Hop Warrior - Ice Harbor Brewing Company

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The Hop Warrior from Ice Harbor is a very tricky IPA. The beer pours a hazy straw color with almost no head...but what is there is lacing. The smell is mostly a tangerine/bitter citrus. The taste starts with a fresh hop...then turns to a sharp citrus to a wierd twang then to a bitter spice. The mouthfeel is full with minimal carbonation. Overall its a big beer....only one for me please.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 22:22:09 | More by WoodBrew

johnnyboy76

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev +6.2%

05-20-2013 02:00:46 | More by johnnyboy76

weerezboy

Washington

4/5  rDev +13.3%

03-06-2013 21:36:08 | More by weerezboy

strongaf

Washington

3.75/5  rDev +6.2%

01-17-2012 19:51:12 | More by strongaf

beerman207

Kentucky

3.68/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Another selection from Seattle.

A: Cloudy Orange- white Fluffy head -No lacing

S: Hops, orange zest, caramel apple. Malt

T: orange starts out and hops bitterness hits soon often. A bit of malt in the Finish

M: Dry and medium carbonation

O: this is a decent offering. Good Sumner IPA

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 01:35:55 | More by beerman207

woemad

Washington

3.4/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Big-ass 22oz bottle purchased at Yoke's in the Kennewick highlands. According to the label, this has now dropped to 8%abv. This beer is new to me in bottled form, but I've had this many times on tap at the IH brewpub, and have scuttled out of there more than once with a growler of it as well. The label seems a bit more "industrial" looking than the labels of IH's other beers. Sadly, there's no freshness date on it, which should be a requirement for all hoppy beers.

Poured a hazy golden amber color, with a big, white bubbly head that took its time settling, and left lots of lace.

Big, citrus hops are up front in the nose. Smells like Amarillo hops were used liberally.

The taste is dominated by hops that are pretty up front, with a combined bitter and fruity blast to the tastebuds. From that point, however, there's not much else going on. Seems like more of a malt backbone is needed. Big pucker fractor at the swallow, its pretty dry at the end.

Medium bodied, with a drier, more prickly mouthfeel than I was expecting. I had thought to encounter an oily, hop-resiny feel, but that's not the case.

A mediocre Imperial IPA, and one that does not match my experiences with this beer when I've had it on-tap. This may be too old. I'll continue to drink it fresh when I visit the brewpub whenever I'm in Kennewick, but I'll be a lot more hesitant to get another bottle of this.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2011 02:53:30 | More by woemad

Flightoficarus

Washington

3.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Seems like I've been on a local beer buying kick lately, so...here goes trying one of them!

Side note: The bottle lists this beer at 8.1%, even though it says 9% here.

A - Pours a cloudy, slightly dull, orange-ish gold hue, with a somewhat small head, leaving moderate lacing.

S - Smell is of caramel drizzled mangos, pineapple, and piney hops. Not quite as strong as I was expecting, but pleasing nonetheless.

T - Taste is of semi-bready caramel malts, with mixed citrus fruits (mostly mango, orange), and a strong, piney bitterness that lingers. This will most undoubtedly please die-hard hop fans, but I felt it could use a bit more balance and flavor. Not bad though!

M - This beer is medium-bodied, with modest carbonation, and a slick, oily feel that complements the bready malt texture.

D - I do gotta say though, although this stuff is pretty potent, it's reasonably quaffable too.

Overall - Not a bad DIPA, but not a remarkable one either. The name certainly isn't false advertising though. Die hard hop fans looking for a strongly bitter ale will probably love this stuff. Overall, it's an ok DIPA that I wouldn't turn down. But in the PNW where there are many better DIPA options available, it's hard to make this one a go-to choice.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2010 08:23:57 | More by Flightoficarus

jdense

Oregon

3.6/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle purchased at brewery shared with local beer buddy 11.29.10.

One finger billowing white head, fairly quick dissipation with slightly above average lacing. Hazy orangish amber body, not sure if unfiltered or bottle conditioned, the glass I had at the brewery over lunch was much clearer, no visible carbonation. Nose is primarily mild citrus and some caramel/crystal malts for balance. Taste mirrors nose, distinct citrus aromas, mild grapefruit, some sweetness in middle, leading to a lingering noble bitter finish. Not much complexity to hop profile re only using one (Warrior) variety. Mouthfeel is medium, not much effervescence. Drinkability is ok, but I was surprised at the lack of complexity of the bottled version. Wonder if this has been sitting around a bit too long and the hops have faded. I prefer the tap version.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2010 16:08:20 | More by jdense

RJLarse

Washington

3/5  rDev -15%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at the marina brew pup, served in a small (12 oz) glass due to the ABV which according to the waitress was "almost 10."

Pours a rich gold color and is hazy. The glass is topped with a small creamy white head.

Smell is faint and predictably piney.

Taste is a strong hop flavor and not much else. There is no malt presence to speak of. A real bitter heat sensation.

Mouthfeel is mildly carbonated and a bit watery. Lingering bitter aftertaste.

Drinkability is just average. It's over priced at $5.00 a glass. I'd skip this one in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2008 17:34:47 | More by RJLarse

dnichols

Washington

2.42/5  rDev -31.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

We sampled a couple of ounces a few weeks ago when touring the brewery...now that it has aged and is on tap we returned to the brewery pub to properly sample it.

A: It poured a bright yellow with a ting of ruby, a bone-white head and nice lacing.

S: WOW!! The floral hops pop from the glass and punch you in the nose. Based on the aroma alone it deserves the imperial designation. The massive hop head makes detecting the sweet malts difficult if not impossible. It is very one dimensional...even if by intent its limited complexity is a downer.

T: Hops, hops and more hops. This brew is a pop heads delight. It is aggressively bitter, has a biting spice flavor and when ever any sweetnesses peaks through it is killed by the army of hops deployed in earning its name. It reminds me of a recent trip to Toppeninsh, WA to view the hop harvest. I popped a hop flower in my mouth...BAM...I was in hop hell. Over the top.

M: Light body with a bitter hoppy front, middle and end. Warm, bitter and sour aftertaste.

D: One and done. I am less than impressed.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2007 23:24:58 | More by dnichols

RedDiamond

Oregon

4.13/5  rDev +17%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presumably Hop Warrior uses Warrior hops, yes? Either way, this seasonal imperial is brewed to unapologetic extremes with a bright hop aroma that is floral, spicy, and potent. Ice Harbor deploys the Warrior in a stemmed wine glass that soon racks up a sizable measure of tightly clinging lace, though the body is nearly devoid of rising bubbles.

This amber-gold double IPA is a virtual hops war in a glass, yet the body doesn’t suffer from astringency or excess tannins and a modest register of sugar residues suggests Warrior must have started with a gargantuan OG. An intense, smack-you-in-the-face citric flavor makes you wish for a chaser of fresh water. But don’t let that hold you back. It takes a warrior to face The Warrior. Just proceed with caution.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2007 21:29:35 | More by RedDiamond