Hophead Imperial IPA - Bend Brewing Company

brentk56

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy amber color with a respectable head that leaves some lacing behind

Smell: Floral and sugary, with pithy and piney undertones

Taste: Definitely in the piney side, with a lot of pith as well; underneath, the sugary malts come on strong by mid-palate and into the finish, ringing pineapple flavors, as well

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and moderately carbonated; a bit sticky

Overall: A pretty darn good DIPA, though I would prefer a bit more attenuation or a bigger hop bill (may have been my fault for sitting on the bottle for a month and a half)

Thanks, chumba526, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 00:11:01 | More by brentk56

RedDiamond

Oregon

3.45/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The bartender at the BBC can’t pour this beer fast enough. It reminds me of those scenes from the 1930’s when there were runs on the banks. Hophead has a big juicy aroma and haunted lace and tastes surprisingly mild and light bodied. It is bright orange-gold, clouded, and has a slightly chalky mouthfeel. Strong in demeanor, yet casual in appeal, it serves the style well enough but is not a big scary hop monster by any means.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2005 04:21:24 | More by RedDiamond

dgilks

Australia

3.4/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Clear orange colour with a small, off-white head. Fair head retention.

Light piney character with a touch of citrus. Lacking.

Big bitterness with a crisp, resinous hop character. Mild malt with a hint of syrupy sugar. Decent.

Medium-full body with moderate carbonation. Fair.

An okay IIPA. It's a little thick and syrupy but still good.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2011 06:15:16 | More by dgilks

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.18/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A pint at the brewpub on the Deschutes river in Bend.

This beer pours a clear medium golden hue, with one finger of thin creamy white head, which leaves a wall of broken painted lace around the glass as it sinks away. It smells of caramel cream, and a bit of grapefruit and orange hops. The taste is sweet caramel malt, equally sweet alcohol, and orange liqueur. The carbonation is fairly light, the body a solid medium weight, and smooth. It finishes with a thinning booziness uber alles.

A bit strange, even given the style, to see an alcohol-dominated IIPA - the hops and malt just seem stamped down. Not particularly drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

07-14-2011 06:35:16 | More by biboergosum