Wild Devil - Victory Brewing Company

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served as a mediu amber colored beer with moderate off-white puffy head.

Smell has strong notes of citrus anf piney hops, with the addition of a nice tartness.

Taste is superb. The hops are restrained, yet flavorful. and the addition of the brett gives a nice refreshing tartness at the ending.

Left a dry-tart taste sensation in the mouth. Extremely enjoyable.

What a great pairing!. As a another reviewer commented, more brewers need to explore this combination of flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2008 22:50:21 | More by tgbljb

GJ40

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled on tap at Track 84 in Warwick, RI.

A - Copper with a slight haze and a moderate head with some lacing.

S - Spicy with clove. Smells a lot like a Belgian.

T - I found this a lot like a Belgian tripel but with more hops. It had the Belgian sweetness and spicy flavors. But it had a hoppier finish. It was an interesting blend.

M - Good consistency. It had a lower carbonation which let the flavors come through nicely.

D - An interesting and enjoyable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2008 16:57:52 | More by GJ40

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.38/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap 6/26/08 at Doherty's East Ave. Irish Pub, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a dark amber color, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is loaded with Belgian yeast, floral hops and citrus.

T: The taste is very well-balanced with flavors of citrus, Belgian yeast, caramel and a strong but not over-powering grassy hops bitterness. There's a hearty malt character. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Very tasty, goes down quite easily, not too filling, good kick, nice representation of style with the twist of adding the wild yeast, this is a very good beer to drink for a whole evening.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2008 00:48:35 | More by TheManiacalOne

rolands6

Rhode Island

5/5  rDev +29.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Doherty's East Avenue cafe in Pawtucket had one of just 2 kegs in Rhode Island and i was lucky enough to be there. This was a very interesting IPA. Smell is wheaty and hoppy. Not overpowering in the hops. Due to the yeast used it has a very wheaty flavor. Reminded me of the Victory Whirlwind Witbier hopped up. Light and easy to drink. Combines my 2 favorite styles wheat and ipa for a very drinkable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2008 14:51:39 | More by rolands6

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A 1/4 pint (approximately) served at the brewpub in Downingtown.

A: The ale is an amber brew, orange and brown, with a nice-sized head that lingers through the first 1/3 of the glass.

S: The aroma has the hallmarks of HopDevil, biting citrus and caramel malts, with the added touch of funky brettanomyces. The ale smells like Orval on hop steroids.

T: The ale has the intense funkiness of a year old Orval. The malts and hops seem to be happy to take the backseat and allow the brett to shine. The taste is yeasty and dry, making me instinctively grab for another sip. The barnyard funkiness is an excellent addition that really augments the overall HopDevil experience.

M: Dry gamey tartness is the calling card of this ale. The decision to add brett to HopDevil is inspired, to say the least.

D: The alcohol level is moderate and never escapes the the funky body. A real treat to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2008 01:51:19 | More by akorsak

RustyDiamond

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very glad I got to try this one today at the Brick Store Pub, during their '11 Kegs, 11 Days, 11th Anniversary'.
Served in a tulip and a very bright, slightly hazy orange with 2 fingers of white froth.
Not much of an aroma could be detected...spicy, hoppy?
Taste was that of a crisp, Belgian-style IPA. I could detect the Brett, but this beer was not overblown by the FUNK. If anything, I think it brought out the fruity esters from the yeast. Bright citric notes but again, smoothed out by the Brett. Belgian-style Tripple/IPA hybrid? Whatever it is, I like it!

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2008 21:28:18 | More by RustyDiamond

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the NEW and IMPROVED Victory.

A-Cloudy, murky orangish brown with a medium off-white head.

S-Mostly Hop Devil with all you would expect from it. In the background you get that wafting aroma of the dry, funky barnyard scent. Nice sourness and funk.

T: The brett is addition is certainly present but this is still HopDevil first and funk second. Good combination of flavours. Good melding of citrus, peppery hops and the sourness from the Brett.

M-Medium body with a nice growing tartness. A building astringency makes this really nice.

D-Well done. Still without question HopDevil first and Brett second but the combo is done well. I would not have mined a bit more Brett but...

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2008 14:45:50 | More by Deuane

SurlyDuff

Oregon

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Their spontaneosly fermented (ie, brett added) version of Hop Devil. Had this on-tap at the brewpub in Downingtown.

Deep copper and cloudy compared to Hop Devil. Yellowish head.

Aroma is similar to HopDevil, with big malt and big spicy hops. Flowery citrus and earthy soil come in too. The sourness I expected really took the form of spicy alcohol and a really mild urine-like grassy dryness. It's mild though. What I really just get is a spicier and higher alcohol aroma.

Dirty/stale tobacco, some citrus (grapefruit, kiwi, lemon), and a spicy peppery dry alcohol and cloves presence. Candy sugar (sweethearts, those little chalky candies) is also really big in the taste.

Overall, I welcome the addition of brett. Makes it really unique and adds some more complexity to an already nicely complex IPA.

THe mouthfeel is a bit strange, almost chalky, and drinkability isn't really there. It's worth a sample, but my pint glass did not empty as fast as I wanted it to...

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2008 23:48:15 | More by SurlyDuff

HopDerek

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly hazy golden amber color with 1 finger of creamy head, nice retention and good sticky lacing. Smells of yeast, spices, caramel, citrus, and earthy hops. Tastes of sweet caramel and biscuit with a touch of yeast, slight sour notes mix with earthy hops with a lemon rind finish. Medium in body with good carbonation. Smooth and spicy with some sour notes. A very interesting twist on their staple IPA, good and flavorful with more of a Belgian IPA feel to it. A great way to start off a visit to the new brewpub.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2008 21:55:41 | More by HopDerek

Med

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at eh brew-pub. I was fortunate to get this literally minutes before it kicked.

This review is basically a comparison versus the excellent HopDevil.

A - Color is lighter and cloudier than the regular HopDevil. Head and lace are similar which is to say very good.

S - American IPA all the way. Versus the regular HopDevil the aroma is very similar, though I found it to be not a hop forward.

T - Still very similar to the original, though again I think slightly smoother and less forward. The real difference is in the finish, the brett comes through with a slightly sour ending and a bit of funk. I am a fan of the original but this improves upon it, doesn't just change it.

M - A bit fuller bodied than the original even though the carbonation seems to have suffered a bit. Very nice.

D - I was less than halfway through this when another in my party ordered one and was told they were out. I can't begin to describe how much I wanted another...

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2008 05:30:28 | More by Med

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the newly renovated Victory Brewing Company.

Pours a hazy golden amber with a 1/2 finger of brite-white head. Retains nicely and leaves good looking lace behind. The aroma is similar to the Hop Devil that we all know and love. Hops, citrus, spice, and caramel backing but the Brett does make its presence known with a tingling tartness that seems to intermingle with the hops.

The taste is more of the same, with the Hop Devil taste being most prominant. Tingling hop bitterness and a touch of citrus that are balanced by a silky smooth backbone of caramel malts. Much like the aroma, the Brett isn't very assertive and adds a more subtle tartness to the surroundings that compliments the spice and hop characteristics well. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with good carbonation and a slightly slick feel at times.

This was quite interesting as I've never come across a Brett infused IPA before. I can't really say that this take was hugely memorable or anything for me but I do have to give Victory credit for trying something outside of the box.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2008 16:24:11 | More by Kegatron

DIM

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a: This was a somewhat cloudy, amber color. It was served to me with a smallish white head that did stick around for a while.

s: Smells like Hop Devil with just a hint of a sour edge blunting the hops. Some caramel malts back things up. Very fresh smelling overall.

t: The brett is not overly assertive, but it is there, hiding behind the hops. It lends a sour, almost rye flavor to the traditional Hop Devil. It is a nice change of pace.

m: Great carbonation and a nice sticky, oily texture.

d: Overall, I enjoyed this very much. However, I wish the "wild" element was more noticeable. Give Victory a lot of credit for experimenting.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2008 11:00:00 | More by DIM

barleywinebrewer

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

so, wild devil, their hop devil with brett added to it. I'm happy to have tried this and am bringing a fresh growler home to share with friends. I found it a refreshing IPA with a bit of an edge on it. I think if I was told nothing I'd probably say not as clean as it might be for an IPA but not note the brett. true fans of the hopdevil I'm sure will key in on the differences. I however decided to try another beer on cask than try the regular version of this back to back.

A nice crisp beer and one worthy of a try. I presume the brett character will only grow over time if this lasts on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2008 01:49:40 | More by barleywinebrewer

TheMarkE

California

3.03/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Mixed feelings. Victory tried to make their fantastic Hop Devil with Belgian yeast, German malts, and American hops. The result is a unique combination of floral, citrus, and pine, but my bomber had an acidic taste that overrode everything.

Warning! Once you uncork Wild Devil it will explode like champagne. Be prepared!

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 23:15:43 | More by TheMarkE

jmccullough916

2.5/5  rDev -35.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Served from a corked ad caged bomber. I noticed after pouring that bottling date is from 2009! Should be interesting to review a 3 yr old Belgian IPA.

A - Hazy copper gold. A very pretty beer that proves crystal clear beers aren't always the best looking.

S - Lots of Brett. Maybe a little hoppyness in the background.

T - Brett, Brett, and more Brett. What can I say? This beer has been overpowered by the Brett funk. I can't detect any hops or grain, only Brett.

M - Light and somewhat creamy with a small prickle from the carbonation. I was expecting a lot of carbonated bite because it foamed over when I pulled the cork and even more when I poured the first glass. Very enjoyable mouthfeel despite the overpowering Brett.

O - I suppose age has not treated the Hop Devil kindly because the Brett has overpowered the taste. It's really a shame. I wish I could've tried this one fresh.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 00:54:36 | More by jmccullough916

bmwats

Louisiana

3.6/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 650 ml bottle into a tulip.

A: Medium golden hue. Pours about a finger and a half, bubbly, white head. Dissipates fairly quickly leaving a light blanket of foam and a substantial beer ring. Decent dry sticky lacing, initially quickly retreats back into the body of the brew.

S: Hops are overcome with hefty aroma of lavender, honey, and fresh flora.

T: Hoppy and planty. Very floral.

M: Light but full. The floral nature of this brew really defines it. Hoppy in the front, not too bitter in the end.

D: Goes down easy. Drink as you please.

Atmosphere is pretty good. Nice hue, decent head, not much in terms of lacing. Nose is hoppy, and floral. Flavor is lightly hoppy with balance of fresh flora. Overall, this is a good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 04:54:21 | More by bmwats

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from 4/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a medium orange amber, thick white head and lacing. Belgian yeast, fruit and light brett aroma. Moderate pine hops, citrus, bready malt and brett. Nice mouthfeel. Closer to a wild ale or saison than a Belgian IPA in my book. Obviously well made, but a little too much brett flavor, so this is a miss for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 22:57:28 | More by LiquidAmber

PhillyStyle

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml coked and cages bottle:

The beer poured a very nice hazy orange with some hints of red that produced a huge white fluffy head that was retained well, but ultimately receded into a thin ring around the glass. The aroma was maltier than expected, more like a Saison, but most certainly a Belgian malt and yeast aroma. The taste of the beer is sweet, yeasty and with some hints of pine hops. The beer had a lighter feel than expected, but the beer was pretty easy to drink. Overall, a good beer and one that I will try again.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 17:17:21 | More by PhillyStyle

cvm4

Mississippi

3.38/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle from April 2009, cork broke when opening and had to bust out the wine opener.

A - Poured a gentle pour and half the glass is filled with a light tan foamy head. The body of the beer is a cloudy amber.

S - Malty, bready as well as hoppy. A faint lemon can be detected.

T - Pine hops, earthy and bready malts collide and finishes slightly tart.

M - Very bubbly, champagne like. Really mixes the flavors around.

O - Could definitely taste the Belgian yeast but I think the age of the bottle is past its prime.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 00:41:57 | More by cvm4

DaveHack

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was soooo excited to find this on tap. Growler filled from a 2+ year old keg.

Hazy, orange with little head (The carb may be a little low due to time spent in growler)

Smells musty, with noticable Belgian yeast

Tastes is sweet and a little bready. There is just a hint of Brett. I would've thought it would be more prominent given the extended stay in the keg.

Feels light in the mouth, not too thin, but light bodied. It is a refreshing beer that would be good out on the deck.

I HAD to try this with Victory being a local brewery and while it wasn't the best thing ever, it was absolutely worth trying and I wouldn't hesitate to drink it again if it were available

Serving type: growler

05-29-2012 01:08:16 | More by DaveHack

zac16125

South Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Growler poured into a tulip

A:  really pretty dark amber with some red hues, 2 fingers of slightly off white head, decent retention, leaves trace spotty lacing

S: the brett is certainly noted. smells tart with sour apple and sour white grape notes, yeasty, some funk, similar to a Saison really, There is also a touch of caramel malts. I get almost no hop characters but I like the aroma

T: malty upfront with some piney hop bitterness and spice, then a big Belgium yeast prescence on the back end with tons of banana on the finish of every sip. A touch of funk but really none of the sour tart that was on the nose, although as it warms to room temp a hint of tart and peppery spice comes out.

M/D: medium bodied with an appropriate carbonation, somewhat drying finish, drinkability is high

O: overall a pretty good beer.  I wish the tart on the nose came out more in the taste, and that the hop presence was higher, but tasty none the less and an enjoyable drink.  

Serving type: growler

05-19-2012 03:09:33 | More by zac16125

SLeffler27

New York

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

An orange sherbet head quickly overwhelms the volume of a tulip glass. The head turns rocky and lasts for the duration over a sunset orange, lightly hazy beer with tons of swirling carbonation. Lacing is spotty and sticky.

The hops are fruity citrus and floral with light pine and cedar. There is a presence of brettanomyces, light woodiness and butterscotch. Apricot becomes especially present with warmth.

Wild Devil has a light bitterness with cookie dough and cantaloupe flavors. Tartness is light and on the edge, a bit delayed. The finish is lingering with a slight bitter/tart edge.

The body is medium to light with a silky texture, no alcohol, light carbonation and late metallic notes.

This is an easy drinking beer that would probably pair well with soft cheese. Has enough going on to be interesting, but lacks the hop punch and yeasty funkiness I was seeking.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 23:28:26 | More by SLeffler27

hopfacebrew

Colorado

3.1/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Re-post from my hacked "jmkratt" :(

look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

750ml corked to a globe glass. The cork unloaded extremely quickly and the foam quickly spilled from the bottle. Seemed extremely carbonated, overly so.

A - After a gentle pour my globe glass was filled 4/5ths with foam and 1/5 cloudy orange/amber color brew. The extreme head is bubbly white with astounding retention and lacing. It's rather irritating waiting for the foam to subside. I put the opened bottle in the fridge to try and calm it down. When I went to pour my 2nd and 3rd glass it was still extremely foaming. I am not particularly fond of fighting this much foam every single glass. It's like a fresh keg that's been agitated.

S - Perhaps my favorite aspect of the beer. A subtle belgian yeast aroma with a hint of brett and fruity esters. Not any hop character detected. Mild malt sweetness present.

T - Similar to previous reviews I noticed the brett presence immediately and more dominantly than the nose. The hop character also is more dominant than on the nose: earthy character blends fairly well with the brett and bready biscuit malt character. The beer finishes with a bit of medicinal feel.

M - Very carbonated. You can taste the bubbles throughout, if that makes any sense. I don't know how else to describe it.

O - Not what I was expecting. I found the extreme carbonation to be both a hindrance to the aroma and flavor and mouthfeel as well as irritating to deal with. I won't be back. Pretty underwhelmed.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 06-01-2011 14:20:33

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 14:44:55 | More by hopfacebrew

eclipse54

Idaho

2.65/5  rDev -31.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A corked and caged 750 mL bottle recently sent from inlimbo77; thank you! Bottled on 09/21/2011, so over two years old at this point. "Poured" into a DFH signature glass...

To start, it’s vastly over-carbonated as so many others have said. Upon popping the cork, it began gushing out of the bottle. Luckily, I was prepared and and able to start pouring/collecting into a glass right away. On the pour (of actual liquid, mind you) a massive amount of head develops, so much that 99% of the glass is nothing but foam. I had to let the foam settle into liquid before drinking.

Once it had settled to a manageable amount, the liquid was a translucent golden orange color with some copper hues. The head is an eggshell white that is very foamy/sudsy, and does hang around for quite a while.

The aroma is of tart citrus, primarily lemon, tart apple, sour pear, some faint peach, and just tart fruits in general. Behind that is quite a bit of straw/hay, various other light grains, some grass, and barely an inkling of hops. Plenty of yeast to be had as well; it smells more like a saison than any IPA, though it is not offputting.

It tastes of tart fruits, primarily pear and lemon, some grains, straw, hay, a funky yeast flavor, pine, and various floral grasses. Hops have almost completely mellowed out and vanished, and this is pretty mild and lackluster in flavor. Not bad, but not amusing either. A bit of a chalky/soapy aftertaste to it.

Mouthfeel is thin and watery after the excess in carbonation had finally been dispelled. It seems so much of it was in a rush to escape that no carbonation bothered to stay dissolved. It finishes clean with a slightly dry aftertaste, and iis very appealing in that respect.

Overall, this isn't much of an IPA anymore, which I've tried to reflect in the score. I will say, though, that it does make for a pretty decent brett-inoculated saison, having plenty of tart fruit esters and light grains. I find it curious to see how, over the course of a couple of years, this one has changed so much to seemingly warrant a reclassification. That said, don't shy away from trying this one in your travels as there's plenty of enjoyment to be found in it, but don't expect it to be an IPA of any kind.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 01:46:37 | More by eclipse54

ahq514

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 750 ml into snifter.

Pours a transparent amber color. Huge head due to bottle conditioning. Nice chunks of lacing.

Aroma is tart cherries and a little bit of dryness. A little bit of citrus burst from the hops and a big floral burst from the hops.

Taste matches the aroma pretty well. Dry and somewhat peppery at the start, which ushers in the tartness. Floral hops are big throughout the beer. Beer finishes dry.

High carbonation and medium body.

Surprised this beer doesn't get more love. Combines too interesting styles. Brett adds a nice element to this ipa.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 04:57:30 | More by ahq514