HopDevil Ale - Victory Brewing Company

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

Mojo

Alabama

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

This is one good IPA. It pours up a cloudy apricot color with a one finger head and beautiful lacing. Smell is pine, floral, malt, biscuit, and citrus. Taste pretty much follows the nose. I get a nice spicy flavor up front followed by a dry hoppy finish. The aftertaste lingers a little too long and is fairly strong. A solid IPA which is recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 05:31:53 | More by Mojo

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a cloudy copper color with low clarity. The head is a one finger light khaki shade with some fantastic lacing. It also retains itself rather nicely.

S: More piny than citrusy. The hops have a strong black pepper vibe to them, while the maltiness seems almost toasted.

T: Just like the aroma, its a pine-based IPA - which isn't necessarily my preferred type of IPA. The label calls this 'spicy' and I'm inclined to agree. All of the bitterness in this brew seems to be located midpalate, as the maltiness is semi-strong to start, while the finish sees general bitterness subside in favor of a peppery hop flavor. Even if it's not horribly interesting, I'd say it's a good example of a 'balanced' IPA.

M: I think it's about 5-10% overcarbonated in general. Still, it balances nicely between wet and dry on the finish, leaning towards dry somewhat. I won't call it 'refreshing', but I will call it easy to down.

O: For better or worse, it's a bog standard IPA. Basically, if you've had SN Torpedo or FW Union Jack, you'll know what to expect here. I'd gladly get it again so long as its fresh.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 01:46:42 | More by ThisWangsChung

BigBarley

Texas

3.68/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Deep amber orange, pretty standard IPA color with a little depth. Great one finger foam head that retains well. Delicious looking beer

S - Clean, crisp citrus with heavy pine notes on an extreme hop nose. Very little malt character here except as faint background. Standard IPA smell, not very strong, but still enjoyable.

T - Nice hop front, very piney in taste with floral undertone. Mild citrus notes become apparent when it begins to warm. Not the greatest taste in the world, but still very enjoyable and very drinkable. Mild bitter aftertaste.

M - Active carbonation that fizzes and adds a pleasant touch to the mouthfeel. Not too thick but not weak. Very crisp, very refreshing. An extremely clean feel for a beer.

O - Well built IPA, great hop character, very refreshing and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 17:29:03 | More by BigBarley

jamisonspitzer

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer is gorgeous. A beautiful translucent honey color which poured with about a half inch of head which stayed for the better part of five minutes. Very nice lacing that stays and stays. The smell is subtle and citrus-y. Despite it's relatively mild aroma, this beer hits the taste buds hard. Man! Bitter and sour--very much like a yellow grapefruit (definitely hop-forward. The taste is complex and deep, but the hops win out big time)--but in a really good way. A great mouthfeel--It completely coats the mouth and the taste lingers for a long time. This beer is hearty, full bodied, creamy and delicious. I have a hard time with IPAs, but this one is amazing! By far the best beer in the fridge at my local shop.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 21:14:50 | More by jamisonspitzer

SavvyStudent

Texas

4.7/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Brass Copper color with a slight head with pout. Leaves notching as you consume and holds well over time.

Smell: Pine, slight malts and earthy base.

Taste: Nice bitterness with a spice kick that is difficult to pinpoint. Pine and slight roasted character. A rounded balance with a nice little kick at the end.

Mouthfeel: Good balance of body with slight carbonation.

Overall: This is my go-to IPA

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 13:09:48 | More by SavvyStudent

afksports

New York

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

There's no better thing than a quality local IPA in an affordable sixer. HopDevil fits the bill. With good head, hazy copper appearance out of the bottle, a smell of pure hops (grapefruit, pine, grass), and a malty taste that finishes with grassy and pine hops, this beer is a great combination.

That was a long sentence.

It finishes clean with a dry grapefruit peel aftertaste like an IPA should. Good carbonation and medium body make this a very drinkable IPA, with a great price and good availability.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 17:19:34 | More by afksports

jibjib513

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Serving Type: Bottle to Pint Glass

Appearance (3.5): Somewhat cloudy, amber-reddish color. Has a nice carbonation but not too much, a little soapiness in the head.

Smell (3.5): Nothing too overwhelming here. It's got a nice, floral smell to it.

Taste (4.0): Definitely has a bitter hoppy flavor to it, but not overpowering considering it's an IPA. Also, the aftertaste comes out real nice. Where the bitterness starts at the beginning, a smooth sweetness seems to takeover in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel (3.0): Seems a tad heavy, but definitely smooth.

Overall (3.5): As an IPA, I expect some bitterness but this one seemed to be a bit too bitter. Also, I'm left wondering about the consistency of this beer from bottle to bottle. The first one I had seemed clearer in appearance, and less bitter. This one was a bit cloudier and more bitter.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 13:34:11 | More by jibjib513

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Clear orange copper. Head is off-white, creamy, and leaves notches of lacing. Drops to a small cap after a minute or two. Moderate retention for the small cap.

Smell: Leafy citrus. Pithy bitterness. Grapefruit flesh with some tropical undertones. Nice balance of caramel malts. Mild biscuity malt undertone. Vaguely earthy and herbal as well. Oily hops. Mild toasted aroma. Sweet and fruity.

Taste: Oily grapefruit rind. Some backing earthy hops. Sweet biscuits and caramel malts. More of that leafy thing from the nose. Nice toasted edge with some roasted character rounding it out. Nice balance. Building pithy bitterness lingers but never becomes abrasive. Some tangerine, pine, mint, the usual heavy hop flavors, but minor. Vaguely spicy. It's all there. Malts are a nice sweet compliment.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, slick, and easy drinking. Moderate carbonation on a medium body. Pro-level.

Overall: My preferred Victory IPA.

Big and in your face without feeling brash. Lots of hop depth with some great backing malt. Nicely drinkable with a lingering bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 19:36:12 | More by Goblinmunkey7

mooseo

Pennsylvania

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

12oz bottle into tulip.

A - Pours a pretty orange amber with a nice head.

S - Citrus zest, grapefruit, toasted caramel malt, and pine.

T - A flavorful blend of spicy citrus hops, grapefruit, earthy pine, biscuit, and sweet caramel malt. Very hoppy initially, but the sweet malt backbone lends some balance. Finish is mildly bitter with earthy hops and bready malts.

M - Creamy and very smooth, medium bodied, clean finish. A little dry.

O - This is an incredible IPA. Easily a "go-to" IPA especially considering the low price point. The alcohol is masked well resulting in an extremely drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 00:16:40 | More by mooseo

CMUbrew

Michigan

3.53/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip
Best by 10/31/12 stamped on the label

A: Dark copper color, clear body, with a nice off-white head sitting on top. Moderate amount of carbonation visible. Decent lacing down the glass. Head retention is pretty slim.

S: Piney with some small citrus notes. Some dark fruit quality too. Odd.

T: Not the hop punch I was expecting from this beer. I get some pine, toasty malts, and that dark fruit I detected in the nose. That seems out of place for an IPA. Maybe this is the tobacco flavor people mention in some beers. I guess I've never eaten tobacco, so I wouldn't know exactly. Not a quality I find especially pleasing, most especially in an IPA. Pretty light bitterness. Somewhat earthy in the aftertaste.

M: Smooth and very tingly with the carbonation. Oily slickness.

O: I thought for sure this would satisfy my hop craving, but it just didn't do the job. A little underwhelmed with my first offering from Victory. The odd dark fruit flavor really threw me off here. Maybe I'll try it again down the road with a bottle that's a little more fresh.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 03:50:59 | More by CMUbrew

rexxin

New York

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

A- Beautiful amber in color, looks very appealing to me.

S- This beer smells fantastic. I love the aroma, you can smell some serious hop action. There's also a nice tone of citrus/floral. Smelling it makes me want to drink more every time.

T- The taste is fantastic. I love hops, so this beer is very pleasing to me. Its a nice punch of hops with a nice citrus/floral taste that doesnt become overpowering.

M- Great Bite

O- Great taste, powerful hops. I enjoyed this beer quite a bit, and will be picking it up again. If you like hoppy beers, specifically IPAs then I would also give this a shot.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 18:34:17 | More by rexxin

PancakesbyMail

3.93/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle, poured into glass. Bought at Henrietta Wegman's.

A: Nothing exceptional, nice amber color. Initially small amount of good foam that fades into a thin ring but lingers on the glass.

S: Huge blast of hops, notes of citrus. Pungent level of hoppiness, but that's it's appeal.

T: Incredibly powerful hop flavor. I've had a lot of pale ales and IPAs but this is likely the biggest hop punch I've tasted. The malt is present in the background but stays in the background - hops are a little bitter and do leave a very strong aftertaste. This is definitely a hop-lover's choice.

M: Good level of carbonation and thickness, not particularly memorable one way or the other (which could be a good thing).

O: I really admire the beer's boldness. Huge, huge hop kick. The beer is surprisingly balanced in spite of it - even as someone who's not a huge fan of IPAs, I definitely appreciate the uncompromising nature of the hops. This beer knows who it's for and aims to please them (and it will).

Get it if you love hops.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 03:41:21 | More by PancakesbyMail

hoppytobehere

Colorado

3.38/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Enjoy by December 16, 2012 (barely legible, why do they always do this?)

A: Pours a nice dark orange, nice retention and lacing. Delicious looking beer.

S: Spicy hops, citrus.

T: Decent hop bite, not a ton of malt behind it. Harsh bitterness lingers, not very pleasant.

M: Medium body and carbonation, smooth.

O: A decent IPA, didn't taste that fresh even though the date suggested it had 2 more months on the shelf. For $12/six pack you can do a whole lot better.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 01:41:18 | More by hoppytobehere

RussBecker1

4.53/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours a nice clouded rust color with strong hues of orange and a touch of brownish amber. The head is a sticky 1-2 fingers tall that dissipates rather quickly with little lacing left behind.

S-Very complex nose. The hop profile is huge, but very interesting. For a beer that is so large on hop flavor, the malts provide a very interesting compliment as well. Citrus is apparent, (as it is with many IPA's) but there are hints of darker fruits (plum, raisen?) as well that give hopdevil a very unique nose.

M-The mouth compliments the beer very well. It is thick enough to soften some of the harsher flavors, but still soft enough to get the most out of the delicate hop tones.

T-A fantastic beer for hopheads and beer lovers alike. The hops are absolutely huge, but surprisingly not very bitter for the amount they are featured. The malts do a good deal of balancing the beer out and highlighting all this beer has to offer. The finish is very clean, but by then the flavors do dissipate a bit too much leaving a small but subtle aftertaste.

O-Excellent beer and one of if not Victory's very best.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 16:08:52 | More by RussBecker1

spokeydonkey

New York

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

Poured from a 12 oz bottle (no date) into a pint glass.

A: Dark copper with a thin light tan head that leaves only slight traces on the walls of the glass as the beer is enjoyed.

S: Spicy, floral and citrus hops dominate the nose of this one. A little caramel in the background.

T: Sweet up front followed slowly by an increasing spicy bitterness leading into citrus country. A strong, rich malt presence throughout, some faint dark fruit and bready notes keep the hops (which are quite potent) from bring overpowering. Exceptionally hoppy, but well balanced. Finishes with a long, lingering bitterness in the back of my throat.

M: Medium-full bodied beer. Has a very rich feel, aided by the malt flavor and lower-than-average carbonation.

O: One of my standby IPAs. I tend to lean towards very hop-centric IPAs with just enough interesting malt flavors to back them up, but this is definitely more on the balanced side. The malt is definitely a big player here, though it's not got an overpowering caramel sweetness that I find in a lot of malt-centric IPAs (supposedly they use Munich rather than crystal malts, which might account for this).

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 01:41:24 | More by spokeydonkey

UCLABrewN84

California

3.63/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy dark orange with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, brown sugar, citrus zest, and some caramel aromas. Taste is of malt, citrus zest, herbal hops, and a slight brown sugar/caramel flavor on the finish. There is an astringent hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is pretty tasty but I am not a fan of the astringent bitterness on this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 05:50:22 | More by UCLABrewN84

mschind

California

3.53/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle with a September 20 best by date. If that means 2012, this one might be pushing it.

A- Clear to brilliant light amber. Two inch head the color of coffe foam, not much retention, some lacing.

S- Toasty grain and hops.

T- Bittnerness dominates with some bready malt and some alcohol astringency in the finish.

M- On the light side of medium with lower carbonation than I expected.

O- A good hop forward IPA but I'm thinking this bottle was bit too old to be at its prime. This is one I'll have to try again.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 23:01:48 | More by mschind

SLeffler27

New York

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

Hop Devil presents itself as a dull, murky orange with a long-lasting, orange-tinted foam that leaves a patchy webbing on the Dogfish Head Fisheye pint glass.

Big wafts of citrus are dominated by orange peel and followed by juicy peach while the background reveals floral notes.

Grapefruit clearly dominates here. Upfront sweetness is followed quickly by bitterness that lingers long into the finish. With some warmth, orange peel can also be tasted.

This IPA has a full body and soft texture with soft, prickly carbonation and alcohol above expectation.

Hop Devil is a highly approachable IPA with lots of hop flavor that is not overpowered by bitterness. Best enjoyed on a hot, very hot, afternoon before dinner.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 19:47:03 | More by SLeffler27

chickenflea

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Clear, apple cider color with a small thick foamy head that dissipates quickly. Aromatic orange and fruity-zesty hop aroma with a rounded sweet and slightly toasted malty background. Good hop bitterness early in the sitting. Caramel maltiness takes over as the beer warms. Soft watery mouthfeel because of the lower carbonation. Fairly dry on the finish with no distracting sidenotes. A tasty drinkable IPA. Not as devilish as the name implies.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 21:09:49 | More by chickenflea

croixian1

4.53/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer will make your whole mouth dance! I forgot it in the freezer and when I remembered it was pretty much as cold as you can get before freezing. Poured into an iced tumbler. Color a deep, silky amber. Not much head because it was so cold (my fault). Aroma of hops and freshly baked, yeasty bread and light distant pineapple note.
Up-front taste: Deep lushness of bitter hops and pine. Very robust yet silky mouthfeel. Swallows very smoothly. After taste: Pine, hops, slight citrus and call me crazy, but some very light notes of coffee and bitter chocolate. Long aftertaste: Hops and pine in the back of the mouth. Delicious!
This beer is now in my top ten of all time. Simply a pleasure to sip and enjoy on a hot afternoon!

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 18:17:42 | More by croixian1

hardy008

Minnesota

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

Clear dark amber with a 3 finger off white head with very good retention and lacing. The aroma has oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, and caramel malt.

The taste has oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, grapefruit zest, caramel malt, and a little melon. The flavor is sweet with some hop bitterness for balance.

Medium bodied with average carbonation. Very smooth and easy to drink. I have not enjoyed a lot of the beers I have had from Victory in the past, but this one is a winner for sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 02:01:33 | More by hardy008

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

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

Had this on 2012-08-11 in Lititz, PA at the Bull's Head

A - Golden copper with a 2-finger head and light-medium lacing.

S - Mild apricot, honey, biscuit

T - Tastes much like the smell but stronger plus a nice dollop of citrus. Englsh malt. Somewhat-sweet like a Troeg's Nugget Nectar but not quite as bitter.

M - Medium body and light-medium carbonation. Smooth.

O - Very nicely served on cask. The cellerman and bartender know what they are doing. Carbonation was good and the mid-50's temperature was just right. I really enjoyed it; almost as much as on-tap.

Serving type: cask

08-11-2012 18:30:02 | More by Tucquan

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.68/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle purchased from Slowbeer in Melbourne.

Pours a pleasantly hazed deep amber, with flashes of red to it. Head is full, frothy and reasonably persistent, maintaining the majestic crest synonymous with a good IPA. Lacing is sketchy and sticky. Looks good.

Nose is a pleasant mildly fragrant, slightly fruity hop bonanza, giving a fresh (if generic) American hop aroma. Looking underneath, there's a slight meaty savouriness to the malt and even a weird salty or smoky hint. This is a very, very subtle character, however, but it's what sets it apart—mostly this falls squarely in "generic IPA" territory.

Taste is light, nutty and clear, with a mild bitterness through to the back, and a fragrant if slightly muted and stilted hop character. Finish has hints of pine and lavender, giving a clear bite to the aftertaste. Feel is smooth and supple. The taste is, however, quite generic, and it feels slightly flat, as if it has been cut through and dynamically shortened.

A decent brew, but not one of the best IPAs I've had. It just feels a little flatter and more generic. Despite the intrigue promised on the nose, this really ended up being "just another IPA".

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 08:22:51 | More by lacqueredmouse