Modus Hoperandi - Ska Brewing Co.

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.88/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

... got this as an extra a while back... shared with Steven..

Poured into my small La Trappe glass.. great 1" white head atop a hazy orange/copper brew... good leopard spot lace.

Nose is pretty piney with a fair amount of caramel sweetness.. smells pretty fresh..

Flavor has a nice bitter backbone that flows into some pale malt puddles and then a bright citrus hops open up with some minor pine... some yeasty fruitiness is pleasant and reminds me of peach skin... The body is verging on DIPA territory without the expected complexities... this is definitely a big-boned IPA... plenty of maltiness to carry all the hop flavors from front to back ...that means a pretty damn big body too.. the carbonation seems on the light side given the body, but it's not completely out of whack.. the caramel maltiness becomes a bit too much for me toward the end of the glass... pretty oily citrus finish.

4.5/4/4/3.5/3.5

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2009 09:11:36 | More by JohnGalt1

hoplover82

Texas

5/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A-I really don't think you can get any better than this beautiful alure of this gorgeous IPA. It pours a clear, deep golden color with a hint of amber.It boasts a large off white head that has excellent retention and strong, luscious lacing all the way down the glass. It's a looker for sure.

S-Huge aroma of scrumptious pine hops finds it's way to my nose first, then the slight sweetness of both pale and caramel malts come next and quite underneath, but not hidden. The nose also is very floral as well as piney. Very nice. I don't think the aroma could be improved any either. So far this is a winner. Very impressive

T-And the flavor has a HUGE hop character as well. Pine first, then slightly floral and a bit sweet caramel in the finish. Of coarse there is a big, bold bitterness that is very clean and refreshing that makes me want to drink more and more of this wonderful IPA.

M-This had a full, creamy body that coates the mouth well and a wee tad bit of dryness in the finish. Perfect!

D-I could slowly session this all night long and be very happy. Please, if you haden't had this IPA yet, you need to go and find it and buy it. This is what an IPA should be like. It's very rare that I give a perfect score on any given beer, but this one deserves it, for real. Very impressed indeed.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2009 03:43:08 | More by hoplover82

webbcreative

Oklahoma

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured dark honey-orange color, with 2 finger white head. Smell on this is incredible, big piney, citrusy hops, with sweet carmel malt in there to round it out. I could smell this all day! If it taste half as good as it smells, this will be a winner winner chicken dinner. Taste - when i took the initial sip and this nectar hit my tounge, i thought, wow, this has a really nice sweet carmel malt taste, then i breathed in and the brew washed over my tounge into the back of my throat, i thought, Whoa this is one hoppy beer, and where did all those sweet malts go....oh there they are...barely. When the beer first hit my tounge i really thought this was going to be a bit malt forward, or at the least a pretty well balanced IPA, then it turned into this bitter beast that never let my tounge go! I actually wish there was just a little bit more body to this beer, durin my initial drink i thought it was a tad on the watery side, but i think the bitter hops took control and i soon forgot all about that.

Overall, if you crave, and i mean CRAVE big piney, citrusy hops, like a grapefruit and an orange mated and you sucked on the rind continually....then you need to go out and try this beer, I talk about the hops in this beer as its a bad thing, but actually it is really pretty nice, it has Juuust enough malt in there to keep this thing from ripping your face off!

also....i just noticed I am the 100th review of this beer! It means absolutely nothing, I just thought it was cool...for no reason whatsoever.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2009 00:57:30 | More by webbcreative

Haybeerman

Colorado

4.18/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Clear red/brown with copper edges. Poured a 2 finger bubbly tan head with good retention to a rocky cap. Sticky lacing in thick rings.

S: Big floral hops; citrus, pine and grapefruit

T: Grapefruit up front. Pine and slightly sweet caramel malt follow. Light malt sweetness lingers to a bitter finish.

M: Medium body. Medium carbonation. Smooth and coating resiny hops.

D: Very tasty and very easy to drink. A very sessionable AIPA.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2009 17:46:54 | More by Haybeerman

Wegbier

Colorado

3.33/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

this is a proper copper ale with light carbonation and whip cream head, it is a stubborn and strong sticky big head that doesnt give up. the fluffy head sits a half inch above the glass.

grassy piney kiwi hops in the smell, spicy and sweet. a little lightly toasted bread.

piney oranges in the taste, slightly sweetened by the malt, but not actually balanced by it. bitter! almost like the pine cones are still in there with the fresh pine scent.

oily smooth to scratchy bitter

this is a one in a night kind of beer, it might not be so rough on tap. leaves unpleasant lasting bitter.

cool to try but not on my shopping list.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2009 04:59:12 | More by Wegbier

Gavage

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: clear orange in color with a 2" head that lasts. Some spotty lacing develops during the session.

Smell: grapefruit, hint of pine, and some soft fruity sweetness.

Taste: bready malt character, caramel, grapefruit, lemon zest, soft pine, red apples, and a nice bitterness.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied. Lighlty crisp at the start, lightly crisp and a bit dry at the finish. Aftertaste focuses on the bitterness and citrus.

Drinkability: easy to consume IPA. Nicely refreshing too. Definite sessionable IPA.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2009 14:51:02 | More by Gavage

PhillyStyle

Georgia

4.4/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap, served in an Imperial pint glass, Raleigh Times, Raleigh, NC

Poured a very nice deep rich amber, not clear, with an off white, thick but light head that had good retention and when it dissolved it left a small thin cap and some very nice lacing.

The aroma was very good, citrus hops perhaps, not much else was noticeable. Very well done.

The taste was really good, not over powering, citrus hop and I think that I got some peach as well. The malted barely can be found, but very much in the background, but provides some needed balance.

Medium body, nice bitter aftertaste, smooth, creamy and rich, but not overly so, and very good drinkability. Overall, this is probably the second best American IPA that I have had, right after Bell's Two Hearted.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2009 16:28:58 | More by PhillyStyle

bfields4

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Copper effervescent body with a large lacy head.

The smell just belts out of this one. Piny hops and a sweet herbal spiciness all very hopish.

Caramel malts hit first surprisingly enough. Then there's a citrusy zest and a nice herbal quality. Grapefruit is not far behind, but the majority of the flavor lies in the piny herbal malts.

Smooth creamy ipa with just enough carbonation. Very tasty brew that will have me coming back for more.

I really think there is something about the can that just keeps the hop life, and this will be a long time staple for me anytime I want to buy more than just one IPA.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2009 02:39:02 | More by bfields4

ocelot2500

Arizona

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours an amber orange color with a thick off white head. Plenty of lacing on the glass.

Smells of a big citrus and pine flavor. A little maltiness can also be found.

Tastes of the big citrus and pine hops upfront with a good malty backbone to support it. The malt is a nice sweet caramel malt. This is not unbalanced.

The mouthfeel has a medium body with a creamy and smooth finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2009 02:27:24 | More by ocelot2500

rye726

Colorado

3.15/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours tan with a thin beige head. Nose has subtle malts and some grassy hops. The flavor profile was light and seemed a bit stale. Needed a bit more pop to it. Grainy hops and subtle malts. Body is a bit thin and under carbonated. Decent session beer from Ska.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2009 04:46:34 | More by rye726

cvstrickland

North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The 12-ouncer pours reddish-orange hued copper in color with a trim collar of fine white foam. A trace of haze in suspension catches and filters passing sunlight, darkening the heart of the drink to dimmed crimson while lightening the edges to golden amber. Fine wisps of drippy lacing mark the passing drink.

The smell is loaded to the gills with fruity hops a-go-go, splattering me in the nose with juicy notes of ripe mango, crushed lime, and succulent golden pineapple augmented with a bracing streak of pungent juniper-piney evergreen.

Toasted caramel malt with a trace of char forms the backbone of Modus Hoperandi's flavor-base, allowing grassy, dryly-citrusy bitterness to take command of the drink mid-swallow. A pinch of bitter lemon zest, a dash of powdered pine rosin, and a nug of sticky cannabis linger in the aftertaste.

The drink is medium-bodied and refreshing on the palate with just the right amount of near-perfect carbonation. Highly quaffable; Modus Hoperandi is definitely one of my favorites yet from Ska Brewing.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2009 14:14:24 | More by cvstrickland

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

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

Modus Hoperandi, Ska Brewing Company

Hazy, deep orange, nearly crimson, smallish white head.

Grapefruit, pine, and citrus pith in the nose, not too loud, but perky and delightful.

Taste: citrus zest blasts the palate, mixed well with caramel malt, sweetness up against bitter. Delicious. Mildish mouthfeel, cool and even, but with never-ending bitterness hanging in there, riding right along. Bright fruit, orange, lemon, grapefruit, bumps up against tasty malt.
Great balance. Nice.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2009 22:02:14 | More by feloniousmonk

dmamiano

West Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nice copper hue with a one finger head. Mild carbonation rising to the top of the glass.
Strong hits of citrus on the nose, namely fresh cut grapefruit. Nice mix of sweetness from the malts as well.
Taste is once again hop dominated. Balancing malts trying to fight the hops but are losing this one.
Bitter in the end as expected.
This one is a keeper.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2009 00:51:53 | More by dmamiano

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One of the coolest labels and beer names I have seen, veeery nice. Pours a fairly cloudy amber color with a nice coating of fine-bubbled light beige head. Foam recedes slowly and leaves behind some nice lace patterns.

Bright citrus and tropical aroma with a fairly substantial malty base. Something in there has almost a nostril-clearing menthol effect for me. The nose is fresh and clean and very much smells like a west coast beer.

The hops focus as much on the flavor as the bitterness, which is the way I prefer it. The malts are sweet and grainy, and do a pretty decent job of balancing things out. The beer tastes bright and citrusy, maintaining a refreshing and drinkable quality while providing plenty of flavor. Good beer here, Ska puts out some pretty delicious stuff.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2009 18:42:12 | More by twiggamortis420

nms1987

North Carolina

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

Great bronze color. Some orange color in there too. Big soft, foamy head thought it doesn't stick around long.

Smells... hoppy. A very pure, oil-y kind of hop aroma. It is on the citric side in its hopping. Very obviously an American IPA.

Really nice body. Thick, malty and smooth but with tons of hopping. Again, it is very pure in its hop oil-y ness. Nice finish.

A very good IPA, though maybe not superdistinctive... the biggest problem with the style

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2009 00:37:14 | More by nms1987

COBeerBuff

Kansas

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked this up on our last trip to Texas. I've been looking forward to this beer for a while...

Appearance: Pours a great dark golden-copper color with a solid two finger cream colored head that looks like it wants to stay around for a while.

Smell: Pine hops, pine hops, pine hops! You can smell the bitterness of this beer, and it makes you swoon.

Taste: Some hints of citrus, but mostly hop bitterness strikes the tongue right off the bat. Many reviews mentioned a bit of maltiness, but right now, I'm struggling to pick any of that up. Maybe a tad bit on the tail end, but all in all, this is hoppiness through and through.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, hop-coating goodness for my tongue. This beer is nothing if not sticky and yummy.

Drinkability: The 6.8% ABV puts this beer on the far end of sessionable, but it is great smelling and tasting nonetheless. If this were more attainable around our neck of the woods, I could see this becoming a staple in the household.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2009 19:55:14 | More by COBeerBuff

atpben

Texas

4.18/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this nice beer at the Gingerman in Houston. Poured into a pint glass and appeared a nice hazy orange color with a medium head. Aromas of very sharp citrus and pine (which I like) and some caramel in the end. Taste was even better with more pine and citrus and other fruity flavors. Definately very smooth with medium carbonation with a nice finish. Good beer

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2009 01:20:41 | More by atpben

bbothen

California

4.13/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint glass.

Pours a clear light orange amber color with a thick, creamy, and bubbly off white head.

Subdued aromas of pine, grapefruit, floral, and herbal hop aromas. Some sweet caramel as well.

Nice sharp hop bitterness up front, pine, tropical, grapefruit, some spiciness, sweet caramel maltiness, followed by juicy hops again towards the finish. Quite tasty.

Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, slick, sticky, nice.

Sessionable for me at under %7. Gimme. The best Ska Brewing beer I tried from a "grab bag" I picked up while in AZ.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2009 23:01:25 | More by bbothen

elniko

Texas

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

Poured from bottle into pint glass. According to label bottled during third week of May.

A: Pretty deep rich amber with less head than I expected but very nice heavy lacing. Good looking IPA.

S: Surprisingly sweet on the nose. A little caramel with some piney notes as well. Quite interesting.

T & M: Taste comes across as pretty standard West Coast IPA as compared with the nose. There is some sweet maltiness up front but the finish is nice bitterness. Balance solid, slight citrus tones are apparent as well.

D: Quite drinkable, this just came to the Metroplex and I would not be opposed to buying again. Definitely the first Ska brew that I have been impressed with.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2009 22:27:46 | More by elniko

allengarvin

Texas

4.13/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer has a lovely amber-red color, with a thick, very creamy and dense head, and excellent retention. The aroma is good, with a lot of intensely citrus hops. The taste is very bitter, with plenty of resiny, citrusy hop to back up the flavor. The malt lurks far in the background. Interestingly, a fair amount of tasty fruitiness comes through. The finish is dry.

The best beer I've had yet from Ska, which has tended to the bland and undistinguished.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2009 03:15:04 | More by allengarvin

hopdog

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle acquired in trade with bu11zeye (thanks!).

Poured a medium and slightly hazy amber color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of citrus, pine and floral hoppiness. Tastes of the same floral hops, citrus and ended in a peppery spiciness. Some lacing left on the glass.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2009 23:27:39 | More by hopdog

mmcary

Texas

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First offering from Ska and I am very impressed. Picked this up along with the Lagunitas A LittleSumpin' Sumpin', together they are a nice way to start a Father's day weekend!

A- Pours a nice amber orange, darker than expected, but looks great, almost like a hazy sunset.

S- Wow, a lot going on in this one, piney, with a hint of citrus mainly grapefruit, some unusual mustiness as well, very interesting.

T- Man this is very bitter, hops up front, citrus and pine followed by a slight malt background. Not bad at all, very tasty. Not overpowered by grapefruit as many west coast IPA's can be, but it is there. Tangy and sweet, as it warms the malt comes through more.

M- Very dry and well carbonated, not to much at all, very balanced for the style.

D- Alcohol is well hidden, and the flavor makes this one very drinkable. This is one to have a few of, but the higher ABV makes it dangerous.

Overall I really enjoy this IPA, it has a great flavor and is well balanced for a west coast IPA. I will be enjoying this all summer!

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2009 19:41:29 | More by mmcary

nc41

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Just a very nice typical fruity( citrus) IPA. Looks good, pours nice, holds the head to the last drop, nice nose the taste follows. Definitely better than the average IPA out there. Not overwhelmingly anything but solid. Definitely a drinkable IPA, maybe dangerously so. Easily worthy of buying in volume, and this one could never disappoint.

Edit: On this one fresh really counts. The original review was in bottles the can version was better. Between Racer 5 and Modus they are my everyday go to IPA's.

Edit: The points keep climbing. The more IPA's I drink the more I appreciate this brew. Fresh this is 1st rate stuff equal to almost anything put there. A hair better than Racer 5 due to the citrus lick.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2009 21:20:59 | More by nc41

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.2/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tropical sunset tangerine with a gorgeous glow when backlit with morning sunshine. A little yeasty haziness would have been nice, but it looks like the beer was filtered. Up top sits a good-sized chunk of pastel orange-ivory foam that is loaded with character. It's also sticky enough to plaster the glass with gobs of lace.

Cascade, Columbus and Centennial hops do what C-hops do best... provide a big blast of citrus fruitiness and pine. Pink grapefruit and orange peel dominate. Thankfully, there's a minimal amount of caramel maltiness. This could be a good one.

It tastes like Ska's modus operandi with Modus Hoperandi was to brew a scathingly hoppy, citrus zesty American India pale ale that pays only the scantest attention to the malt side of its personality. They have succeeded. Anyone with a persistent hop itch should find that MH is a more than worthy scratcher. All 70 IBUs are used to great effect.

A (strong) hint of caramel malt isn't enough to take the flavor spotlight away from the hops. Actually, there's enough malt sweetness to smooth the potentially buzz saw-like edges off the alpha acids. Calling the beer balanced is a stretch, but it isn't unbalanced either. White grapefruit pith and bitter orange tantalize the taste buds with each large gulp. A bomber would have been just the ticket.

The mouthfeel just earns the above score. It's at least medium for the style and manages to avoid fading away too quickly on the finish. Well-buried bubbles keep things impressively smooth and borderline silky.

Other than (the great) Nefarious Ten Pin Imperial Porter and (the good) Ten Pin Porter!, I haven't been too impressed with Ska. Until now. Modus Hoperandi is a classic American IPA that does pretty much everything right. It's a sleeper. And a keeper. Drink it fresh!

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2009 12:58:02 | More by BuckeyeNation

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.15/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottled February 2009; Sampled June 2009
A soft'ish pour into my 25cl tulip glass produces a three finger thick, light tan colored head that has some staying power to it. The beer is a dark copper, amber color that shows an almost clear, full copper color when held up to the light. The aroma has a herbal and citrus note to it, though it doesn't jump out of the glass. Notes of Meyer lemon, a touch of lychee as well as some grapefruit zest notes seem to be drowned out at times by a dusty, cracker like malt note. The aroma is not bad, but it certainly isn't remotely brash like a decent IPA should be.

The beer is fairly dry, but does have some malt body to it that makes it cling to the palate just a bit. Herbal and menthol hop notes define the up front flavors and there is a biting bitterness here as well. The citrus hop notes take a distant backseat, but provide some just noticeable orange flavors. The malt character here is defined by the crystal malt which contributes a touch of toffee, some caramelized grain character and some biscuit like grain notes.

In many ways this seems a bit like a mildly hop focused Amber Ale, it does have a biting bitterness to it, but other than that the hop character is severely lacking.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2009 15:56:03 | More by Gueuzedude