Arcadia Hop Rocket - Arcadia Brewing Company

GarrettMD

New York

1.88/5  rDev -50.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A - Pours a dark opaque amber. Not too much visible carbonation, half a finger of white head, fairly creamy, and the head fades to a thin layer almost immediately.

S - Mostly malts, some hints of booze. Sweet malts, I read butter in another review, that is definitely in there (couldn't quite place the smell), maybe even hints of leather and some sour yeasts (though I know it doesn't have any). No hops or bitterness at all.

T - Meh. Following with the aroma, not much hops if at all. Very sweet and malty. Not too much alcohol noticeable. Cherry is a flavor that's dominant along with the sweet malts. Not really liking this too much... Peaches, that's what this tastes like. It tastes like a Fuzzy Navel (mixed drink, Orange Juice and Peach Schnapps). The flavor is that of a Fuzzy Navel with some caramel malts brewed into it. No hops, just malt.

M - Medium body, low carbonation, sticky sweet mouthfeel. Finish is cloyingly sweet with a long lingering peach flavor.

O - I have no idea how old this bottle is, I would hope that it isn't fresh because if so, they need to put more hops in for it to even be a Pale Ale. It almost tastes like an IPA that they just forgot to add hops to at all (in the boil and dry-hopping).

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 21:12:01 | More by GarrettMD

mocktm

Virginia

2.2/5  rDev -42%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

From bottle, has an area for date notching, but I guess the machine missed this one as nothing is marked.

Pour is dark golden orange, off white head forms and then quickly fizzles out. Appears a little flat, no lacing or carbonation bubbles.

I'm not liking the aromas on this one, pure skunk weed pureed with onions and booze. No citrus presence what so ever, really off putting.

As with the nose, literally tastes like I'm liking the side of a hill. Just overwhelming grass with overbearing alcohol presence on top of it. No balance what so ever, the malt backbone is completely missing in action, as is any lemon and grapefruit. Has a really unpleasant after taste that lingers around as well.

Pretty full bodied, but rather flat with a syrupy consistency. Just not an easy drinker.

I'm only three sips in but I don't think I'll be able to stomach this one, probably a drain pour. Maybe chalk it up to a bad bottle, but I don't think I'll ever trade for another one to really find out.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 18:58:23 | More by mocktm

younger35

Minnesota

2.3/5  rDev -39.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Received this brew as an extra amongst many others from hoppymeal. This is my first brew from Arcadia and I'm pumped to try it. Drank from my Black Butte Porter pint glass.

Appearance- Pours a chill hazed orange/red with a decent half finger white head. A fairly thin cap stays along with a decent collar that leaves a bit of spotty lacing.
Smell- Plenty of vibrant tropical hops reminiscent of pineapple, apricot and mangos. A bit of bubblegum and cotton candy are present giving it a bit of a candy sweetness. By far the most dominating aspect of this beers nose is the super rich caramel malt.
Taste- Very fruity and sweet with a big apricot bite right from the start that I'm not real sure I like. It seems a bit metallic or something with a very tart citrus middle and sweet cotton candy or bubblegum finish. Oranges and grapefruit are more than present in the finish along with a bit of alcohol. Weird.
Mouthfeel- Fairly thin with a tart metallic sensation, a bit of warming in the finish and light aggressive carbonation.
Drinkability- Not a big fan of this one. It's a weird mix between a Barleywine and a DIPA with very metallic/artesian aspect. Needs some tweaking and a bit toned down. Thanks to Derek for the opportunity!

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2008 01:12:03 | More by younger35

ONUMello

Ohio

2.68/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle poured into a wine glass
A: Hazy tan color, very thin head that quickly disappears.
S: A bit nutty, a bit boozy, nothing really stands out.
T: The hops are noticeable, but don't particularly stand out- not what I expected; this is quite boozy, along with nuts and toasted grain.
M: Medium-bodied & somewhat viscous from the alcohol.
O: I almost wonder if there was a batch of this that wasn't up to par given the recent reviews all of which are below average. I would be curious to try it again at some point, but this particular bottle is not for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 05:29:14 | More by ONUMello

GRG1313

California

2.7/5  rDev -28.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a dark amber with clear brown tones with a firm off white head.

Nose is a "clean" apple cider character with orange and tangerine undertones.

Mouthfeel is medium full with light carbonation and a nice creamy character, all of which is overshadowed by the big assertive and somewhat unique flavor profile.

Flavors are initially shocking since the initial character is a huge sweet, almost orange marmalade flavor. Sweetness tempers to honeyed malt and burnt toast.

Finish is all burnt toast bitter and creamed burnt coffee. A final hit of pine mixed coffee is long lasting and one's final impression. Hard to drink for me based on the big sweet tones that just never leave.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 23:33:17 | More by GRG1313

SometimesIfart

Michigan

2.7/5  rDev -28.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2

A - Pours an impenetrable copper with a slowly forming moderately quickly disappearing white head. Leaves no lacing.

S - A lot of grapefruit and pineapple up front, quite a bit of mango in
the middle and some alcohol on the tail end.

T - Loads of grapefruit at first, followed by some extreme malt, and a bitter alcoholic finish. A bit watery as well and pretty choking.

M - Medium creamy body with almost no carbonation.

O - Overall, this was lacking any true pleasant flavors. Too malty and too much of an alcoholic finish. At $4.99 for a 12oz bottle, i'd pass in the future. A definite disappointment, although I'm not surprised since it's from arcadia. A disaster of an IPA

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 08:55:39 | More by SometimesIfart

edb7

Illinois

2.85/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The name made me wanna try it, the color looked good, and then everything fell apart. It poors a cloudy orange with head that is minimal and does not persist. The smell is overpowered with alcohol. I know it is 9%, but I have had some great hop concoctions in the same ballpark with no alcohol odor or taste. Hints o' pine are there too. The taste follows suit with the odor, which starts with a weak pine citrus leaving a sharp alcohol flavor on the tongue at the end. I drank the entire 6 pack, but would not buy again.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 03:29:04 | More by edb7

tectactoe

Michigan

2.98/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a dark amber-orange color with a quickly dispersing white head. The beer looks and pours quite thick. The aroma is very hoppy, full of citrus and pine. The first sip hits you with a pretty sharp bite - very warm and spicy. Big mix of peppercorns, spices, and heavy, dank, hop resin. Slight rubbing alcohol aroma comes out as the beer continues. Some sweeter malts come out at the finish along with more citrus, but the beer leaves a very bitter taste on the tongue. Medium carbonation, and a thick, gritty body.

Very harsh, even for a 9% ABV, the "alcohol" taste is too prominent. Very "spicy" and not so much smooth. Gets worse as the beer gets warmer. I was slightly disappointed in this one, I had much higher expectations. Not my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 11:40:41 | More by tectactoe

eternaljester81

Missouri

3/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A - Poured into Chimay goblet as a cloudy amber, almost honey-like color, with a thin head. Sticky lacing is persistent through the finish.

S - Hops and alcohol, with some mildly sweet undertones. There's something a little off, and possibly medicinal in the nose.

T - Some sweetness, but mainly oily hops. The finish is laced with alcoholic warmth, and a lingering slight bitterness. I enjoy a hugely hopped brew, but there's something different here.

M - Thick, creamy, oily, and quite smooth.

D - One of these is enough, and not just because of the high ABV. As previously mentioned, there's something to this brew that doesn't sit right with me.

At almost $14 a four-pack, Hop Rocket was a bit of a disappointment. It's not bad really, but Arcadia Ale's Hopmouth is a much better beer in a similar style, and cheaper at that.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2009 02:30:07 | More by eternaljester81

buschbeer

Ohio

3/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle
Served in a tulip

A - It pours orange/amber with golden highlights. It has an inch of off white head that settles to a skim.

S - The smell is different. The first thing I got was skunk weed. I also got some caramel malt and citrus, but that weed smell in always present.

T - The taste is different, too. I get some metal, caramel malt, and some bitter juniper.

M - Medium

O - This is not a beer in this style that I like. I keep getting these metallic and skunky hops flavors and smells. I hate to say that I don't like a beer from Arcadia, but I do not like this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 18:51:26 | More by buschbeer

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.08/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12oz bottle, courtesty of nerdrocker101, poured into my Duvel tulip.

The beer pours a murky burnt orange. The cream colored crown is disappointing in size and head retention, but lacing is solid. The nose flashes bread and caramel before hop aromas take center stage. Normally with these American Pacific Northwest hops I find that grapefruit is dominant, but refreshingly I find that pineapple is most prominent (though grapefruit is certainly still there). The open and close of each sip take their cues from the nose, but the expected hop bitterness marks the transition between the two. The bitterness in Hop Rocket is unpleasant though (and this is from someone who usually enjoys big IPAs/IIPAs). It has an almost astringent quality to it, which greatly dampers my enjoyment of the beer. The beer is remarkably light for the style, which I find myself actually enjoying, it makes Hop Rocket feel smaller than it is. The carbonation feels a little lifeless on my tongue though, which is a bit of a letdown. The harsh bitterness in Hop Rocket makes it a bit hard to drink, but I credit it for not being boozy. Hop Rocket is a serviceable beer, the problem is there are plenty of more than serviceable double IPAs out there.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2010 05:43:32 | More by axeman9182

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at 2nd street brew house , poured in chalice, color is coppery gold with thin head that is bright white

Smell mild citrus hops and some pale malt

Taste is very well mixed citrus and pine hops, mild pale malt background, citrus comes forth as it warms

Mouthfeel is a very bitter and cloying, but expected

Overall an average to slightly above avg DIPS, needs s
a different hop mix.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2012 02:51:59 | More by mvanaskie13

dsa7783

New Jersey

3.15/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Single, twelve-ounce bottle just purchased from New Beer Distributors on Chrystie Street in Manhattan...
Pours a murky, ruddy, deep-orange, copper hue with no head at all and hardly any lacing around the edge of the serving glass...
Faint hop aroma with noticeable alcohol on the nose and a touch of honey...
Taste was rendolent of fresh, wet hops doused in alcohol, along with some bitter medicinal nuances, caramel, and sweet sugars...
Overall, this one seemed highly unbalanced and too bitter... Arcadia didn't do too well of a job masking the 9% ABV on this one either...
Wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this one...

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2008 21:01:33 | More by dsa7783

Durtdiggler

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Orange amber in color, minimal white head and lacing. Well carbonated. Poured from bottle dated 2/20/12 from whole foods.

Orange rind, caramel aroma. No hints of pine, floral or complexity.

Taste is disappointing. It's hoppy but in an earthy way though has a good malt backbone. Its very bitter but complexity is underwhelming.

Mouthfeel is medium, finishes very clean.

Overall disappointed in this one. Much better options available. Perhaps I had a bad bottle. See what the rest of the 4 pack holds and change the review.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 22:45:16 | More by Durtdiggler

SaucyA

Michigan

3.3/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A - Slightly hazy medium-orange with white, frothy, 1-2 finger head. It's lingering! Lacing all the way down.

S - Sweet, sugary, pineapple fruity hops, grapefruity undertones. Beautiful bouquet.

T - Very green, hop bomb. Hops on top of hops, with a slightly present malt backbone. Alcohol warmth is present and hardly hidden. I've been spoiled with less-harsh DIPA's lately. Strange yeasty undertone that I'm not familiar with in this style.

M - Overly carbonated but great thickness. Creamy, and surprisingly not as oily as anticipated.

D - Points definitely knocked off for the alcohol burn and sweetness. It'd be hard drinking more than one of these for me. It's a nice taste, just not harnessed correctly.

A good concept that could use a bit of work. For reference, I liked their Hopmouth DIPA a lot more than this.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2008 00:39:35 | More by SaucyA

beachbum1975

Ohio

3.33/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 ounce brown bottle with G and 3 etched out on the side.

Pours a slightly cloudy, rich reddish amber with copper highlights. An average tan head sits atop for about 2 minutes before disappearing. Minimal lacing and a small skimming of foam rests on top for most of the pour.

Grapefruit and grassy hops on the nose.

Much like the nose, I get a mouthful of bitter grapefruit followed by tangy citrus and light, sweet, bready malts.

Medium bodied and medium to full flavored. Average carbonation on mouthfeel.

Nice, but I'm not a huge fan of the hop combination they are showcasing. Nice, but one dimensional in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2009 23:05:52 | More by beachbum1975

Frosty80

Michigan

3.35/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Color: sits a clear golden brown

Smell: not sure about the hops used - dont seem to be the familiar Cascade variety. combo of what seems to be pineapple, coconut and vanilla (?).

Taste: a slight bitterness to the aforementioned "ingredients". little yeast and bitterness in the finish

Mouthfeel: med body. low carbonation

Notes: not what i was expecting. im not sure i like it too much. perhaps it will grow on me sometime in the future. just not as hoppy/bitter as i expected

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2009 06:23:21 | More by Frosty80

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle purchased at either Party Source or Brilbeck's, Syracuse, NY.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/2" beige head over the slightly cloudy orangey amber brew. Head falls gradually, with lasting lace. Aroma is juicy citrus with an undercurrent of sweet and alchol. Taste is sweet for a second, goes puckeringly lemon in the middle, and tries to close, but whatever is there has no chance of beating down the citrus tartness. Mouthfeel is a little chalky, and drinkability is ok. Not quite what I was expecting.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2009 21:50:01 | More by ppoitras

MeisterBurger

Ontario (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A gentle pour reveals a slightly turbid, deep copper gold topped by a thin film of head. The color and clarity seem bang on for the style, but the lack of head/retention and lacing is a bit of a disappointment.

The aroma hits all the marks of the style. Grapefruit and rich caramel malt. Pine and citrus. You know the drill.

The taste is at first bitter tangerine pith in search of malt, surprising considering malt's strong presence in the aroma. Nicely citric but the malt lacks character. It's a tad biscuity and toffee like but it leaves me wanting. Some Sunlight dishsoap lingers in the aftertaste. Alcohol becomes more and more apparent with every sip. It's not bad but it doesn't really come together for me.

Mouthfeel is a little lighter than it could be and it's oddly aqueous.

All in all a solid hop fix to be sure, but it's very middle of the pack, and in a saturated DIPA market is easily lost and forgotten.

Freshness date D4. Because that's not obscure.
___

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2010 13:02:03 | More by MeisterBurger

trappistlover

Arizona

3.35/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

(12oz bottle). Pours hazy apricot color with white head. Aroma of dank hops, hard candy and a little wood or cardboard. Taste is sweet with a lemon candy note. The hops add a little bit of a sour/bitterness reminiscent of the pith of a citrus. Medium bodied with a thick texture. Bitter finish, but balanced nicely. Alcohol is hidden quite well.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2011 05:56:26 | More by trappistlover

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.35/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

We pour a brew the color of toasted caramel. It puts up a one finger tan colored head that quickly recedes into a single layer of big and active bubbles. These are bubbly and fizzy, giving the beer a highly carbonated look. No sediment is noted. The aroma has a sweetness of Granny Smith apples. There is additional sugar of caramel malts, which appear buttery and roasty as well. Mild medicinals, and a citric and fruity hops permeate the far back of the nose. With warmth a booze seeps out. As we sip, there is huge booze off the front. There is a metallic bite of sweeter malts, and a cooked/toasty caramel. This borders in the realm of smokiness. The middle peaks with further sweetness, marked by a synthetic cherry flavoring. Citric hops finally crash in, bringing an end to the sugars with a soapy bitterness. The end continues with the soapy hops, more booze, medicinal phenols, and a surprising revival of the sweetness. The aftertaste breathes of grassy hops, your standard barley, peppery booze, and a metallic earthiness. The body is medium, bordering on thin, and the carbonation is light. The mouth has a metallic dryness, but is otherwise cooling and somewhat satiating. There is a definite warming, but there is little slurp and smack, minus the creamy fullness one might expect. The abv is appropriate and the beer drinks easily.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the drinkability. The beer presents as light and refreshing, with a nice hop presence in the nose and in the taste. The booze is quite present throughout, but it doesn’t feel like a monster DIPA that’s going to kick your butt by the end of it. Where we lost major points was in the feel. It was overly thin for the style, and was of little pleasure to consume.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 23:23:58 | More by TheBrewo

Holland

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: golden straw with a slight orange, large head that becomes nice lacing and sticks to the sides with each sip.

S: orange, pine, sweet malt, and slight alcohol

T: lot of alcohol in the taste, but before that hits I get some fruity taste. It's almost belgian-like. Good hop bitterness to take away the sweetness of the malt. A bit of garlic or onion on the end - I'm guessing this is a bit older, but I don't have a date on this bottle.

M: excellent hoppiness and carbonation make it crisp even though it's a medium to medium-heavy bodied beer.

O: solid overall, but I wish it were fresher. Unless this is it...I'll have to try it some other time. Price was $4 or so per bottle at an expensive shop.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 23:34:06 | More by Holland

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

on tap at devils den in philly

Pours a hazed copper color with a pretty thick beige head resting on top. Retains nicely leaving some patchy lacing on the glass.

Hoppy and piny in the nose with some sticky resin. Touches of citrus peel and some bready malted sweetness. Hints of caramel with some alcohol heat.

Bitter and piny up front with a touch of abrasiveness. Orange and grapefruit citrus flavor in the middle. The malt backbone is fairly thick with some bread and caramel. Decent amount of sweetness towards the finish with lingering alcohol heat.

Medium body, decent carbonation, sticky and lingering on the tongue. An alright DIPA but not super balanced and easily lost in the crowd.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2012 23:26:10 | More by xnicknj

Zorro

California

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Obtained in trade from bgramer.

Clear amber colored ale with a thin white head. This has a distinct orange cast to it.

Smell is sweet with a strong hop aroma. Scents of eucalyptus, menthol, grapefruit, and lemon. Not bad but not the best either.

Taste starts out quite neutral with a faint tropical fruit flavor. Woody and that is about it, flavor never fully develops.

Mouthfeel is good.

Unfortunately the flavor just isn't up to snuff for the beer type. Easy to drink yes but I feel cheated, a beer of this type should be more flavorful.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2008 04:40:49 | More by Zorro

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Lumpy and large head...slow to dissipate. Lacey lines throughout the glass as the liquid descends. Hazy, orange-amber color.

Harsh, overwhelming, high-alpha hop smells. Grapefruit and ground pine needles. Perhaps the strongest smelling beer I've ever experienced.

Surprising malt base. Holding the beer in my mouth, I sense the hop after a sizable wait. But when I do, it is very strong and completely dominating. Too much of a good thing. Place this one in the extreme list.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2009 01:26:02 | More by smcolw