Hops Alligator Ale - Hops Grillhouse & Brewery

tigerpaws

South Carolina

3.25/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

IMO this is HOPS best brew. Nice deep reddish color and very nice malty aroma. Could use a little more hops but is very drinkable and try the nachos with it they are great.......CHEERS

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2002 14:43:26 | More by tigerpaws

LXIXME

New Mexico

3/5  rDev -7.4%

02-24-2013 21:46:05 | More by LXIXME

t0rin0

California

3.25/5  rDev +0.3%

10-14-2012 15:30:18 | More by t0rin0

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.1/5  rDev -35.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

On tap at the Alexandria, Virginia location.

Pours a moderate shade of brown with a thin off-white head plus a bit of a cap and collar as it settles. The nose doesn't start out too bad. There's some chocolate and roast character before a metallic presence starts to overwhelm all but the chocolate. The taste is similar. It starts out with a decent enough chocolate malt presence before being hit hard with a fairly-harsh metallic presence. Mouthfeel is overwhelmed by this. Probably the best beer I had at Hops, though it still was jot very good.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2010 11:51:48 | More by Thorpe429

erosier

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had at the Newington, CT Location

L: Pours a nice brown with black and red tints to it and a medium sized and medium bodied tan colored head that laces a bit on the way down.
S: Smells of sweet toasted malts, dark roasted malts, hints of caramel and chocolate with a slight hop finish at the end of the nose.
T: Tastes of sweet toasted and caramelized malts then a nice burnt malt with a little more chocolate than the nose let on and the finish is a nice sweet yet earthy hop finish.
M: Very smooth, fresh, perfect amount of carbonation.
D: Very drinkable, I think this is one of their best beers.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2009 11:11:36 | More by erosier

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.3/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Menu says this is a porter. Filled a bit high on a pint glass, but the beer is a pretty, dark brown color with ruby highlights.

Light nose, but it is served a bit on the cold side. Hints of expresso, raspberries, earth and figs.

Roasty, bitter and unsweetened chocolate flavors. Medium bodied and well carbonated. A bit too much chocolate malt and not enough hops, but all in all not a bad brew. Fresh tasting and passes the "could order another" test.

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2008 05:19:56 | More by twiggamortis420

Jredner

Florida

3/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

It may be the frozen mug the beertender schlupped this in without asking, but I get a very subdued aroma. Mild roastiness and caramel malts. Dark red/brown (mahagony) color with a quickly fading tan head. Caramel malt dominates the fore..mild hop bitterness and a bit nutty like a brown ale. Similar palate to a brown ale as well. Tasty, but thin with little range. They call it a porter, but it obviously isn't.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2006 03:11:11 | More by Jredner

oelergud

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Deep ruby body with a medium tan head. Good lace and decent retention, head is easily brought back through agitation.
Light toffee and caramel in the nose with some notes of nuts and faint mild hops.
Dark chocolate flavors dominate the taste. Caramel and toffee comes afterwards. Aftertaste is subdued at first but comes back in full force with strong hops and roasted coffee bean flavors.
Decent body, little coating with a dry finish.
Interesting and pleasant. Good drinkability.

-Oelergud

Serving type: growler

02-18-2006 01:25:00 | More by oelergud

SaCkErZ9

Florida

2.73/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

At the Hops Brewery and Rest. in Charlotte, NC, this beer is classified as a porter (as listed on their menu) so I am rating it based on a porter. With that said:
The appearance was one of the best things about this beer. There was a nice head that lasted throughout the drinking and their was minimal lacing.
The smell was not much to boast about. Very little in the way of hops of malt, just a beer smell.
The taste, as often happens, reflected the smell; not much.
A nice mouthfeel. Very smooth with a bit of a sticky feeling.
An average beer overall. I have definitely had better porters, but I would have this one again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2005 23:10:52 | More by SaCkErZ9

twi1609372

Florida

3.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

i was a bit suprised by this one. It had a bit of an unusual taste. but it was pretty good. went down pretty easy, not much to complain about. not as complex a malt as some of their others, but definetly more than the average mainstreal beer. enjoy!!

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2005 09:33:06 | More by twi1609372

TastyTaste

Minnesota

2.78/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Another average offering from Hops. Taste was ok, not a lot going on, pretty smooth drinking, though. A little coffee in the flavor, somewhat of a muted, watered-down flavor. Could use more of....everything. Doesn't challenge the pallette, or make you have anything mroe than a "Hey, it's not that bad" attitude.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2004 05:20:43 | More by TastyTaste

Crosling

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to the Hops Grillhouse and Brewery for serving a minor. Deep brown in color with hints of ruby when held up to the light. Poor head retention with little to no lacing. Served way too cold.

The aroma was very bad! Not much to speak of. No hop presense in the aroma. Barely anything.

Very low hop presense which is the low point of the beer but a full malt body makes up for it. Hints of chocolate, alcohol, roasted coffee and roasted malts. A really "sweet" porter. Smooth finish but a little too smooth. Needed more of a hop bite on the tongue.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2003 15:21:55 | More by Crosling

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Note...This beer is listed as a porter on their literature. It reads:
"A rich mahogany-colored porter with a surprisingly smooth finish. Malt: Pale Ale, Dark Chocolate, Carapils, Caramel
Hops: Willametter, Cascade"

The beer arrived a dark brownish-black with ruby highlights and a very persistent head. The aroma is chocolate malt and the flavor is chocolate and coffee. The finish is dry chocolate and the beer is medium bodied.

This is the best beer they had on tap at the time of my visit.

(Sampled at the Charleston location)

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2003 01:37:11 | More by GCBrewingCo

OldFrothingSlosh

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A lovely deep, dark brown in color, with a thick tannish-colored head that really laced the glass nicely. Aromas a veiled...tough to pick out. Some notes of roasted chocolate and nuts. Slightly sweet aroma noted as well. Initially, this was way, way too cold to drink. The flavors were almost non-existent. Once it warmed up, the roasted nuttiness and dark bittering chocolate take hold. Tasted almost like a porter. Finished with a slightly bittering aftertaste. Highly-carbonated and somewhat on the thin side. Not as creamy as expected. Average drinkability. Probably the best Hops beer for me.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2003 22:27:33 | More by OldFrothingSlosh

SetarconeX

Florida

2.98/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 1 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A wonderfully dark brew, and nice and thick to boot. It did, however, have a massive problem. It had an overwhelming metallic stink of copper, which bled over into the taste. This should have been a tasty brew, and indeed was drinkable if I held my nose, but the coppery scent all but ruined the beer. Hey, at least I had proof it was really made in those giant copper vats.

Had this one in Gainesville Fl, and I expect it's a local problem. If you're at a different Hops, by all means order it. Just be aware it may not always be great.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2003 08:07:59 | More by SetarconeX

Running4beer

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown in color with a thin off white lace. Not strong in the aroma area but could pick up some chocolate malt. Pretty good flavor IMO, caramel, chocolate and a nutty taste in there. Smooth mouthfeel and the flavors make this a tasty and easily drinkable brew. This was a pretty good brew IMO.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2003 16:37:35 | More by Running4beer

AtLagerHeads

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A nice beer with a good look. A very rich mahogany tone meets the drinker and leaves a very great lace from a minimal head. From what I could tell the head was slightly off-white and a bit creamy. A very smooth mouthfeel sense is given off and the slightly smoky taste is very pleasant and reminds of a light porter. I liked the grain sense, but was not fond of the slightly sour start. Gave off a malt nose.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2003 19:05:23 | More by AtLagerHeads

bditty187

Nebraska

2.68/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Somewhat red, somewhat tan… overall a pretty good-looking beer. Fair white head. What smell? If I were blindfolded I would have swore it was water. There is a good hops bite to it, kind of weak in flavor though, not complex at all. Even though the beer tastes good I thought it was a tad hash and not very enjoyable. I doubt I'd go back for the beer.

Alligator Ales bites... sorry I had to go there.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2002 16:40:06 | More by bditty187

StevieW

Florida

3.8/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a beer Hops can hang thier hat on. Nice deep amber to medium brown color. Head was tan, bubbly and stayed long enough to leave a positive impression. Nice toasted barley and malt taste. Some subtle chocolate malt as well, even noticable shot of hops to clean the finish up. Medium bodied, looked good in a glass. IMO, by far the best of their year round offerings. However, I think their flying squirrel nut brown ale, is as good as any.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2002 14:13:38 | More by StevieW

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.18/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had to bury my nose deep to get the aroma, and this ale was a little more carbonated than I thought it should be, but it had a great finish and was easy to drink. Definitely their best offering, unless the Lumberjack Oatmeal Stout is in season.

Serving type: on-tap

07-12-2002 07:45:23 | More by Dogbrick

packetknife

Idaho

3.3/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Toasted, cooking chocalate, sweet enough. I've noticed it was much better up north than in Florida. The best major brew-resturant beer I've had.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2002 19:34:02 | More by packetknife

Brent

Kentucky

3.6/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A pretty good brown, perhaps favoring slightly to a red style. Pleasant malt, with just a little floral note in the hops. Good with the restaurant's steaks and worth ordering if you are there.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2002 17:46:26 | More by Brent

inebrius

Michigan

3.6/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark amber with a minimal tan head. Toasted malty nose. Sweet malt predominates with a hint of hop bitterness to finish. Slightly above average easy-drinking brown.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2002 14:16:23 | More by inebrius