Hop Bullet
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Sigmund from Norway

3.66/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

355 ml can, from bestofbeers.dk . ABV is 8.0%, Golden colour, moderate white head. Aroma of fruity, piney and spicy hops. The flavour is distinctly hoppy on a sufficient malty base. Grapefruity and spicy notes, with a resinous bitterness in the finish.

May 10, 2021

JayQue from Virginia

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

Has Sierra Nevada ever disappointed with a hoppy beer? Picked up a 12 oz bottle at Harris Teeter Supermarket 'build your own six pack" Pours an almost clear bright gold color with a big frothy head. Great head retention and thick foamy bands of lacing on the glass. A good looking beer! Aroma and taste feature piney and citrus (mostly grapefruit) hops. A traditional strong, hoppy IPA! This is not a head shrinker, just a solid hoppy beer to enjoy. Mouthfeel is crisp and bitter, No distracting alcohol presence. I suppose you could belt back a few of these, even at 8% abv, but I prefer to savor just the one. A very good beer.

Apr 01, 2021

Scotchboy from Idaho

3.7/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Surprised I've never reviewed this one; 12oz can poured into a SA Perfect Pint. Pours out a mostly clear golden color with a big fluffy off-white head; malty and piney in true SN fashion, grapefruit as well. The nose and palate showcase some traditional hops in the form of piney, grassy, and resiny notes along with some citrus peel and caramel malt. With plenty of malty sweetness and some lingering hoppy dryness, this hits like a traditional and well-executed DIPA.

Mar 29, 2021

Elemental19xx from Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Normally I'm not a huge fan of hoppy IPAs, but this one is just downright good. The hops are very strong but they dont overpower the other flavors which are pine, citrus, not sure which kinds of citrus though. There is also a sweeter note, also unclear to me what it is, but that could be because these guys are sitting at 8% and im a few in. Overall i cant see anyone who likes IPAs not liking these, but if you arent big on hops I'd still say proceed with caution but still throw one in cart if you get the chance. In my opinion these are excellent and the six pack didn't last too long (kinda like me in bed) in my fridge.

Mar 24, 2021

sethmeister from New Hampshire

4.19/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

From a mixed 12 pack marked 12/17/20.

Poured into my tulip this ale is a clear luminous golden amber and the bubbly cream colored head settles to a foamy ring, decorating the glass with fluffy lace as it goes.

Scent is pine, grapefruit, caramel, floral and citrus.

Taste is caramel, citrus, grapefruit and pine sap. Very long bitter finish much like my second marriage. Lightly charred bread crusts. Some spice. There is a touch of oniony dankness here which I love. The 8% abv is hidden deftly. Caramel sneaks in as the beer warms.

Mouth is creamy and oily with a good heft to it.

Good balance of hop flavors (citrus, resin, spice) with a firm malt base (breadcrust, caramel) making for a very satisfying West coast DIPA.

Jan 23, 2021

THE_VANDAL from Arkansas

4.49/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A load of citrus on the pour, jacked up by fragrant Magnum hops and lupulin powder. A nice grain bottom too- almost brings this to NEIPA territory, with the mix of Two-row Pale, Caramelized malts, Acidulated, Oats, and Wheat. Abundant bitters come into play too, supplied by a mix of Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Crystal, Magnum, and Idaho 7 hops. Relatively inexpensive cooler fill stuff that could easily be an all-day swallow. Dig, very much.

Jan 04, 2021

Dan2213 from Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

L: Copper orange color
S: big floral notes and a touch of pine
T: follows then nose and has a great snap of sweetness to it
F: Medium Body not too thick for a double
O: as usual, I Really enjoyed this offering from SN. Would absolutely buy again. I was surprised by how good it was

Dec 24, 2020

Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania

3.86/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Another freebie from Rafe! Never had heard of this one. Nicely dry and for Leah and I, drinkable. I was expecting a higher IBU, however. Still, a decent offering.

Dec 21, 2020

jadpsu from Georgia

4.31/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

LOOK: Pours a mostly clear gold with an all white fluffy head that has solid retention and plentiful side glass lace.

AROMA: Pine hops citrus, dank fruits with a malty base.

TASTE: Malts are sweet and provide a strong background to this delicious citrus hop beer in this Sierra Nevada offering. Not at all puckering or bitter. Smooth, not at all boozy considering the 8% ABV.

Great!
Note: After having this beer and liking it, purchased a 6 pack. I am not going to change my comments above, but suffice it to say I found the hops much more acidic, and I didn't like the beer as much.

Dec 06, 2020

Rickmeister from Virginia

4.99/5  rDev +25.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Too bad this isn't available outside a twelve-pack sampler. It's noticeably smoother and less harsh than the torpedo.
Appears golden yellow with a really beautiful foamy head that lasted for a while and fell into a nice cap.
Smells citrusy orange, grapefruit, piney.
Taste follows the nose, definitely hop forward with a malty tast
Overall, a very nice West Coast DIPA that I would definitely order again.

Nov 27, 2020

mothman from Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Can. White head. Lace. Golden color.

Hoppy, resiny, oily, dank, and weedy. Nice west coast ipa. Sticky and bitter feel. A bit of citrus.

Really solid double from SN.

Nov 27, 2020

TheBricenator from Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Look: Crystal clear burnt orange with a quickly forming head that lingers well and leaves great lacing as it recedes
Aroma: Pine, fir needles, citrus notes, bready malt, and more vegetal/plant notes that I cannot pinpoint specifically
Taste: Citrus, fir, and pine start the charge along with an almost ‘fresh squeezed’ hop cone intensity that is all held in check by a nice, sweet bready malt undertow. Classic Sierra Nevada yeast and more hoppiness along with a nice bite finish things off
Mouthfeel: Full, clean, a little slick and chewy, medium-high carbonation, and good (medium) dryness on the finish
Overall: I dig this beer. A great showcase of old school Nugget hops in a deliciously produced DIPA. I remember really enjoying this when it was new and first as a seasonal beer so glad they kept it around and that it can be found pretty fresh. A classic Double IPA with conifer/citrus/vegetal type flavors. Delicious

Oct 25, 2020

brewme from Massachusetts

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

Picked-up as part of a mixed twelve-pack at Bradford's in Plymouth for about fifteen dollars. This is a solid brew, nice price point, would get again.

Oct 19, 2020

scootny from New York

3.93/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lightly cloudy with a decent head. Some lacing here and there. Quick fade light covering remains.

Nice nose with a sweet toasted
malt. Good dose of pine and grapefruit. Longish finish with hop oil and mild malt. No trace of alcohol.

Smooth crisp mouthfeel. Creamery like carbonation. Refreshing and thirst quenching

Great drinkable brew. Easy to down a few more than is wise. Delicious.

Oct 12, 2020

harrypowers from Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a almost clear golden color with a foamy head that last a few minutes.

Smells of pine citrus and pineapple. Tastes lightly of malt, citrus and pineapple. Sips start out sweet and end with an styptic bitter finish that probably is from the lupines. The alcohol is evident.

Has a medium/light body with a watery feel. Medium carbonation.

This is a very ( dangerously ) drinkable beer. It is less hoppy than the brewer's description and , for example, their Torpedo if my memory is good. I would say it a mild West Coast IPA.

Sep 26, 2020

MrOH from Malta

4.5/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Golden with some chill haze, eggshell head, good retention and lace
Nice blend of tropical, citrus, pine, and earthy/dank hop aroma
A lot of mango, passionfruit, and citrus hop flavors on a solid malt backbone
Medium bodied, well carbonated.
Pretty damn decent.

Sep 23, 2020

schoolboy from Ohio

3.77/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I went to a different fine beverage store today (not my usual) and bought one of these that apparently is very old. Shame on them (World Wines, Mentor, Ohio). It still tastes pretty OK, though, so cudos to Sierra Nevada.

It pours slightly dirty golden with big bubbled head, but lots of it. Nice foam and lace. The aroma is nice and hoppy. The taste is hoppy and bitter and doesn't taste can-bound. Maybe a little. The aftertaste sits a bit thick and bitter. I like it. West coast, for a change.

Recommended. Maybe those dates on the bottom don't mean anything.

Sep 10, 2020

RDWHAHB_Tom from Maryland

3.55/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Info: PCKGD 2/7/2020, 12 oz. glass bottle, poured at 50*F into pint glass at sea level

L: Dull gold. Lackluster head.
S: Banana, orange zest.
T: Boozy/peppery, gin. Mellow fruit (orange/banana). Cracker.
F: Full-bodied, coarse.

O: Hops open up nicely down the glass. Satisfying mouthfeel and a good spicy zing. Expected a more hoppy nose--Pretty mellow on the hops for a DIPA, in my opinion. Well-rounded and drinks pleasantly.

Sep 06, 2020

angrybabboon from Massachusetts

4.06/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consumed 8/29/20

Deep gold with just a hint of orange, lightly hazy, medium sized off-white head that fades to small, nearly solid cap
Decidedly old-school West Coast DIPA without falling victim to some of the problems of DIPAs that were all the rage about a decade ago, big orange and grapefruit flesh, floral citrus, moderate amount of pine needles and pine resin, herbal hops, light touches of juicy pineapple and dried pineapple, hints of stone fruit, medium level of bitterness, pale malts, some caramel notes, hints of wheat
Medium body, smooth with some resinous stickiness, medium carbonation

Remember all the over-hopped, overly sweet, overly boozy West Coast IPAs that were all the rage in like 2009? This is better than most of them. It's bursting with West Coast hops, yet there is actual balance here. It brings me back to a simpler time.

Aug 29, 2020

cyclonece09 from Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Pours orange yellow with a small white head. Smells of piney and citrus hops. Tastes of piney citrus, very nice combination and very smooth. Beer is light bodied and very smooth for a double, good carbonation. Overall, a very good beer.

Aug 29, 2020

Tripel_Threat from Michigan

3.94/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle to snulip. Amber orange in color. Nice finger of foam. Herbal, earthy, grassy in the aroma. Flavors of cracker, bread Crust, citrus, pine, white pepper and herbal hops.

Aug 09, 2020

imnodoctorbut from Texas

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

pours a clear yellow gold body with a white frothy foam head that has moderately high retention and leaves occasional thick semi-sticky lacing

aroma is faint pine, sweet caramel, and zesty grapefruit. floral, citrusy, peppery.

earthy, resinous, pine and pepper and solid bready caramel malt backer sweet tinges that stick around along with the hop bitterness.

moderate carbonation and medium-light body mouthfeel. smooth, somewhat watery. resinous hop bitter aftertaste.

overall:
won't be a regular for me, though I would never pass one up if offered. solid entry.

4 points to Hufflepuff

Jul 31, 2020

HardTarget from Texas

3.86/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Supertallboy can

Appearance: Light chill haze in a bright yellow glass showing lazy carbonation trails feeding a thin white head that leaves a few spots of lacing.

Aroma: Malty base, earthy hops are pretty mild.

Taste: Hop flavor comes out stronger in the taste, firm bitter note, peppery, earthy, leafy, a little citric lemon skin note. A lot of malt base mellows the acids a bit.

Mouthfeel: Heavy body, medium high carbonation makes it a bit sudsy. Light oil in the finish.

Overall: Big, "traditional" American IPA, kind of the other end of the spectrum from the Hazy IPA profile in hop usage. It's a solid beer, no off flavors, a bit of a mix of hops from what tastes European and American varieties. A nice sipping beer.

Jul 25, 2020

Jeez from Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Very pleasant as far as double IPAs go. A characteristic fruitiness sets this one apart from other beers by Sierra Nevada. Oddly, the aroma is not as floral as some of their other IPAs.

Jul 18, 2020

Schimms from Minnesota

4.74/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured into a Spiegelau glass. Pours yellow with white head - not too thick.

L: Clear yellow, white head of minimal development.
S: Beautiful hop funk.
T: Great balance of juicy, bitter, and malt.
F: medium dry.
O: Great double IPA.

Jul 04, 2020