Hop Wallop - Victory Brewing Company

atsprings

North Carolina

4.9/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured a crisp straw yellow with a decent slowly diminishing head, lots of bubbles visible rising to the top. Aroma was a nice punch of citrus hops. Taste is a wonderful amount of citrus hops with just enough pale malt to provide a solid backbone. A hophead's delight. The beer has a good level of carbonation and the alcohol is well hidden. This is one of my favorite beers, I wish it was available all year, however, I understand how the fresh hops are what makes it so great.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2007 04:27:54 | More by atsprings

jasonjlewis

Texas

4.9/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance: Amber color with crazy head and ridiculous retention that rapes my glass.

Smell is of fresh hops that are flowery and citrusy. I just beergasmed. Don't read this review, go and drink it and see for yourself!!!

Taste: sweetness from pale malts and some mild caramel malts with a fresh hop bitterness to balance. This is what fresh hop beers are all about. The flowery hop flavor is beergasmtastic. I wish fresh hop ales were available year round. It's not fair!!!

Mouthfeel is full and crips and refreshing. Could be a little bit fuller, but it is still very good.

I could drink this forever. I want this beer forever and forever. Why are you reading my review?!?!? Go drink this beer already.

HOP HARVEST ALES MAKE ME BEERGASM.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2007 08:19:18 | More by jasonjlewis

BigDRS

Ohio

4.9/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Hop Wallop is a very clear light gold with an off-white head. There's very little carbonation visible and the head eventually falls into a film and leaves a bit of lace.

The smell on this beer is amazing. There's a ton of hops. Citrus and pine scents dominate the nose. There's just a touch of a tropical twang ... mango or something close to it.

One sip of this beer and I'm hooked. If you want a hop bomb, this is it, start to finish. The lingering aftertaste is one of the best I've experienced. There's a bit of hop taste that comes up after each sip accompanied by an intense bitterness. It's flat out awesome.

Mouthfeel on this beer is also great. There's a sticky/syrupy character to it that I really love in a DIPA. Carbonation is just right.

Victory hit this one out of the park. Not only is this an awesome beer, but it's available year round AND it's only $10 for a 6 pack. This is going to become a regular in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 22:54:27 | More by BigDRS

IrishRedRock

Pennsylvania

4.88/5  rDev +19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Being that I was unable to score some of this in bottles (as of yet) and probably won't be able to, I consider myself extremely lucky to have stumbled upon it on draught at the Standard Tap. It was simply listed as "Victory IPA." ...

--"Hey is that HopDevil on draught?"
--"No, its their new IPA, comes in around 9%"
--"WOO HOO!!! ahem...3 pints please."

Ok, if you don't think this is an imperial IPA, then really, what is? Pretty solid alcohol character in the finish, and this thing really is over-the-top in hoppiness. Has a nice deep golden color with a well retaining white head. The nose is filled with overpowering hops and pine. The flavor follows, like chewing on a combination of hops, pine needles, and pinecones. This baby is piney. There's a very slight cherry-like malt sweetness centered around the hoppy start and the hoppy/mild alcohol finish. Mouthfeel is smooth and buttery, with some mild carbonation. A hophead's paradise would be filled with an endless supply of kegs of Hop Wallop. Try to get some of this stuff. At this point, I'll be frank: this beer is totally kickass.

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2003 15:36:24 | More by IrishRedRock

oxmasterscream

New Jersey

4.88/5  rDev +19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pours a very clear, golden copper with a thick, creamy white head that coats the glass on the way down.

Smell: Huge grapefruit aromas combined with some spicy and light floral hop aromas. After a while, a very subtle and gentle malt aroma began to show through; think pink grapefruit drizzled with honey. Exactly what something called "Hop Wallop" should smell like.

Taste: Right off, you're punched in the mouth by spicy, almost peppery hops and a bag of juicy pink grapefruits. That's followed by a beautifully subtle honey-sweet malt flavor, that combined with the pink grapefruit flavors is a knock-out. From there, you're left with a seriously solid bitter finish that coats the back of your mouth and throat and just begs you to take another drink. Near the end of the glass, the spicy part of the profile really stars to burn the crap out of your tongue and throat. Wicked stuff. So far, it's best in the bottle.

Mouth: The immediate feel is bright and crisp but within seconds of it touching your tongue, it becomes creamy, velvety and smooth. Perfect mouthfeel. If you take the time to enjoy this as you should, the high ABV isn't really detected until three quarters of the way through the glass, when a slight warming can be felt at the finish. If you drink it fast, you'd never realize the high ABV until you were finished.

Drinkability: This stuff is so good that you want one after another, even if it's a bad idea. I've been drinking it since it's been released and I can't seem to get enough of it. Seek it out while it's here (should be easier this time around).

Sidenote: I reviewed Hop Wallop on tap and gave it a lesser score; looking back, environmental interference was probably the reason - it's still amazing even with lots of sensory interference. To taste it's subtleties, it's probably best enjoyed in a quiet, peaceful, smoke-free environment. It's damn amazing.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2004 01:31:22 | More by oxmasterscream

kegerator

Maryland

4.88/5  rDev +19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

another great Victory Brew.
Poured a slightly copper yellow with a half inch head that fizzled down quickly.
Smell was all hops nice grapfruit citrus smell.
taste was smooth and citrusy up front with a nice dry hoppy finish
excellent brew and dangerously drinkable as far as the alcohol being masked. its very hoppy and hard to drink more then two of thesee in one sitting though

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2004 16:23:50 | More by kegerator

nortmand

Virginia

4.88/5  rDev +19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours light amber with an inch of white foam. Minimal lace.

Nice huge hoppy smell, but typical cascade citrus. Some "rarer" hops would have been perfect. Rich malty backbone and some alcohol in the nose.

The flavor of this beer way outdoes the smell. Wow! The citrus hops are there, but also some smooth raisiny caramel. Very good. Slight alcohol burn. Leaves a spicy burn long after the swallow.

Smooth, round and full mouthfeel. Very dangerously and expensively drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2005 02:12:55 | More by nortmand

allboutbierge

Austria

4.88/5  rDev +19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Enjoyed on cask at Fatheads in Pittsburgh.

Lots of lace is left behind as this brew quickly disappears into my belly. Scents are citrus heavy and hit the front of the nose heavily, but not with the brutal smack of many other offerings.

Taste is exceptional. Theres malt there but subdued. Theres much more depth to the hoppy flavors of this offering compared to many other DIPAs.

Cask = natural carbonation & appropriate temperature.

Serving type: cask

12-31-2007 16:14:07 | More by allboutbierge

Gehrig

Illinois

4.88/5  rDev +19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Holy Hops, Batman! This is easily one of the three most hopped beers I've ever had, living up to its name and then some. Hop Wallop is a slap upside the head DIPA, an incredible beer. Trying this for the first time at the outstanding Pizza Plant on Transit, I was totally impressed with it. It pours a medium amber-golden body, with two finger of white froth capping the 10 oz. glass, while amply lacing the glass as it proceeds. The smell and taste are a full-frontal hopped-up assault on the olfactory, with the taste also bringing subtle but present fruit--some grapefruit, orange, and lemon. The hops coat the tongue afterward, making this a highly drinkable DIPA.

Just dynamite!

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2008 15:42:15 | More by Gehrig

tonistruth

Nevada

4.88/5  rDev +19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A-light copper to deep straw for color, 2 fingers of fluffy white head hold expertly, soapy lace rings line the glass

S- floral and citric, with sweetbread malts...mellow but pleasing

T- great balance, honey sweetened bready malt makes a pleasing backbone (and great aftertaste) for hops which taste of citrus rind and have spicy hints

M- smooth until the hops make their presence felt

D- one of the best, if not the best, double IPA's i've ever had, truly an amazing brew, try this immediately!!!!

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2008 08:12:59 | More by tonistruth

benmiliron

Ohio

4.88/5  rDev +19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Love the bearded old guy on the bottle. Pours a beautiful white head, chunky, good lacing. Smell is incredible - perfect floral aroma. Taste is exquisite - good malt with very strong hops but well done - not overly acidic or bitter. It's like liquid hop aroma with all malt in the taste. I don't know how they did this. Gravity, small & soft bubble, & stickiness all come together on this one for the mouthfeel. Just beautiful.

This one's a classic. I should drink more of it. One of the best IPAs in existence.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2008 17:19:53 | More by benmiliron

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

4.88/5  rDev +19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This is what a hoppy beer should be - hops, water, beer flavor.

If you've ever taken the tour of Victory's brewery or read the details of their basic brewing practices on the website, you'll know that Victory uses whole-flower hops. Victory is a grand master at hopping beer.

Exceedingly more than any other beer I've had - this brew exudes the absolute essence of whole-flower hops (or, at least, the variety(ies) they employ in it) in every facet - aroma, flavor, even texture.

Stick your face in a sack of hop flowers and inhale (in the manner of President Skroob from the can of Perri-Air in Spaceballs) - that's the aroma. Hops, not air.

Hop Wallop reflects a sunburnt, light-gold color. The head and lacing are: sticky, cottony, gritty, lip-smacking. The oils are choice.

Tastes like liquid solid hop flowers. Soft bready backbone. Can't detect a heck of a lot of alcohol. Oh, heavens, can you gulp this with wicked fervor. Or you can simply drink it and calmly relish every nanosecond.

You like real hops? You're a fool not to try this.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 05:10:43 | More by Bouleboubier

CopperMtnPlowboy

Ohio

4.86/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Poured a dark golden color with 1/4" head.

Smells like a real beer, clean, crisp and hoppy. Almost no sweetness detected - a good thing.

Taste is superb. I get the name as a play on words - but it's true. The hops wallop the taste buds. Not too bitter as some hoppy beers, but just right. I get a little pine, and some citrus. Barely a hint of the malt and it's hard to believe its 8.5% ABV.

This is a very smooth beer, goes down crisp and refreshing.

Hard to imagine a beer much better. Now if they'd just out it in a can so I can add it to my craft beer can collection...

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 01:40:16 | More by CopperMtnPlowboy

SaunaKing

Ontario (Canada)

4.85/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had a good workout on the treadmill and going to have a beer for the second half of the ncaa final. Looking for something refreshing so am going to try the victory hop wallop sent to me by sully.
an absolutely beautiful cloudy orange with tiny particles suspended. A creamy white head an inch plus thick that leaves nice lacing until your beer is done. A really unique orange citrus colour.

a light fruity, floral aroma. Citrus is predominant.

Initial taste is hoppiness and fruit juice even a little lemon as it washes over the tounge.
An acidic zing in the aftertaste, kind of like a bitter lemonade.

incredible drinkablity. This has to be one of my new favorites.
I am conciously trying to nurse it a little as i only have one... so sad.

This is an AMAZING beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2005 02:56:21 | More by SaunaKing

MmmIPA

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2007 vintage.

Orange body with a small white head.It looks like its gonna leave some nice lacing.

Grapfruity,piney notes.

Nice and grapfruity with some nice bittering at the end.

I didnt think this beer wasnt that good 5 beers ago but it is f@cking awesome now.Love it!

edit: this beer was in a bottle but I couldnt review the same beer in the same container.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2008 00:15:08 | More by MmmIPA

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.85/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I was lucky enough to have one of thses on cask at the Brick Store recently, and Man oh Man, this stuff is even better that way. Pours about the same as on draft, golden with a decent head, but the cask head is a bit rockier. The smell and taste are about the same as well, with delicious citrusy hops and enough malty sweetness to underline the hops and contribute its own juicy fruitiness to the equation. The smoothness imparted by the cask, however, is out of this world! I wanted to gulp this stuff and drink glasss after glass. I definitely had a bit more than I was planning to, its just that good. The creaminess and lower carbonation of the cask really allow the juicy flavors to shine. What a beautiful experience. Yaay Cask!

Serving type: cask

07-02-2008 17:09:29 | More by Georgiabeer

alyankus

New Jersey

4.85/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pours gold into the glass with a one-finger head. There is great retention here with exceptional lacing.

Nose: Pine, citrus, and a slightly astringent herbaceousness rise out of the glass

Palate: More pine but the citrus notes seem slightly candied. More of a rind quality here mangoes and grapefruit primarily.

Drinkability: Great mouthfeel with no noticeable heat. Reminds me of a slightly lighter and less sweet Founder's Double Trouble. Very refreshing a great DIPA overall

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2009 23:55:32 | More by alyankus

cnjohn19

North Carolina

4.85/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

overall, a true ace! below are my notes, but overall this beer is outstanding...

at first pour i am truly surprised how light and golden this beer appears, especially for an imperial ipa...hazy with a full fluffy white head...

smells are of orange peel and piney hops as expected...but what is a surprise is the malty backbone which seems distant to the nose...

damn, this is delicious...strong, bold, crisp, hoppy with a strong malted backbone...balanced, and again surprisingly light, this beer is again an ace...i tried this beer with fresh pepper jack cheese and crackers...what is awesome about this beer is its difference to most double ipas (my fave style)...

as the label suggests, "hoppiness is happiness"...victory excelled with this one!

cheers...

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 01:17:20 | More by cnjohn19

JizackFH

New York

4.85/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had this on-tap tonight at Sunswick 35/35 in Astoria, NY. Review taken from notes.

A - This beer pours a clear golden color, and it has a 2-finger pure white head on it. The head left specs of lacing behind.

S - The smells is tons of juicy citrus hops, pine, grapefruit, and it's a bit floral. This beer smells amazing.

T - This packs a big hop punch right off the bat. There is a very nice pink grapefruit taste. It has a big hop bitterness, but is balanced quite well. There is some alcohol presence, but it is hidden quite well. The finish is a lingering hop bitterness.

M - It has a medium body and moderate carbonation. The finish is sticky, bitter, and dry. The hop flavor lingers in the mouth.

D - This has awesome drinkability. Overall, I just think this is a great beer. The taste is amazing and so is the smell. I could drink this stuff all day. This is a great DIPA, and I will definitely be having it again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-30-2011 13:37:28 | More by JizackFH

vicsju1991

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

poured from a 12 oz bottle into pint glass

A - poured a nice clear yellowy-amber colour, two finger head from my pour
S - citrusy deliciousness
T - hop explosion, citrus, and a kinda bitter aftertaste
M - smooth and creamy and full
O - overall this is in my top ten all time, and I love this beer
a really biased review, i love this beer, i love this brewing company, I named my cat after the damn beer, it is amazing, and if you like hops you will love a fresh one

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 04:20:43 | More by vicsju1991

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

4.83/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A chill hazy gold-orange body, topped by frothy off white head, which leaves excellent lacing.

The aroma is like breathing through a grapefruit in the middle of a pine forest. Fresh, juicy, moist, assertive without being overpowering/off-putting. They should make those little "trees" for your car with this scent. Hell the bottle smells great empty.

The taste is not exactly what you might except. It is not "two-by-four in the face", nothing but bitterness. There's a malt base, surrounded on all sides by floral and fruity hops, resiney and juicey. There is actually a semi-sweet note bursting out of all the hoppiness. There is an overall impression of freshness.

The mouthfeel has a wonderful lively and oily texture, smooth and coating, but refreshing, not thick.

There is one major problem with the drinkability...the scarcity of this beer acts as a governator. I certainly want another, but I'll save it for a different session.

Any beer would have difficulty matching the hype of Hop Wallop's release. If this doesn't, it certainly is close.

Next year's release will be eagerly awaited.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2004 23:28:58 | More by RonfromJersey

TastyTaste

Minnesota

4.83/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a crystal clear copper color, "1 of slightly off white head, sticky lacing. Pure hop spiciness in the nose, slightly floral, slightly citrus, smells almost cinnamon. Taste is of the wall hops. They are everywhere. Not much of a noticable malt presence, because of the invasive hops. Aftertaste is pure hops, slight alcohol burning. Not as hoppy as Rogue's I2PA, but still sates my hopcraving.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2004 17:20:11 | More by TastyTaste

rtratzlaff

North Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Came to the bar a clear lighter golden color with a good amount of head. The smell was a good crisp and spicy hopppiness. The taste was great. Tons of hop flavor that sticks to the tongue. THe mouthfeel was moderately thick. In my opinion, this beer is right up there with Dogfish Head's 90 Minute IPA. I will definitely go for this beer again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2006 14:22:12 | More by rtratzlaff

BlindPig

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A- 1/4" white head on a pretty clear golden body.
S- Grapefruit and a bit of orange citrus hops. A good helping of piney hops too.
T- Citrus and piney hops balance them selfs out with each other. Hops just fill the mouth with a very little pale malt back ground. Grapefruit just blends with the pine flavor very well. Alcohol also comes in and tingles the tongue a little and then warms up the back of the throat. Hints of a few other fruits like oranges and lemons. Has a great complex hop aroma and flavor.
M- Medium to full body with low to medium carbonation.
D- This is a really good DIPA. It really does make its self stand out amount all the other DIPAs that are good just kind of blend together in memory. I think it really takes DIPAs to a new level. It must be one of my favorite DIPAs and maybe even one of my favorites that memory can recall right now.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2007 04:37:41 | More by BlindPig

CAMRAhardliner

Ontario (Canada)

4.83/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

If you like hops, welcome to the party!

Pours a gold color with a bubbly white head that quickly recedes to a foamy ring. Stratified lacing is plentiful on the glass. The aroma is redolent with sweet fresh pineapple juice with some grapefruit and pine bitterness on the edges.

The taste is very different to the nose, less pineapple, sweet hops and more brash grapefruit. There are some piney notions are in the background but this beer is a grapefruit bomb. Malt flavors are very subdued under the barrage of hops. Alcohol is impeccably well hidden, revealing just a bit of warmth on the swallow. The mouthfeel is light and very puckering from the hop oils. The finish is extremely bitter.

This beer is heavenly. So much hop flavor, so much bitterness. What more could you want?

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2007 03:55:21 | More by CAMRAhardliner