Hoplanta - Red Brick Brewing Company

godlessape

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured this one into my Palm snifter glass. No date on the bottle can be seen with the naked eye--but I picked up a six-pack anyway because I've had it before and loved it and I also like to support local breweries.

Appearance: The finger head dissipates to an acceptable skim leaving a decent amount of lacing. The body is a cloudy, murky, brassy affair that looks unfiltered and that's something I really appreciate.

Smell: I notice a pleasant earthiness to this. We have a touch of caramel here, along with a hint of citrus hops, but nothing like your average West Coast style IPA, aroma. This smells more like an English IPA.

Taste: Rich, and well balanced, with the caramel malt up front and then slapped back with a lemon peppery bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied.

Overall: This is decent brew, that I will come back to from time to time. Hopefully I"ll be able to find it on tap somewhere around town.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 05:45:52 | More by godlessape

maximum12

Minnesota

3.15/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Yulles for bringing me this little guy for picking him up a beer during a local release. Not necessary but appreciated! 12 oz. bottle into glass.

Pour is IPA gold with a fair amount of particle mass distributed throughout the IPA column. Nose is mostly floral hops with a distant background of citrus. A touch malty.

Hoplanta is that cruelest of creatures: the balanced IPA. A big malt bill siezes the tongue immediately, bringing bread & sweetness. Mid-sentence there are hops, light, floral, pretty. Gentle. They do stick around though, all the way through & deep into the aftertaste. As befits a beer presumedly made for a blazing Hotlanta summer, this is easy to sip.

A beer that seems to have been brewed to be middle-road & inoffensive, it succeeds on both counts. Decent enough.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 03:00:34 | More by maximum12

BeerDawgs

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - A copper redish coor, with 1 finger of head, but not much sticky lace left on the glass. But what is kick ass is the LOADS of sediment floating around in the brew. Unbelievably unfiltered!

S - Citrusy sweet hops

T - wow, huge malt backbone, with a bittering flavor at the end.

M - Medium bodied and well carbonated.

O - An average IPA. The appearance and the sediment in the beer is the best part for me. The taste is below average for an IPA. Cool name though...

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 02:33:35 | More by BeerDawgs

bamadog

Kentucky

3.1/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Review is from notes taken on 7/12/2012. Poured from the bottle to a pint glass.

Appearance: Pour is a coppery/apricot color and it starts with a solid 1 and 1/2 finger slightly off-white head that fades relatively quickly to a thin, uneven skim; body has tons of sediment/floaties swirling around... holy shit, run this thing through a strainer! Fair lacing is left behind in thin swaths and a couple of patches, but not as much as I would hope in something that should have the kind of hop presence I would expect in something called "Hoplanta."

Smell: More sweet malt than anything, but there is a fair hint of some citric hop behind it -- some orange peel, some bitter grassy/pine. Not bad, but certainly a notch below what I would want -- pretty average.

Taste: Same as the smell -- malt is more present than the hops in the foreground, with some bitter seeping in and making its presence known at the end and they're like some shredded orange peel. Not bad, again, average at best.

Mouthfeel: Decent, medium bodied, perhaps a tad watery but it's alright; a sticky coating is left on the roof of the mouth; carbonation is ample - quite possibly the strongest aspect of this beer.

Overall: If I was in a restaurant and this was on tap, I probably would consider picking it up, but when it's sitting on the shelves next to Torpedo, there's not much reason to pick it up.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 00:53:27 | More by bamadog

pokesbeerdude

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle courtesy of MMAJYK. Into a DFH Signature glass.

A: Pours a nice tangerine orange color with an enormous off white head that does not want to fade away. Epic lacing. Really a nice looking beer.

S: Nice citrus and earthy hop profile, smells slightly floral and a bit soapy. Nice little bit of a malt profile, grainy and a touch of caramel.

T: Nice flavors, lots of hop resins, citrus and pine linger on the tongue forever. Lots of hop oils and resins. Nice bitterness on the finish. Would like a little more of a juicy hop character, but this is still pretty solid.

M: A little thin, but definitely refreshing, lightly carbonated and dry.

O: Nicely done, first beer from Red Brick and I definitely am enjoying it. A nice summertime, dry, refreshing hoppy beer!

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 00:05:58 | More by pokesbeerdude

drakkath

Alabama

3.4/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into my 32oz mug

A - big fluffy head, lots of lacing, it appears to be unfiltered, which to most would be a turn off, but appreciate a beer that can be crafted without filtering, being a home brewer myself.

S - not much going on on the nose, some faint herbal hops and citrus

M - light to medium body, mildly carbonated

O - despite being unfiltered this beer is tasty, easy on the palette and very drinkable. However, as an IPA I don't think it quite fits into the style with the big contenders, but I still enjoyed drinking this brew. I don't think I'll ever actively seek it out, but I would be delighted if I saw it on the shelf.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 13:00:56 | More by drakkath

StoutishDan

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Homebrew day beer. Picked it up for 8.99 at Kriger. Never had this local brew out of Atlanta.

A - The first thing I noticed after the glass was poured was the junk floating all in the beer. I've had beers - that I later found out were spoiled - that had floating things in it. Definitely not something you would look for in a beer. Other than that the head is just big enough to appear creamy and the lacing is all up the glass as I'm sipping it. Sticky sticky beer. Let's hope the floaties are normal for this brew.

S - Swett malts up front with slight frutiness following. Right now I don't get much hop on the nose. Smells really sweet and creamy. The anticipation!

T - The taste is sweet as well...particularly the aftertaste. The hops are less floral and grapefruity and more spicy. It leaves your mouth with a tiny little burn that you'd get from eating something on the spicy side but not meant to actually be spicy. First thing you notice when you drink this beer is the bitterness (obviously), but there's a really nice sweet malty finish that glides in there while the bitterness lingers...it's that ever-present battle between the grains and hops. They want your palate! It's really good, although I generally prefer the more grapefruit-tasting IPAs. West Coast IPAs, right? It's good...all those floaties are probably unfiltered goodness from the mash/wort, the brewers left in there cause they FREAKING CAN.

O - I like it. It's not my favorite, but it's not going to be the last time I drink this brew. If it's available at a local restaurant/pub/bar here in ATL you might find me sipping on one of these...you might. BUT, I have had better. Those "betters" will go unnamed - being that I have not yet reviewed them on BA. I will.

Out of 100 total "goodness" point I rate Red Brick Hoplanta a solid 89.

Stoutish

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 04:15:46 | More by StoutishDan

ackleydg

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Really nice aromas of caramel malt, floral/fruity hops notes, a nice blend. 4

Very strong, off-white head, great lacing, color is good, but it's very hazy - practically opaque -- makes it hard to give it better than a 3 for appearance.

Flavor is very good - rich, lots of caramel malt - great hops presence

Mouthfeel is a bit heavy -- I don't mind it being full-bodied, but doesn't seem right -- a generous 3

Has some good things going for it. I'm enjoying it, so I switched to 3.5 overall at last minute, but stylistically it seems a little off. Filter this sucker and it would be an easy 4.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 01:53:37 | More by ackleydg

GJ40

North Carolina

3.38/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Sampled from a 12oz bottle purchased at The Beer Dispensary in Apex, NC.

A - A deep gold with a moderate white head. As a homebrewer that bottle conditions, I always pour carefully and watch for sediment yet this one got me big time. I left a good ounce in the bottle yet I had big chunks of yeast sediment throughout the glass. Not exactly what I expect from an IPA in a 12oz bottle. Good clarity otherwise.

S - Mostly piney hops with some bready malts.

T - Piny hop flavor. A nice bitterness up front but it doesn't linger long enough. Some toasted malts throughout.

M - Slightly slick with a moderate carbonation of fine bubbles. Flows down nicely.

O - A decent beer other than the massive sediment. But I can't really separate the two.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 10:19:37 | More by GJ40

kylehay2004

Florida

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: sIngle fInger head little retention on a hazy amber and golden body.

S: nice full hopped aroma with citrus, pine and herbal hop notes most prominent.

T: nice malt and hip balance with the hops providing herbal pine and citrus notes.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: not too bad. Simple but flavorful and nicely drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2012 22:24:35 | More by kylehay2004

wedge

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a golden orange color with a small, but nicely creamy head. Quite a bit of yeasty sediment in the bottom of the bottle, which I managed to avoid pouring in, for the most part. Deep juicy citrus, apricot, and floral hops over some caramel malt. There's a slight vegetal/herbal note that throws things out of whack a little. Solid hoppy flavor with a nice citrus oil quality to it. Bitter pine, grapefruit, and a pale malt sweetness. Some of the herbalness comes through here, but in a less funky way. Lingering orange pulp. Medium bodied - solid carbonation and bitterness. Not bad at all.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 01:18:13 | More by wedge

Immortale25

Florida

3.49/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Green Flash cask-style glass. No freshness date.

A- Pours a very murky dark copper color with a 1/2 inch off-white head that retains a bit before becoming a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a full sheet of surface foam. Sticky threads of lacing.

S- More of an herbal hop aroma with a scent of sweet malt in the tail. Slight alcohol fume.

T- Bitterness that doesn't have much of a flavor accompanying it; just bite and a vegetable flavor. Tastes slightly astringent and now the booze shows its full presence. IBUs are certainly in the 70+ range. The malts kind of get lost in the heavy hoppage and aren't as prevalent as in the aroma.

M- Bitey with a dryness that lingers. Also has a considerable alcohol sting. Medium carbonation and a solid body.

O- I'm glad I only bought a single bottle as this is a bit of a disappointing IPA. Not very much fun to drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 02:52:58 | More by Immortale25

TheAmbassador

4.43/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 64oz growler from The Best Of Brews in Duluth. The color is copper/gold with an off white head. The smell earthy and floral hopps. the taste is very good, hoppy, drinkable and friendly. definantly tasty a good move for the brewery, they have had too many weak beers in the past.

Serving type: growler

04-19-2012 00:32:15 | More by TheAmbassador

shand

Florida

4.05/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Sam Adams imperial pint.

You think you've seen hazy IPAs before like Smuttynose Finestkind? Think again. This one takes delicious flavor particles to a whole new level, with chunks of whutzit suspended all through the glass. It's unfiltered, and I had bottles in my six-pack with less sediment than this one. The aroma is brightly hoppy, with plenty of citrus and a touch of caramel malts. The taste is bright and very strong with the citrus and grapefruit at first, then coming on strong with bright hops and a bit of grapefruit rind. The mouthfeel is on the lighter side and highly carbonated, it works wonderfully with the bright flavors this IPA offers. Overall, this is a very solid IPA from Red Brick. It's not as nice as the Double IPA they rotate in their Brick Mason series, but it's still very good.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 06:48:29 | More by shand

zeff80

Missouri

3.9/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, copper color with a two-finger, off-white head of bubbly foam. It left sticky rings of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of pine and citrus. Some caramel, too.

T - It tasted of bitter piney hops with a burnt toast maltiness. Some sweet caramel, as well.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry, clean finish.

O - This is a nice IPA. I'm glad I was I got to try some Red Brick beers on my Florida trip.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 02:05:10 | More by zeff80

2378GCGTG

Texas

3.28/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Unfiltered golden yellow 1 in white head with great lacing

Nose: Golden raisin with some light hops and some caramel

Taste: Light fruits and a clean malt, could be more here, with a spicey hop finish

Mouthfeel: Crisp and clean, definitely sessionable.

Overall: This is a good IPA, very drinkable

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 02:05:50 | More by 2378GCGTG

cjgator3

Florida

3.4/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle

A- Pours a slightly hazy golden amber color with a nice off-white head with good retention and lacing. 

S- The aroma is faint malt and citrusy hops. The aroma is surprisingly faint for an IPA. 

T- The taste is dominated by the citrusy hops, there is not much of a malt presence. 

M- The mouthfeel is light bodied with a high amount of carbonation.

O- Overall, I was a little disappointed with this IPA. It is lacking a bit compared to some of the better IPAs on the shelves.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 04:41:20 | More by cjgator3

mbischoff63

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Growler filled at Hop City 3/25/12

(Appearance)Pour a copper color with very little haze or head retention which could be due this being a growler pour. 3.5

(Smell) More malt than hop in the nose, but still very nice. I will say Red Brick beers have a "house" aroma that is present in the majority of their beer. Not a bad aroma, but kind of a grain aroma (I think). Still a very nice and inviting smell. 3.5

(Taste) Very nice balance (Something along the line of my fav IPA Cigar City Jai Alai). The front of the tongue introduce with a very pleasent maltiness followed by a bitterness at mid-palate, finishing with a very nice blend of malt, citrus, and floral on the back. The bitterness lingers on the back of the palate, but is not overly offensive 4.0

(Mouthfeel) Balanced brilliantly... The malt adds such a wonderful body to this beer. But it is not chewy in any way, and the finish is dry. 4.5

(Overall) Red Brick's best beer. Hands down. It has way more character than a lot of other beers. Biggest flaw in my opinion is the nose... Could always use more dry hops, but that is consistent with most commercial IPAs 3.8 - 4

Serving type: growler

03-27-2012 23:11:28 | More by mbischoff63

AlCzerik

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Living in GA I try anything that Red Brick or Sweetwater comes out with, this is a solid IPA that I would order again.

Appearance- Pours a copper color, I had this on draft and it had a decent head on it.

Taste- I tasted more hops that I did citrus which is always a plus for me.

Overall- Worth the try.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2012 21:10:23 | More by AlCzerik

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.68/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On Tap at Summit's Wayside Tavern in Snellville January 7, 2012. 16 Ounce Pour.

(Appearance) pours a hazy deep gold copper tone with a small head that subsides quickly. White spotty lacing is left behind. the appearance is pretty much spot on and a bit hazier than many other ipas. Good. 3.5

(Smell) A little malt character and an even more mild hop aroma. Very mild in potency. 3

(Taste) spicy hop balanced with a touch of pale malt and mildly roasted caramel. The balance is pretty nice, not too hoppy and not too malt heavy either, but has substance in each one. Theres a lingering malt finish, nothing alarming in intensity nor cloying flavors making this a quaffable beer, and Overall a pretty good beer. Certainly the best year round by the brewery available. 4

(Mouthfeel) very light crispness, good to highlight the small hop presence in this beer. Light/medium body, very low alcohol presence. Good compliment to the taste. 4

(Overall) A very good quality IPA. Malt heavier than most but worth trying. Get some. 3.5

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2012 00:24:17 | More by Jadjunk

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A-amber with a nice thick cream colored head. good lacing

S-smells really good. quality blend of citrus, herbs, and hops. creamy as well.

T-comes in with a great and bitter blend of citrus and hops. its very creamy and smooth! i'm impressed. the after-taste is mostly grainy tasting but stays creamy and smooth. this is actually a slightly complex and extremely well balanced IPA! the bitterness i subtle but great.

M-creamy medium to low carbonation with a creamy finish.

O-i'm really impressed with this beer. not sure if its super fresh or what but it tastes awesome. this is the kind of IPA that will reaffirm anyone's faith in hops. its a nice treat because i've been having a lot of disappointing IPAs lately. search this one out!

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2012 20:00:04 | More by AdamBear

ThickNStout

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Growler from Moondog Growlers (Marietta, GA). Served in a Southern Tier snifter. 

Pours a clear amber orange with 2.5 fingers of pillowy off white head. Nice consistant lacing the whole way down. 

Smells of citris and piney hops. Quite nice. 

Great smooth grapefruity hops hit up front. Bitter but not abrasively so. Sweet biscuit-like flavors in the middle. The aftertaste is mildly bitter piney hops. Very enjoyable flavors rest on the tongue for quite a while. 

Medium bodied with good carbonation. Very mildly resinous. 

This is a really nice IPA. Smooth and very drinkable. It's taken me too long to give it a try. Red Brick has really been stepping up their game over the past year or so. If you're a fan of the Sweetwater IPA, you should check out Hoplanta.

Serving type: growler

02-18-2012 03:12:32 | More by ThickNStout

busterwhite

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark orange with a 1 finger head and slight lacing. Hazy with some sediment.

Smells of pine and bitter citrus.

Taste of sharp bitterness up front, pine and grapefruit rind. No real balance from the malt, bitter finish and aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is a little thin.

Overall this is bitter start to finish. Like chewing on grapefruit rind. Not balanced and not very complex.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 02:02:52 | More by busterwhite

Tilley4

Tennessee

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this new arrival up today as Red Brick is solid and I've never seen their IPA round these parts...

Pleasant nose of grapefruit hoppiness and bready malts... Smells fairly balanced with a slight edge given to the hops... Nice aromas...

Brew shines here with a nice does of the malts that are quickly walloped by a big does of bitter citrusy hop presence... Very similar in nature to Sweetwater IPA which is one of my favorites... No booze present at all...

Awesome drinkability on this... I plan on enjoying several of these today... Nice drinking IPA that hits all the right spots... Well done...

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 20:08:03 | More by Tilley4

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.48/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle served in a Portsmouth pint glass. Best by date reads 2/9/12, so this might have a little time on it.

A: Pours a yellowy orange color with a finger of bright white tight bubbled head. Lots of yeasty fragments in the brew and some hop haze. There are some carbo bubbles from the bottom of the glass. Sticky lacing.

S: I don't get much from the nose. I get some fruity hop presence and some sweet malts below the head. That is pretty much it.

T: The tip of the tongue immediately gets coated in a smooth hop bitterness. It's mostly pine that I get. In the middle of the mout you get some spiciness along with the malts. It's different, not bad just different than I have had before. The finish is crisp and dry.

M: Medium bodied with a solid mouth coating.

O: I'd go B or B- (appearance wasn't that great) on this one. It's a nice little offering but nothing TOO special.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 23:10:21 | More by inlimbo77