HopDevil Ale - Victory Brewing Company

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

On tap at Rosewood Grill, Hudson, OH. Served in a Shaker Pint Glass.

Appearance: Slightly hazy copper. Plenty of thick sheets of lacing and lots of persistent strands. Thin foam across the top (off white, slightly orangish) that lasted the whole way down the glass.

Smell: Herbal, slightly cheesy smell, odd, but this went away as it warmed up and the beer approaches room temp. At that point, the smell moves over to floral and citrus.

Taste: Very hoppy through and through. Bitter up front taste, moving into buttery caramel malt sweetness middle, and then more of a bitter finish. Bitterness had aspects of pine and grapefruit.

Mouthfeel: Nicely thick, good carbonation to counter it. Hop oils sticking to the teeth.

Overall / Drinkability: A good AIPA, but not a great one. The aroma makes wonder if this one had been in the keg a bit too long (it had been awhile since they changed out the keg). By itself nice, but not wow. Went well with food (walleye) and okay drinkability, but without food, I think I would have stopped at one.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2013 01:49:51 | More by damndirtyape

pixieskid

France

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

Have had this several times over the years but it had been a while and I happened to find it available on tap in the Philly airport last week. So, consider I was in PA, just arrived in the states, figured this would satisfy my IPA needs.

Poured a rusty copper color, thin white head.

Nose; floral hops, bready malts, that's about it.

Taste; way too much malt character. Overpowered what little hoping there was. Now, I know this was served in an airport (thankfully in a Sam Adams perfect pint by my request) but wow, this beer is not at all what I remember. Could have been a freshness issue but I don't really think so considering I was in it's home state and from what I would guess, international airports serving local beer should be running through the stuff fairly often so the keg couldn't have been that old.

Mouthfeel; clean but a bit slick.

Overall; it worked in a pinch but the last time I was in the Philly airport, I had a much more enjoyable layover beer in Yard's IPA...

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2013 06:50:15 | More by pixieskid

57md

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Did some back-to-back sampling of the regular tapped version and the nitro-tapped version. The scores apply to the higher of the two versions - which in this case is the regular.

Appearance is copper with almost a finger of head that lingered a bit and left nice lacing on the glass. The nose is a potent combination of hops and grapefruits. There is an excellent blend of malt and hops upfront with a hop bitterness on the finish that ranks with the best single IPAs out there.

This is an East Coast IPA all the way, and a damn fine example of one if I might say so!

The nitro version made for an interesting sample, but I would not want to drink Hop Devil this way more than once. Of course, the head is fluffier by far and the "rings" that are most often identified with nitro stouts appear on the glass as this offering goes down. That said, the best parts of an IPA are sadly muted by the nitro. The nose is nearly non-existent and the bitterness is curbed to the point of boredom. It certainly was smooth and creamy, but I am not sure I fancy smooth, creamy IPAs.

This seems to me to be a poor style to pump nitro into.

Serving type: on-tap

03-07-2013 00:14:37 | More by 57md

BierStein711

Illinois

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

On draught!

Outstanding herbal IPA with a two finger head and amber body

Smells of hebal pine and aromatic resin

Tastes like grapefruits, apricots, booze, and a good hop bite at the finish!

Smooth mouthfeel

Moderate carbonation

Excellent beer! I plan on grabbing a sixer soon!

Serving type: on-tap

01-02-2013 19:07:03 | More by BierStein711

merc7186

New York

3.55/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Dinosaur BBQ in Troy NY, poured into a pint glass.

A: Amber Hue, Passes Most Light, Thin White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Biscuits, Resin

T: Bready, Bittering Hops, Mild Resin

M: Average Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Semi Bitter, Mildly Drying

Overall, a nice mildly bitter IPA, decent but also forgettable too.

Serving type: on-tap

12-12-2012 01:05:30 | More by merc7186

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My introduction to the beauty of the hop over 10 years ago. Pours a sweet reddish brown with a nice head and good lacing. The aroma is a piney hop and a clean beer. Taste is more bitter and less sweet. Great beer and for sure a benchmark for Victory.

Serving type: on-tap

08-06-2012 23:57:10 | More by Oakenator

boyermi206

Maine

4.55/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had several times, this review based on an on tap serving at Philidelphia Airport

A- Very dark clear copper

S- Malts and hops that seems to be rich and complex

T- Like nirvana in your mouth. An IPA for sure but thick, full and surprising. Great malt taste and very thick with a hop kick that seems just right.

M- full but not thick, seems perfectly balanced.

O- Go buy this beer, drive out of your way to get it, if you are someplace that has it on tap order 2 up front just to get it out of the way. One of my favorites all time.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2012 23:16:00 | More by boyermi206

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap served in a pint glass

A - bright amber with 1 finger white frothy head with good retention and great lacing.

S - Citrus, grassy, a touch of pine, malt

T - A well balance IPA with high citrus character but well balance with malt, alcohol, and other hop notes.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, smooth.

O - Well balance citrus, the way I like um.

Serving type: on-tap

06-13-2012 14:47:18 | More by williamjbauer

tobelerone

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A high quality, middle-of-the-road contemporary IPA, and by that I mean it’s highly hopped but not so much that it’s not totally drinkable, a palate smasher, or likely to please fans of the super hop bombs. It’s also very nice on draft, with a slightly smoother, stickier feel and somewhat lower carbonation on a medium body. It’s nearly clear, copper with a slight reddish tint, and has a good-sized fluffy head as well as nice retention and lacing.

Aroma and taste are very much in line; bitter citrus and pine resin hops; faintly floral notes, caramel malt that’s a bit sweeter in the taste than in the nose but doesn’t overshadow the hoppiness. The flavors are really detailed and not just bitter; finishes semi-dry, with a kiss of sweetness and lingering bitterness. Again this won’t blow any major hopheads away in today’s IPA scene but it’s a very well-made and dependable beer that easy to drink, easily found, and an easy answer when you want a nice hop fix.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2012 16:17:56 | More by tobelerone

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap into a pint glass

A: Pours a clear amber color with a half finger of white head. Head recedes quickly to a film.

S: Mainly floral hops with a bit of fruity and caramel sweetness. Seems balanced between hoppiness and sweetness.

T: Hop bitterness mixed with caramel malts floral hops. Balanced sweetness and bitterness, but a bit lacking in hop flavor.

M: Medium to thick bodied with good carbonation.

O: A solid IPA, though a bit boring. Quite well balanced and very drinkable. Solid bitterness and a nice sweetness. A decent IPA

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2012 20:50:37 | More by coreyfmcdonald

wafers

New York

4.68/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A: Pours dark amber, moderate off-white foam that lingers and sticks to glass for awhile
S: Very potent smell, funky, kind of earthy
T: Bitter hops right off the bat with a nice malty background, very balanced and flavorful
M: Somewhat heavy, very sticky, resiny
O: Straight up awesome IPA, very tasty, drinkable, definitely a top option that should be considered when available

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2012 02:43:19 | More by wafers

muskiesman

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pint glass from on tap at Tuscany Brewhouse

A very satisfying brew. Admittedly I did not pick up much in the nose here but a wallop of fresh flavors when tasted. A great floral hop presence and German malt. 6.7% highly hidden
A red to amber hue slightly cloudy with low carbonation head quickly dissappated. Feels slight creamy caramel with a big citrus kick

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2012 16:24:47 | More by muskiesman

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Amber-orange body. Nice clarity and bubble streams. Sloshy head that hold up well. Beautiful lace.

Nice citrus/pine burst in the nose, heavier on the pine. Great oily hop aroma and a biscuity malt backbone. East coast all the way.

Slapfaced spicy pine hop attack on the palate with a grapefruit twist. A little tinny with the malt, some backend chemical alkaline, but it pairs with some juicy melon. Decent malt backbone with a whole-grain bread feel. Some unexpected alcohol burn.

Almost overcarbonated on the tongue. The body is medium.

Hey, in PA, you take what you can get. And, this has always been a great IPA to turn to. Local and fresh. And, that's important.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2012 01:00:39 | More by thecheapies

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Victory's Hopdevil is very easy to find around here. It is funny how very well made beers like Arrogant Bastard, Allagash White, and Dale's Pale Ale being so prevalent make it easier to pass on getting a pint. I can always get any of these beers, so I go for the special release product.

I can tell you that the orange/coppery color and fluffy foam look pretty good. Or, I can tell you about the abundence of hoppiness in the nose. I could describe the balance and thoroughly enjoyable flavor in this IPA. The flavor is strong enough that you have to confirm the ABV to know that it isn't a double IPA. If you live in Pennsylvania or New Jersey (and probably quite a few other states in the area), then you know this is a very good beer.

Pick up a bottle or a pour. Victory distributes it so bountifully because it is meeting the high demand.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2012 03:02:00 | More by ummswimmin

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Just getting to rating this in December, 2011. Enjoyed at Victory next to Hop Wallop and Ranch S, a bit of an IPA tasting. This is darker than Hop Wallop, a reddish copper with a white head. Flavor is super tight, pretty dry, caramel malt with a faint sweetness, a hops are prevalent and throughout the palate a la a fresh harvest ale. I began to appreciate the dryness of this, and the tight balance next to Ranch, which was a hot mess in comparison. Kind of a scaled down version of Hop Wallop, as they're both on the drier side and have a really fresh hop expression that reminds me of harvest ales more than standard American IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2011 02:16:34 | More by JAXSON

jtierney89

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Big grapefruit hop aroma. Straw/amber color with a white sticky head. Wow it smells delightful, lots of floral hops as well. Slight alcohol esters as well. Lots of tropical fruit on the nose, looking forward to tasting it (I hated the artwork btw, hoping the beer outdoes its art)

Quite delicious. Honey suckle and coriander malt sweetness up front. A nice earthy presence on the middle of the palate. Finishes with a nice sour grapefruit and earthy hop bitterness. Incredible balance, not quite the devil its name makes it out to be.

Im impressed with this beer, I haven't been impressed with a lot of victory stuff but this is quite a good beer. Light to medium in body with lots of carbonation and incredible drinkability. Nice.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2011 03:37:05 | More by jtierney89

djbreezy

Washington

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Brickhouse in Vancouver, WA.

appearance - copper, foamy head, good lacing

smell - hop forward nose, pine, resin

taste - very piney hop profile, bold and a bit on the bittering side of things

mouthfeel - medium body with solid carbonation

drinkability - a very potent and hoppy brew

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2011 22:41:25 | More by djbreezy

doctor333

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - dark golden color with 1 finger head that fades over time, alot of lacing.

S - smell is of sweet malts and some citrus hops.

T - citrus grapefruit hops. Slight bitter finish that goes away after a short while.

M - Full body beer with medium carbonation, feels good in the mouth.

O - Very good beer, with a good balance of flavors. Very lucky to live near the brewery. Picked up a 1/6 keg for the first time. Enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

10-10-2011 17:46:01 | More by doctor333

aorloski

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL golden brown/yellow, true to the style

S- Wow, big juicy grapefruits, pine needles, apricots.

T- Follows the nose, a little bread but definitely hop forward, Big fruit characteristics, juicy grapefruits and lucious peach. An incredibly delicious beer.

M- Bubbly, light, carbonated, perfectly balanced.

O- Living near victory, i am lucky enough to fill growlers of this stuff constantly. I am spoiled. This is such a great beer fresh, i must pat victory on the shoulder and maybe even give them a hug, i love this beer so much.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2011 21:12:00 | More by aorloski

9InchNails

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Amber color with a white head that fades into a film and then into a ring around the glass.

Citrus piney hop aroma all the way! Some subtle bready yeast.

Citrus and pine immediately! Some floral mixing with a bready- buscuity taste, also a sweet caramel that balances it out at the very end with a lingering slight bitterness.

Carbonation is about medium. Refreshing -- spite the bitterness, I could drink this all night.

This a very tasty, well balanced IPA. A hint of alcohol is noticeable. I am definitely going to try this in a six pack -- very easy and enjoyable to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2011 07:40:40 | More by 9InchNails

TheBrewo

Michigan

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

This brew was served from the draught at The Distillery in Victor, NY. It arrived in a pint glass a toasted amber color. The head was frothy, the color of a latte. This left spotty lacing and demonstrated decent retention. Once it receded we were left with an accordingly spotty film over the beer for the remainder of the glass. Carbonation appeared to be average, and no sediment was noted. The aroma sung of sweeter hops. Within, there were bright florals that took a trip close to the border of citric territory. From this citrus there was a slight bittering, of lemon and grapefruit rind. There was also a spice noted, with a peppery booze and sting of ground mustard. Malts here were a bit darker, with a light toasting to them. As we sipped, the flavoring began with sweet hops. This did also include a citric quality, but here it was of lime. The beginning also boasted of a bright honey, adding further sweetness. The middle moved forward with darker grain that had a solid cooked feel to it. This section was otherwise grainy and steely. The end offered even darker malts, with a renewed sweetness and black tea tannin-like quality. The finish was also peppery, with faint washes of booze to clean the palate. The aftertaste was of grassy hops, coppery malts, and a faint toast. The body was medium and the carbonation was medium to high. The feel to each sip was deliciously cooling and coating, with no real drying character. The frothy film left helped impart a nice creaminess to the mouth. The abv was appropriate and this was a highly drinkable beer.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the darker feel to the malts in the taste. This remained so without crossing over into the realm of the Black IPAs, which can have the malts overshadowing the necessary hoppy components themselves. This brew did exactly the opposite, in that all the flavors of the traditional IPA were retained, with big hops being showcased. Additionally, the aroma was clean throughout, and the tannin like slickness at the end helped to put this beer above the competition.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2011 16:39:53 | More by TheBrewo

Josiah2729

Tennessee

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

Mystery Beer at Mellow Mushroom, served in pint glass

A: Dark amber with little head when I received it.

S: Citrusy Hops, Grapefruit

T: HOPS! Nice citrusy, fruity hops, very bitter (in a good way) after taste that stays with you.

M: Fairly smooth, with medium carbonation.

O: A great find at Mellow Mushroom, this beer kept me wanting more. If you like Hoppy beer, you will want to give this a try.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2011 09:09:00 | More by Josiah2729

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I used to tell people that I though this was a very overrated beer. Well, I hadn't had it in a while, had it on tap tonight with dinner, and discovered I actually enjoyed it. Cool!

A: Gold-red hue... almost an amber actually, fairly translucent, and with a decent frothy that started as a 1/2 head or so.

S: Fruity, floral, but not too powerful overall. Some grapefruit and orange in there for safe measure as well.

T: The fruit meshed well with Victory's yeasty taste profile, and the fruit quality hit the palate upfront and stay through the mid-palate section. The finish was bitter, but of the crisp, palate stimulating variety.

M: Just the right amount of prickle, fruity, but not syrupy, and a nice bitter kick to the end. The lacing was moderate.

O: I can't imagine how many test batches they did to get this one just right, but I'll bet it was a lot. Nice IPA for sure!

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2011 01:09:32 | More by Chaney

jpro

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Closed for Business. Served in a shaped pint glass...

A: Pours a nice, clear amber with about a half-inch of off white head; leaves some nice sheets of lace.

S: Grapefruit rind; resiny hops... that’s about it - maybe some faint notes of malt in the background.

T: Dry grapefruit pith and heavy citrus hops; some toasty, caramel malt sweetness on the end.

M: Lighter than expected; light-medium body, with a high carbonation; dry but not too bad... not quite a tonsil puckerer.

O: A classic American IPA; very flavorful; very drinkable; good stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2011 17:48:46 | More by jpro

claspada

New Jersey

3.4/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap in Downingtown, PA. Not at the brewery itself, but close enough. Anyway...
Pours a nice copper color with an off white head and some lace rings as it goes down.
Aromas begin with a good amount of pine and floral hops as well as a bit of citrus.
The tastes add some caramel but is mostly pine and floral hops without too much bitterness.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied and slightly dry.
Overall it is good, but forgettable in a sea of IPAs which exist in today's market. Good to find on tap amongst the other domestic swill my hotel had on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

07-03-2011 18:23:38 | More by claspada