HGH Part Duh
Oskar Blues Grill & Brew

HGH Part DuhHGH Part Duh
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From:
Oskar Blues Grill & Brew
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
American Strong Ale
ABV:
8%
Score:
93
Avg:
4.28 | pDev: 14.49%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
21
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 28, 2014
Added:
Dec 01, 2011
Wants:
  11
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 2 by Fohdawg from North Carolina

Jun 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by MinorThreat from Nebraska

Dec 12, 2013
 
Rated: 4.4 by rkarimi from Colorado

Jul 06, 2013
 
Rated: 5 by Packard from Colorado

Mar 04, 2013
Photo of claspada
Reviewed by claspada from New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Canned November 2011.

Pours a clear, medium amber color with a rather large off-white creamy head that recedes to leave patchy, streaky, long-lasting lacing.

Aromas begin with resiny, medicinal, piney and citrusy fruit-forward hops. There is a light toasted malt backbone but only serves a vessel for the big hops.

The tastes follow the nose with a slightly sweet candy maltiness but then the grapefruit, pine and blood orange hop flavors take over and dominate with bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. Finish is fairly abrassive and bitter and this is a year old...

Overall this reminds me a great deal of Lukcy 13 from Stone. It's like a big Imperial Red Ale but the hops were a bit too resinous and bitter for my liking, would like to have had more flavor and late hopping but that is just my personal preference for all hop forward beers.
Nov 26, 2012
 
Rated: 4.25 by JMBSH from Colorado

Nov 14, 2012
Photo of bmmortale
Reviewed by bmmortale from California

4.97/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Had on tap at Mahaffeys for Oskar Blues Beer and Cheese Pairing on 1/26/12 (this one was paired with an aged Manchego if anyone cares).

A: poured a slightly hazy deep orange-brown, one finger of a cream colored head.

S: fresh hops at the forefront, with a bit of malty booziness in the background. consistent orangey-citrus popping with the carbonation.

T: resinous hops that are quickly balanced by a fruity maltiness. absurdly fresh tasting. notes of grapefruit, mango, orange.

M: velvet. low-moderate carbonation, but sticky-sweet from the hops.

O: one of the best beers I've ever had. The rep from Oskar Blues called it a double IPA, but I think the "strong ale" classification is probably more appropraite, as it blends the delicious fresh-hops of a quality IPA with a generous serving of malt. Was also told by the rep that it was the last remaining keg he was aware of in the US so I made sure to go back to mahaffeys for 4 more before it kicked. Can't wait to see what Part 3 turns in to.
Jul 19, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by NWer from Washington

May 13, 2012
Photo of katan
Reviewed by katan from Colorado

4.4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
A - pours a deep orange color, farily hazy. head formation is light, carbonation seems low.

S - Fairly fruity, lots of esters. Little bit of american hops, piney and earthy.

T - Easy drinking - very smooth and sweet. Carbonation is relatively light. Lots of esters, but you wouldn't much feel like its hoppy.

M - Smooth and creamy. Light amount of carbonation, goes off smoothly.

O/D - A good beer, a really great offering with their home grown hops..
Apr 21, 2012
 
Rated: 4.25 by muchloveforhops3 from Montana

Apr 04, 2012
Photo of Neorebel
Reviewed by Neorebel from New Jersey

4.88/5  rDev +14%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Pours a healthy toasted orange color, with a distinctive gold tint to it. It is translucent and cloudy, however no individual particles of sediment are visible. A pillowy, cream colored head of foam tops the brew and it seems to be retaining itself quite nicely. Later when I drank a significant portion there was thick lacing present on the glass. When I inhale the aroma I instantly get that nice resinous hop character, but this is probably the most sweetness I have noticed accompanying it. This sort of juicy fruit aroma really jumps out - I am imagining apricot, clementines, grapefruit, kiwi, mango, and strawberry. This is going to be tangy! Must have some decent malt flavor in there. Now for the taste! Wow - this is certainly different. It has a smooth, somewhat light mouth feel that caught me off guard, considering the fact that this is a strong ale, and starts off with a big, sweet, malty fruit flavor - almost like an APA. The finish consists entirely of that pleasant hop bitterness, similar to what you would get with a DIPA. It warms and tingles on the way down. Very satisfying. No hint of the strong ABV as one sips... perfect! This beer, to me is a combination of some of my favorite beer characteristics. It really exudes freshness and was a unique treat, especially since I got hooked up with this out of state!
Mar 14, 2012
 
Photo of StoneTSR
Reviewed by StoneTSR from Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
APPEARANCE: Burnt orange and very cloudy with a thick, off-white head of about three quarters of an inch. The head has pretty solid retention and settles into a quarter-inch cap while leaving a frothy ring of lace around the top of the glass. That lacing continues throughout the rest of the glass and leaves a very, very solid and thick layer of foam all the way down the back of the glass.

SMELL: The smell is gorgeous – a lot of bitter grapefruit and citrus with a little banana and resinous pine in the background.

TASTE: After the smell, this is not at all what I expected, but the surprise was not bad. This is a ton maltier than I anticipated with caramel and sweeter tropical fruits (mango, a touch more banana) lead the way. This does not, however, mean that the hops are in hiding. They are present in full force throughout the sip providing a nice bitter balance to the sweet malts.

MOUTHFEEL: If a beer was ever a beer smoothie, I think this would be it. It is creamy up front with a lot of fruit, but the hops are resinous and sticky, very reminiscent of Gordon (G’Knight). The light carbonation tickles the palate a bit, but never overpowers the sweet, sticky creaminess of this one. Really spot on feel for the flavor.

OVERALL: Oskar Blues nails it again, but as usual, not in the way I expected. I thought that all of the hops would make this a big, bitter and delicious IPA-like beer. Instead, it is more like a big, imperial and sweet red with a ton of hoppy backbone.
Mar 09, 2012
 
Rated: 4.5 by Mebuzzard from Colorado

Mar 07, 2012
Photo of hopfacebrew
Reviewed by hopfacebrew from Colorado

4.65/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
On-tap at Old Chicago's served in a standard pint glass. The beer arrives a murky muddy brown color with minimal head. Some retention and lacing. The aroma yields a malty base from which the citrus hop character builds. Hints of tangerine, grapefruit, and passion fruits. The flavor starts with a strong malty caramel flavor, so much so it's almost coffee rich. The hops quickly burst through and provide the citrus flavors described in the nose. Incredibly well balanced and seems to evolve as it warms. Medium bitterness. No hint of a higher abv. I am not sure how this could taste any better. Full bodied with good carbonation. Finishes creamy smooth. Overall, this was a pleasant surprise. I will be drinking this beer again, hopefully, soon. Highly recommended.
Feb 11, 2012
Photo of Bitterbill
Reviewed by Bitterbill from Wyoming

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On draught at the local Old Chicago, I had a few over a couple of days to get a proper grasp of the beer.

It poured a rusty colour with a small head of foam and very little lacing. Caveat, OC uses a nitro co2 mix.

It smelled bitter from the get go, grapefruity, tropical fruity, with a solid malt backbone.

The taste had some very "juicy" hop flavours of grapefruit and tropical fruit but as the beer warmed up, the malt got stronger and stronger. Caramel malt ended up sharing top billing with the hops and made it more American Strong Ale like and I enjoyed it even more.

This is quite the unique take on the style for me and I ended up giving it a firm 2 thumbs up. I'll be drinking more.
Jan 29, 2012
Photo of riored4v
Reviewed by riored4v from Colorado

4.2/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had this on tap at Old Chicago. Served in a standard pint glass. Hazy, burnt cooper color. Creamy, tan colored head. Good lacing

Aroma had some strong maltiness backed with a tropical hop aroma. Some caramel and toffee. Nice fresh hop aroma without overpowering the malt

Taste had some nice caramel sweetness upfront with a Orange, tropical and slightly piney grapefruit finish. Bitter, but not overly bitter. Mild roast and chocolate notes. Abv is subtle

Mouthfeel was medium/heavy body, medium carbed and lightly sticky finish

Overall really enjoyable. Loved the hop forwardness of it. Abv doesn't overpower it although I could see aging it being very good also. Really tasty hop profile.its of citrus and tropical flavors
Jan 26, 2012
Photo of TurdFurgison
Reviewed by TurdFurgison from Ohio

4.13/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
I had this on tap in North Carolina, served with some other rarish Oskar Blues offerings. The menu notes: "American strong ale made with hops from the Oskar Blues Hops & Heifers farm. 8% ABV, double dry hopped with Amarillo, Centennial, Summit, and whole Cascades. Served in NC, strange...

It's a dark burnt orange color, close to brown, with some slight haze and a creamy foam. nice nose, strong citrus and resin character which is matched somewhat by a strong malt base. Caramel competes with the hops, giving an overall impression of a massive beer (more than just balanced).

On tasting the first thing I notice is the sticky and creamy body, this stuff is pretty thick. And sticky, like the oils were plundered from the while hops. It tastes as massive as it smells, with lots of sweetness from the malts and less hops bitterness than maybe you'd expect. While I'd prefer less malts and more hops, this isn't an IPA. Pretty much they hit the mark with these homegrown hops.
Jan 25, 2012
Photo of DoubleSimcoe
Reviewed by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Oskar Blues HGH, 32-oz growler filled at Whole Foods Bowery for $7.99. A "Strong Ale juice brewed with hops locally grown at Oskar Blues". Interesting...

Appearance: Served in a Founders pint, HGH comes looking like a solid-but-average DIPA, very similar to G'Knight. Transparent amber color, good visible carbonation, solid frothy head that lasts. Some thick lacing after sipping.

Smell: Strange. I get freshly-grated Parmesan right away, plus some stinky raw-milk cheese and wild flowers. Honey, spice on the back and dry hops.

Taste: Lotta hops right away, then clover honey and spicy sweetness. Herbal, tea-like flavors. Some grapefruit, maybe, but barely a hint of that crazy-citrus flavor you find in a West Coast IPA. The malt backbone is very much like Double Bastard's.

Mouthfeel: Full flavor, medium body and carbonation. Spicy-hoppy finish, too dry for me. Water, please! That double-dry hopping is definitely present.

Overall: This thing is very drinkable and good alright, but not mind-blowing. It feels to me like drinking a Double Bastard with honey and sugar added. The sweetness is not so pleasant. Would like to try again from a can.
Jan 20, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by wdarcy77 from Massachusetts

Dec 27, 2011
HGH Part Duh from Oskar Blues Grill & Brew
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 21 ratings