Hop Wallop - Victory Brewing Company

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

4.4/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip.

A: Pours a healthy golden amber color with moderate yeast haze. The head is a two finger faintly offwhite color with an incredibly thick texture and excellent retention. Very strong lacing in spots.

S: A lot of tropical fruit in the nose, but not an insane amount. Still, mango, grapefruit, and pineapple are incredibly evident on the nose, along with a subtle touch of caramel malt. Subdued but very nice.

T: This isn't like other DIPAs I'm used to. Rather than overloading the palate with "MOAR HOPS" and "MOAR BITTER" (looking at you Hoptimum, as much as I love you), this has a very subtle tropical fruit note throughout the sip with little finishing bitterness. At times, it reminds me of unsweetened grapefruit juice. I also detect a hint of fruity esters near the finish, too. The biscuity malt backbone keeps the hops in check without coming across as overpowering. This features fantastic balance throughout; it's never exceedingly bitter, yet it isn't sweet at all. Very easy to drink for a DIPA to the point of being dangerous. And this is an older bottle! Imagine how good this will be fresh!

M: It's actually fairly oily on the tongue (leaving some of its resiny texture, and eventually, some piny bitterness on the aftertaste), but it's light and effervescent enough to go down with incredible ease. Only a hint of the alcohol appears after a while.

O: I'd put this up there with Hop Stoopid, easily - or maybe even slightly above it. If there were ever a poster child for the preaching subtlety and balance in a DIPA without being boring, this would be it. As much as I love big bruising hop monsters (cough Hoptimum cough), I'd be far more likely to grab a six pack of this.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2012 00:23:41 | More by ThisWangsChung

spw109

New York

4.75/5  rDev +15.6%

06-17-2013 21:30:06 | More by spw109

phooky

New York

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

06-17-2013 18:40:12 | More by phooky

dbert21

Ohio

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-16-2013 14:47:18 | More by dbert21

BLACKENEDPLAGUE

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

06-16-2013 03:42:54 | More by BLACKENEDPLAGUE

Burkbom23

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Dark golden color with a little bit of orange tint to it. Really nice foamy slightly off white head on top that does not want to go away. Lots of bubbles. Slight haze. Tons of lacing. The nose is fairly clean. Get some hops as can be expected. Mostly citrus, grapefruit, little lime zest. Floral characters start to come out as the beer warms. Just a tiny slight hint of graininess peeking out from the background. Lets have a taste. Hop resin right from the start. Little oily. Down right bitter all the way through. Bitter un ripe grapefruit rind. All out pine. After taste lasts till eternity. bone dry finish. Tons of bite. Medium body. Fairly spritzy mouth feel. A fantasticly bitter beer, that punishes your palette. The downside is it is not very balanced at all. Really have to struggle to just pick up a touch of malt up front. This is all hop, and straight up bitterness. By the end of the glass my taste buds are completely shredded and will probably have to pass on having another beer tonight. I would drink it again and I could see it being the perfect brew for those who like that style. The name does not lie.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 02:31:56 | More by Burkbom23

jreindl

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-15-2013 15:45:09 | More by jreindl

mecmd

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

06-14-2013 04:35:33 | More by mecmd

shehateme

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-14-2013 01:44:02 | More by shehateme

Pensfan0782

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

06-14-2013 00:48:18 | More by Pensfan0782

Gschaf

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

06-14-2013 00:36:42 | More by Gschaf

doremite

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%

06-13-2013 22:39:48 | More by doremite

pajonkunz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-13-2013 16:51:56 | More by pajonkunz

wtkphoto

Texas

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-13-2013 14:55:28 | More by wtkphoto

DCH

New York

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

06-13-2013 02:43:21 | More by DCH

JMUbrewz

Virginia

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-12-2013 17:02:34 | More by JMUbrewz

makasi

California

4.75/5  rDev +15.6%

06-12-2013 01:32:06 | More by makasi

scmoore81

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-12-2013 01:24:13 | More by scmoore81

dbossman

Nebraska

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-11-2013 21:03:21 | More by dbossman

SedateSix

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

06-11-2013 02:15:28 | More by SedateSix

Blaze5445

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

06-11-2013 01:04:57 | More by Blaze5445

Absolut

California

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%

06-10-2013 22:43:18 | More by Absolut

hipboy221

California

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-10-2013 06:59:21 | More by hipboy221

bcsbeer

Florida

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-10-2013 03:56:53 | More by bcsbeer

Skunkyluvmuffin

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-10-2013 01:03:16 | More by Skunkyluvmuffin