HopDevil Ale - Victory Brewing Company

JPlo

Maryland

4.59/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Copper with orange tint and hazy clarity. Solid head with good lacing

Aroma: Citrus fruit, spicy

Taste: Big hop taste, citrus, piney, spicy, complex. Still has hint of sweet/toasty malt that (almost) balances it

Feel: Very smooth, light carbonation, medium body and a long semi-wet finish

Absolutely one of my favorite affordable IPA's

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 15:57:13 | More by JPlo

MaximalC

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Pours a murky, dirty amber color with a meager white head that soon disappears. Aroma has a strong grapefruit and pine hop presence (though I've smelt more ferocious than this). Flavor matches the aroma--hops, hops, and more hops. Maybe some malt character can be detected in the finish, but it's hard to tell with the prolonged hop taste. Drinkable, but decidedly one-dimensional. Typical IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 00:38:33 | More by MaximalC

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a tulips. Purchased in Wakefield, RI.

A- Pours a pretty hazy khaki brown body with a white bubbly head that sticks around for a white and leaves blotchy lacing.

S- Very floral, fresh alpine notes, lemon zest, fresh bread. Quite inviting thus far.

T- Sweet caramel malt upfront, balanced with a citrusy hop bite. Finishes with slightly bitter pine notes. I get a surprising cappuccino note on the aftertaste.

M- Medium body, medium-high carbonation. Easy drinker.

Quite a delicious and balanced IPA. Floral, complex, and easy to drink. A recommendable classic.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 00:56:24 | More by gcamparone

JCaweinstein

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Amber colored and clear with a decent amount of carbonation. There is a one finger off white creamy head that sticks aound for awhile. This is a nice looking beer.
I really had to swirl this around in my glass to detect the aromas. Overall I thought this where HopDevil was the most lacking. That said I was able to pick up notes of caramel, grapefruit, and that yeasty ester aroma. Again, I had to work hard for that.
This was a fairly complex beer. Up front I tasted bitterness that reminded me of burnt toast. I also picked up some caramel and a nice touch of grapefruit citrus. It seems to me to be a little more complex than many other IPAs.
It's medium bodied and has a nice crispness to it. Bitter malt and hop flavors change to citrus before a nice clean finish with almost no aftertaste. I'm not opposed to that resinous hop aftertaste but this is also nice.
This is a quality beer that is very reasonably priced and easy to acquire. Obviously it's a classic and one I will enjoy again.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 00:24:54 | More by JCaweinstein

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

4.41/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into a becker. Clear orange with visible carbonation, foamy 2 finger head that dissipates about halfway then sticks around, chunky lacing. Smell is very sweet and flowery, as well as the usual hoppy smell of an IPA. Taste is hops hops hops, then finishing off with a much crisper clean end than most IPAs. Overall a great IPA, easy to drink and great tasting. Another victory for Victory.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 03:12:46 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

TheMarkE

California

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dang good. First impression upon opening: freshly cut Christmas tree. Or is that the neighbor’s Douglas fir? Anyway… Smooth and very hoppy, with a hint of grapefruit. This is everything that an IPA should be.

The more I sample of Victory the more I like them.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 20:41:57 | More by TheMarkE

Flightoficarus

Washington

4.16/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

As part of an on-going quest of trying "non west-coast" IPA's, I'm paying this one a revisit (Tried it once back when first getting into craft beer, but hadn't developed a taste for IPAs)

A - Pours a cloudy, amber hue, with a single-finger off-white head, which quickly recedes, but with good lacing.

S - Smell is of toasted caramel malts, faint notes of orange peel, and lots of floral/spicy hops

T - Taste is a great blend of floral, spicy hops, with just enough balancing toasted caramel malt and toffee notes. There are some faint citrus notes, but this one is mostly floral/spicy. I'm also getting some herbal notes in the finish. Really nice and well balanced here.

M - Body is spot on, registering in medium territory. Carbonation keeps this beer lively, but easily drinkable.

O - Overall, this is a pleasant IPA to get your hands on if you see it. Great, balanced flavor without being a hop-bomb that slaps you in the face, or too malty. Hopefully I can find this on draft on my next east coast trip.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 12:22:00 | More by Flightoficarus

VoodooBear

Puerto Rico

4.31/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Presentation: 12 oz. brown bottle, served in a Samuel Adams pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy, dark gold color. Thick, fluffy, two finger, tan colored head that slowly settles down. Nice lacing throughout.

Smell: Subdued, this is not a very aromatic beer. The smell is mainly sweet malts with a citrus hop scent in the background.

Taste: A very spicy hop bitterness is the first thing that hits your taste buds. It's incredible, and it stays on the palate for a while. Taste is dominated by this hop flavor. Some citrus notes and a nice malt sweetness complement it very well. You can also taste the alcohol quite clearly, but it's not unpleasant or overwhelming.

Mouthfeel: It's very smooth and creamy. Medium-bodied and surprisingly easy to drink, despite the hop "kick" you get at the beginning. It has a decent amount of carbonation.

Overall: This beer does the name justice. The mix of flavors, dominated by the citrus and spice hoppy taste is an incredible experience, even though it kicks your palate's ass. A brew every hop-head should try. But even people who don't like the hop bitterness, but appreciate beer, will be pleased by the complexity of the flavor and the feeling you get from it. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 08:15:33 | More by VoodooBear

Mrduprey215

Pennsylvania

2.89/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Not too fond of this one from victory but an ok opener for the night. The "hop" is very evident in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 22:10:02 | More by Mrduprey215

jdhchi

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First time, great color a clear copper with a least two fingers of head that did not disappear quickly, good lacing. Smell was a bit weaker than I like but the taste makes up for it. Mouthfeel was especially nice and finished soft and smooth. Overall I enjoyed this beer!

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 00:03:13 | More by jdhchi

Bitter_Echo

Michigan

4.48/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark orange tannic rust, clear as could be. Smells great. The sweetness enhancesn the light floral character of the hops. I wish the World smelled just that way. Just on the nose alone, you know this one will be good. Tastes great! Terrific presence of the malt early, and then replaced by a nice and strong hop hit, all busy and everything, and sustain of the hops lasts at least five minutes. Great after-follow here, on the bitterness I mean. Wow. Mouthfeel is foamy-creamy and high and roiling but soft and not at all scrubbing. A terrific experience from front to back. More of this in my future, sure.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 23:44:07 | More by Bitter_Echo

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Clear copper with two-finger, off-white, creamy head that lasted about five minutes. Fantastic lacing.

S: Herbal pine and notes of grapefruit.

T: Light to moderate sweetness and solid hop bitterness. Bitter up front with a nicely toasted and slightly caramel malt presence.

M: Medium bodied with fizzy carbonation. Smooth.

O: Solid IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 00:28:49 | More by SolipsismalCat

BucannonXC5

California

3.78/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Type: 12-oz. bottle
Glass: Firestone pint glass
From: Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, Calif., on Dec. 27, 2012
Price: $19.99 for a variety 12-pack
Misc.: Box said enjoy by March 10, 2013.

Poured a honey, caramel amber color with about two fingers of khaki white head. No lacing on the sides of the glass on the way down and below average retention on the tops.

Smelled big whiff of floral hops up front with a bit of a caramel malty finish. Also got light notes of citrus hops (lemon and, even less so, grapefruit), wet cascade hops and pine. Maybe even a bit of rye in there. Not much bitterness on the nose.

Tasted similar to the nose, but within even more malts and more bitterness. Hops seemed to be dominated by cascade hops, but also citrus (light lemon, grapefruit and orange) and some pine late on the tongue. Still got some rye and also some iced tea. Malts were mainly caramel.

Light-to-medium body. Oily-to-creamy texture. Lively (above average) carbonation. Long, bitter finish.

An OK IPA if you like the maltier kinds. The best of the Victory variety 12-pack for me was the Headwaters Pale Ale, followed by this IPA (Hop Devil), then maybe the Prima Pills and Golden Monkey.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 07:01:30 | More by BucannonXC5

SeamusDoyle

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a beautiful mahogany red with rocky off white head. Aroma is of subdued hops and traces of malt. Taste is bitter hops with a slight sweetness of creamy caramel maltiness and notes of banana. Well balanced in that it is a bitter brew with a touch of sweetness. There is not a lot of complexity to the hops, some notes of fruit and citrus rinds. Fruit notes are subtle hints of pear and pineapple. There is a nice roasted flavor to the malts, which lends strength to the bitterness. Subtle bitter aftertaste, reminiscent of an orange peel. The palate is light and smooth with little carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 19:24:39 | More by SeamusDoyle

admccabe

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Nice bottle art of a hop devil, poured into glass has a small head of foam. Amber color.

S: Hops, a little bit of a christmas-tree pine smell.

T: Tasty. Bitter hops flavor, but in a good consistent amount throughout the sip.

M: Lingering flavor, not a bad thing. To me, has an almost gin-like aftertaste, although obviously not as strong.

O: I really enjoy this beer when I can. Its moderately priced for a 24 case ($35). I wouldn't have too many in one sitting, as its got a fairly strong taste to accompany the 6.7% abv.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 03:40:43 | More by admccabe

ubenumber2

Arkansas

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle , not sure if there is a date on it or not , do not see one

Went into a pint glass , about a half finger head that didnt hang around very long , good lacing that hung around the sides of the glass through the whole drink

Hops dominate the smell for me , more of a pine scent than anything , pleasant

Nice and bitter with good hop flavor , somewhat dry and finishes with a malty flavor but not sweet.

Medium bodied beer with just the right amount of carbonation

I would buy this beer again for sure , a good beer to have in the arsenal

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 02:11:54 | More by ubenumber2

lonewolfcry

Minnesota

4.23/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled poured into a tulip

A ~ Nice copper/amber color w/slight haze. 1 finger off white head down to a skim.

S ~ Hops, mango & pine - I love it!

T ~ Very nice, strong hop flavor that is well balanced with the citrus malt. It's just the right amount of bitterness for me.

M ~ Medium body & carbonation with a nice clean finish.

O ~ I like this beer a lot, and can see myself taking this along for a nice boat ride.
I only bought the trial single, but now am wishing I had the follow up to see what I missed the first time. Very nice!

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 02:15:33 | More by lonewolfcry

AmitC

Indiana

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

Excellent amber colored appearance with less than a finger thick head. Decent lacing on the sides. Head disappears into a very thin layer that is then non-existent. Some bubbles.

Aroma: Earthy, grassy and piney hops. A very well balanced malt backbone. Oily and aromatics hops are well intertwined with malts and present a nice smelling brew. Some of the better aroma in normal IPAs.

Taste: The brew shines here. Strikes a very good balance between malts and hops. But in the end hop dominate and make it worthy. Bitterness is very well hidden but still makes its impact. Pernicious weed. After taste is all hops and bitter. Some malts upfront.

Mouth feel: Oily and aromatic yet malty and balancing. Bitter finish. Low to moderate carbonation. Medium feel. Slight hop derived astringency, that is very likable.

A very good IPA indeed. Hops are dazzling.

Style Rate: 4.25
Personal Rate: 4.25

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 00:53:09 | More by AmitC

Ethanol4one

New York

4.43/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The comic, eye catching label and name do not disappoint, as this beer delivers a big frothy head with strong citrus hops on the nose even out of the bottle. Almost seems like Tap beer out of the bottle... (well more than a certain stout with a certain storied can that injects nitro into it).

Hop Devil's orange, rusty color promises what it does in fact deliver on the malt side too, a light sweet, spiced backbone that keeps the high alcohol level beside the point. It also balanced well against the strong hop aromas and bitter hops to the taste. It has a light caramel flavor, but well in the background, like a chubby wall flower hiding out at the 8th grade prom.

I like it with spicy food because it steps right up and slaps the heat off your tongue-- like a boss; so if you're thinking of take out at the ethnic restaurant, this could be the tonic to wash it back.

I know there is a lot of talk about the countless IPAs out there, but this one stands out enough in every way for me to remember and seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 17:00:51 | More by Ethanol4one

tut2528

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: pours a ruby and rust mixture that has moderate transparency. the pour creates about 1/2 fingers worth of head with minimal lacing.

S: a sweet malt backbone and piney hops are complemented by grapefruit, mango, and orange peel and a slight touch of bread/biscuit.

T: similar to the nose, but the hops really are the dominant character here. still pick up on the bread/biscuit, big grapefruit, slightly tangy orange and mango, dry finish.

M: medium bodied but there is some lightness to it as well. it leaves a bold hop bitterness on the palate with a slight piney feel to it as well.

O: solid brew all the way around. wish there was a bit more balance with the bitterness and the tropical fruits. but overall its solid.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 03:53:56 | More by tut2528

TheSSG

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a big, off-white, resiny head. Bright, floral, citrus hop aroma with maybe a touch of buttery esters underneath. Amber-gold color. Starts off very bitter with an underlying sweetness (that buttery caramel), builds into a pine-sap hoppiness with prominent notes of grapefruit. Finish is hop bitter and sticky pine sap flavor, and then the malt comes through in a biscuit like quality under this, and the resin begins to take on an almost soapy flavor as it fades from my palate.

Not bad, overall. I'm not a big fan of that buttery caramel aspect, which I presume is here to lend a more authentic English characteristic to it. The smell started off FANTASTIC, but as the head faded, and the buttery caramel became more pronounced, I began to really hate the smell.
Maybe I'm overly sensitive to diacetyl (that buttery caramel)....I do tend to have a visceral, negative reaction to it. If this were on tap, I'd blame a dirty line...
Looking at the lower reviews, that seems to be a re-occuring issue for a few of us. I tend to favor the aromatic IPA's over these aggressively bitter ones (they're a fun novelty, but they get tiring).
I found the "drink by date" and I still have a month before that date, so I know this isn't ancient and stale.

I am pairing it with Prairie Breeze cheese, and that's working quite well. Hoppy bier + Cheddar (or cheddar-like) cheese = Win!
(It's also making this one easier to finish for me)

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 02:23:01 | More by TheSSG

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoy By Mar 29 2013

A: Pours a a golden amber color with a fingers worth of sticky bubbly head

S: Citrusy and spicy hops jump right out, with a good amount of biscuity malt to back it up

T: Same as the nose. Starts off with the citrusy hops and then goes into some spiciness from a combination of the hops and malts. Finishes a bit bready with some bitterness

M: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth and oily

O: A solid IPA that definitely gets thrown into the mind-numbing multitude of IPAs out there. Nothing that really stands out, but it's definitely solid

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 03:46:12 | More by BEERMILER12

Ds0589

4.58/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had at Shannon Rose in Woodbridge,NJ. Appearance is a hazy copper. Retains some head throughout with some bubbles.

Smell is more woodsy. A lot of citrus. The lime and orange are what stands out the most to me.

Taste is spicy. Seems like a more bitter Sierra Nevada. Big hops and the citrus blends very well with them. Get a lot of orange in the taste.

Mouthfeel is that its a moderately heavy beer. For 7 percent the alcohol hides very well. The aftertaste lingers for a while but its pleasant.

Overall, this is a very good beer. Good balance of hops and citrus. The alcohol isnt too powerful. Victory is close to me. Havent really explored there variety but might have to after trying this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 02:56:23 | More by Ds0589

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.88/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: poured from 12 oz bottle (bbd Oct 4, 12) into a pint glass, orange amber with a 1" off white head that lingers leaving good lacing, slightly hazy
S: beautiful floral citrus hops, orange, lemon, pine, caramel malt
T: big hops perfectly balanced with a great malt backbone, finish is dry with good hop flavor, notes of citrus and above scents
M: good carbonation, medium body, great lingering aftertaste, no hint of alcohol
O: this is a fine IPA with a perfect flavor profile, it is perfectly balanced, it is one of the better American IPAs widely available

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 04:10:15 | More by M_C_Hampton

BeerDocT

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a chilled tulip glass.

-Appearance 4.0: Poured out a deep, reddish gold. Completely opaque, but with no bits and pieces floating about. Small, 1/4 inch head quickly dissipated leaving nice, foamy CO2 swirls.

-Smell 4.5: Wow! Amazing bouquet. Deep, deep hoppiness with a huge grapefruit hit that is quickly balanced with a subtle sweet and grassiness. I also pick up notes of caramel barley.

-Taste 4.5: Front is slightly sweet, but that's about it. Middle is grassy and smooth. Finish is where the hops hit you: huge hop punch with predominately grapefruit but also alkaline, white pepper and subtle ginger. Also a swirling, sweet, brown sugar sweetness. Finish is long and alkaline with more of the grassiness, but fades quickly into a pleasing dryness.

-Mouthfeel 4.0: Smooth and creamy carbonation that certainly enhances the enjoyment of all the hop flavors associated with this beer.

-Overall 4.5: This beer is beyond a mere American IPA. It is something else, it is its own creature that defies classification. If you are a fan of IPAs, this one will stun you. There are some drawbacks to this beer (not easily sessionable, does not go well with some food), but very, very few. A legend and definitely worth tracking down and trying if you have not yet done so.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 05:18:39 | More by BeerDocT