Wild Devil - Victory Brewing Company

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appears a clouded amber caramel hue with a large cream tinted beige head forms thick and fluffy. Excellent belgian style lacing spread beautifully across my Piraat chalice. Slightly opaque clouded body compared to the standard Victory HopDevil.

Aromatics take off the gloves with funk filled nose with mild band aid and barnyard funkiness. Fruity highlights come correct as well with tart apple and mild apricot preserves. With complementing strong citrus and caramel malts, a great combination, I'm typically not big on the American IPA Belgian combos but this does the trick in the sense that HopDevil isn't like the typical American IPA to begin with. My problem lies when the grapefruit hop bombs are blended with those spicy Belgian yeast blasts, this doesn't rub me the wrong way so far.

Flavors are impressive with the range of flavors but it does get stuck on the Brett trip. Strong spicy bitter leather blended with underlying caramel malt sweetness and citrus/pine hop accents. Throughout the whole experience there's wild cider fermentation notes that come around with an earthy robust musty tone, with more barnyard funk stepping through. And underlying hop burps come bursting through with the more you sip.

This is a must as far as texture goes creamy textured carbonation with fine backing bubbles borders on a mousse at times with champagne like edges. Medium bodied with slight oily hop resins being pronounced due to Victory's whole flower hopping methods. Quite a unique experience that finishes with a lacquering of fresh leather and earthy powdered chalk from the yeast tones.

Drinkability is impressive with the complexity using a wild yeast strain in their flagship IPA, you gotta love the fact that this beer is so damn sessionable. It is it's own unique creation that I applaud Bill and Ron for pulling out for their Philly Beer Week, since the April bottling I'm sure the complexity has grown and with time it will continue to. I just wasn't willing to age any Hop Devil based brew, I like hops fresh!

I got this bottle from Fathead's for 9.95 and they weren't sure how much it really was.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2009 02:53:48 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clouded orange touched brown with a thick frothy creme head. Nose is interesting. There is a mix of citrus tones from the hops used and the citrus of wild yeast. Very unique combination. Kind of a velvety edge to it as well. Flavor is a mix of bitter hop tones with lemony citrus and clearly evident wild tones. The edge bites, but in a smoother kind of way. Very unique. Feel has a fairly full carbonation and the liquid is thick enough. A very interesting ale indeed. The most interesting use of wild yeast I have tasted to date. (But IMO, definitely not an IPA. It's a wild ale to me.)

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2009 01:53:52 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

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

Props to Solomn420 for pulling this out and sharing.

Poured an amber with a nice white head. Nose is sour, spice and belgian yeast. Taste was sour, lots of yeast and hops, pretty good balance and there a spiciness to it on the end. Mouthfeel was and drinkability was good well. Good beer all the way around.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2009 01:21:29 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

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

Appearance: The bottle started overflowing as soon as I opened it. Pours a near-clear amber color. Leaves a rocky off white head and spotty chunks of lace.

Smell: Excellent blend of pale malts, fresh hops and light Belgian style yeast.

The taste matches the smell except that the hop is more bitter than floral and the yeast is more biting. This is a full bodied IPA. The aftertaste reminds me of most home brews.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2009 22:17:31 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks goes out to Hojaminbag for this one.

750ml Bottle
Caged/Corked
Bottled: 22 Apr 09

Pours a nice slightly hazy golden orange color, nice carbonation, huge three-finger off-white head, with some sticky lacing left behind. The nose is hoppy, with some malt notes, lemon citrus notes, and some spice. The taste is bitter, hoppy, slight malts, with a good dose of citrus, and spicy. Medium body. Drinkable, not a bad brew, but most likely would not try again.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2009 00:24:00 | More by Wasatch

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a tulip glass) bottled April 22 2009
A- This beer has a crazy foam that keeps growing and growing over the rim of the glass. It is a yellowish tan head on top a hazy deep caramel body with some big bubbles stuck at the base of the glass.
S- The big brett aroma and a spicy green hop aroma and some caramel malt nose to it.
T- The brett and cheese rind flavor is follow by a big bitter hop finish with a slight pungent flavor that lingers a moment. The caramel malt flavor is buried underneath and has a nice sweetness to it. As the beer opens up there is a buttery note to the caramel malt flavor.
M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel with a full carbonation and no alcohol heat noticed. There is a fizzy finish that boost the hop bite a bit.
D- The last half of the bottle was better than the first. It seems the carbonation died down a lot and the caramel malt really came in to blend with the hops and brett very nicely.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2010 20:43:17 | More by rhoadsrage

Billolick

New York

4.2/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Large bottle, caged and corked. Pours hazed, dull copper amber, under a nice looking fluffy, large medium oatmeal head, that stays around then leaves plenty of thicker lace on the glass. One sniff and the barnyard comes to the nostrils, not over done, but clearly present. Moderate funk, fruit, and then quite drying in the mid finish and finish. Love the style, love the intrigue of the addition of brett, so this one was a no brainer for me to seek out and enjoy. I was not disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2009 22:40:01 | More by Billolick

jlindros

Massachusetts

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

A huge 75% head rises and fades slowly with lots of big bubbles, and leaves a thick lacing, hazy reddish orange beer.

Nose has lots of funk and wild barnyard, horse hair, dry, lightly malty, very light hops and bitterness.

Taste also has lots of barnyard funk, wild yeast, a little horse hair, touch of malt and hops, semi bitter, some nice wild Brett flavors but not too heavy on them... yet. Light citrus and orange peel too.

Medium body with lots of carbonation.

Finishes somewhat bitter with light hops, some nice funk and wild barnyard Brett, very dry, light malt flavors and slightly spicy.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2010 22:13:38 | More by jlindros

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.2/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

750ml bottle purchased as a single at Julio's, Westboro, MA. Corked and caged.

Poured into a Chimay chalice, formed a 1" beige head over the effervescent coppery brew. Pillowy head lasts and lasts, with sporadic chunky lacing. Aroma is bandaids and tartness. Taste is a peek of sweetness to start, but quickly overpowered by the earthy tartness, with a lemony hops close. Mouthfeel is bubbly but still pretty smooth, with an acceptable drinkability. This one didn't do much for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2009 01:30:47 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Grolwer shared courtesy of hopdog and filled courtesy of maybrick...
Appears a hazy orange with a small white head that slowly fades out. Scattered lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is mild, with a very mild funk with some rubber, pineapple, grass, dried leaves, bananas, and earty minerals.
Taste is of light hops, rubbery funk, pumpkin & squash, dough, strangeness, with wood like flavors.
Mouthfeel is chewy, medium bodied, doughy, bitter, and smooth in the finish.

Serving type: growler

05-31-2008 02:13:50 | More by weeare138

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

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml corked and caged bottle. Not sure where it came from, I've had this a couple times before.

Pours a hazy dark reddish orange, some nice bright highlights, huge and thick off white head forms, very chunky, settles down to a pretty thick layer and ring, tons of lace chunks stick to the glass, looks good.

Smell is neat, lots of brett, horse blanket, nicely funky, lots of spice, floral, very perfumey, lightly malty, a bit of biscuit and caramel sweetness, but mostly citrus and floral hopping with a real pleasant brett funkiness.

Taste is similar, very malty at first, caramel, brown sugar, some toast/biscuit, bread, floral, some grapefruit and orange peel, perfumey, really nice, lightly spicy, a bit of alcohol, nicely spicy in the finish, very dry and funky.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with high carbonation, maybe a bit high but well integrated. This is a cool experiment that works, I dig Hop Devil and I dig Wild Devil. Its good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 23:29:48 | More by Viggo

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes:

Pours a dark ruby red color with a two finger frothy yellowish beige head that has good retention, slowly fading into a lasting ring. Chunks of soapy lacing left behind.

Funky, earthy aroma with a strong barrel and brett character. Musty with hints of toasted oak and barn countered by some earthy pine and sweet citrus.

Chewy medium body that's on the fuller end with again, a strong barrel presence and lots of earthy oak. Dry musty brett flavor gives this beer some nice funk/tarntness which is countered by the bitter hop character. Som bready yeast adds fullness to the body but it's still pretty quaffable. Hints of pine needle compliment the dryness from the oak and brett but is balanced by hints of citrus fruit. Pale malt backbone with a dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2011 01:02:29 | More by corby112

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Max's during their Victory blowout.

Wasn't sure how much I was going to like this beer, as the idea of infecting an IPA with brett struck me as a chancy idea at best.... but what do you know, Victory came up with a good idea.

The beer pours the expected copper amber color with good head retention and lacing. On the nose this beer is pretty interesting. I get the expected hopdevil citrus and pepper nose, but it's wound up with a considerable amount of sour funk, which greatly adds to the complexity. While I'm not a big fan of sour beers, I liked how the sour interplayed with the hoppy bitterness in this beer. Flavors on the palate replicate the beer pretty closely, but the hoppy bitterness ultimately seemed to dominate in this beer, which is what I prefer The beer is medium bodied, with persistent flavor throughout. The beer finishes well and the sour does seem to detract at all from the drinkability.

Much to my surprise, I really liked this. The sourness gives the beer a bit of an edge, and I think makes for a more interesting flavor profile. I think I prefer this to the regular hopdevil. A very interesting beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2009 12:46:07 | More by johnmichaelsen

glid02

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Taco Mac Lindergh in Atlanta.

Pours a clear golden-copper color with a one-finger white head. The head recedes into a patchy layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of slightly biscuit-y pale malts with good amounts of funk and citrus/pine hops.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Pale malts with a hint of toastiness up front are joined by citrus hop flavors first, pine hop flavors second, and funky brett flavors third. The malt flavors reintroduce themselves right before a solidly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with active carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I finished my glass without a problem and could have another.

Overall I remember liking this much more a bit fresher, especially as the increased influence from the malts doesn't do this beer any favors. Still, worth a shot even if it's past its prime if just to see how it ages.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2010 03:59:11 | More by glid02

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: A rolling and towering cream-beige 4 finger head mushrooms upward from the center compliments of the wild brett yeast. A nice coppery-orange tone coloring and strong carbonation of tiny tightly bound micro-bubble jet streams that brings the visible nature to life along with a turbid background. Retention was extraordinary, clinging to the sides of the glass leaving a spotty foamy lacing. A nice start indeed.

S: The aroma starts off with a little funk with sour fruit (pears) and damp citrus. Some banana peels are also slight but noticeable. The brett does produce some nice additional aromas as the label suggests, but also covers up and masks what made the original hop devil so aromatic, its bright citrusy nature and sweet malt highlights. Soft flower pedals closes things out here.

T: The flavor as well starts off with a good deal of funk, tart citrus and a really good amber malting. Dry with some hay/straw notes hints of lemon peels and floral hops gives this a wet and dry taste. The malting was nice, like a rich amber, nicely hopped with dry citrus flower hints. Musky lemons, and floral notes close out with the brett producing a decent barnhouse like lingering fade. As the label suggest, the brett brings about some new additional flavors and aromas, but comes at the expense of what made the original so menacingly delicious.

M: creamy and full, very smooth with the carbontion feeling much lighter then the visible nature leads you to believe.

D: Decent drinkability with a good funk. The brett adds some new additional flavors yet in some ways at the expense of the original. Decent per style, very good even, but just not enough to warrant an outstanding rating.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2009 22:18:50 | More by beerthulhu

DrJay

Massachusetts

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

I tried this shortly after it first came out on tap at the Victory brewpub. The character wasn't much different from Hop Devil at the time, so let's see if a bottle's any different. Cloudy coppery orange with a two inch beige cap. Lots of clumpy lacing, good head retention. Interesting aroma, ripe fruits, pineapple and citrus, earthy and grassy, faint tartness. Moderate bitterness that grew to become fairly sharp over a few sips, with more tropical fruit sweetness. Notes of funk, minerals, and berries, a bit medicinal with very faint rubbery/plastic flavour. Lingering grapefruit. Kind of odd, but it works fairly well. Carbonation was on the high side and quite creamy. A little dry with a decent texture. I like it. The combination of hop flavour and bitterness with the brett seems like a good idea.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2009 00:24:05 | More by DrJay

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A finger's worth of soapy, foamy ecru lead with decent retention. Nose was much more sour than my beloved Devil. Color was a slightly cloudy lemon-yellow. Mouthfeel was medium with a hoppy, yeasty tang on the palate. Finish was highly unusual, with a light sourness competing with the expected bitterness.

My only concern arose from the idea that I have always considered Hop Devil to be a female and for her to have caught hold of a wild yeast strain?!? C'mon baby, you should know better.

Bottom line; it was interesting and for those die-hard afficianados of sour beers, this is something that you should try. For those of us who are less inclined, in our old age, to sharp sour-ish women, fear not, La Belle Diable still exists on cask.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2009 10:11:30 | More by woodychandler

HopHead84

California

3.58/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dark copper with a nice frothy, one finger head and good retention.

The aroma is very interesting, and the more I smelled it, the less I liked it. The Brett is slightly musty and seems to clash with the citrus and floral hops, making for a strange aroma. It's experimental, no doubt, but I'm not sure what to make of it.

The flavor is bitter and then tart. The strange combination of citrus hops, Brett, and caramel malt is interesting. My overall impression is that the Brett doesn't seem to flow with the bitterness and citrus hops. It's definitely unique though. The finish is bitter, Bretty, and slightly fruity.

Medium bodied with nice carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2009 09:56:28 | More by HopHead84

Brad007

Vermont

4.88/5  rDev +26.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a beautiful amber color with a thick, frothy head that fades to leave a bit of lacing. Absolutely gorgeous presentation in my fluted tulip.

Aroma is a strong whiff of floral, grassy hops mixed in with the characteristics of the belgian yeast. Very floral and spicy.

Taste is full of grassy hops mixed with the characteristics of the yeast. Spicy with a hint of citrus and plum as well.

Mouthfeel is full of lingering spice, hops and plum. Very nice. Alcohol is well-contained and as a result, this beer is far more drinkable than I feel it should be. Just a hint of peach rolls off the tongue in the mouthfeel.

Very nice for the style. Marvelous and certainly worth a try if you enjoy the style. Very easy to drink as well.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2010 00:33:15 | More by Brad007

stakem

Pennsylvania

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

Review from notes taken on 1/30/10 during a side by side comparison with hop devil.

Pours slightly cloudy with a sour aroma that is quite musty. Taste is significantly funky with some citrus reminding me of moldy blue cheese. Bitterness is actually subdued by the funk. Aroma and taste is filled with must but overall quite smooth feeling and moderately carbonated. Brett taste lasts through the finish and is reminescent of wet leather but enjoyable in a perplexing way.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2010 23:57:16 | More by stakem

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

I had half a bottle left from a tasting, put a stopper in it, and it was still remarkable well-carbonated the next day.

A: Hazy, copper-orange with a light tan head, good retention, slight lacing.

S: Floral, soapy, citrus and toffee with an enticing hint of barnyard funk.

T: There's a lot going on with the flavours here. There's the floral & citrus rind from the hops, a little earthyness & soap, spicy Brett character and underlying bread, nut & caramel from the malts (plenty of protein but not too much sweetness). Eclectic & wonderful. It's like brewing a Orval with some slightly dark malt (German no-less), then hopping it up American style.

M: Moderate body is smooth, somewhat acidic (from the yeast & hops) with an off-dry finish.

D: I like it, but the hops & Brett might be a little much for some.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2009 01:46:57 | More by Derek

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I would definitely call this an American Wild Ale, rather than an IPA. The hops are definitely there, but the funky element most defines this beer. Pours a hazy orange with a bready head that sticks quite a bit to the glass. Nice balance of a funky slightly ripe cheese smell, citrusy hop aromas, and some light acetic notes in the nose. The taste loses almost all the sour notes and instead matches earthy/piney/citrusy hops with more of the cheese/barnyard funk. It's entirely a matter of taste, but these flavors to me go together remarkably well. It reminds me of a fairly ripe Spanish or French soft cheese wrapped in some sort of slightly pungent leaves. The earthy, tannic, and sharp herbal notes of the leaves counterpoint the funky cheese in the same way that the hops counterpoint the funkiness of the Brett here. I like it, and I really applaud the experimentation. The mouthfeel is full, thick, and especially funky on the finish. A very interesting beer indeed. If you're looking for a sour, this is not it- but might be given enough time. If you're looking for funk + hops, we have a winner.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2009 22:28:30 | More by Georgiabeer

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into New Belgium Globe glass.

I have had this fresh on tap and let this bottle sit to see what would happen to the brett. Here goes nothing.

Cork comes off with a loud pop and gushes out a bit.

Pours a massive amount of head. I poured it slowly and the head rose up very fast. Over four fingers of khaki head. Finally fades down and I can get at this one. Leaves some rings and splattered lace. Color is a orange hued burnt copper.

Aroma: Tons of funk. The brett seemed to have develop nicely, maybe overpowering the ipa components. Has the barnyard funk to it with some spices and cloves. It has some citrus flavors, but the hops aren't very present.

Taste: Tons of barnyard funk and brett. The hops bring some bite as well, but not as present as when the beer was fresh (pretty obvious). Has some hints of bananas and cloves with some grapefruit citrus. The hops are floral and they blend well with the funkiness in this beer. A decent amount of black crushed pepper.

Mouthfeel: Bitter, but funky with some crisp notes. Medium bodied with a higher amount of carbonation. End dry with an awkward aftertaste that I can't determine.

Overall, this was a fun beer to age. It really changed a lot and I enjoyed to see what a few months did to it. It was very funky and not to much of an IPA anymore. It is drinkable. The 750 shouldn't be too big of a problem.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2010 03:28:29 | More by mothman

tavernjef

Minnesota

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

Semi clouded deep amber orange color with an immense capping of dirtier whitish foam of creamy distributed bubbles. Good amount of lacing is strewn across the glass in lots of strings and spot.

Aroma is quested fairly full of spicy citric levels in peels, pith, and pulp. Lemon and orange speak up quickly, there's a tad of lime and pink grapefruit as is a quieter malt backing. Good Ol' Belgian Brett yeast is used here and isn't overpowering too much, but is evident.

Taste follows suit with a good load of complex citrusy things, orange, lemon, lime; peels, zest, and pith; and Brett influenced spice and funk. Nice touches to herbal leafyness, soft pine needles, and some floral powdery dryness that borders on medicinal qualities. Its leveled out nicely with a great mildly sweetened malt backing balancing it up and keeping it well under control. It gets dry in the finish and lowly bittered within it all. Once you've established a good amount of sips the dryness really takes its hold on your palate from that point forward with a nice spicey funk of citrus.

Body is medium and clean with a bit of extra body added in the mid ranges as it creates lots of citric spiced dryness and nearly leathery like coating on the palate. It has an unescapable presence thats quite nice the whole way thru.

WildDevil is quite a nice twist on the IPA and done very well by Victory - no surprise really. For those fans of the Brett this may be something that would be exceptionally worth keeping around? I quite liked.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2009 23:37:58 | More by tavernjef