Hop Hog India Pale Ale - Lancaster Brewing Company

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle pours a beautiful and clear amber colour. Has a reasonable off-white head with good retention, albeit limited lacing. Malt-forward aroma of toffee and caramel has an unexpected alcohol and earthy tone. Believe the bottle to be fresh, but not 100% sure. Flavour is also predominantly malt forward, with a bittering hop finish that has mild elements of tropical fruits. More of an alcohol warmth in the ending than I'd choose, and I'm disappointed that the 7.9% (or whatever %) ABV is not listed on the bottle - as I believe such information is critical before making driving choices...

Best Lancaster Brewing beer I've enjoyed thus far, but not my favourite Pennsylvania APA or IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 22:06:30 | More by hopsolutely

kb2250

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +9.3%

05-12-2013 22:03:30 | More by kb2250

ejane

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +45.8%

05-12-2013 19:10:56 | More by ejane

pearljam118

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -5.2%

05-09-2013 01:13:46 | More by pearljam118

ZEB89

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -5.2%

05-05-2013 23:22:45 | More by ZEB89

vtn

Virginia

4/5  rDev +16.6%

05-05-2013 03:03:27 | More by vtn

Jason1337

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +2%

05-02-2013 01:06:27 | More by Jason1337

Kmahood13

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +2%

05-01-2013 22:41:22 | More by Kmahood13

Drecher

3/5  rDev -12.5%

04-29-2013 10:33:59 | More by Drecher

JSkone09

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +2%

04-27-2013 21:53:19 | More by JSkone09

AndrewMichael

Virginia

3/5  rDev -12.5%

04-21-2013 00:00:25 | More by AndrewMichael

GrantBrennan

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +16.6%

04-16-2013 16:24:10 | More by GrantBrennan

TomG2751

Maryland

2.5/5  rDev -27.1%

04-11-2013 16:55:51 | More by TomG2751

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +2%

04-11-2013 03:37:25 | More by orangesol

Beers9beers

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -12.5%

04-10-2013 00:10:11 | More by Beers9beers

ZachKelly

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -5.2%

04-01-2013 01:46:00 | More by ZachKelly

reebrevlup

Arizona

3.25/5  rDev -5.2%

03-30-2013 00:20:06 | More by reebrevlup

Hanselpb

Ohio

2.25/5  rDev -34.4%

03-28-2013 01:17:48 | More by Hanselpb

LCB_Hostage

Pennsylvania

2.53/5  rDev -26.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass

A: Deeper amber than normal for an IPA. moderate head with good persistence. Little to no lacing

S: Nothing dramatic. No hops on the nose at all. Malty with an fairly strong alcohol overlay (not surprising given the ABV).

T: Not sure why they choose to call this an IPA. No hop characteristics to speak of at all. Very malty/fruity with some alcohol on the back burner. Despite the ABV, light and reasonably refreshing.

M: relatively crisp, but quick fading on the tongue. Not particularly well carbonated, and what's there fades quickly (in less than 30 minutes)

O: I might have liked this better if they'd labeled it more accurately. I could even accept it as a pale ale. But an IPA?? No way. Someone needs to buy the Lancaster Brewing Co. some hops. If the ABV weren't so high, this could be a decent session beer, but at 7.5%, it would be a pretty short session. I've actually eaten at the LBC previously and the food was good, but as I recall, all their beers fall into this "too safe to offend" category.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 23:05:28 | More by LCB_Hostage

tom91281

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +16.6%

03-24-2013 20:15:57 | More by tom91281

HeyJim

Pennsylvania

2/5  rDev -41.7%

03-24-2013 01:27:29 | More by HeyJim

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.29/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance – Pours a nice orange amber color with a one finger orange tinted head. The head has a good level of retention, slowly fading over time to give lighter level of lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell- The aroma is sweet of tropical fruits of tangerine and mango with other fruit aromas of a light apple and some other sweeter notes of caramel. Mixed with these sweeter aromas is a citrus hop aroma of a grapefruit as well as light lemon smell and some breadier aromas.

Taste – The taste starts out with a bready and malty flavor with flavors of a light fruit flavor. The fruit was largely of an orange and pear flavor upfront with some lighter fruit flavors of apricot. As the flavor advances hop flavors of a grapefruit nature greet the tongue. The grapefruit remains relatively constant throughout and is joined by some more hop flavors. The hop flavors that come at the end are of a sour lemon flavor as well as some lighter herbal flavors. At the end the mix of fruit, citrus, bready and hop flavors leaves a lightly bitter sour flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the slightly thinner side with a carbonation level that is fairly average overall. Not the best feel for the style in my opinion as it is slightly too light to accentuate the relatively moderate hoppier flavors, although even with this being so, it was OK for the more sour lemon flavors of the beer, keeping them from becoming too overpowering.

Overall –Nothing too special here. The beer was not quite hoppy enough and had a little too much sourness.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 01:22:27 | More by Darkmagus82

rfgetz

Pennsylvania

3.59/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a burnt orange amber, minimal head and retention. Scent brings pleasant citrus and pine notes, moderate malt backbone. Taste begins with moderate hop bitterness, citrus and pine are the predominant hop notes. Malt backbone takes over, strong caramel, biscuit and toasted malts... nice flavor, but a little too much here as it covers up the hop profile. Medium bodied. Decent and drinkable, but much better options available for hop heads.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 23:18:33 | More by rfgetz

brheuer

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -12.5%

03-17-2013 23:49:59 | More by brheuer

salthemonster

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +9.3%

03-16-2013 19:29:33 | More by salthemonster