Hop Explosion | Allentown Brew Works
Brewed by:
Allentown Brew Works
Pennsylvania, United States | website
Style: American IPA
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by Deuane on 11-23-2007
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Reviews: 57 | Ratings: 212
Reviews by beermanbrian:
More User Reviews:
3.38/5 rDev -9.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.54/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.9/5 rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
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.
★ 945 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
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.
★ 945 characters
3.37/5 rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
On-tap at the brewpub.
I like my hops, but this beer doesn't do it for me. It reminds me of Weyerbacher's Hops Infusion which has a lot of harsh bitterness without enough redeeming flavor. In this case it tastes like I've got hop leaves and vines in my teeth - just too earthy. The appearance, I should add, is on the dark side of golden and there's a short white head. If you like your hops unbalanced, this one's for you.
★ 424 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
On-tap at the brewpub.
I like my hops, but this beer doesn't do it for me. It reminds me of Weyerbacher's Hops Infusion which has a lot of harsh bitterness without enough redeeming flavor. In this case it tastes like I've got hop leaves and vines in my teeth - just too earthy. The appearance, I should add, is on the dark side of golden and there's a short white head. If you like your hops unbalanced, this one's for you.
★ 424 characters
3.79/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
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.
★ 164 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
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.
★ 164 characters
3.53/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a cloudy orange/golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is dominated by hops. Taste is well balanced hops and malts, a bit of pine, good amount of bitterness. Very easy drinking. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a pretty good beer.
★ 286 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a cloudy orange/golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is dominated by hops. Taste is well balanced hops and malts, a bit of pine, good amount of bitterness. Very easy drinking. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a pretty good beer.
★ 286 characters
3.7/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours an orange amber hie with a good medium off-white head with some lacing. Aroma and Taste is sweet caramel malt with some piney citrus hops, grapefruit. Palate is a medium body with mild carbonation. Finish is caramel malt, some yeast, some fruity citrus and grapefruit notes ending with some good dry bitter hopped piney citrus hops for balance. Flavor and aroma of malt, and yeast come out more as it warms up. Overall a good IPA
★ 435 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours an orange amber hie with a good medium off-white head with some lacing. Aroma and Taste is sweet caramel malt with some piney citrus hops, grapefruit. Palate is a medium body with mild carbonation. Finish is caramel malt, some yeast, some fruity citrus and grapefruit notes ending with some good dry bitter hopped piney citrus hops for balance. Flavor and aroma of malt, and yeast come out more as it warms up. Overall a good IPA
★ 435 characters
3.53/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: A pale rustic orange shows a well established fill of effervesce. The head is the crowning achievment here, a solid 2+ fingers of bubbly foam that is light beige in color, frumpy in texture, with a strong shellacking of patchy foam work on the vessel walls.
S: Fresh grass and pepper arrive on the nose first with a dash of pepper, dry citrus and a touch of munich dry toastiness. Celery and flowers with a strength that was kinda light for a cautionary warning.
T: The hops didn't seem much at first but do gain some strength and momentum towards the swallow. Dry toasted grain and dry toasted citrus peel. A bit of peppercorns, pine and oregano comes with a warm toasted flowery bitterness. The hops pick up a bit more upon warming but still fall somewhat short of a hop explosion.
M: Malty mouthful, toasty warmth, decent level of bitterness.
O: Overall with a name like hop explosion you better bring the hop bang. It doesnt dissappoint, but doesnt exactly live up to its billing as well, more of a m-80 then a explosion. Love the chinook and tomahawk hops but there are most better examples of thier usage (arrogant bastardfor chinook & mikkeller single hop for tomahawk.)
★ 1,188 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: A pale rustic orange shows a well established fill of effervesce. The head is the crowning achievment here, a solid 2+ fingers of bubbly foam that is light beige in color, frumpy in texture, with a strong shellacking of patchy foam work on the vessel walls.
S: Fresh grass and pepper arrive on the nose first with a dash of pepper, dry citrus and a touch of munich dry toastiness. Celery and flowers with a strength that was kinda light for a cautionary warning.
T: The hops didn't seem much at first but do gain some strength and momentum towards the swallow. Dry toasted grain and dry toasted citrus peel. A bit of peppercorns, pine and oregano comes with a warm toasted flowery bitterness. The hops pick up a bit more upon warming but still fall somewhat short of a hop explosion.
M: Malty mouthful, toasty warmth, decent level of bitterness.
O: Overall with a name like hop explosion you better bring the hop bang. It doesnt dissappoint, but doesnt exactly live up to its billing as well, more of a m-80 then a explosion. Love the chinook and tomahawk hops but there are most better examples of thier usage (arrogant bastardfor chinook & mikkeller single hop for tomahawk.)
★ 1,188 characters
3.85/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Served on handpump at Al's. Dry-hopped with Citra and Chinook.
A: The IPA is a golden amber color, bright and surprisingly clear. A finger of white head, thick for a cask, comes with the pour but does not lace.
S: The nose is hoppy, cask-ified, with a clear citra component. Besides the orange, the chinook hops add a piney aroma.
T: Mmmm citra. Have I mentioned my fondness for this particular hop? It's citrusy bite, fresh orange, is very enjoyable. Besides the citra, the chinook adds a resiny flavor. Both crowd out the original IPA body, leaving only a caramel base behind. The citra isn't as forefront as I'd prefer, but it makes the ale work.
M: The mouthfeel, hops and all, is nice. The citra pushes the ale to a new level. The cask version isn't shy on flavor, allowing the bitterness to come through in spades.
★ 825 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Served on handpump at Al's. Dry-hopped with Citra and Chinook.
A: The IPA is a golden amber color, bright and surprisingly clear. A finger of white head, thick for a cask, comes with the pour but does not lace.
S: The nose is hoppy, cask-ified, with a clear citra component. Besides the orange, the chinook hops add a piney aroma.
T: Mmmm citra. Have I mentioned my fondness for this particular hop? It's citrusy bite, fresh orange, is very enjoyable. Besides the citra, the chinook adds a resiny flavor. Both crowd out the original IPA body, leaving only a caramel base behind. The citra isn't as forefront as I'd prefer, but it makes the ale work.
M: The mouthfeel, hops and all, is nice. The citra pushes the ale to a new level. The cask version isn't shy on flavor, allowing the bitterness to come through in spades.
★ 825 characters
Hop Explosion from Allentown Brew Works
3.75
out of 5
based on 212 ratings.
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Growler from Brass Rail Deli.
Copper color with a nice frothy off white head. Good lacing and some nice retention. Smell is very citrusy, oranges and grapefruit stand out. The taste slides into the piney notes with real strong grapefruit. Bitterness puckers your cheeks just enough. This is a world class west coast style from and east coast brewery. This is the best brew i've had from Allentown/Bethlehem Brew Works. Nice job guys.
★ 435 characters