Hopkowski
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
 
United States
Style:
American Amber / Red Ale
ABV:
10%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
4.07 | pDev: 4.18%
Reviews:
5
Ratings:
7
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 30, 2012
Added:
Sep 08, 2007
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
Full-bodied, American-style double red ale. Caramel malt flavor supports a ridiculous amount of hops, giving it pronounced bitterness and significant hop presence. Made with the help of assistant brewer Mike Rutkowski and as many Polish-American friends that we could get in the brewery.

100 IBU
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Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by bros:

  None found.

 
Rated: 4 by VaTechPhilly from New York

Jul 30, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.5 by ncworster from Pennsylvania

Apr 19, 2012
Photo of John_M
Reviewed by John_M from Washington

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at the recent Drafting Room hopfest event.

The beer pours a copper amber color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is attractive in this one, as I get considerable dry citrus and tropical fruit. The beer smells as if it will be a bit on the sweet/malty side, with considerable alcohol as well. The flavor profile replicates the nose, and I thought the sweet malt blended quite well with the hoppy bitterness in this beer. I thought the beer was a bit sweet for an IPA at this event (and I guess now I know why), but there was enough hoppy bitterness to balance and tame that sweetness rather nicely. Mouthfeel is medium bodied to full, with a malty, bitter, tropical fruit infused finish. I did get a touch of heat on the finish, but now that I see the abv. in this beer is 10%, that's no surprise.

Overall, this was really pretty nice...
Mar 29, 2012
Photo of Kegatron
Reviewed by Kegatron from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On cask, via hand pump, @ Iron Hill West Chester on 8/5/11. Served in a 10 oz goblet.

Pours a deep clear ruby, topped with a ½ finger of sudsy looking off-white head. This retains with a rich frothiness that slathers the sides of the glass with robust lace. The aroma smells of sticky caramel and roast, which just jumps right out of the nose. Some strong grapefruit flavor mixes in as well, while pine and spice fill out the edges. Alcohol warmth isn’t really being shy here either, which adds some power to this bouquet.

The taste is aggressive with the hops, with a lot of green grapefruit being present, as well as sharper notes of resins and spice. Luckily, this is balanced by a deep flush of sticky caramel flavor and an even deeper wave of burnt malts. The finish sees some residual sweetness, before lingering roast, pine, spice, and pithy rind all end this dry and fierce. The mouthfeel is fuller bodied, with a smooth general creaminess about the carbonation that then lays sharper towards the back of the swallow. Like the nose, this is showing it’s alcohol a bit, especially in that hoppy finish.

Well if you like you’re Imperial Reds on the aggressively hoppy side and with a fair amount of dark roasted character and alcohol beef to the body, then you’re probably going to dig on this one. Especially here on cask, where all of that character just gets jacked up to the next level. This was pretty intense experience on the palate but I still had no problems finishing this glass though thanks to the smoothness of the carbonation. The cask conditioning really brought it here.
Aug 09, 2011
Photo of KAP1356
Reviewed by KAP1356 from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Not sure if this is still retired or not, because I just had a sample while purchasing a bottle (RIS) at the West Chester, PA location. On cask, poured into a 5 oz taster glass...

A - Poured a really nice orange-amber color with just a bit (.5 finger) of egshell white head. Nice lacing and nice retention.

S - Strong citrus hops here. Nothing overly juicy, but just a nice presence. Some tangerine and greapefruit notes. BIG sweet malt backbone holds this one together and adds nicely.

T - Sweet, sugary malt backbone with hints of caramel and some butterscotch. Great citrus hop flavors really take the stage here. Grapefruit, orange, lemon, and some tangerine come through nicely. Very Nugget Nectar-esque.

M - Medium to full bodied beer with a coating presence from the hops. Gives you that "this is obviously a sweet beer" feeling in your cheeks and on your tongue. Almost an enamel ripper.

O - Almost everything about this one reminded me an awful lot of Nugget Nectar, and that is absolutely a complement. Hope to make it to the Hopkowski v. Kryptonite event on the 19th.
Aug 02, 2011
Photo of blackie
Reviewed by blackie from Oregon

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
a: deep red-amber in color, a layer of carbonation sticks to the surface, and spots of lace cling to the class

s: big caramel malt nose with an undertone of well toasted grain, heavily caramelized malt sugars typical of the red style - but in this case concentrated and thickened, formidable pine hop aroma completes this double red

m: moderate-full bodied mouthfeel with a crisp carbonation

t: big heavily caramelized grain flavors precede a hop bitterness that grows to large proportions in the finish, christmas cookies and dark brown sugars, concentrated apple sugars, malt candy middle, huge tealike pine hops with a nearly puckering bitterness, a bit on the rustic side, complex and tasty stuff

d: bartender put this one at 8.5 percent abv, an enjoyable drink if limited by the heavy, albeit mostly balanced, sweetness

standard pint at the Wilmington brewpub
Sep 17, 2009
Photo of Imstillthegman
Reviewed by Imstillthegman from Delaware

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had this on-tap this afternoon while enjoying some food and company with fellow BAs Darkerthebetter and Leftmindedrighty. Hopkowski poured a dark amber color with an off-white head. There was some nice lacing ringing the inside of my mug. The smell was of toasted malts and strong citrus hops. The flavor was unique, as it blended a good amber ale with what was almost a DIPA. Very hoppy, bitter amber ale. Fuller side of medium body with good carbonation. Dry, bitter aftertaste with a touch of sweetness. Nice brew, IH
Sep 08, 2007
Hopkowski from Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
Beer rating: 4.07 out of 5 with 7 ratings