Hop Suey

App- light orange hue w. lots of haze thin head was left after a few mins.

A-PINE, herbal, some kind of a nectar note.

T- wow! hops like no other, def. get herbal taste to it, and a small hint of(dare I say) basil. really interesting brew. very unique finish.

Mf- wasn't too bad, couldnt get much carbonation but taste was great. A bit puckery (if thats a word).

Serving type: on-tap

Reviewed on: 04-08-2009 22:54:01
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad
| id: 889299

Oily gold pour with a bubbly white head. Very nice lacing. Hoppy and resiny aroma. Lighter than expected mouthfeel. Nice piney hops that slightly outweigh the citrus, but gives it a nice bite. Smooth aftertaste with some stickiness.
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11/8/08-Had again at PP-Carlsbad. Just as good, but more resin and pine oil in the nose and flavor. Creamier without detracting from the insanely good taste. Damn Pizza Port for not letting me fill my growler!

Serving type: on-tap

Reviewed on: 12-10-2008 23:18:42
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad
| id: 800427

They can't get Hop Suey in the UK. I just let Talismann and John for Darlington know. Those crazed English folks think they're hot shit with the beer engines and the quaint drinking places. But, you haven't lived until you've had this monster. An explosion of tropical fruit, booze, and hops. Tastes like a strong ale that someone chucked a shot of whisky into. Probably make a great octane boost for classic car enthusiasts as well. Well made and explosive, but like previously mentioned, not for all occasions.

Serving type: cask

Reviewed on: 11-23-2008 04:28:39
@ Pizza Port San Clemente, 301 N El Camino Real, San Clemente
| id: 786525

Good lord, what a hop bomb.

Had today at Pizza Port Carlsbad. Pour a light orange with an inch or two of white foam head. Smell was preposterously floral/piney. I actually felt a bit of trepidation.

Taste is explosive with tropical fruit, pine, citrus, grapefruit, and a mind-numbing razor bitterness. Just ... really, really bitter. While there's a bit of tropical sweetness, there's almost no malt in here that I could detect. Sticky, resiny mouthfeel.

Great beer, not for all occasions.

Serving type: on-tap

Reviewed on: 09-12-2008 03:05:26
@ Pizza Port San Clemente, 301 N El Camino Real, San Clemente
| id: 741727

Glass at Pizza Port in Carlsbad for five dollars and some change, consumed 9/6/08, reviewed from notes, board did not give an exact ABV but did say it was over ten percent

A-Golden orange color with some reddish tint, one inch slightly off white head that stays around, nice retention, leaves some great lacing too
S-Hoppiness and I mean a whole lot of it, earthiness, pine, bread, sweet malt, some citrus that is mostly grapefruit, faint spices, pepper and light caramel
T-One of the hoppiest imperial IPAs out there as far as taste goes, not much malt in the middle like you would expect, pretty and piney and citrusy all the way to the finish where there is some resin, does not get much sweeter as it warms either, hops sure stand their ground in this one, this beer might as well been green with the way it tasted, very enjoyable flavor
M-Aggressive and crisp carbonation, nice and refreshing, dry, slightly sweet, and sticky mouthfeel, medium bodied, taste lingered very nicely
D-Very drinkable as far its taste goes, hops cover up any booze in its flavor, smooth for its style, not too heavy on the stomach, I will say that it is very strong though and I started feeling it a few minutes after taking notes from my first few sips, potent stuff

Of course there was no growler fills for this, at least I got to try this time around, one of the better DIPAs I have tasted in quite some time, one of the best beers I have had from a Pizza Port location along with the Tovarish I tried at Solana this week as well, would like to drink again but do not know when that will be, guy working next door at the bottle shop said the beer is becoming too expensive for them to make because of the significant amount of hops they use, definitely recommended

Serving type: on-tap

Reviewed on: 09-08-2008 06:21:12
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad
| id: 739513

This stuff will stop you in your tracks. Just picture when Bugs Bunny sniffs the ether. There I was...stunned...come back bunny ra-bit. Sticky lipped five minutes later and I was having hot flashes and melting eyes. I don't buy the idea that this was just 9.5. If you want that Cheech and Chong feeling in a glass, then get your ass down to Pizza Port the next time that they have this on tap.

Serving type: cask

Reviewed on: 08-14-2008 05:16:14
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad
| id: 724566

On draft many times. This review is from notes, from the last pint I had at the Toronado a few months back.

A: Golden orangey fire with a nice head of eggwhite that lasts and gives great legs

S: Super fresh veggie hops, green, raw, earthy, and piney with a nice biscuity malt and sweet bread tinge

T: Hoppy! Acrid almost a bit, super hop resin up in here, palat cleansing sweet malt in the mid palate, crisp and refreshing in the back

M: Super smooth, crisp carbonation, goes down lighter than it should

D: Super drinkable for it's size

Overall: A fantastic DIPA from Pizza Port, I hope they keep making this one in the future

Serving type: on-tap

Reviewed on: 04-02-2008 19:04:01
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad
| id: 652331

The aroma was wonderfully pungent. The nose was dominated by an explosive burst of resiny and citrusy hops. A light and sweet maltiness poked through at the end. West coast all the way baby!

The flavor of the beer was primarily that of citrusy hops (duh) with enough of a light caramel maltiness to help round things out. As potent (and lovely) as the hops were, they were very smooth. The beer was well attenuated and wasn't smackingly sweet, which is were I feel that most double IPAs are susceptible to loosing points. The beer had a very "bright" taste and a nice spiciness that I prefer in DIPAs.

The mouthfeel was crisp and the carbonation seemed dialed in just right. The beer was well attenuated and crisp at 10%, it was in no way too heavy and very drinkable.

Bagby knows his hops and is a master of IPAs and DIPAs. This was my favorite DIPA of 2007.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-11-2008 21:17:48
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad
| id: 639847

A: Clean yellowish copper color with an overall stillness. Head is simple and straightforward with a ring of greenish tinted bubbles surrounding the glass.

S: Orange Emergen-C, tang, little bit of caramel and lime zest.

T: So much glorious orange in this beer! Even the aftertaste tastes like orange. Starts off with old tangerine flavors with sick hop resins. Good amount of bitterness balances everything. All about the citrus with a chorus of lime, grapefruit and lemon zest. Finishes with just and absolute pummeling of orange.

M: Full bodied, thick and chewing.

D: Seriously, no growlers? BOOO!!!

Serving type: on-tap

Reviewed on: 12-07-2007 00:55:06
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad
| id: 586488

For my first ever review, I have decided to go with an apparently limited release.

On tap at The Toronado in San Francisco. (awesome btw)

Appearance- light copper, not too much head

Smell- to be honest I was stopped up, but I could smell pine and the hops of course

Taste- Tasted great, piney from before but much more pungent in my mouth, not as smooth as the Pilny the Elder I had before but great none the less

Mouthfeel- I mean it feels like a DIPA should, well except not as thick as my homebrew version

Drinkability- I could drink this until I hit the floor, which would come sooner than later given the alcohol content.

Serving type: on-tap

Reviewed on: 11-15-2007 23:45:38
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad
| id: 576667