity, yeast, hint of caramel, ripe plum, mango, leafy, dry bitter finish.

Rich with layers of hop flavor, sip by sip I understand and pick this beer a part a little bit more. Hops don't completely devastate the palate which is a good thing. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2011 05:24:04 | More by Jason

weeare138

Pennsylvania

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

Appears a hazy clouded amber with a full head of foam that is well retained.
Smell is of brown sugar, black pepper, and roasted orange peel.
Taste is citrusy with spices and light zesty bitterness shining through.
Mouthfeel is spicy, zingy, mildly abrasive up front with a smooth finish.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2009 23:00:19 | More by weeare138

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bomber into a tulip glass.

Pours a beautiful loooking, crystal clear amber, topped with 2 rigid fingers of off-white foam. Great retention here, with a massive flareup that leaves a big creamy latticework of lacing back. The aroma is floral and spice, with a touch of sticky pine to it. Robust grapefruit character really sticks out as well, sitting on top of some equally heavy grainy malts. Some alcohol warmth gives this a fume like feel in the nose. Moderate strength here to the aroma, but I was looking for maybe a bit more considering the stronger flavors at work here.

The hops are sticky and spicy, leaving a sharp sting of bitterness in the mouth. This is decently balanced by some tangy citrus, and once again, that same grainy and less sweet malt presence. The finish is fairly intense feeling on the palate, being spicy, sticky, and warm. The mouthfeel is fuller bodied, with a big firm creaminess throughout. Some hoppy slickness is a little more subtle in the body, being mostly noticed towards the backend. Good bit of heat to this as well, which really intensifies the bitterness to a certain degree and holds the drinkibility back some.

This was definitley bold but not quite brash enough with the flavors to make up for the high alcohol presence. Solid but not quite up there with some of the other great DIPAs coming out of the Midwest.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2009 12:26:25 | More by Kegatron

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Luckily we ended up at HopCat on Hatter Night! Imperial Hatter on cask, served in a tulip.

Pours a hazy dark orange, some reddish highlights, very chunky and thick off white head forms, drops an ass ton of lace on the glass, keeps a very thick layer, looks great. Smell is real nice, big grapefruit and pine, lots of floral, very hoppy, caramel and biscuit malts, grassy, very pungent and spicy, very balanced, hop character is great. Taste is real nice too, grapefruit kick at first, caramel malt, some light biscuit, super smooth, pine and floral, more grapefruit, alcohol is well hidden, big hoppy and bitter but balanced finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation, insanely smooth, alcohol is well hidden. This was pretty great, perfect DIPA for cask.

Serving type: cask

07-03-2009 15:49:38 | More by Viggo

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.65/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Whoa, this one poured a little darker than I envisioned, brown and dark red, little head, good retention though. Aroma, not much in terms of hops noticed here, just beer.

Taste, caramel, then sweet, and finally some hops became appreciable. I will say that this hid the alcohol quite well relatively speaking, and it didn't have that heavy wood feel on the palate like a lot of dipas will when they don't have the aggressive hopping. Seemed to have the bitterness of a dipa, but the hopping of a regular ipa, and the dry hopping of neither.

A pretty balanced and somewhat easy to drink beer, it was an extra at DLD, and I'm thankful for that, but nothing to search out either. Wouldn't turn it down if available, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2010 22:53:38 | More by Beerandraiderfan

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.43/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into Great lakes snifter.

Pours a small amount of white head. Leaves some lace rings. Color is a dark orange copper. A pretty nice looking dipa.

Aroma: grassy/weedy hops. Big bready malt backbone. It as some fruity notes. Some orange flavors with a bit of grapefruit.

Taste: Grassy hops with some floral notes. Still, fairly malty with a little booze showing. Grapefruit citrus with some fruit notes. Not bad, but nothing amazing.

Mouthfeel: Bitter, but some smoothness to it. Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends very dry and sticky. Hop resin feel to it.

Overall, not to drinkable for me. Split 4 ways and I really didn't even want to finish my pour. Just not the IIPA for me. Hops didn't work and it was trying to be something it couldn't be imo.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2010 04:15:05 | More by mothman

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dullishly lit within a rosey deep orange glow, this beer slathered at the pour and a monster amount of paled yellowed greyish foam grew to the top quickly. It faded somewhat quicker then expected, yet keeps a solid fluffy collar and whispy skim staying put the entire session. Lots of webby stringed and big patchy lacing is thinnly displayed across the glass.

Aroma is deep and alluringly set in a faint juicy resinous quality of pineapple, dull peach and apricot, ghostly red grapefruit, and an even deeper amount of pine oils. Its not really all that huge on the nose, but whats there is sublime in its complexity.

Taste is firm and simple in the front with a caramel - toffee mix over very light and dulled citrusy juices. Thankfully it builds quite nicely from just past midway into a warming bitterness of pithy, semi drying portions of the grapefruit and orange splashed with pineapple and a whole bunch of pine sided hoppyness. Hefty finsiher, that warmth and bittering really gains some palate and doesn't let go until faint woody notes are left super, super late.

Body is fairly mild and smoothly offered within about a medium body. It has soft, smooth open front, and then gains a whole nother character as it rolls across the later mid ranges into the finish. From there it warms with enthusiam and bittering tones that pulls the same ace from a different sleeve, its brother, Mad Hatter.

A very well done Impy IPA that really does seem like the Mad Hatter pumped up on meeting Alice(the extra hops and malts in this case). Solid stuff.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2009 23:28:48 | More by tavernjef

ccrida

Oregon

4.43/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle served in a small goblet, Imperial Hatter is dark, burnt orange with a nice off-white head that leaves foamy lace.

Smell is very robust with the hops, something I always worry about with a bottled, strong DIPA (that was not even in a cooler at the store). This one has punch, equally resin and citrus, very robust, nice dry hopping, some spice and not hot.

Taste is big and hoppy, definitely a nice DIPA that won't get confused with a strong ale. West coast hop profile, spicy, resiny citrus, some lemon, decent sweet malt, with complementary but not overly bitterness.

Mouthfeel is oily but a bit dry, with a medium body.

Drinkability is pretty high if you like big IPA. Due to my bias to west coast IPAs, I thought this would be a boozy malt bomb, but it's the real deal. Dank and clean, very tasty, big hops, well. done. Went down easily, and I'd like another!

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2010 22:35:00 | More by ccrida

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.05/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to Brad for sharing this at his tasting on Saturday!

A: Pours somewhat clear yellow/orange with moderate head and lace.

S: Aromas are odd - hops with some weird astringency. The beer tastes off. This is a fresh bottle and I don't think it's infected, it's just off.

T: The taste is sharp and biting. The hop bill seems unusual. Perhaps New Holland was trying to be creative or experiment with some different hops, but in my opinion, the result is a failure.

M: Bitter, sharp and astringent.

D: Not the worst beer I have ever had, but also not very enjoyable. This was the only dud of what was a memorable night.

Notes: I would be willing to try this again and re-review if the beer tastes dramatically different.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2010 03:15:46 | More by Huhzubendah

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a clean amber to orange-ish color with an off white head. In the aroma, pine hops, sweet malt, and a hint of alcohol. In the taste, pine hops and syrupy like alcohol. A smooth and medium to big bodied mouthfeel, with a dry hop and alcohol in the aftertaste. Alcohol in syrupy and a bit much.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2010 16:10:31 | More by OWSLEY069