Hop 15 - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

mbunje

California

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Port Brewing HOP 15 Ale. Yellow label with green letters. Interesting graphic of B29's dropping "hop bombs" into a pint glass full of beer. 10% ABV...wow!

Pours a cloudy golden color with an inch of head which calms down to 1/8" leaving dense lacing. Lacing is great all the way down. Very sticky.

I think the smell is the best thing about this beer. It smells crisp and fresh. Citrus and pine. A little bread. Very hoppy. I almost get a buzz from the smell alone.

Taste is hoppy but not overly bitter. A Smooth Double IPA if that is possible. I get definite orange/lemon, whole grain bread, and a finish of maple-pine. There is subtle complexity in this one with good malt balance.

Mouthfeel is, to me, what separates a good DIPA form an average one. It HAS to have that thick, oily feel to it or it's too bitter. This one has it, defines it. Absolutely coats your mouth with hop oils and and thick taste to it. Like a great cup of coffee vs. the one you make at home. Substance

At 10% ABV it's not wise to over indulge in these. But they are so tasty I'd say very drinkable all things considered.

This is my favorite DIPA. And I am a HUGE Stone fan, so that is saying alot. I've had this on tap as well (at Stone....!) but the bottle is better.

This is almost $5 a bottle for a 220z bomber, but worth it. Excellent, 1st class example of an IPA. I am buying a case of this tomorrow (if any left).

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2008 05:01:58 | More by mbunje

popery

California

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A delicious DIPA with a ton of grapefruit hoppiness.

It pours a great deep amber gold with a bubbly head. The nose is sweet candy grapefruit with caramel around the edges. The taste is citric and bitter with floral undertones. It's like biting into a thick piece of candied grapefruit rind, sweet and citric on the outside with a bracingly bitter core. It's thick with strong, fresh hops. The alcohol level is just right and complements the delicious hop bitterness. The feel is exceptionally smooth for such a huge-flavored beer. Is it drinkable? Sure, but it's a 10% abv hop explosion. However, it doesn't burn your tongue off like some DIPAs. It's a great beer, and you should go get yourself one if you can. Speaking of which, why isn't Port Brewing better distributed? There are some far worse beers at BevMo (big chain CA liquor store), much less Whole Foods. It's a California brewery with a plethora of great beers.

Time for a design review, pointless I know. Port's labels are not the most professionally produced; the fonts are somehow off, the label printing is oddly smooth (not necessarily bad but different), and the labels often have creases and bubbles. I don't mind any of that. Well, I don't love the small fonts. However, I like the imagery, and ultimately, that's more important to me. There's a fun picture on Hop-15 Ale of bombers dropping hops into a glass. Also, the descriptive text is spot on. I really appreciate Port's efforts in this area. Too often, descriptive text is a bunch of nonsense (it's even worse for wines but who cares), but Port puts some thought into their palaver. Okay, I will say that the primary color shades of yellow and green are a bit over the top. Also, the drawing could be tightened up, but that may be a printing problem. I like it overall, but it's not going to win any awards.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2008 06:42:09 | More by popery

PhxHorn

Arizona

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This stuff has always been great in bottles, but on tap it's other-worldly. A big deep yellow color with a half inch of white fluffy foam, served in a goblet at Papago Brewing. Big big aroma of citrus, namely grapefruit and orange, with a hint of lemon. Taste is major hop overload, grapefruit, orange, a hint of lemon, with a big bitter finish that overwhelms the tastebuds. A little too intense for maximum drinkability, but it's as good as it gets for a DIPA.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2009 15:33:04 | More by PhxHorn

Gehrig

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on tap at The Blind Pig, and vertically tested with The Blind Pig's own Imperial IPA.

Two lush, fat, durable fingers of white froth top a somewhat cloudy orange-amber body. Dense lacing and the aforementioned duration leave me thoroughly impressed with the look. Bueno! Heavily hopped nose which seem rife with the might C-hops--very citrusy, very floral, very impressive. Lots of grapefruit, orange, and I'd swear some pineapple--just that sweet.

But the taste--and with the mouthfeel, this is where Hop 15 really separates itself from The Blind Pig's Imperial--is majestic, and thoroughly hoppy. The dense layering of 15 hops every 15 minutes works wonders in Hop 15, delectable, accessible, and completely amenable to hop lovers. Gritty, resiny but with an unmistakable smoothness, Hop 15 is majestic.

Probably the best I've ever had from Port, Hop 15 has the kind of ramped-up hop content that hop lover will adore and, if not not 15 different hops, the kind of hop density that The Blind Pig should emulate. Hop 15's malt is good and certainly present, but the brash hop-forward character it exhibits is just what I love.

A magnificent beer, one of the very best DPAs I've ever had. Sterling stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2010 00:36:56 | More by Gehrig

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A hazy but glowing crimson and orange tinted copper body rests beneath a short-lived cap of creamy beige foam. The rich and complex nose delivers pungent fresh-picked hops (floral, piney, citrusy) over a rich, fruity and caramelish malt. It's full bodied, creamy and smooth in the mouth with a very fine, low-level carbonation. The flavor delivers a well-balanced combination of rich malt and bright hops over a bold bitterness that appears less aggressive than it actually is amidst the velvety maltiness. The alcohol is well-heeled, and its presence is actually welcomed as its light touch of spiciness adds some zing. Starts with hops and finishes with hops. A shining example of a hop beer that doesn't throttle you with bitterness or stun the tongue with just pine and/or citrus!

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2003 13:15:54 | More by NeroFiddled

goschool

California

4.8/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle purchased at Pizza Port Solana Beach. I wrote this review sometime last year. I just found it in a notepad.

Oh, I get it. The label has a bomber that's dropping hops into a glass of beer. I didn't notice that until now (Which was then).

The pour is dark amber with a small white head. The aroma has floral, citrus, piney, and grassy hops with light malts and alcohol. Every hop flavor I can think of is somewhere in the taste and I guess that's the point. The flavor profile lays somewhere closer to the 2IPA's in a spectrum between 2IPA's and strong ales, even though I can't taste the alcohol that's in the aroma. A sweet caramel backbone does a respectable job trying to balance out the hop bitterness, which is no small task. The mouthfeel is dry with low to medium carbonation. This brew is at least as hoppy as I was expecting and it's much more refined and complex.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2006 04:44:04 | More by goschool

BeerZack

North Carolina

4.8/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

22oz bottle from KingG

Hazy golden-orange with a big fluffy head that sticks all over the glass. Lots of yeast sediment and floaties in the last glass poured.

The smell of piney hops fills the air as soon as I started pouring this one. Piney resin, big hop aroma dominates some sweet malt and alcohol smell.

Big and malty, slightly caramelized character that barely stands up to the hops bursting from all sides. Fruity and citrusy for sure, but the piney and woodsy hops dominate.

Somewhat gripping on the cheek and gums from all the hop acid, but this seems to mellow (dramatically, if youre eating the right food) for an overall pleasurable experience. Medium-full mouthfeel, plenty of carbonation.

Really nice stuff, monster hop-bomb but not too heavy or roasty on the malt side like many out there. A+ stuff

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2007 04:15:02 | More by BeerZack

gkatsoris

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Transparent golden honey in color. Big, white, thick head with major lacing left behind. The head help up for a long time too; almost 4 or 5 minutes.

S: Floral and citrus hops. WOW!!! This is hoppy smelling. Lots of honey. Also grapefruit and some lemon and orange and tangerine. Lots of alcohol too. Bread. Some pine and vanilla. This is super complex.

T: Really sweet on the front end, and super bitter on the back end. Honey, and vanilla!!! Lots of hops!!! Really balanced between the hops and malts for sure.

M: Great. Great carbonation, really creamy and thick, but at the same time it is also light. Again really balanced.

D: SEND THIS STUFF TO PA AND NEW JERSEY!!!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2008 21:27:20 | More by gkatsoris

Grabbin2nd

California

4.8/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From Notes 11/20/08:

Appearance=Aggressive pour into New Belgium snifter yields a smallish off white head. Beer is a deep reddish, orange color. Head is a dissipating as I write this. opaque. Looks and smells fully leaded...here we go...

Smell=Resiny hop smell, oh how I love you. If I could make it into a cologne I would call it, "El Hop." Pine and grapefruit are present.

Taste=Wow. Massive, resiny hoppy goodness. It like coats your tongue with a terrific flavor of straight hop juice. Dole are you listening? Apple juice, grape juice, orange juice and the newest edition, hop juice. Serve it to your kids before school. Anyway.. lingers quite a bit. Alcohol @ 10% is present in the flavor, yet not "hot."

Mouth feel= Lingers. All I can taste is hops. Almost perfect mouth feel. Creamy and seducing.

Drinkability= Very, very tasty, but I would say it's definitely NOT sessionable. Very drinkable though. Cheeks getting hot, must be the beer, burp! After I'm done with the bomber = blasted. Kicks your palates ass and doesn't care.

RJ

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2009 18:15:39 | More by Grabbin2nd

HopDerek

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served on draft at Capone's, poured into a 9oz snifter. Poured a clear brilliant amber with very thin off-white head. OK retention left some good lacing. Smells of citrus, pine, caramel, bread, and some alcohol. Taste contains lots citrus flavors like grapefruit, pineapple, and mango followed by a nice sweetness of caramel malt and honey and a nice surge of pine and grass in the finish mixed with some alcohol warmth. Medium-full in body with good carbonation. Sweet and very chewy with a nice balance of a medley of hops and sweet maltiness. Easy to drink with great flavor. Even though it's packing some serious alcohol, it's definitely worth drinking whenever it's on tap...or to enjoy at home in bottle form.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2009 22:56:07 | More by HopDerek

wardough

Wisconsin

4.83/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Received a 22oz bomber from my Long Beach boys at Vin de Pays. Thanks. This is a beautiful beer. Now that I have started brewing my own beer, I am quickly becoming a hophead and LOVE HOPS. Hop 15 pours a beautiful, syrupy amber into a snifter. Only a little white ring stays and hangs on for the ride. The smell is unbelievable: caramel, pineapple, risiny pine. Awesome. The taste matches the small, but is extremely well balanced for a DIPA. There's still a little hop bitterness that stays on the tongue, but it's not crazy like some other ones out there. Mouthfeel is heavy, but some of the carbonation gets reinvigorated in your mouth. For this style, this is highly drinkable. I would gladly drink the whole bottle, but I'm trying to moderate this 2008.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2008 00:28:21 | More by wardough

Damian

Massachusetts

4.83/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Drank from a 1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle purchased at Liquor World, Cambridge, MA

What awesome bottle artwork. Hop bombs being dropped from B-29 bombers. How creative!

As for the beer, it poured a murky, orangey-amber with a thin layer of frothy tan bubbles - quite dark and hazy for a DIPA (especially a West Coast DIPA).

The aroma was amazingly hoppy, citrusy and sweet. Orange zest was most apparent. Spicy and herbal aromas were also noticeable, along with apricots and brandy-like alcohol. Caramel malt lingered in the background.

The flavor was full and rich - super hoppy and intense yet smooth and relatively well balanced. Malty, creamy and semi-sweet up front, with notes of brown sugar appearing as the beer warmed. Pine and resin notes dominated thereafter. Sweet, juicy fruits including peaches, apricots, mango and grapefruit also came out, along with spices (coriander and clove). The long-lasting finish was a moderately dry and slightly bitter mix of pine and grapefruit.

Mouthfeel was creamy, smooth and medium bodied.

All in all, this beer was terrific. It was hoppy enough for any seasoned hop head yet contained enough of a caramel malt backbone for those who like a slightly more balanced DIPA. Furthermore, at 10.5% ABV, it went down all too easily.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2008 06:35:50 | More by Damian

mikeale

Maine

4.83/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to jhenry04 for this fine beer from Port brewing.

A: Hazy rusty orange/thin white head.

S: Citris, pine, grapefruit, faint malt. very nice

T: HOPPY! some pineapple notes. Not aggresively hoppy, it's not like being slapped in the face with hops. Some malt.

M: Hoppy resin coats my mouth, the 10% is well hidden, finish is citris/pine bitterness.

D: Wow for 10% this goes down very smooth. I could drink this beer once a week at least.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2008 00:49:31 | More by mikeale

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.85/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Another Package delivered to the Bums locale during our recent 4/5/03 Pub Crawl by fellow BA Xlperro. This offering is quite something, I knew it was very special as soon as I took it out of the bag that xlperro had brought it in.

A 750ml Green Bottle with a white, green & yellow label that has a picture of what appears to be a Squadron of Bomber Aircraft dropping “Hop-Bombs” into a large Pint Glass full of Beer. Crown Cap and Corked.

Labeled as Hand Bottled #63 on the reverse it also has the following blurb:
“Lets Party! Hop 15 is off the IBU Scale! We added 15 different hops in 15 minute intervals during the brew to create a serious hop bomb. This is one of the ales we originally made to celebrate our 15 year anniversary in Solana Beach and is in such high demand we brewed more to keep the party going. Celebrate and enjoy…….cheers 10.5% ABV”

Holy Shit this IS one serious Hop Bomb!

When poured slowly a mass of dissolved carbon dioxide positively wells up in the body of the beer, a cascade of small bubbles races up and down as well as side to side. It slowly settles down to reveal that the body of the beer is a slightly turbid, but iridescent looking bright orange-copper color. A Small tight cream colored head clings to the surface, and leaves some, but not much lace.

The nose is quite restrained at first though – a major surprise. But guess what it smells of as it slowly reveals an aroma more complex and twisted than a spurned lover.

Alcohol is stood tall and proud at the front door, and warmly welcomes you into the House of Hop-15. The entrance hall contains citric hoppiness mixed with grassy tinges. The taste of vines weaves it way through the backbone of the beer but is linked via a humulus-lupulus nervous system to areas of spices, peppers, orange-brandy, lemon grass, pine tar resins, etc.

A veritable Museum of Hops. They’re all here on display, but can you concentrate hard enough to find them all??? Better get a Day Pass.
Who cares, it is such great fun trying.

The finish starts with a light oily hop-bitterness, but the ending of the beer has a lemony astringent finish, that builds exponentially with time, which is quite intense at the death and leaves an aniseed like numbness in the inner mouth cheeks.

Overall: A Powerful West Coast IP…., no that’s not enough, a Delicious Double IP.., nah, A Tremendous Triple I.., no, no, No….

…….this is definitely a “Pentadecagon-IPA” !!!

A Gargantuan “Cheers Mate” to Xlperro, for this Explosive Hop-Bomb of a Beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2003 22:45:23 | More by TheLongBeachBum

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.85/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle received via I Want That BIF 2 from lou91. Thanks for the opportunity.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, forming a 1/2" beige head over the cloudy orangey amber brew. Head lasts well, with ample slow-falling lace. Aroma is small sweetness and intense citrus hop character. Taste also starts with the ample malt depth, flows into substantial bitterness (but not too much, just right), whereupon the citrus flavors all come shouting out. Flavors linger after swallow, and warmth abounds. Mouthfeel and drinkability are excellent for the style. Wow, hope this one gets some wide distro, it will be appreciated.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2007 21:42:00 | More by ppoitras

Trueant1

Minnesota

4.85/5  rDev +16%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a medium orange color. Thick with the most suspended sediment I have ever seen in a beer. White yeast particals sitting at the bottom. A thick foamy white head. Sticky glass covering lacing.

As soon as I opened this bomb, the oily, piney hop smell permeated my kitchen. What more could you want from fresh hops in the smell catagory?

This beats the "other" brewery's rendetion of a hop bomb in taste...aka... ruination IPA...
This is the ultamate hop fix! Must be those floaties all over that give the extra FLAVA.
This beer is all over the place, oily, piney hops, alcoholic, pineapples, apricots, intense tastebud ruining hop bitterness, sweet moderatly thick hops and at the same time dryness, pepper, ..ALL with a great balance of bitterness, sweetness and alcohol.

Memorable!

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2008 23:38:14 | More by Trueant1

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.85/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours honey/caramel with 3 fingers of sand colored head. Great lacing on the north side of glass & good head retention, murks a bit at the bottom of the bottle

S:Loads of pine & citrus with much grapefruit, plus breadyness

T: Loads of pine & grapefuit, but nice malt breadyness, plus a touch whole grain cracker up front. More hops in the middle, plus a dash caramel. Finishes with loads of citrussy hops, pine & a touch of booze

MF: Chewy with low carbonation & perfect balance

Drink very easy for the style & ABV, but the hops will just waste your pallet, not a bad thing...

Another winner from Port! Worthy of it's rating, hopefully this becomes a offered beer here soon

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2008 14:22:37 | More by russpowell

atsprings

North Carolina

4.85/5  rDev +16%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

22oz bomber into a Duvel tulip, pours a hazy dark orange with a nice frothy head that lasts and leaves great lacing. Aroma is loads of citrus hops with plenty of sweet malts right behind. The taste is a wonderful plethora of hops just barely overpowering the malts, dominating, yes, but not quite with an iron fist. Crisp inviting citrus hops in the initial with dry pine in the finish that leaves you craving another sip! The beer is only medium bodied with very well hidden alcohol, it is also crisp with nice carbonation and a slight bit of dryness. This is certainly and exceptional Double IPA, one worthy of BAs top 10. This is the first of 4 beers I was able to acquire from this highly acclaimed brewery, and it certainly has me eager to try the other 3!

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2008 08:11:22 | More by atsprings

ThreeWiseMen

California

4.85/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Big thanks to Yamar18 for the hook-up!

Appearance: Pours a dark, hazy amber with a rising, eggshell-colored head. Head is quite creamy and sticky. Doesn't take too long for it to dissipate to a thin, creamy ring. Surprisingly, not a whole lot of lace. Got much more from the first bottle.

Smell: Caramel, orange, grapefruit, toasted bready malts, alcohol, and tons and tons of piney, oily hops!

Taste: Caramel, warm bread, citrus, oak, and a bucketful of oily hops! The flavors meld together perfectly and the strength is right where it needs to be. This is a phenomenal beer!

Mouthfeel: Syrupy and thick in body - totally coats the mouth. Beer has a medium carbonation and seems to inflate inside the mouth - really an incredible effect! Hop resin is definitely felt. Great warming too!

Drinkability: Bring it on baby! Rich and hoppy - not overly complex. Tremendous feel and ridiculously smooth. Would drink these until I passed out.

NOTE: The first bottle was split between Jorge and I. We poured it rather viciously and entirely, resulting in a ton of yeast in each glass. The yeast tastes very nutty and ruined (maybe that's a little harsh) our experience.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2008 05:33:35 | More by ThreeWiseMen

kmcnair

California

4.88/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Its my birthday and I had this one at O'Briens here in San Diego...

My glass contains a really nice golden to red color, offwhite head about an inch thick. Looks quite nice to me. The aromatics are huge, sweet and chock-full-o-hops, tinge of alcohol in there as well. Taste is bittering at first and then transforms into a sweetness that the entire time is laced with a hop explosion. Mouthfeel is creamy, syrupy and smooth, full bodied and awesome. Its so good I'd love to treat it like a session beer... but the alcohol creeps up on you quickly, so it just falls short of perfection in the drinkability category for me.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2004 22:04:39 | More by kmcnair

franksnbeans

Ohio

4.88/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a cloudy burned amber with a finger of white head that dies down slowly and laces beautifully. Smells of gigantic hops, citrus, rind that all blasts your smelling senses away. DIPA....yesssir! Throws flavors at you from everywhere. Citrus, malt, sweets and HUGE pine HOPS! Feels medium in the mouth and finishes deliciously dry and bitter from the hops. 10% abv?? You have to be kidding. This brew drinks like a single IPA at most and is a must try for any hoploving BA, multiple times!

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2007 05:21:38 | More by franksnbeans

nlmartin

Ohio

4.88/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A super thank you to nvsblman for sending this beer my way for secret santa 07. The beer was served in an imperial nonic.

Appearance: The beer has a pleasing orange coloration. White sediment hangs in suspension. Active carbonation pushes to the surface of the beers head. The head of the beer is a finger and a half. The head has a pillowy appearance with a biege colortation. The head has perfect retention.Thick lacing remains behind on my glass. In short this beer has a dam perfect appearance.

Smell: The aroma of the beer is dominated by orange/ citrus and pine oil smells. Sweet caramel brings up the rear of the smell. If you like hoppy California brews this one is for you.

Taste: The lead in flavors of the beer consist of big time grapefruit and tart orange. This combines well with the oily pine toned flavors. The malty backbone provides a flash of sweetness to the beer. The alcohol is present in the flavor but mostly adds a bit of spice. As the beer warms up the flavors meld in a most excellent fashion on my palate.

Mouthfeel/ Drinkability: This beer strikes my palate full on in a good way. I really enjoyed the smooth medium body of the beer. The alcohol wasnt a factor in the mouthfeel very smooth. The flavors are long lasting and well melded together. I was distressed at how quick the beer left my glass. Sure the beer is a giant hopped alcohol fueled beer. I am already rueing the beers abscence from my glass. If you have Hop 15 and want to trade I am definately your man.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

12-18-2007 14:26:13 | More by nlmartin

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.9/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Hand Bottled #347

Beer seems to glow a copper-orange hue. Luminiscent indeed. Not a lot of head, but this does go 10+ in the a/v department. A nice looking beige rimming offers some lace as I drink. Nose is wonderful. PIney, citiric, pungent cannabis, rind, carmelized sugars...damn this is nice. The bottle says this beer is off the IBU scale and I can almost believe this. On one hand, this beer has a great bitterness. Raw. But on the other hand, I think a beer that is "off the IBU scale" might be coarse and less drinkable. Not the case here folks. This is one beer that I find easy to drink. Some alcohol soaked cherries comes to mind. The sting of the alcohol is incorported into the overall taste profile of this beer quite nicely. The hops are big and profound, but would obviously be less enjoyable if not for the stable malt base. There is a sweet carmelized malt presence that does quite well in this mix. Hop flavors in a word are celestial. And also raw, intense but focused, pungent, resiny, floral, spicy, bitter, rind-like and pulp like....as in grapefruit. The mouthfeel is lowly carbonated and thus quite creamy. Body is better than medium but short of full. This one is an experience.

Now, let me ponder what 15 hop varieties may have been used...Columbus, Warrior, Tomahak, Centennial, Chinook, Amarillo, Simcoe, Cascade, Crystal, Saaz, Anahtumum(wrong spelling, I know), Zeus, Target, Nugget and Cluster. Then again...

A Bighuge thanks goes out to LongBeachBum for sending me this gem from my favorite brewpub.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

09-03-2003 03:48:59 | More by Bighuge

kernalklink

Arizona

4.9/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This brew poured a dark copper with ruby shine and a sticky, piney hop head. Its body is evident right away- the pour is thick and smooth. Aromas of oily hops, clean and fresh cut through a underlying tone of caramel malts. There is a hint of alcohol but the hops overwhelm. Smooth as silk on the tongue, the minimal carbonation combines with the higher ABV to leave a trail of burning sweetness down the throat. Delicious citrusy hops combine with the strong malt character and compliment eachother perfectly. There is no tongue numbing hop overload- these are delicate and aromatic- huge fresh flavors. There is a sweet malty finish- sticky sweet but with the ever present hop profile to keep it all in balance. An exceptional beer.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

08-26-2007 16:23:34 | More by kernalklink

hopsaplenty

Virginia

4.93/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

The color is a roasted amber with dark cherry skin highlights, topped with a modest head of fine sand colored bubbles that left plenty of lacing. Slightly hazed, with no carbonation streams present. The smell is citrusy and sweet with some piney notes. The taste is a veritable hops explosion that belies what is now a subdued aroma. There is a big citrus bite that sinks its teeth in and holds on. At the same time though the solid malt foundation appears and tries to rescue my mouth from those awesome hops, but to no avail. The hops are simply dominating in a good way. The mouthfeel is creamy, a bit slick, and there is a medium amount of carbonation. This beer is spectacularly drinkable. 15 different hop varieties are in there and they all meld beautifully together. I loved every drop.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

01-26-2006 18:46:36 | More by hopsaplenty