Hop Screamer
BrickStone Restaurant & Brewery

 

I got a can of this off the single shelf from a Binnys near my old stomping grounds. It poured a hazy orangish with white head that is leaving some lace. The scent had overprimed notes and was tough to discern. The taste was overprimed base with bitter citrus highlights. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with fizzy carbonation. Overall it was another overprimed disappointment from Brickstone.....sorry...but they need to figure this out....

 

 

 

Pours a hazy orange with a pronounced grapefruit scent. Head is fizzy and almost looks soapy. On the first couple of sips, the carbonation practically exploded in my mouth, kind of like pop rocks. It made identifying the different flavors pretty touch. Once this beer warms to room temperature it becomes smoother and less fizzy. The mosaic hops really shine through with a nice, crisp finish.

Pours a darker chill hazed golden yellow, with slight amber notes.

Big hop aroma of floral and citrusy notes, but a noticeable malt backbone of sweet caramel and toast.

Surprisingly the malt bill really comes through considering the strong hand of hops in this brew.

Light to medium bodied, medium carbonation, crisp.

Overall, a crisp, clean and crushable brew.

This is not a good example of an IPA. Very unbalanced in that it is lacking in body and mouth feel. Over-carbonation and a very thin body make this unpleasant to drink. Made it through 1.5 cans before I dumped the rest.

 

 

Pours a hazy gold color. One inch head of an off-white color. Great retention and slight lacing. Smells of strong citrus hops, floral hops, slight wheat, slight sweet malt, and orange. Fits the style of an American IPA. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with a high carbonation level. There is also an elevated hop bitterness. Tastes of strong citrus hops, floral hops, slight wheat, slight sweet malt, hint of sloe, and orange. Overall, good aroma, but simplistic body, blend is overly orange, and too carbonated.

 

Hop Screamer pours a copper color with a big head. Big fresh floral aroma. Taste is filled with a big floral flavor with a sticky finish. Good body and finish. Overall fantastic.

 

 

12oz Can
$8.99 6-Pack
Binny's Willowbrook

Hop Screamer is a bright golden beverage. It's clear and polished with some large bubbles rushing to the surface and some bursts of microbubbles doing the same. The head is antique white and short lived. It falls to a skim coat and ring in a short amount of time. Some better retention on an IPA would be more appreciated.

The nose is big berry from the start, mostly blueberry with a hoppy sweetness that's reminiscent of vanilla. Earthy, dank and woody undertones pop up here and there. A soda bread sweetness makes up the malt base and it's just enough to bring a sense of balance. Overripe, slightly mushy pineapple brings up the rear. It's a lesson in how hops can bring a sweetness, that you don't normally expect, to the nose of a beer.

Pineapple shows up first and foremost in the flavor. It's that overripe variety that leans toward lactic sweetness to me. Berries galore in the middle. Blueberries, again, lead the way but there are some underripe raspberries and blackberries in the fray as well. Earthy, forest dank floats around the periphery. The soda bread maltiness that was in the nose is no longer as soda bready, it's just a generic sweetness, nougat maybe. Clean alcohol runs the finish.

The body is moderate in weight with a slick feel. There's not a lot of noticeable carbonation but it moves at a nice speed. The finish eventually dries out but it takes some time. The alcohol fumes help with that drying and also help accentuate the mild hoppiness. It's highly drinkable without a doubt.

Hop Screamer is a good beer. One that I've bought in the past and will buy in the future. It has it's qualities. It's bright. It's an easy drinker and it has some nice Mosaic properties. Give it a go, I say.