Hop Juice Double India Pale Ale - Two Brothers Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Meets the style, a good hop delivery and lots of caramel and malt backbone. Northwest by Northwest, would like something more complex. It was still enjoyable and very drinkable. Alcohol was well hidden. Above average mouthfeel, resiny. Lasting half inch of whitehead on golden body. Hop aromas. Beverage Warehouse.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 02:02:14 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dusky rustic orange containing a blizzard of fine yeast. Or are those hop flecks? Since they aren't uniform in size, I'll go with hops. The orangish beige head is on the small side, barely two fingers after a vigorous pour, but looks like it'll be around for the long haul. Bubbles of all sizes are piled higgledy-piggledy on top of one another. A carpet of thick lace covers the upper reaches of the glass and will likely do the same farther down. This is a serious looking DIPA.

I like the nose, but I don't love it. There's a modest amount of citrus fruity hops and at least an equal amount of toasted caramel. Unfortunately, the latter interferes with my appreciation and enjoyment of the former. The beer smells like it might have been a humdinger when fresh, but I don't believe the word fresh applies anymore. My loss.

Hop Juice, at this point in time, is what results when one foolishly attempts to age a DIPA. These babies are made to be consumed when the hops are still kickin' up a fuss, not when they've agreed to co-exist peacefully with the malt. In truth, this beer tastes like it had a pretty fair caramel malt load right out of the hopper.

At this stage, the toffee-firm, caramel-creamy malt backbone is the centerpiece. The hops, although still flavorful and decently bitter, are mere accoutrements. As I enter the bottom half of the bomber, I realize that isn't entirely fair. Bittersweet orange peel and white grapefruit zest gain an urgency as the beer warms. Their flavor, and especially their bitterness, gather steam like a runaway locomotive.

The finish is long, caramel drizzled fruity and impressively bitter. Alpha acids appear to have a longer half-life than hop flavor, something I've noticed on more than just this occasion. It's fairly easy to tell that Hop Juice is a high-ABV beer, but it's still pretty mellow considering the fact that it's close to double digits. Age has its advantages it seems.

Big beers deserve big bodies and this one has been given a suitably sized one. It's medium-full (even when keeping style in mind) and has a melted taffy chewy stickiness that I'm enjoying immensely. Thankfully, the carbonation is unobtrusive while still managing to provide enough lift to keep the mouthfeel from becoming too syrupy.

I wish I had had the opportunity to drink Two Brothers Hop Juice Double India Pale Ale when it was young and oozing with hop juiciness. It's still a damn good beer and is well worth a look.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2006 23:22:03 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a very very clear, bright burnt orange amber. A nice about one inch head graced the top from the very beginning, this slowly faded to reveal just a film across the top. No significant side glass lacing on this one. Decent carbonation could be seen rising up from the bottom of the glass. Nice overall look.

Lots of piney citrus likes hops dominated the aroma. But the story was much more complex then that. Lots of balance was present as well. Some good earthy grains and sugar were also present and well represented. Nice balanced smell nothign really blowing you down in either direction. Super smooth with a delicate underlying malt layer. Lots of sweet orange peel and sugar, a hint of some grapefruit. Very nice fresh cut grass flavor as well. Alot more complex then your typical hop bomb. Very well crafted.

Super smooth again, Decent carbonation led to a good mouthfeel. Nothing slick or oily. Nothing watered down either. A good ole fashioned nice sipper. A total sipper as mentioned, although the 9% abv by no means feels that strong, you can tell this was one that you just dont gulp down, for sure. This one went down over more then an hour and every sip was just fantastic.

Overall This was a really good brew. I really like my double IPA and this did not dissapoint.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 00:16:16 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.83/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Jeff for sending me a growler fill of this. Shared a couple weekends back at Stone Sour Fest.

A: The pour is a vibrant copper color with a minimal white head forming and some mild carbonation bubbles.

S: The nose is a big burst of piney hops followed by some herbal and grassy notes. The malt is also quite pronounced here, providing quite a bit of caramel sweetness.

T: The flavor is quite bitter, but at the same time has a fair amount of sweetness. Light citrus hop flavors, but plenty of resinous pine. A touch of alcohol comes through at times.

M: The body is medium with a somewhat light carbonation that I'll attribute to the growler.

D: This wasn't the most drinkable DIPA, but it did have some nice flavors to it. Sort of intense in all areas, but doesn't necessarily fit all together throughout the entire glass.

Serving type: growler

08-02-2010 22:45:12 | More by womencantsail

brentk56

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a hazy amber color with a foamy head that strips some lace on the sides of the glass

Smell: Surprisingly blended between the citrus and pine hops and the caramel malt

Taste: Well-blended from the outset, with both citrus and pine and a big caramel malt bill shining through; after the swallow, the bitterness becomes more prominent but the sweet malt flavors persist and linger on the tip of the tongue for quite some time

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: A darn nice example of the style; could be a bit hoppier but then again, my bottle could be a bit fresher

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2008 01:01:15 | More by brentk56

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.22/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Good name for this brew; it seems that they just squeezed the malts from the hops and served it straight to me. The beer begins with a copper / amber color and less viscous than expected. A light fluffy head caps the pint glass and the carbonation inviting. Aromas that emmit from the pour are extremely citrusy, perfumy, floral, and pine-ey. A sweet malt character rounds out the beer, but cannot gain any dominance. Flavors of sweet caramel malts are quickly overtaken by a rich hop bittering, resins, pine, orange peel, lemons, apples, and mint. Though the flavors remain strong, the body stays constent with a medium thickness that allows for a crisp, clean drink. Kinda has a snap in the finish, with only a linger of the hop flavors, bittering, and dryness. The alcohols even give way to the hops. The beer has a body much like a very good Standard IPA (Two Hearted?), but with the hop intensity of a Double. Very drinkable and enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2007 04:27:55 | More by BEERchitect

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a GameWorks shaker pint glass.

Thanks to taiyed for sharing this bottle!

Funny, when I squeezed my hops with pliers, no such juice came out. Maybe I did it wrong... Anyway, this brew pours a clear amber topped by a finger of white foam. The nose comprises light pine, light fusels, and buttery toffee. Hmm, not quite the hop-bomb I expected to go off in my 'strils... The taste holds the same components, but ups the pine and butter antes, while relegating the fusel into the far background. Still, the hops are barely there, more demure than explosive. The body is a rather light medium, with a light carbonation and a dry-ish finish. Overall, this was pretty disappointing. Our first thought was that it was an old bottle, but many other reviews suggest otherwise. I was promised hops, hops, and more hops, but only received the first installment. The result may not live up to the advertising, but it's not really all that bad, either.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 04:54:24 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Ruddy peach color, cloudy as heck, nice 1/4" creamy white head..

Juicy, piney, grapefruit, fresh and hoppy, vibrant.

Big, tart bitterness on the palate....caramel malt creeps in, spreads around...citric hops pop up and pucker the place...then all eventually fades back and rounds out...softly departing the tongue.
Taste again, and it's back, this odd, potent mix of some sour funky stuff and an out-of-whack hop attack...plenty malt balance, but maybe too much for a 100 IBU, 10 % DIPA...I need it fresher, bitterer, maybe a little punishing....that's what it's about, man!

Although the alcoholic content does indeed start to creep up, this feels like a very hoppy IPA, but still doesn't seem enough...at least not enough to match the Stone-like boasting on the label. "Don't come crying to us if it's too much for you;t his is for hopheads only!"

Yes, it is, I can concur, but yet it's not as big as all that, and I know Two Brothers can do better.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2007 22:18:33 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark golden color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a solid malt scent of pale and carapils malts along with a moderate piney hop aroma. The hop aroma isn't that great. The taste is good. It has a killer hop taste that dominates the flavor profile. The malts add warmth and a bit of stability. It goes down smooth with a residual hop taste. This is a very bitter beer. The piney hop flavors are great. The mouthfeel is decent. This beer needs more body and a little more CO2. It's awfully light for such a big beer. Also, the increased CO2 would add more depth to the hop aroma. This is a good drinking beer. It's big and hoppy; just the way I like it.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2007 21:58:55 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.47/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beer poured into a Duvel tulip. beer is amber and slightly hazy. Forms a thin head of off white bubbles that leaves some lacing on the glass. Carbonation is moderate.

Aroma is sweet, slightly alcohol, lots of hops. Smells good.

Beer is medium bodied and has a nice hop bitterness to it. It leads off mildly sweet and the midpalate is little dry, it finishes a little dry too. Its almost creamy in the mouthfeel and the drinkability is really high, especially for a 10% beer. Wow, what a great beer!

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2010 03:23:46 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Exiled for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a yellow-amber color with an off-white head. The aroma is resiny hops and is pretty straightforward. The flavor is a mix of piney and resiny hops with some orange citrus mixed in as well as a nice caramel malt backbone. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2010 23:02:53 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is slightly hazy amber in color and has a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: There are aromas of citrus and pine resin hops and sweetness from the caramel malts in the nose.
T: The taste is fairly similar to the smell and has a moderate amount of bitterness. There are also some notes of brown sugar and fruits in the flavors.
M: It feels medium-bodied and very smooth on the palate.
D: The beer is very drinkable and goes down easily; the alcohol content is very well masked.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2010 23:21:58 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bah! Accidentally closed my first attempt at reviewing this.
Grabbed a few bottles at the Two Brothers For the Love of Hops festival. Served in my Pisgah pint glass.

A - Two and a half fingers of soapy off-white foam with superb retention and tons of sticky lacing. Transparent firey red/copper/orange body. I generally prefer the unfiltered look, but this is still very attractive.

S - Tons of candied sweet citrus hoppiness with a fair bit of pine as well. While this brew is very hop-forward, there is still a healthy amount of caramel and doughy malts that keep things from getting too unbalanced. There's a tiny bit of alcohol that peeks through, particularly as the brew warms up.

T - The taste is a bit of a letdown in that the doughy sweet malt character jumps to the forefront leaving only notes of lemon zest and piney hops. The hops make themselves quite apparent in the bitter aftertaste, but I still feel sad that the taste is missing the amazing sweet citrus qualities found in the nose.

M - Medium body with tons of resin and stickiness, and even a bit of alcohol heat. Very low carbonation on this one, which I actually prefer.

D - This takes a hit due to the strong bitter aftertaste and the touch of booziness. The 22oz bottle left me good and buzzed and I didn't really feel like I needed much more in the way of hops for the evening.

Good stuff - much prefer the 2009 release to the previous years I've tried. If they could hide the ABV a little better and bring out more sweet citrus flavor this would be amazing.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2009 03:24:05 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.9/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours with a frothy, tan colored head that sits atop a brilliantly clear amber colored beer. The aroma is fittingly hoppy, with notes of astringent citrus mixed with an herbal pine scent. Underneath this is a sweet malt character that reminds me a bit of orange scented caramel, but also some lightly toasted malty notes as well.

The taste is soft and creamy (which may be because I served this at a cool 58*F), and has a malty sweetness to it that carries through almost to the finish, which is dominated by bitterness and an herbal citrus character. This beer is fairly light on the palate, which is good because I don't always enjoy the thicker Double IPAs. There is a long, lingering bitter astringent note in the finish, which is actually not too strong such that it actually works quite well, especially with the upfront hop fruitiness and the sweet malt character.

This is a pretty decent example of a Double IPA; it is well balanced between the body (on the lighter side) and the hop character which is not too dominating as to be undrinkable. There is also a surprising amount of malt character here as well, and I would even swear that there was a bit of aged malt notes (perhaps a hint of sherry), but it is still fairly subtle and just adds a bit of complexity. Overall this is quite enjoyable, and definitely worth trying if you like excessive hops.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2005 21:05:05 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.75/5  rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured from a 22oz. bottle into an imperial pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep amber color with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The smell is hops, hops and more hops with a little citrus and malt mixed in.

T: Heavy hops blast coupled with a citrus malt sweetness. I’d say that this is one of the strongest hops flavors with the least bitterness that I’ve ever had. Very-well balanced! The hops stick around in a strong after-taste that contains a bit more bitterness, which is quite welcome.

M: Very crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, leaves a little bit of a sticky feel afterward.

D: The speed with which I polished off this bomber is testament to haw drinkable this beer is. The fact that it has a 9.90% ABV may make me pay later for drinking it that fast but it will be worth it. I first tried this beer at a tasting and decided to give it a full-bottle chance. The rep that was pouring at the tasting mentioned something about this beer having a “cult following” in this area. If that’s the case I’d gladly be part of that cult. This is a flat-out excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2006 04:40:12 | More by TheManiacalOne

emerge077

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Just released yesterday at Two Brothers, For the Love of Hops fest.

Had a taste of it on tap there, but this bottle seems to be more alive with the fresh hop character. Poured into a 22 oz. Spaten glass. Deep toasted caramel orange body, drippy lace clinging all around to the sides. Good resiny hop aroma, smells like a Simcoe hop cone, a touch of sweet malt and light whiff of alcohol.

Smooth, easygoing DIPA, plenty of fruity/resiny/bitter flavors, some peach, grapefruit and pine. Moderate to full body with a viscous, syrupy impression that finishes fairly dry. At almost 10% this really packs a punch, so take it easy!

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2009 20:53:46 | More by emerge077

Gavage

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: clear orange amber in color with a 1/4" had that sported some large bubbles. Spotty lacing develops.

Smell: huge hop presence, fruit sweetness, and citrus tones are all bold and up front.

Taste: strong malt base with huge pine bitterness with a touch of a floral hop edge too. Caramel, ripe fruits, grapefruits, and some alcohol round it out.

Mouthfeel: crisp at the start, and the finish is very dry. The aftertaste is surprisingly short with the bitterness. Medium-heavy in body.

Drinkability: another beer for the hopheads. You will be pleased with the hop levels and you will find this easily quaffable too.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2006 00:06:07 | More by Gavage

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A growler (or partial growler) courtesy of Deuane and SierraGS.

A: The pour is the last of the growler, so the carbonation is next to nil The result is a miniscule pool of white head that sticks to the side of the glass. The ale is an orange amber hue, a touch hazy but still reasonably translucent.

S: The nose is a blast of citrusy goodness, lots of grapefruit and nectarine to make the tastebuds water. Caramel malts add a strong flavor that manages to make itself known under the hops.

T: The ale is deliciously, scaldingly bitter. Intense, concentrated citrus flavors practically peel the skin off of your tongue, assaulting the senses. Floral, grassy herbs lift out to the morass of hops, further strengthening the hoppiness. The name is dead on, this really is drinking hop juice. There are malts present, throwing back enough caramel sweetness to prevent the hops from stripping the enamel from your teeth. Excellent bite but it can get to be too much.

M: The mouthfeel is a hoppy delight. I think that the decreased carbonation has really helped to concentrate those flavors and prevent them from being washed away with each successive sip.

D: Surprisingly, I like the diminished carbonation, it brings out the hops more intensely. A nice floral slurry of hops.

Serving type: growler

03-21-2008 20:02:51 | More by akorsak

tempest

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to kroggdawg for sharing. I like this DIPA, it reminds me of slightly smoother version of Middle Ages' 10th/DIPA. The flavors aren't huge, but neither are the booze or malts, making this a relatively drinkable. It starts with juicy citrus - tangerine and grapefruit - that flows into an almost too strong perfume and finishes with a traditional spicy bitterness. A nice, but not groundbreaking DIPA. Worth a try if you dig the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2009 02:35:05 | More by tempest

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer is everything I love about mid-Western IPA/DIPAs. Pours a beautiful deep copper cear deep hue with a thick full on three fngered head of light beige head with fine even speckled lacing evenly strung with each sip. Aromatics bring out deep pine/citrus tones that really bring out the malt profile and mild alcohl nose going on. The onslaught of grapefruit peels and srpuce tips coming from the hops is unrelenting in the best possible way. It doesn't hit with abrasive bitterness just a delightful hop opus that plays like a fuckin' symphony on the palate. Very balanced between earthy notes subtle alcohol and sweet caramel hop candy notes. I've tasted hop candy made with cascades and this is similar to that experience along with the pine and grapefruit additions. This is a great DIPA I can definitely drink this on the regular I'm glad it's available at my local store. Mouthfeel is medium bodied sticky with hop resins and some residual sugars this brew is excellent even easy going carbonation I'm in love with this stuff. Drinkability is great, a beer that I will track down very soon, maybe even bring to my next Pittsburgh tasting at Fathead's.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2010 15:06:36 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a brownish orange. Minimal head. Perfumed nose with mild citrus tones. Flavor is syrup like with hop character, of course. More of a bark like thing going on than anything else. This doesn’t carry the mass of citrus that many other DIPAs do. Feels nice on the mouth, though a bit syrup like and sticky. This is a pretty nice DIPA. Certainly isn’t bringing a huge amount of character, but is smooth and nice to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 06:23:46 | More by RblWthACoz

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Ever slight haze to an otherwise clear, solid amber colored brew. Modest head, but it leaves ample ring lace after each sip.

Sweet, hop smell. First thought was a combination of Grape Kool-Aid and a mild APA. Not really the fresh hop smell of an IPA.

Strong grapefruit hop flavor up front that leads to a peppery finish and long-lasting aftertaste. Solid body with a slight oiliness from the high alcohol. There's a subtle sweetness to the brew, but it is not a sugary taste. The potency is evident in every warming sip.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2009 22:31:45 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks goes to NucularGeorge for this brew.

Pours a cloudy dark orange color, some carbonation, tiny fizzy off-white head which leaves quickly, some sticky lacing afterwards. The nose is sweet malty, hoppy, piney, citrusy, and some caramel. The taste is slightly sweet, more on the malt side, hoppy, nice piney/citrusy, and a good dose of caramel. The finish is bitter/dry. Medium body. Very drinkable, a nice DIPA from the brothers, recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2007 00:13:29 | More by Wasatch

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in an imperial pint glass)

A-medium density white bubbly head with a reddish tan body and a gentle carbonation. The head last for a bit.

S- The smell is green fresh hops, some citrus with some grassiness and a bit of spiciness.

T- Good hop bitterness with a nice floral hop resiny taste and a faint lightly roasted malt base. The alcohol warmth finish is covered by the hops and they both stick on your breath for a bit.

M- This has a bit of a thick body but its not really a sweet finish. It has a gentle alcohol warmth but the finish is not astringent.

D- This is a well crafted DIPA. It has a great depth of hops and a nice alcohol warmth to balance the flavors. I would recommend this beer and I imagine it would be excellent on cask.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2005 02:17:40 | More by rhoadsrage

Billolick

New York

4.38/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I picked up a couple of bombers at Spirit House in Amherst MA., $6.10 per. No freshness indication. Pours brilliant almond amber, pretty clear after some sediment/hop flecks settle in the glass. Head is tan, initially creamy, then a tiny bubble film, and leaving scattered fine lacing. NOse is only faintly of citrussy hops. This is a big, thick, rich and very hoppy brew. Hops notes do not "pop" freshly out of this one, but the bitterness is more of a dull, strong, steady barrage. Grapefruit, resin, oily, hop heads rejoice and go get some of this...hop juice indeed

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2006 02:51:45 | More by Billolick