Hop Czar - BridgePort Brewing Co. / Brewpub

westsidemiller

Washington

4.43/5  rDev +22.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

At first I was a bit under-whelmed from the aroma of this beer. For an Imperial IPA it didn't have the prominent hop character that I was expecting. In fact it smelled exactly like their regular IPA. It does have a nice reddish copper color with solid off white head that persists. The flavor was a pleasant surprise; hoppy yet not over the top. Citrus tones were present as well as a nice dry finish. Nice mouth feel with moderate carbonation and sweetness. Overall I was impressed with this beer, their IPA is solid, this model increases the complexity of their IPA while still preserving drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2008 03:25:48 | More by westsidemiller

Dogfishipas

Washington

3.35/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

22oz poured into a pint glass. I had higher hopes for this beer. Initial taste is great, nice strong hop flavor that quickly diminishes. The aftertaste isn't that great for me. Over crarbonated.

For an Imperial IPA I would say it's drinkability is average at best.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2008 01:23:59 | More by Dogfishipas

jakon

Oregon

3.63/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle purchased for $4.49 on 8-10-8 at Whole Foods Tanasbourne.

This beer pours copper with an average sized tan colored head.

The aroma is very interesting. First, I'm getting yellow candy cane. Not peppermint, but those yellow ones. Then it changes to big league chew, and morphs yet again into a grassy hop/bubble gum medley.

The taste is nothing like any IIPA I've ever had. The hops are very grassy and wet tasting. The bitterness is very strong at first, but kinda disappears with each sip. There's an astringent quality to the overall flavor profile.

Not sure what to think of this stuff. I like it, but I'm not sure why.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2008 07:16:51 | More by jakon

cannabanaceae

Washington

3.88/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured in pint glass.
The look to this brew was a nice creamy head lasting to the end. yellowish orange. A floral nose with some lemon and grapefruit. The taste was light in front followed by a nice bitter back with some alcohol presence. The mouthfell was a little oily with hop biterness in back of throat. This is a pretty good iipa. Not very special but worth trying. Its growing on me as I type.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2008 20:34:35 | More by cannabanaceae

KJH

Washington

2.93/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer pours a dark amber and there is defintely a good amount of hops in the smell. No citrus note is present. Mouthfeel is average for this bitter beer.

For an imperial IPA this doesn't rate as highly as many other options but it is still a pretty good beer.

Amazingly enough it tstes exactly like a Bridgeport IPA with a few extra hops

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2008 04:39:57 | More by KJH

cswhitehorse

Oregon

3.98/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The Hop Czar comes with a regal label in a bomber. It pours an amber orange color with a good 1-2 finger foam head. It has some solid lacing and looked like a dream.

The aroma was good and hoppy. You got a pine forest with a sweet stickiness to it.

As you drink you get a good malt profile then the bitterness then it finished with a sweetness. In the mouth is semi chewy and moderately carbonated. It leaves a good bit of bitterness on the palate but not as aggressive as I would like from my imperial. Overall a good effort and the price is right compared to other doubles in the market.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2008 03:50:38 | More by cswhitehorse

RedDiamond

Oregon

4.08/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A beer with 100 IBU calls to mind Nigel of Spinal Tap boasting of how his amplifier goes to "11". It's comical for two reasons. First, it's been affirmed that the human palate can't perceive bitterness beyond 80 IBU. And second, why would anyone want to?

That said, Hop Czar is still a fine DIPA for reasons I'll soon define. But the arms race thinking behind the continuous escalation of alpha acids gets a bit ridiculous at times and this is one such time.

The smell of Hop Czar is divine. It is resinous, succulent, and piney and quickly alerts the salivary glands that something good is on the way. Not surprisingly, the flavor is excessively hoppy. Four varieties of hops are used and they are overplayed to the point of emaciating the malts. They do contribute to a grandiose display of lace that covers the glass with white, beatific shards. The head is admirable for its sustained soapy lather while the mouthfeel shows a rounded body with taut hop constriction.

As I mentioned, Hop Czar is a fine DIPA. But it's built on the opulence of excess rather than the wisdom of balance which I prefer. Enjoy, but don't say I didn't warn you.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2008 02:01:28 | More by RedDiamond

ralree

Maryland

3.15/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Tried at the Brewer's Fest in Portland.

A: Small head, dark gold.

S: Caramel malt, grapefruit, northwest hops. Smells good!

T: Extremely hard-hitting, very very bitter. Alcohol up front and unabashed. Bitterness stays after swallowing. Really grainy malt. Some light fruit.

M: Very very astringent, medium-bodied, carbonation is a little high. The astringency turns me off.

D: Not very drinkable. It's much too strong, yet, for those who can handle tons of astringency and bitterness, this could be a good pick.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2008 17:22:13 | More by ralree

sinistermadman

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nice hazed copper color with a slight creamy white head. Some lacing left on glass after successive drinks. Nice hoppy aroma with some sweetness, pine and citrus notes. Not a pungent DIPA aroma, but quite pleasing. Taste is citric bitterness up front, and well, throughout the whole taste actually. Pale, caramel malt sneaks in towards the end, but hop bitterness reigns over. Moderate carbonation with a slightly sticky body yields a respectable presence on the palate. Pretty much a zazzed up hoppier version of their regular IPA, as their website concedes. Pressed for a choice I would prefer their Hop Harvest ale which is tastier, but this is no slouch. Cheers

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2008 01:12:59 | More by sinistermadman

GJ40

North Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled from a 22oz bottle in a tulip pint glass. Purchased at the Bridgeport Brewpub in downtown Portland.

A - A rich golden color with a slight haze, a thick white head and very nice lacing. It doesn't get any better.

S - Nice fruity and floral hops leap out of the glass. Slight alcohol as well.

T - Nice fruity hop flavor with a firm kick of alcohol. A lingering bitterness and citrusy flavor. I had one on tap at the Oregon Brewer's Festival and it was even better but this comes pretty close for a bottled beer.

M - Perfect carbonation (low to moderate) which lets the flavors come through. Good body.

D - Strong (in alcohol and flavor) but still quite drinkable. I carried two home and I think I'll let the second wait for a special occasion.

I really like this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2008 19:52:26 | More by GJ40

ccrida

Oregon

4.53/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bomber picked up at the brewery and poured into an imperial pint glass, Hop Czar is copper with a medium sized off-white head that is pretty slow to subside and leaves heavy lace.

Smell is heavy on the spicy, resinous hops, like smelling a freshly opened vacuumed sealed bag of them, which is different then how they often smell after they've been brewed, but very nice. I thought this had been out for a while, but the smell is so fresh, and seeing I got the first review, perhaps it's newer then I realized. I really couldn't get enough, and finally had to bump it all the way up, just very nice, and a bit unusual.

Taste is also heavy on the spicy hops, earthy, a touch of pine and more citrus then the nose, and with a hearty malt backbone, biscuit and caramel, with a bitter, lingering finish. I was expecting a bigger version of their classic IPA but Hop Czar is really quite different, maltier for sure, and without the overt grapefruit hop profile, but much spicier, and really quite nice. I normally don't like them so bitter, but there's enough hop flavor to balance it out and keep it satisfying. After their stumble with Stumptown Tart, I was pensive going in, but am happy to see they pulled off a really nice DIPA.

Mouthfeel is oily and slick but nicely carbonated, with a medium body.

Drinkability is pretty good, great aroma and nice taste. Strong enough to count, but not overwhelming, although the spiciness of the hops maybe to much for some, and making the palate call for a pause on the way down...but quickly beckons for another sip. The value price ($4.50) only adds to the drinkability. Cheers to Bridgeport!

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2008 02:07:21 | More by ccrida