Poperings Hommel Bier - Brouwerij Van Eecke N.V.

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml Burgundian bottle, corked and caged. Bumblebee beer, eh? More of a mouthful to spit out in English, I'd say...

This beer pours a cloudy pale golden straw colour, with a multitude of smooth, puffy, foamy off-white head, which leaves some random blotches of sudsy lace around the glass as it readily (for the general style) recedes. It smells right upfront of yeast, of the Belgian persuasion, initially muddling a decent grassy, earthy hoppiness, all underwritten by a sweet clove-tinged sugary malt. The taste is pale malt, somewhat sugary, but immediately lost in the edgy, fairly astringent grassy, weedy hop notes that ensue. Skirting here and there amidst the larger players are some much milder yeast, and understated booze warming. The carbonation is mild, but aerated and a tad frothy, the body medium-light in weight, and fairly smooth. It finishes mostly dry, with the malt doing its best to remain relevant, with the yeast and remaindered hops still large and in charge.

A decent IPA, Flanders-style, though not as zingy as some of its brethren/competitors. The yeast has a lot to do with that, as does the hops' nature, I would imagine. Oh, what the hell: "Ayeeee che waaawaaa!" - and according to an encounter with Marge, he's Belgian: Aye yi yi!

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 23:55:20 | More by biboergosum

ConchobarNessa

New York

4.6/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The appearance of this Belgian masterpiece is incredible. It has a nice hazy quality to it, small champagne like bubbles and nice consistent lacing that is topped off with a great head with some staying power. It would have scored higher if not for the fact that there is some visible particulate in this beer, not enough to be felt but it will definitely settle on the bottom.

The smell is fruity and sugary, reminiscent of most good Belgian fruit ales. When talking about the quality of many aspects of these types of beers, smell is a big part of it and this is the smell you are usually looking for. It is rather easy to pick out notes of apple, pear and grapes along with a solid background of grain.

As for the taste... Superb tastes of apples, pear and grapes paired with pure cane sugar and some spice. This beer has layered flavors. The initial sugar soon fades and is replaced with a bit of sour green apples. And then the hops come in. Its a big surprise because I would've expected grains. Nope. All hops, clearly noble Belgian hops. Exceptional.

This is a wonderful beer, the fact that it pulls some surprises for a Belgian beer is a great surprise and is very compatible with the North American palate. This thing is a must try.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 19:16:17 | More by ConchobarNessa

endovelico

Portugal

3.48/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance: Poured a golden, somewhat hazy brew with thick white head that holds reasonably well. Decent lacing.

Aroma: Medium high intensity. Fresh aroma of wet hops and vegetables on the front with some citrus and flowers on the back. Warming up reeks of alcohol. Underwhelming.

Taste: Medium to medium high intensity. Earthy, musky, vegetable hop flavours, grapefruit and hay on the front and not much else.

Palate: Chewy. Medium to medium high carbonation. Medium to medium full bodied. Medium high bitterness. Alcohol noticeable, mainly because of bitterness. Carbonation too high.

Overall: A decent brew but unremarkable in my opinion. I think this style (BIPA) has so much to offer and so many ways to go around and try and find something unique that i really can't in good conscious say that i see this as a anything other than a malty hoped up brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 08:43:20 | More by endovelico

ZorPrime

Quebec (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The color is golden yellow. Hazy. Nice white soapy head that crowns the beer. Nice looking. The aroma presents notes of belgian yeast(typical of belgian beers). Some floral notes there. I would have thought the aroma to be stronger. It is good, but appears to be weak in intensity. It isn't bad 'tho. On the taste, the first sip shows notes of metal... the finish is very dry with belgian yeast. Easy to drink and very refreshing. A good beer for the summer. I like this and it isn't heavy has belgian beers could be sometimes.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 00:39:13 | More by ZorPrime

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served from bottle into a Mikkeller stemmed tulip. Poured a murky red brown with a three finger off-white head that subsided to one finger slowly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, dark fruit, bread, and banana. The flavor was of sweet malt, bread, dark fruit, banana, and subtle wheat. It had a light feel on the palate with mild carbonation. Overall this was a pretty nice brew. The flavors on this one were really well balanced and refreshing which is a welcome change for this style for me. The aroma was also quite inviting and pleasant to the nose. Really glad I finally got around to buying and drinking one of these. Might be buying a few more to keep in my fridge year-round.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 12:49:47 | More by thagr81us

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Has the nose of a high-quality, high-sugar Belgian, with rich fruity notes (pear, apple, white grape, citrus zest), and a hint of a toasted grain backing.

On the tongue, the sugars come across in full force, bearing not only the same fruit flavors noted in the nose, but leading off with brown sugars and hints of caramel. The sweeter sugars soon fade off, revealing not the expected grain base, but a sourness reminiscent of Flemish ales (though nowhere near as powerful) that comes across as apple cider. The hops really come into play during this phase, adding a bitterness to the sour notes that nicely fills the mouth and fuzzes in the nasal passages. A toasted grain base does back all of this, but tends to get lost in the pantheon of larger, more powerful flavors. The aftertaste is a continuation of the flavors present in the ale's latter phase.

Overall, this is an excellent ale, and I liked the inclusion of both sweet and sour notes. Well worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 03:37:55 | More by jondeelee

nickfl

Florida

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours with two fingers of slightly off-white foam on top of a hazy, golden body. The foam settles quickly and leaves moderate lace on the glass.

S - Grassy, herbal hops with some underlying yeast notes of clove, pepper, and some sweet malt.

T - Peppery yeast and thick, sweet pilsner malt up front. Some pineapple and strong clove notes come out in the middle along with a bit of grassy hop flavor. The phenolic yeast continues to dominate in the finish with more thick malt and moderate bitterness.

M - A fairly thick body, high carbonation, and a somewhat sweet finish.

D - This is a very musty example of the style with a thick malt base. It seems to have an unusually high level of malt flavor and sweetness for a Belgian brewed beer and it is barely balanced despite the strong hop character. Not bad, but I tend to prefer Belgian IPAs that are brewed with American character hops to contrast the yeast and malt, those with grassy, continental hops are a bit too dull for my taste.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 05:05:07 | More by nickfl

boudreaux

Alabama

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: pours a hazy, deep golden/bronze; head is tannish/off-white, with a full 2 finger, thick head that looks like mountain peaks; leaves magnificent lacing

S: sweet aromas, with some fruity malt notes; balanced with hoppy aromas, including floral, grassy, and herbal notes

T: crisp fruity malts up front, along with a grainy, earthy touch; followed by the grass/herbal notes; floral, citrus hops also come along beautifully

M: smooth and medium body; easy to drink, with a heavy, almost sticky aftertaste

O: Definitely a great Belgian style IPA; hoppier than other Belgian IPAs I've had, as well as being sweeter; pleasantly surprised. Don't miss out on this one!

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2011 23:54:44 | More by boudreaux

rvdoorn

Netherlands

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Look: The beer pours an orange color with a nice white head
Smell: Grain, grass, honey, orange zest, and very flowery hops.
Taste: Hoppy and fruity. Honey, orange zest, spicy and herbal. Aftertaste is very dry and bitter. Perfect balance
Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation, full crisp body
Overall: Great example of how a hoppy beer should be

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 13:26:44 | More by rvdoorn

impending

California

2.95/5  rDev -27%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

33cl into a tulip. Pours a dull hazy butterscotch, minor dense head, minor lacing.

Aroma is sweetly estery yeasty. Little of the hops and a tiny hint of old sock.

Taste is underwhelming. Seems the bottle is saying best before July 11, just missed that mark and considering this is an ipa of sorts it's well past its prime. Still somewhat interesting yet bland. Strong metal in the aftertaste, nice until then. Thin mouthfeel.
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 06:30:45 | More by impending

shand

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 11.2oz bottle into a nonic.

Time to try a Belgian IPA that's actually from Belgium, instead of American attempts on this style. This is a great looking brew, for sure. It pours a nice deep golden color crested by a huge, fluffy head that laces well. The aroma is entirely dominated by sweet, bubblegummy Belgian yeasts. Try as I may, I can't coax out any of the other wonderful scents other reviewers posted. Sweet Belgian yeasts. That's it. The taste on this is fairly nice, the hoppiness comes through much better, leaving the sweet yeasts as a backing role. There's also a nice floral character, but all this is let down by a fairly strong metallic note that comes through on the finish. The mouthfeel is nice, it's fairly light and creamy. The drinkability is quite good. Overall, an enjoyable brew. Perhaps a bit too heavy on the yeasts, especially on the nose, but otherwise good.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 05:27:38 | More by shand

TheHoppiest

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 330 ml bottle into a snifter. Pours a hazy copper color, with an ample while fluffy head that slowly dissipates, leaving sticky lacing align the sides.

Has a peppy, citric aroma, with notes of orange and cloves. The Belgian yeast gives it a nice smell.

Has a peppery taste up front, with a creamy sweet middle and a dry, hop finish. Orange, pineapple, and peach flavors really round this out nicely.

Medium-bodied, this beer has a very pleasant mouthfeel.

An excellent tasting beer, well balanced with a nice finish. Definitely give this one a try!

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2011 01:57:43 | More by TheHoppiest

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from ZorPrime, 330ml bottle into a tulip. Thanks Eric!

Poured a hazy orange, with a big fluffy white head which subsides to a light head, leaving behind some sticky lace and a nice collar. Tons of sediment. Nose is some citrus, some rind, orange, a big yeasty quality and a light milky quality that I can't quite figure out. Simple and pleasant. Taste is just as simple, orange and citrus with hints of pineapple and peach. Moderate hop flavour and strength, and some drying yeast in the finish. Good medium-full feel, solid bitterness and a light peppery carbonation. Quite nice!

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 17:18:28 | More by liamt07

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Straw yellow and large foamy head. Not Orval foamy, but still foamy.

S: Light and fizzy like champagne, crisp apples, bitter white grapes, distinctly Belgian.

T/M: Medium to high carbonation, some hoppiness, apples, pears, apricots, and an small lingering aftertaste of all of them.

A decent Belgian but a little too light and fizzy for my liking. Label is calming.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2011 00:00:25 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

czfreeman

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The "hommel" is the word for hops in region where this beer is produced.
Poured into my Hommel goblet. Light medium orange-gold tone, tangerine perhaps. Head on this brew is spetacular, putting many a IPA to shame. Thick rich and creamy, lots of lacing. Good carbonation levels in the body
Aromatically peaches, lemon, clove, pepper, orange, grainy-wheat almost, grass, freshness from the hoppy kick comes through. Honey also comes through and adds a bit of creamy sweetness. Bitter pilsner-like finishes the aroma.
Taste-apple, pepper, pear, spiced peach, grassy florals, light spice on the finish. Subdued lemon, orange,more bitter in flavor than the aroma. Malty honey-like creaminess adds body.
Lots of floral begin to emerge after several minutes-adding a fresh sweet/spicy note that is delicate and pronounced at the same time.
Mouthfeel is slightly sharp, finishing spicy and carbonated well. Medium, balanced, great beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 19:01:34 | More by czfreeman

kojevergas

California

3.23/5  rDev -20%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Served on-tap in Poperinge, Belgium, into a Poperings Hommel Bier goblet. Excess head was sliced off the rim by the bartender. Reviewed from notes.

A: Two finger head, nice thickness, but lacking cream. Clear honey-caramel colour. Appealing.

Sm: Nuts and pear. Very hoppy and complex. Wonderful. Excellent. Near perfect.

T: Simple hoppy body, with a buttery finish. Very "short" acts; this beer is not long on the tongue. It zips by very quickly. Nuts and pear do come through, but not as much as desired. Balanced but simple. Built well for the style. The alcohol doesn't surface at all, which is a nice effect.

Mf: Very coarse, but very wet as well. Strangely quick. I've never had a beer that slid down so quickly.

Dr: It goes right down, but there's hardly any time to enjoy it. Worth trying just to experience this strange effect. The smell is absolutely delightful, but sadly the taste doesn't live up to the scent's promise.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2011 22:36:59 | More by kojevergas

DerekP

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Notes from 5/17/11

330 ml/11.2 fl oz bottle poured into goblet-like wine glass.

Appears cloudy blonde-gold with a creamy white head. Some visible carbonation, but a fairly opaque body.

Spicy esters of belgian yeast, ripe bananas and pineapple juice shoot forward in the nose. A woodsy aroma coupled with a warm alcoholic presence sits faintly in the backend. A nutty caramel aroma delivers as it warms up.

A bold graininess hits the palate first, followed by yeasty notes and a creamy, yet prickly hop finish. Citrusy hop oils linger a bit before prefacing a nut-dry finish.

Fruity ale characteristics in the feel of this brew. Delicate at first glance with a fiercer second opinion. Hops aid in creating a creamy body. Medium bodied on the lighter side.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 18:01:35 | More by DerekP

MoreThanWine

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured a huge 4" head which took it's time settling. Straw yellow color with a faint haze to it. Smell is citrus and malt and hints of spice. Taste has more of the same as well as a decent acidic zing which makes the finish moderate length. Pretty lightweight in body. It's an excellent refreshing summer beer, lighter than so many of the other Belgian offerings.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 08:31:03 | More by MoreThanWine

Manoftyr

New York

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance-Pours a pale gold with tangerine highlights when held to light, a luscious creme coloured head rises up, abundant lacing is left as it recedes.

Aroma-Spicy, lemony, grassy, floral; there's plenty of noble hop character here, plenty of sweetness as well. The Belgian yeasty-cloveyness is still there but more subdued than is typical; smells interesting.

Taste-Lightly sweet upfront with a kick of spicy noble hops that begins almost immediately, their herbal and lemony characteristics adding the majority of flavor. There's some frutiy/yeasty Belgian flavors there but they're largely a supporting act for the hops. Overall the flavor is extremely refreshing.

Mouthfeel-Very crisp carbination without quite being prickly with a medium-full body.

Overall/Drinkability-This is extremely drinkable beer and very refreshing, perfect spring weather beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2011 00:32:33 | More by Manoftyr

doopiedoopiedoo

Netherlands

4.43/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On a very nice trip into Belgium I stopped at a supermarket and picked up an 8 pack of this. Gotta love Belgium where beer this good is available everywhere, cheap and there is hype, special release dates and all that.

Poured into a snifter.

Is looking hazy yellow to orange. Comes with a thick two finger head that looks just wonderful.

The typical Belgian yeast strains is what hits the nose first. Spicy, citrus and floral notes with hoppy notes on the backside.

Great flavors that follow the nose pretty much. The bitterness in the end with a fairly dry finish.

Full bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

Man, I love this one. Makes for a perfect summer ale to have for those summer backyard bbq's! Get it if you can.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 19:24:08 | More by doopiedoopiedoo

UCLABrewN84

California

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best before 12/10.

Pours a murky honey orange color with a 1 inch off-white head that fades to a film on the top of the beer. Small areas of lattice-like lace on the drink down. Smells of grape juice, honey, and sweet flowers. Taste is of bitter grape juice, honey, citrus zest, and a subdued floral bouquet. Slight hop bitterness after each sip that quickly fades. Mouthfeel has good carbonation and is crisp and clean with each sip. Overall. this is a good beer with nice fruit/floral characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 04:32:03 | More by UCLABrewN84

cpmichael

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours an orangish-yellow, with a 1.5 finger white foam that has good retention.

S: Apples, pears, grass, and hops.

T: Surprisingly hoppy, but yet not very bitter, the pear character really is noticeable, with grass on the end.

M/D: Medium bodied, with a good carbonation. A pretty good Belgian IPA, not very bitter, but very tasty and well made.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 14:05:26 | More by cpmichael

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased from Slowbeer in Melbourne.

Pours very clear for the most part, until a sludge of dark brown yeast slurry makes a dash for escape. Preventing most of it from entering my glass, this leaves it a hazed bright golden bronze colour, with some floating sediment. Head froths and crackles down to a very light bubbling on the top. Good lacing. Body looks a little light, but that's probably not unexpected for the style. Looks very decent.

Nose is certainly more Belgian in character than hop-centric, although it is greener than usual. Big, crisp characters of holly and some spicy Belgian phenols. Slight clove and pepper. It has all those hallmarks of the unique hoppy Belgian style.

Mmm. Taste is much better. Subtle soft spice on the palate, lightly sweet fruits mid with a zing of citric lemon rind on the back. Pleasant mild bitterness, and a very clean and refreshing green organic character. Wonderful blend of flavours, but so subtly and expertly assembled. Gorgeous.

Feel is smooth and soft, and just pleasant.

Smooth, rich, flavoursome, but pleasantly unique. This is a lovely drop of beer--one which accentuates the Belgians' commitment to craft, not just extremity.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 07:30:10 | More by lacqueredmouse

uturn

Florida

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml corked & caged bottle poured into a Maredsous glass.

A: This beer poured a hazy straw color with a fluffy 2 finger off white head which left a thick lacing on the glass.

S: The nose was of sweet citrus, leaning towards orange.

T: The taste starts off slightly sweet but ends up dry. In-between you pick up some spices and orange/lemon zest. In this beer you have what might be a Belgian tripel turned hoppy.

M: The mouthfeel had a medium creaminess with a good carbonation level which tickled your tongue.

D: The drinkability was very good and refreshing with no hint of the 7.5% abv as it was well hidden in this beer.

This is a top notch Belgian IPA. This beer improved greatly as it warmed up. I like the way the yeast improved on the flavor in the last pour from the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2011 22:39:30 | More by uturn

rarbring

Sweden

3.85/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer is clear brass colored, a white head that leaves good lacing.

The smell is interesting, hoppy and earthy, stable, grass, dust and herring? (or maybe some herring spice ...)

Upfront a dextrose sweetness, white bread, green apples, peaches, white vinegar.

High carbonation, a fizzy feeling, fresh but yet a dry finish.

An interesting brew, to me it was lambic meets pils, and actually benefiting from both sides.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 17:36:44 | More by rarbring