Hoptical Illusion - Blue Point Brewing Company

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.76/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - Two fingers worth of ultra lush, slightly fizzy, moderate creamy, delicate and fluffy off-white colored head... Rock solid retention... A near infinite amount of swirling moderate to rapid paced carbonation throughout... The color is a vibrant light bronze with some distinctive amber hue... There is a slight haziness as well... Rings of lacing clings to the glass...

S - More malts than hops, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing... Caramel... Toasted malts... Loads of cracker and biscuit... The hops are present, but take a distant back seat... Once encountered they are of a light tropical fruit presence... A light hint of bubble gum as well...

T - The taste is a near mirror image of the aroma... A heavy malt base... Biscuit... Dough... Caramel... Lightly toasted malts... The hops again take a back seat... The are equal parts piney, citrusy, and earthy... Nothing earth shattering, but solid all the way around...

M - On the lighter side of medium bodied... Lush to start... Crisp in the middle... Finishes smooth with just a slight touch of dryness... Limited carbonation... Even and consistent... Very nice...

D - What we have here is a simple, straight-forward and unpretentious American IPA... Quaffability of off the charts... If you're looking for a hop bomb, you may want to reconsider... If you're looking for an enjoyable, well-round, malt-forward American IPA... Lucky for me I enjoy both types...

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 01:45:36 | More by philbe311

Bitter_Echo

Michigan

4.26/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a super clear yellow orange...very much a looker here. Smells hoppily floral, and fruit and pine and hops and little malt or grain note to go along. Tastes great...low malt showcasing the hops. Nice bitterness and mouthfeel throughout. Like this one a whole lot and would get this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 18:17:57 | More by Bitter_Echo

Mavigo

Michigan

3.76/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this off tap at the green dot in detroit, served to me in a mug.

A: is a dark gold color with a short off white head with medium amounts of lacing.

S: crisp scent, wheat, citrus, and of course hops

T: very smooth, crisp, wheat, citrus, malts, herbs, with a strong hop finish, but not as extreme as other IPAs I have had, so I'd say it's fairly mild but still quite present.

M: refreshing, light body, medium carbonation

O: First beer from Blue point, not too bad, not a big fan of IPAs but this was fairly decent, not to say they skimped on the style, the hops were super evident, just a bit more mild and more citrus, recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

03-07-2013 20:17:36 | More by Mavigo

DragonzBreath

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Blue Point's Hoptical Illusion...I got this one from the Tap at Ashleys Throw down.
Saugatuck brewery verses Blue Point.. Copper color with a nice, small white foam.
As I raised it to my mouth, the aroma of a meadow deep within a pine forest hit me hard.
The smell of this IPA is unlike any I have smelled. Taste was the same. The hops are unusual in here..interesting taste and flavor. a must try for the IPA lovers in the house...Very little citrus and a bit light at the end. Abv 6.80
(Saugatuck Brewery one by 4 pints)

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2013 13:36:24 | More by DragonzBreath

BeerNinja007

New Hampshire

3.71/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle from a six-pack, code 2622 11:41 7E (whatever the hell that means).

A moderate pour generates 1/2" of short-lived bubbly white head, disappears quickly leaving a meniscus of dense white foam along the glass. Some very spotty watery lace. Clear copper colored brew. Smells of a malty candy-like sweetness, light and clean, with a nice dose of hop riding on top of that. A good mix of bitter floral, fruity hop. Taste follows right from the smell. A nice pungent resiny hop bite is really upfront and lasts straight through to the finish. The hop is mostly a strong generic bitterness, with some floral, fruity, herbal flavors playing second fiddle. Body is a little thicker than something I'd call crisp... has a little sweet viscosity... but rigorous carbo cuts right though it easily.

Overall a decent IPA, though it'd be a heck of a lot better if the hop was more diverse and flavorful.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 21:34:08 | More by BeerNinja007

skivtjerry

Vermont

3.34/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

A: Deep golden color, brilliant clarity, thin head doesn't last.

S: Pine, floral and crystal malt aromas. Clean alcohol appears as it warms. Weak for an IPA.

T: Piney hops up front, then some citrus and fruity notes. Finishes with firm hop bitterness and crystal malt flavors. Very clean.

M: A little watery (despite the pretty substantial ABV and heavy crystal malt).

O: I'd like to see more going on; this is more of a slightly overbittered pale ale than an IPA. Pleasant but not exceptional in any way.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 22:04:21 | More by skivtjerry

larryi86

Delaware

3.86/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A- A clear amber color with a three finger white head.

S- Grapefruits, some tropical fruits, some caramel malts.

T- Citrus, touch of tropical fruits, some pine/resin bitterness in the finish, decent malt backbone. Flavors are good but a little weak.

M- Smooth, body is a little light.

O- Pretty good, has enough hops, but could be bigger. Feel that this would be a great be for summer.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 01:12:39 | More by larryi86

ironchefmiyagi13

New York

4.26/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Living on Long Island, I love that we have great local breweries that produce quality beers like this one.

Color and clarity are nice, with mild carbonation and patchy lacing.

The aroma is sensational. One that's freshly bottles and poured can be smelt from a foot away. Fruit leaning towards tropical varieties such as passion fruit and pineapple with nice hops molded in leads to many reveling moments of appreciation for the aroma.

Flavors glide gracefully across the palate with the hops not being overwhelming or aggressive. For an IPA, actually very mild. A great 'any-time' or summer IPA. Notes of pineapple, white tea with just enough hops lead to a refreshing feeling, with a nice cloying finish. Each sip makes you hungrier for the next.

As stated prior, a great starter or anytime IPA for the warmer months.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 04:31:57 | More by ironchefmiyagi13

Alextricity

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled March 16th, 2012, poured into a regular old pint glass. It's pretty old.

Appearance: Gold/copper color depending on the lighting. Head bubbles away pretty quickly. Lacing's patchy.

Smell: Mild malt and hop characteristics... seeing as how the beer's about 10 months old, I feel like a lot of the aroma has gone away. Subtle, but nice nose on this one.

Taste/feel: Despite it being as old as it is, it's still a very enjoyable IPA ... certainly above average. While there's nothing too unique about it (other than its awesome name), it's delicious and drinkable as hell. The tea-like hops in Hoptical Illusion make it very refreshing. I think of most IPAs as a summer or spring-ish beer (especially those made by Lagunitas), and this one certainly fits that bill. The lack of extreme bitterness and nice balance would make this beer a great starter's IPA. There's nothing offensive about it, and it's just a really solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 18:21:08 | More by Alextricity

scootsmal

New York

3.13/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Picked this up on a MYO 6 Pack as id been eyeing it for a while.

A - Pourly a very clear straw to golden color, small head no lacing at all

S - pretty unique smell, dont catch alot of hops at all. Some citrus smell. not bad.

T - Unique again, definitely cant point it to another similar IPA. Some citrus, little hops, maybe a little grass.

M - Very light feel to it, not IPA'ish at all.

O - Average at best. Like i said unique but not in a 'must have again' way. I would almost consider it a LIPA (Light IPA), easy on the palette.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 14:23:31 | More by scootsmal

JakesCrew

3.3/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - straw colored with minimal lacing
S - Peachy, lychee, floral, fresh. Very pleasant Spring aroma.
T - Bitter, weak hops, no malt. Poorly balanced with little complexity. Grass and grapefruit.
M - Unremarkable. Medium to above average carbonation.
O - A very lackluster beer. Smell raised expectations of a good IPA. Hoptical Illusion is an appropriate name.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 02:28:49 | More by JakesCrew

JG-90

New Jersey

2.08/5  rDev -44.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Bottle into glass

A - Pours medium-large head, recedes to a small head with minimal lacing

S - Not a strong smell, malt, bread, perhaps a little citrus/ flower as well

T - At first is light and rather tasteless for an IPA, finishes with bitterness and alcohol flavor

M - high carbonation, very light body for an IPA

O - Just not enough flavor to go along with the alcohol bite and bitterness for an IPA. I think that cutting down on the alcohol bite would make this a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 20:44:50 | More by JG-90

youngleo

Michigan

3.53/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured to a nice two fingered head. Head was off white in color. Brew itself was a slightly brownish gold. Left some nice lacing to the sides of the glass. Had a nice hop flowery smell going on. Also notes of malt. Tasted of pine, malt, and a slight fruity taste. Also tasted slightly sweet. Had a after taste that was bitter. Felt good in the mouth. Carbonation was good also. Overall a good IPA. I got this beer from a friend. Ill definately buy when its available in my home state of Michigan

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 19:44:42 | More by youngleo

Calypso

4.35/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Light, creamy off-white head. Slightly cloudy copper color.
S: Minty, or perhaps pine resin, with citrus notes.
T: Hops and faint citrus. Pine. Hints of malt and toffee.
M: Medium body, light and crisp.
O: Very enjoyable session beer. Some different flavors than I'm used to from an American IPA, but well-balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

12-05-2012 18:53:24 | More by Calypso

hays23

Georgia

2.45/5  rDev -35%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Just such a bland beer. The appearance looks like your typical IPA. The hoppiness is certainly there. It hits you full in the mouth mid-sip, but the flavor is just not great. The after-taste leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, the after-taste is just bad. I love the IPA, but this beer doesn't really do it for me at all. Try a Sweetwater instead.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 06:22:19 | More by hays23

rfbenavi80

Missouri

3.23/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle acquired in a trade. I think it has an extremely clever name. Lets hope it lives up to it.
Bottle poured into a Nonic Pint.

A- Really? A twist off cap? Hmmm, interesting. Ok Hoptical Illusion pours a perfectly clear golden amber color with 1 to maybe 1 1/2 fingers of foamy white head that didn't linger very long but seems very sticky, leaving some chunky lacing on the glass as I drink.

S- Hoppy yes. Overly hoppy? No. Really wanted it to have more on the nose. Getting mostly pine aromas. Behind that resinous piney scent there is a solid amount of sweet caramel malt that really comes out as it warms.

T- A decent IPA. Pine is the dominate hop flavor coming though. Not getting much in the citrus or grapefruit dept. There is a strong amount of sweet caramel malt goodness that seems only slightly overpowered by the hops.

M- Maybe on the low side of medium body. Moderate amount of carbonation.

O- Slightly disappointed with this one. Maybe I hyped it up too much with the awesome name. Don't get me wrong, this is a solid easy everyday drinker. Just not worth seeking out if it's not available in your area.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 01:11:04 | More by rfbenavi80

Fusion_Pirate

2.83/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: Poured from a cold 12oz bottle into a New Holland Brewing glass, Hoptical Illusion yielded a half-finger of white head which immediately dissipated. Minor lacing as I tilt the glass to and fro, with decent retention. The beer itself doesn't look like a whole lot, to be perfectly honest. Perfectly translucent light bronze color, with carbonation bubbles visible. We certainly 'can't judge a beer by its color', but this one is not a looker.

S: A strong, spicy hop scent hits the nose immediately with underlying caramel malt notes.

T: A moderate hop front end hits your palette, immediately followed by a grainy, almost Aspirin-like back end. The weak taste of this beer is rather unremarkable and the carbonation is a bit much for the style. I can't believe this is really a 6.8% ABV brew!

M: Rather oily and moist across the tongue with too much carbonation (as mentioned above).

O: Coming from a microbrewery, this is rather amateur stuff. This beer is more in line with what a 'Michelob take' on the IPA formula might be. A lack of complexity in all aspects, except smell, which is frankly misleading. Casual drinkers might give this a try, but serious IPA connoisseurs, steer clear- Hoptical ILLUSION indeed!

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 23:09:36 | More by Fusion_Pirate

maximum12

Minnesota

2.53/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to martin123012 for filling up my fridge with some hoppy goodness. A 12 oz. bottle sorely needed to soothe the nerves after listening the the clamor of a horde of 10-11 year old girls all night.

Pop goes the top, hand grabs the glass, & voila'! The bottle runneth over with foam. The pour doesn't seem so aggressively carbonated, light yellow. Not much sensory stuff coming off the surface, I have to sniff hard to come up with faint oily hops & sweet malt.

Hoptical Illusion is a beer I pursued because it's cousin, Rasta Rye, was so damn good, I hope this would follow in its footsteps. Negatory. One of the blandest tasting beers I've had in a long time - like the nose, there just ain't much home. Little sweet, little grain, grass, then a tiny hop tug of bitterness at the end. Weak, thin, almost watery.

This beer is boring, which almost worse than being really bad. All I taste is blahblahblah. Sub this for a micro & hardly anyone would notice. Sub-mediocre all the way.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 02:26:07 | More by maximum12

OneWheelJoe

3.4/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a standard, room temperature pint glass. The label is interesting. Let's leave it at that.

Appearance - Very light amber color. Translucent with a magnitude of carbonation bubbles. The head comes off very thin, but a large amount of bubbles continue to rise to the top long after the head has all but disappeared.

Aroma - An interesting combination of yeast and citrus scents are distinctly noticeable in the nose. The aroma can be hard to pick up at first, but diving into your glass nose will make it easier to find.

Taste - The prevalent flavor is citric in nature. The flavor is not as strong as the bite. Between the carbonation and the sharp hop notes, the taste falls a little by the wayside. The taste feels more similar to a pale ale than an IPA.

Mouthfeel - The body is light and pleasant. I would have no problem tossing a few of these back in fairly rapid fashion on a warm afternoon. The carbonation tingles all areas of the mouth before leaving a mild aftertaste, no sticky residue.

Overall - Slightly disappointed in the overall quality. The highest redeeming factor of this brew is the feel. It is an easy brew, if you are willing to sacrifice some of the key pleasantries of an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 01:42:04 | More by OneWheelJoe

isaiahcutright

Oklahoma

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Light amber, white head quickly disappearing not much lacing.

Smell: Grapefruit, sweet maltness, citrusy, a touch of crystal malt.

Taste:Citrusy, crystal malt, a bunch of C hops, nice hops, bitterness, and balanced by a sweet, rich but light malt bill.

Mouthfeel: light, sappy, resiny, good carbonation.

Overall a nice IPA wish I would have had a chance to buy more.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 01:41:13 | More by isaiahcutright

Mister_Falcon

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I would expect this beer from some Macrobrewer as their entry into microbrew-a-like market, it's just so average.

Pours an gold/amber color with a half inch of head that sticks around for a few minutes. Smells like sickly sweet cheap malt scent I associate with the playing surface of a college beer pong table, I really don't sense that there's much hoppiness here.

There isn't. There isn't much in the taste of this beer either, at least good hops. Tastes sweet and malty and feels alright as it washes down.

I won't be recommending this beer to anyone if I ever find myself in the position to.

Edit: I stated earlier that this beer is average, but I will have to amend that to mean average for any beer someone might hand you at a cookout sight unseen. This is subpar for an IPA these days in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 00:56:19 | More by Mister_Falcon

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Comes out of the tap a hazy dark amber with a fine-bubbled pale tan head. Tempting as everything! Rich, hoppy aroma has a malty underpinning and a good fruity note. Generously hoppy flavor has a nice fruity and malty undertone; bitterness is not minimal, but not ferocious either. Got some woody, apple and grapefruit notes in there plus a hint of fresh-cut pine. Body is firm, and fizz is quite lively and persistent. Another must for IPA fanatics!

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2012 22:04:06 | More by Cyberkedi

joefuzz

New York

3.73/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours copper with a nice sized 1 finger head. Smell is huge piney hops and a malty sweetness. Taste is very hop forward the first sip is like drinking a christmas tree after a few sips you get a very nice citrus sweetness that goes down with a great malty backbone. mouthfeel is slightly thicker than most other beers in this style and carbonation is on the lower side. overall very good local beer i have had it a few times this summer in bottles but the fresh draft version is a completely different beast.

Serving type: growler

08-03-2012 01:17:36 | More by joefuzz

GeckoPunk

Connecticut

3.23/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Fell short of my expectations...

Appearance - Probably the best thing about the beer. Poured into a tulip glass from bottle. 1 finger white head, tight bubbles at bottom and surface, larger in center.

Smell - Definitely not the best smelling IPA. Old hops, grassy, machinery-like smell (As if Budweiser tried to make an IPA). A little hint of metal.

Taste - Again, not impressed... Not floral, not citrusy, not piney, tasted like "manufactured beer" if you know what I mean.

Mouthfeel - watered-down IPA. Definately not medium-bodied or full-bodied

Overall - I'd take a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (stock beer) any day over this one in terms of an every-day "cheap" drinking beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 23:33:07 | More by GeckoPunk

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Ba Review #199
Served On: 07/24/2012
Glassware: Pint Glass
Labeled ABV: -
Date/ Code: -

Found this at Dewey Beach Liquors while visiting Coastal Delaware on summer vacation.

Look: Color was a lighter copper with a white 1-finger head that collapsed quickly leaving a thin film and some head lacing. Clarity level was high along with decent carbonation.

Smell: Aroma was of grassy and herbal hops. A sweet malt in the background. Nothing too pungent. Who knows what the intended aroma is without a bottle date?

Taste: First was an herbal and citrusy hop note that turned to all bitterness almost immediately. The middle was a malt sweetness and then more bitterness. Finish was mainly clean with some bitterness lingering.

I have to say I was a little disappointed with this one. The name of the beer seemed to hype up the expectations of a more complex hop profile, and the beer just didn’t seem to deliver in my opinion. Won’t probably pick this up again.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 18:34:18 | More by CraftBeerTastic