Hop Wallop - Victory Brewing Company

kojevergas

California

3.34/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with fun label art and blue branded standard pressure cap acquired at the Cap N Cork liquor in Los Feliz for a scant $3.99 USD and served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Acquired earlier tonight. Expectations are through the roof given its current ratings; Victory is growing on me as well. No visible bottled on or best before date.

Served cold, straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Appears extremely overcarbonated, pouring an eight finger head. White in colour. Good thickness, nice froth and cream. Excellent (~8+ minute) retention for the high ABV. Body colour is a clear translucent yellow; looks more like a pilsner than an IPA. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Pretty appealing for the style, but far from ideal. I'm excited to try it.

Sm: Pale malts. Grassy malts. Some graininess. Floral hop character is shockingly restrained. It smells like a hoppy pilsner, to be honest. No bold hop character here. No yeast character nor any alcohol is detectable. Clean, crisp, fresh, and appealing. Not the aroma I'm used to for the style, but I'm intrigued. Mild in strength. Some straw. Lemon zest. Lemon grass. Surprisingly lemony for an IPA.

T: Prominent floral hop character suits the simple clean pale malt foundation nicely. Lemon grass and lemon zest surface. Pleasant and approachable, if simple. Some straw notes. Crystal malt. Grassy malts. The hop character isn't particularly deep or diverse, but the balance is lovely. It flirts with hop bitterness but none ever really surfaces. A tasty IPA, if a strangely built one. I do like it, but it's not what I expected.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Overcarbonated. Good thickness. Nice body. Suits the flavour profile pretty well. Pretty good presence on the palate. No overt flaws. Quite light on the palate considering the style and ABV.

Dr: A rather drinkable IPA from Victory that hides its ABV impressively well. I'd have it again. Well worth trying, and priced extremely well for its quality. Victory is rising fast in my estimation of quality. Quite tasty stuff. Not a conformist IPA; it does its own thing and I respect that. I'd recommend it to friends. Well worth revisiting.

B-

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 04:01:11 | More by kojevergas

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a deep golden color with a 1 inch head. Smell is dominated by hops, not much else. Taste is bitter, hoppy, piney, a bit minty, some malts are present to balance it out. alcohol is well hidden. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 16:27:23 | More by tone77

DenverHopHead

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ok Victory, I'm all in! First Storm King completely caught me off guard, then Hop Devil really caught me by surprise. Hop Wallop, though the label and back story are cheesy, is the best brew out of the three. Gorgeous thick head with solid lacing, grab your attention smell, easy to drink and smooth, and the hops dance along the palate. Fantastic!

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 02:33:58 | More by DenverHopHead

dar482

New York

3.65/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

This beer comes in a wonderful deep gold, orange color that is very hazy as you cannot see through it.

The aroma is of huge tropical fruits. Pineapple, orange, mango with a bit of a bready note. It’s very juicy. There is just a fantastic aroma on this.

The flavor does not match the aroma. It starts off with some grapefruit and then goes with some piney flavor. It just punches you with a huge hop astringent bitterness that really sticks on the front of your tongue. One of the bitterest beers I have had. The middle has a bit of maltiness to it that carries the beer along before the smack of bitterness. Then again, having this on tap months later, the bitterness wasn't not as offensive, but it just wasn't quite right to match the aroma.

The mouthfeel is medium.

In the end, I wish it had more grapefruit fruitiness to match the fruits on the nose. The bitterness overpowers the beer. It's also the hop profile that isn't really for my suiting. I prefer a dry finish that has that fresh grapefruit peel flavor. This just is slightly off in a confusing sense that isn't quite right. If it was toned down a bit, I would like it a lot more with its beautiful hazy color and maltiness.

Having had this on tap, it was surely less offensive than the bottle. Still, not quite my style.

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2013 07:05:14 | More by dar482

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.39/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a slightly cloudy gold with one anf a half full fingers of pure white head. The foam fades quickly and leasing a thin ring along the edges of the glass.

S: The nose is candy cigarettes, bubblegum, mild spice, and light lemon. I get a touch of alcohol, but nothing too overwhelming.

T: The flavors in the beer start out sweet with that bubblegum and candy cigarette taste. As it move to the middle I get some spice and a good helping of citrus hops. The hops never dominate, but sit well on the palate. The finish is more chalk and sweetness with some spice.

M: Medium bodied beer. It's sweet to start with vibrant flavors. It gets spicy in the middle. In the finish it's sweet spicy and drying.

O: This is a really nice beer. I haven't had this beer in quite some time, but I'm into it. It gets better as it warms and the bubblegum and candy cigarettes are wonderful in this beer. I'd buy this again if I were in the mood for it. Solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 21:31:10 | More by trxxpaxxs

cyclonece09

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into a 14 oz "pint" glass. Pours a cloudy orange with a very small white head. Smells of floral hops, not overly strong. Tastes of nice piney hoppy goodness with a grain aftertaste and a tad of alcohol. Beer went down well, good medium body, good carbonation. Overall a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 22:29:58 | More by cyclonece09

LI_PO12

Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle into Tulip with an enjoy by oct 2013 on the bottle.

Appearance- Deep gold, slightly hazy, big white head that fell fast, some good lacing sticking on the glass.

Aroma- Very interesting Hops that fly out of the glass. Pine, spicy herbal, candied fruit, Lime, citrus, slight pineapple. Sweet malt in the background. alcohol shows up as it warms.

Flavor-A lot of resiny pine, some vanilla, orange, strong bitterness throughout, but malt sweetness that keeps it in balance present. warming alcohol.

Mouthfeel- Medium-heavy bodied moderate Carbonation, alcohol present, smooth

Overall- Very Tasty, I have returned to this a few times and never feel let down. Its not the greatest Double IPA out there but its a damn good one.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 02:06:36 | More by LI_PO12

alex_hart

Massachusetts

4.24/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: A hazy, golden color with a a 1 1/2 finger head that quickly dissipates to a white film across the top with great lacing down the sides throughout.

Smell: The hops in this are so ridiculously sweet its incredible. Citrus and somethin funky as well.

Taste: This is fantastic. I was expecting wayyy more bitterness than what came across. Still some mild bitterness, but the sweetness and tangyness of the hops are the complete winners in this.

Mouthfeel: My tongue is going numb from this explosion of hops! Holy crap this is awesome! One of my favorites in this category I have yet to have. Actually, it is the only one that stands out in my mind.

Overall: Just a great beer that anyone and everyone who loves hops MUST try. Now.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 00:11:45 | More by alex_hart

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I remember being blown away by this a number of years ago, like, completely floored. ive since changed my mind, as my palate has evolved, my tastes have matured, and ive had about a million big ipas. this one seems a little less complete than it used to, but it was ahead of its time, and deserves credit for that. it pours a light straw color, mostly clear, with a huge fluffy white head with good lacing and retention. the nose is really bitter, with a pine complex. the flavor is balanced by some light pale malts which give the faintest hint of sweetness, and the bitterness takes on a lovely fruity character towards the finish. the swallow is a little hot from the alcohol, which is exacerbated by the thin body. ive come to expect a little more meat on the bones of these beers, but this one is fairly thin. the carbonation is nice though, and almost makes the bitterness sting in the aftertaste. overall a little weak on body and a little more intensely alcoholic than necessary, but a delicious beer that I can credit with turning me onto the genre way back when.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 20:11:44 | More by StonedTrippin

SavvyStudent

Texas

4.69/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Overall: Victory took the hop gauge on this one, turned it to full and then ripped it all the way off. Hop Devil is a personal favorite of mine but the Hop Wallop does exactly what the name implies: knocks your hop register off the charts.

Taste: This plays right to the IBU level with the hoppy bitterness. You can pick up some citrus and slight honey in the profile

Smell: Citrus, Mango, piney and everything else you would want in a hoppy beer.

Mouthfeel: Middle of the road on both carbonation and body

Appearance: This beer pours with a slight head (1/2 a finger) and leaves minimal legs around the glass. It has a nice copper color and low clarity cloudiness.

Season: Year-Round

Serving Glass: Tulip Glass/Wine Glass/Any thing that has a nose to it

ABV: 8.5%

IBU: 90

Malt: 2 Row

Hops: Whole Flower American and English Hops

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 13:06:44 | More by SavvyStudent

Segelstrom

Pennsylvania

3.99/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - poured into tumbler with a nice head that was reasonably well maintained. Cloudy hazy golden beer.

S - hoppy & citricy

T - Hoppy & citricy. sure wish this site had spell check. I just went brain dead

M - just the right amount of carbonation

O - worth buying again

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 23:18:55 | More by Segelstrom

smooth_aleing

Pennsylvania

4.31/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into pint glass from 12oz bottle.

A= Rich, dark amber. Very nice lacing, stays throughout rim and lip of glass. Excellent one/two finger head upon pour, dies down to a clean layer of froth.

S= Pine, pine, pine. Very nice and strong woodsy smell.

T= Truly worthy of the hop, a potent punch of hops, with lingering bitterness. Very slight alcohol aftertaste, though not enough to be overwhelming. Underlying notes of honey and citrus.

M= Lingering bitterness throughout the tongue, with very good carbonation. Nice frothy tingle, heavily acerbic, which I like.

0= An excellent DBL IPA. Refreshing and crisp, yet challenging to the palate with a potent hop kick. Definitely will drink again.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 18:39:24 | More by smooth_aleing

merc7186

New York

4.16/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle into pint glass.

A: Golden Straw/Mild Amber Hue, Passes Most Light, White Head, Great Lacing

S: Bready, Piney, Mildly Malty

T: Piney, Bittering Hops, Mildly Bready

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

Overall, a big pine bomb with some malty finish

...and to the guy from NY that gave it a bad rating recently (4/6/13)....its (bleeping) Hop Wallop, not Hop Balanced, you cant ding a beer for being too hoppy with a name like hop wallop, idiot.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 00:20:30 | More by merc7186

JMScowcroft

Vermont

3.91/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Victory Brewing Company - Hop Wallop - 12fl oz bottle

Look - Pours hazy golden with a tiny of amber (basically orange). Medium, foamy head that sits for a bit. Good lacing. Moderate carbonation. Nice label.

Smell - Remarkably sweet bready caramel malts with faint citrus (and some pine) hops. Not DIPA in the aroma, not what I expected at all. I was concerned at this point.

Taste - Carbonated sweet malt rush immediately pushed aside by citrus (grapefruit) bitter hops. Smooth and pretty crisp but more like a pale ale.

Mouthfeel - Sweet but dry feel. A little boozy but pretty drinkable.

Overall - Not bad, worth a drink at least once. Smooth but a little boozy. More of a boozed up pale ale than a DIPA IMO. Would not get this one again but unique in a sense.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 21:38:06 | More by JMScowcroft

billybob

Massachusetts

4.31/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

pours a bright gold color not much head but some lace sticking on the way down the glass. strong aroma of sweet pine and some fruit and alcohol. slam bam hops front to finish with the alcohol coming in at the end but it has a very smooth creamy medium body mouthfeel . overall i would buy again but i would limit it to a couple at any one time.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 21:06:30 | More by billybob

BrianScottK

New York

2.89/5  rDev -29.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

I love an IPA as much as the next guy, but personally, this is a bit much for me. "Hop Wallop" isn't just a clever name. The hops hit you hard on the tongue, and stay around 'til last call on the finish. It's all hop and little else. All in all, an average IPA by my accounts. Would have liked a bit more balance to the flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2013 19:24:17 | More by BrianScottK

Roman5150

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased from Total Beverage in Murfreesboro, TN

Appearance: Very orange, pretty clear. Large 2 finger white fluffy head.

Aroma: Not the best aroma, smells sort of like bread and hops, but not very pleasant.

Taste: For a really hoppy pale ale, it doesn't seem to have the overly aggressive hop bite I was looking for. Not a huge pale ale fan, but for the style this is very good. Bitter aftertaste you would expect, i would compare this to a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale but with added flavor due to the extra hops.

Mouthfeel: A little too carbonated, but satisfying finish. Pretty dry.

Overall: One of the better Pale Ale's i've had, but I haven't had that many to reference. More of an IPA guy. This packs a lot of bitter piney hoppiness into a standard pale ale. I'll probably re-review this after I spend some quality time with some more Pale Ale's.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 23:09:38 | More by Roman5150

tviz33

New York

3.7/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12 oz bottle in to a tulip.

A- An overly aggressive poured left me with a huge, rocky, three-finger head that even went over the sides. There's tons of super sticky lacing. The body of this brew is a semi-transparent golden orange.

S- I'm not overly impressed with the aroma here. Biscuity malts and something part floral, part citrus, part puke. I'm not sure what's going on.

T- It doesn't taste like puke, thank God. However, it is still not my favorite DIPA. There's some sort of disconnect between the hops and malt. Anyway, this beer is very bitter, and doesn't have the malt profile to balance it.

M- Medium bodied and well-carbonated. Not a bad feel.

O- I expected a lot out of this beer, but was pretty disappointed. It's definitely not a drain pour, but I won't be seeking this again anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 04:45:23 | More by tviz33

BlurryVisi0n

New York

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Served in a snifter glass.

Appearance: A nice cloudy amber with small bubbles on the frame, head subtle considering the pour but rose to about half an inch coming off-white in color.

Smell: Rich hops that come off very floral. Strong scent in the beginning but disapears from the nostrils pretty quickly. Doesn't stop you from inhaling this brew.

Taste: Bitter wet hops, very floral. It is quite addicting with an after caramel feel. Lightly spicy in a weird kind of way but it heavy floral finish offsets it just right.

Mouth: If you ask me incredible smooth, with medium carbonation.

Overall: I have been drinking Hop Wallop for a couple of years and to think I haven't written a beer review is absurd. It isn't that hard to find and believe me it delivers. Drink up and enjoy....Salud!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 05:48:20 | More by BlurryVisi0n

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice.

Appearance: Pours a bright and slightly hazy golden orange with a moderate amount of bubbles. About two solid fingers of white head which slowly fade into a thin creamy layer. Leaves a good amount of lacing.

Smell: A big zesty hop forward aroma with lots of tropical citrus esters. Big citrus fruit esters upfront with hints of oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, mango, tangerine, peach, and lemon zest. Earthy, herbal hops with hints of pine and grass. Soft bready malt background with hints of biscuit, grain, cracker, caramel, and yeast. Aroma is very citrus hop forward with a dry bitter smell. Pretty good.

Taste: Follows the nose well with a big juicy tropical citrus hop taste. Citrus hops upfront with a big taste of juicy orange, grapefruit, mango, pineapple, tangerine, peach, melon, and lemon zest. Also some floral, herbal earthy hops with notes of pine and grass. Solid bready malt backing with notes of soft biscuit, wheat grains, caramel, cracker, and yeast. Not a overwhelmingly bitter taste but nicely juicy and drying.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Very juicy and somewhat chewy. Pretty drying finish. Alcohol is hidden well.

Overall: A really solid Double IPA. Big citrus flavor with a nicely smooth dry bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 06:31:29 | More by MattyG85

57md

Pennsylvania

3.91/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours a light orange with a half finger of head that dissipates quickly, but leaves some lace behind on the glass. The nose is mildly citrusy. The hop profile is strong, but it presents itself as more of a dry bitterness than the sharp, tingly bitterness of most DIPAs.

Halfway through the glass, I caught a hint of malty sweetness, but there is not much going on here beyond a load of hop flavor. The lack of complexity diminishes the drinking experience, but it was still a worthwhile effort.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 21:53:44 | More by 57md

Omnium

Pennsylvania

4.24/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle > chilled pint glass
A - Pours a really really nice clear gold color, 2 finger fluffy white head with great, thick lacing.
S - Resiny hops, very earthy and floral characteristics, some citrus and pine are hidden underneath, caramel malt
T - Bold, mildly sweet and lot of bitter hop bite, definitely get some sweeter malt as well as citrus and the earthy flavors
M - A little sticky, but a dry bitterness from the hops hangs on to your palate.
O - This is just another solid beer from Victory, who doesnt get enough recognition for their solid efforts, even from myself. Good flavors in this double IPA, very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 22:48:33 | More by Omnium

YieldToNothing

New York

4.55/5  rDev +11%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

poured from a bottle into a rogue pint glass

this is an awesome dipa. the smell isn't in your face and the taste does not make you submit to a bitter hopbomb.
definitely not the nest example of this style, but its one i would feed to others in a heartbeat.

excellent beer
(noob)

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 04:18:47 | More by YieldToNothing

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap at the Ginger Man in South Norwalk.

Pours a dirty gold, some foam, some lacing. Citrusy malt nose, not overt. Some pine too. Taste is a wallop for sure. An almost wheat taste backed by a hop hammer. Ever so slight citrus. Good but on the harsher side.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2013 12:38:31 | More by KTCamm

cozmohollis

Delaware

4.21/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Hazy, rich, golden amber color with a thick creamy white head and a bit
of lace.

Smell: Bright citrusy hops with a tropical scent of lemon, grapefruit, and
passion fruit.

Taste: Sharp piney citrus notes. Light on the malt flavors.

Mouthfeel: A medium body with light carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: A good double IPA thats more on the hops end. The lighter body makes it a
good, year-round double IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 03:01:51 | More by cozmohollis