HopDevil Ale - Victory Brewing Company

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

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

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

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

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

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