Hop Explosion
Allentown Brew Works

 

This is nice - but think it's a seasonal - so hard to find. We'll have to keep an eye out!!

 

 

 

 

12oz bottle into a pint glass NO freshness dating.

looks decent enough. deep coppery body with a small off white head which only slightly dissipates to a solid covering and thick ring. average lacing.

aroma is malty and slightly earthy. uh-oh, may be an old beer.

well the hops must have all exploded out of the bottle, because they are not present at all. There is a solid malt presence, a decent pepperiness initially, and a slight earthiness. This isn't too bad. But It then turns to a rough sourness which is non too pleasant.

Mouth is around medium, finish is that awful sourness.

Overall, likely an old beer and it doesn't age well at all. some old ipa's seem to evolve into a decent balance. This is not one of them. I would suggest avoiding this beer unless you are sitting at one of their brewpubs and it's on tap.

 

Just got a 12 oz bottle from a friend who doesn't like hops much. No clue how old this bottle is. Why does a brewery put "50930152B0446" in dot-matrix ink on the bottom of a bottle instead of a best-before date, or date of brewing? Maybe Allentown Brew Works thinks this beer will keep so long it can't go stale?
Anyway, I pour the bottle into a pint glass to get a good head. Looks surprisingly dark for an Indian "Pale" Ale. My SRM Beer Color Chart puts it at SRM 11, with nice turbidity and a fairly lasting head. Some lacing as I drink it down, but not quite as much as I'd like.
Smell is very barley wine, ethanol and maybe some other strange solvent, red to dark roast malt. No hops in this nose. I'd like more hops smell. Maybe it's an old bottle?
Taste is better than it looks: a nice bitter solid hop bite with large sweet malty syrup dancing around an ethanol fume you'd think more than 7% ABV for all the high-octane vibes this brew's ringing. Good hop bitter aftertaste, too.
Mouthfeel is a bit chemical, like ether, but carbonation's just right.
Not that I'd ever look a gift beer in the mouth, but I'd like to know how long ago this ale was bottled, as something tastes and smells not quite right with this nearly red ale.

 

Very nice, easy drinking IPA. Not as explosively hoppy as name suggests, if you are one who can't get enough hops.

 

 

 

Poured 12oz bottle into snifter glass. 7% abv.

Appearance- Pours a dull copper orange. Huge head over 3 fingers (too much and course bubbles). Very hazy.

Smell- Grapefruit, bready malt, pine resin.

Taste- A very fruity grapefruit taste combined with a sweet bread malt comes first. Notes of honey bring sweetness and the bitterness builds to a dank pine flavor. The pine persists on the palate through the flavor profile.

Mouthfeel- Medium heavy in body with active carbonation.

Overall- A tastey flavorful IPA that combines grapefruit with pine. The head on this beer was way too much for opening an unagitated beer. May be a carbonation bottling issue but this did not effect the taste since it was quite good for the style.

Too carbonated. Not hoppy enough. Flat finish.

 

 

 

Allentown Brew Works "Fegley's Brew Works Hop Explosion"
12 oz. brown glass bottle, no freshness dating

Appearance: Mostly clear copper-colored body. Creamy off-white head. Very good head retention and lacing.

Aroma: Boldly pungent and resinous. Earthy and herbal. Dried pine needles. Some grapefruit and pineapple. Backed by medium-dark caramel malt.

Flavor: Earthy, herbal, and piney hops dominate, followed by some grassiness across the middle. Citrus hops take a back seat in the hop profile, showing up towards the swallow. Solid caramel-accented malt base. Subtle oxidation. Bold but not brash bitterness. Finishes dry with steadily eroding malts followed by lingering herbal, earthy, and pine-like hops. Some alcohol becomes present but only towards the end of the glass.

Mouthfeel: Medium-fill in body with a crisp carbonation.

Overall: Credit for doing something a little different, rather than just going for another citrus blast.

 

 

 

 

I just want to see my deviation on this beer. I'll rameview it tomorrow after I give it more thought. Still not loving this new ranking system.... .. .

 

 

 

Did not smell good at all. Taste wasn't much better

 

This is an ok IPA. Nothing stands out about it. It is well balanced and drinkable.

 

Beginners IPA. Not good.Would not try!

 

A nice color, nice balance between malt and hops.....a piney slightly citrusy taste. I am sorry, but this is every bit as good as doghead fish 60, and I would rather drink 3 of these before 3 Pliney the elders. Good job, and its a Pennsy brew.

Not a good ipa. Rated too high

 

 

 

12/28...on tap in Allentown PA....Pours medium bronze with heavy foam. Heavy bitter in the nose. Sweet malt with a shift to a heavy bitter. Creamy. Nicely balanced.