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Naughty Or Nice
Devils Backbone Brewing Company
- From:
- Devils Backbone Brewing Company
- Virginia, United States
- Style:
- American IPA
Ranked #2,555 - ABV:
- 7.1%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #19,602 - Avg:
- 3.79 | pDev: 12.14%
- Reviews:
- 10
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 22, 2023
- Added:
- Nov 10, 2021
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good
Forget that creepy elf on a shelf – let the deer on this beer tell you what list you’re on. Each pack contains a different mix of our Naughty and Nice deer cans (not: deer bottles for 12-packs). Mostly Naughty deer? Who cares – being nice is overrated! Better start making plans for all that coal in your future. Sounds like the makings for a toasty winter bonfire! Nice deer? Congrats. You fooled everyone. May all your gifts come with receipts so you can get what you really wanted in the first place. Truth is, everyone comes out on top with our hoppy holiday IPA pack. Tell us which list you landed on using #DBNaughty or #DBNice.
Malts: Pilsner, Vienna, Malteurop Wheat, Special Aromatic, Acidulated Malt, Briess Blackprinz
Hops: Simcoe, Hallertau Blanc, Comet, Sabro, Mosaic
Dry Hop: Simcoe, Hallertau Blanc, Comet, Sabro, Amarillo, Citra
Malts: Pilsner, Vienna, Malteurop Wheat, Special Aromatic, Acidulated Malt, Briess Blackprinz
Hops: Simcoe, Hallertau Blanc, Comet, Sabro, Mosaic
Dry Hop: Simcoe, Hallertau Blanc, Comet, Sabro, Amarillo, Citra
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by HarlotBronte from District of Columbia
3.75/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
L: Clear gold body that looks to be heavily carbonated. Two finger sudsy head.
S: Guava, grapefruit
T: Grapefruit, pine, biscuity malt
F: Crisp with above average carbonation. Dry and bitter finish.
O: Good option, although cold IPAs tend to not be my favorite.
Jan 22, 2023S: Guava, grapefruit
T: Grapefruit, pine, biscuity malt
F: Crisp with above average carbonation. Dry and bitter finish.
O: Good option, although cold IPAs tend to not be my favorite.
Reviewed by brewerburgundy from West Virginia
3.81/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz can, wine glass, best by 2/18/23.
Under the dimmed lights of my kitchen I’m seeing light gold, chill haze, and a lumpy, cratered mass of foam.
Tropical fruits drive, while citrus rides shotgun and picks the tunes. Papaya, guava, pineapple, tangerine, and cat pee make appearances. The aroma is all hops, a bit juicy.
You can immediately tell the malt is thin and the beer leans dry. The hops burst like Roman candle shots, bright and exciting, momentary colors of pineapple and grapefruit. Bitterness is low to moderate and bitter alcohol quickly becomes apparent.
The finish is very clean, the body unobtrusive, and the carbonation medium-high.
This gets closer to West Coast IPA than many recent beers that claim that title. It’s a little thin, as the alcohol is relatively high with very little malt to prop up all the good hopping.
Jan 21, 2023Under the dimmed lights of my kitchen I’m seeing light gold, chill haze, and a lumpy, cratered mass of foam.
Tropical fruits drive, while citrus rides shotgun and picks the tunes. Papaya, guava, pineapple, tangerine, and cat pee make appearances. The aroma is all hops, a bit juicy.
You can immediately tell the malt is thin and the beer leans dry. The hops burst like Roman candle shots, bright and exciting, momentary colors of pineapple and grapefruit. Bitterness is low to moderate and bitter alcohol quickly becomes apparent.
The finish is very clean, the body unobtrusive, and the carbonation medium-high.
This gets closer to West Coast IPA than many recent beers that claim that title. It’s a little thin, as the alcohol is relatively high with very little malt to prop up all the good hopping.
Reviewed by edthehead from Maryland
4/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Can pour down the center of a tulip glass. Gold slightly murky color with a porous off-white head. Smell and taste is tropical and citrus fruit, hoppy, bitter. Mouthfeel is moderate with balanced carbonation.
Dec 26, 2022
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland
3.69/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Clear gold with a small white head and light lacing.
Aroma: Almost lager-like. Malts are grainy and very lightly toasted. Hops are subdued and without a strong fruity footprint. Becomes a bit more perfumed as it sits awhile.
Taste: Hops stepping it up. Spicier early on before notes of orchard fruit and pine come around. Sweetness is all but absent. Spiciness returns in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, dry and moderately bitter. Medium bodied and well carbonated.
Overall: Think this may be the first Cold IPA I've rated and was not really sure what to expect other than the hops are supposed to be showcased. Deserves a passing grade but not on the Deans List.
Dec 05, 2022Aroma: Almost lager-like. Malts are grainy and very lightly toasted. Hops are subdued and without a strong fruity footprint. Becomes a bit more perfumed as it sits awhile.
Taste: Hops stepping it up. Spicier early on before notes of orchard fruit and pine come around. Sweetness is all but absent. Spiciness returns in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, dry and moderately bitter. Medium bodied and well carbonated.
Overall: Think this may be the first Cold IPA I've rated and was not really sure what to expect other than the hops are supposed to be showcased. Deserves a passing grade but not on the Deans List.
Reviewed by MrOH from Maryland
2.89/5 rDev -23.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
2.89/5 rDev -23.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Clear gold, dense two fingers of off-white head, excellent retention and beautiful lacing
Citrus, pine and dank hop aromas, with some sulphur in the background
Tastes like a heavy duty Eastern European lager hopped like an IPA from fifteen years ago
Medium heavy bodied, could use more carbonation- it just kinda sits in your mouth
Probably looked awesome on paper.
Nov 30, 2022Citrus, pine and dank hop aromas, with some sulphur in the background
Tastes like a heavy duty Eastern European lager hopped like an IPA from fifteen years ago
Medium heavy bodied, could use more carbonation- it just kinda sits in your mouth
Probably looked awesome on paper.
Reviewed by BeerAndGasMasks from Virginia
3.78/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.78/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Green Can - Pours a clear light golden color with a nice white to just off-white head that lasts and leaves lacing. The nose gets a nice dose of piney hops. The mouth gets a a modest hint of bitterness - it seems to me this is a "nice" one.
Red Can - Pours a clear light golden color with a nice white to just off-white head that lasts and leaves lacing - possibly slightly less than the green can, but it does last. The nose gets a nice dose of piney hops. The mouth gets more bitterness (or is it that I expect more as it is in a red can??) - it seems to me this is a "naughty" one.
Nice marketing. Only with a truly blind taste test would I really know, but they do seem to be different...
Nov 20, 2022Red Can - Pours a clear light golden color with a nice white to just off-white head that lasts and leaves lacing - possibly slightly less than the green can, but it does last. The nose gets a nice dose of piney hops. The mouth gets more bitterness (or is it that I expect more as it is in a red can??) - it seems to me this is a "naughty" one.
Nice marketing. Only with a truly blind taste test would I really know, but they do seem to be different...
Reviewed by mvanaskie13 from Pennsylvania
3.61/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.61/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Poured into a grip shaped goblet: color is straw gold, transparent, head is off white and presents 1/4 inch thick, head dissipates to thin top with thin ring along the glass sides and some lacing/spotting on the glass.
Smell is clean, crisp, but not quite emblematic of an IPA even a cold one - hops are subdued and malt is light.
Taste is crisp, clean flavors: more notable IPA flavors than the aroma - crisper hops, light citrus, earth, pine, toasted malt and light biscuit.
Mouthfeel is well carbonated, moderately sweet, and moderately bitter.
Overall this does present as a cold IPA in theory with the clear presentation, crisp feel, bright hops but could use some aroma to bring the IPA style more in line.
Nov 18, 2022Smell is clean, crisp, but not quite emblematic of an IPA even a cold one - hops are subdued and malt is light.
Taste is crisp, clean flavors: more notable IPA flavors than the aroma - crisper hops, light citrus, earth, pine, toasted malt and light biscuit.
Mouthfeel is well carbonated, moderately sweet, and moderately bitter.
Overall this does present as a cold IPA in theory with the clear presentation, crisp feel, bright hops but could use some aroma to bring the IPA style more in line.
Reviewed by argock from Virginia
3.9/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.9/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
DB BEST BY 02/22/22. Poured into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint.
A: Clear golden hue with 1-2 fingers of foamy, large-bubbled head with below-average retention but copious layers of sticky lacing.
S: Aroma is general fruitiness with maybe more stone fruit and berries with a hint of pine. I get the sense that the fruitiness is more esters than hop character. The malt presence is mostly somewhat grassy pilsner malt.
T: Flavor is pretty close to the aroma but even more generally fruity — indistinct and muddled. Some candied orange, peach, blueberry, and pine round out the hop flavors. Malt flavors are lightly bready pils maltiness with light toasted character. Alcohol is pretty well-hidden. Esters are present, medium intensity, and fruity. Bitterness is medium at most. There is a lighter overripe fruit note in the aftertaste.
M: Light-medium body with dry finish and medium-high carbonation which leaves a relatively clean feel.
O: Not what I was expecting with my first experience with “cold IPA.” I think the traditional pine, citrus, and herbal hop character of traditional WCIPAs will work better with this style than the more fruit-forward versions that this beer showcases. I look forward to brewing one of these soon to see. It is a nice dry beer but could use more bitterness and more edge.
Jan 05, 2022A: Clear golden hue with 1-2 fingers of foamy, large-bubbled head with below-average retention but copious layers of sticky lacing.
S: Aroma is general fruitiness with maybe more stone fruit and berries with a hint of pine. I get the sense that the fruitiness is more esters than hop character. The malt presence is mostly somewhat grassy pilsner malt.
T: Flavor is pretty close to the aroma but even more generally fruity — indistinct and muddled. Some candied orange, peach, blueberry, and pine round out the hop flavors. Malt flavors are lightly bready pils maltiness with light toasted character. Alcohol is pretty well-hidden. Esters are present, medium intensity, and fruity. Bitterness is medium at most. There is a lighter overripe fruit note in the aftertaste.
M: Light-medium body with dry finish and medium-high carbonation which leaves a relatively clean feel.
O: Not what I was expecting with my first experience with “cold IPA.” I think the traditional pine, citrus, and herbal hop character of traditional WCIPAs will work better with this style than the more fruit-forward versions that this beer showcases. I look forward to brewing one of these soon to see. It is a nice dry beer but could use more bitterness and more edge.
Rated by Jstbkoz
5/5 rDev +31.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +31.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This is my new favorite beer. If you want an alternative to a "heavy" IPA, with good taste and enjoy more than one, then this one's for you.
Dec 20, 2021
Reviewed by NiceTaps from New Jersey
3.69/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On tap in a standard pint glass.
Clear golden color with nice bubbles. Thin white cap, wavy lacing.
Mostly light malt aroma with a touch of pine needles and winter berries.
Pilsner and Vienna malts dominate the taste. Floral and berry hops. Some citrus rind.
Lighter side of winter brews. Strong carbonation. Hops come through to a lingering bitterness.
Not naughty but could be nicer.
Dec 15, 2021Clear golden color with nice bubbles. Thin white cap, wavy lacing.
Mostly light malt aroma with a touch of pine needles and winter berries.
Pilsner and Vienna malts dominate the taste. Floral and berry hops. Some citrus rind.
Lighter side of winter brews. Strong carbonation. Hops come through to a lingering bitterness.
Not naughty but could be nicer.
Rated by TheBigBoy from Pennsylvania
3.02/5 rDev -20.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.02/5 rDev -20.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Billed as a new cold ipa style, not sensing this style will be next trend. Was OK but not something good enough to re-order in quantity.
Dec 13, 2021
Reviewed by Shenandoah
3.53/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I really enjoy the Devil's Backbone beers, this one is just okay. I don't love it as a winter seasonal(being an IPA), but not bad. High ABV is good. Probably will buy a different DB selection next time.
Nov 19, 2021
Naughty Or Nice from Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
16 ratings
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