Hopulence
Wormtown Brewery

HopulenceHopulence
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From:
Wormtown Brewery
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
Ranked #990
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
92
Ranked #4,749
Avg:
4.14 | pDev: 9.18%
Reviews:
70
Ratings:
464
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 01, 2023
Added:
Apr 24, 2012
Wants:
  28
Gots:
  86
Brewed with an abundance of hops. Once we started hopping this beer stopping was impossible. Emphasizing Amarillo, Horizon, Summit, and Glacier hops with support from 5 other American varieties. Hops were added in every conceivable part of the brewing process. Whole leaf in the mash, hop forwarded (lautered through whole cones), hop backed, first wort hopped, kettle hopped with pellets and extract, and dry hopped in the fermenter and brite tanks. No expense was spared to bring you HOPULENCE!

120 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by erlenmeyer:
Photo of erlenmeyer
Rated by erlenmeyer from Maine

4/5  rDev -3.4%

Aug 25, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.25 by scottyshades from Florida

Jul 01, 2023
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Reviewed by woemad from Washington

3.97/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16oz can courtesy of Rub_This_BBQ. My first from Wormtown. I know nothing about this brewery but the name is objectively great. Per the info on the can label, this was brewed to honor Worcester, Mass's music scene. I'll have to do a little research on that subject.

Poured into an IPA-ish glass, this was a dark golden amber color and quite clear. This ain't no hazy, fo'sho. Nice, creamy, off-white head. Lots of lace. Great looking beer.

Nose is spicy and piney. Definitely smells like Wormtown was going for an old school IPA vibe.

Hop forward, but quite the malt backbone here as well. Hoppy and bready would work as a three word review. The hops are in the lead, though.

Medium bodied, with an oily but slightly creamy mouth feel.

This beer is balanced on a knife edge when it comes to balance, at least for me. If the malt backbone was any thicker I'd find it off-putting. But it's not. Because of that malt backbone, I wouldn't call it a WCDIPA, but it's within spitting distance of being one. If this were on tap at a local brewery, I'd most likely hit it regularly. Thanks, Bill!
May 19, 2022
 
Rated: 4.53 by Jnyankees51 from New Hampshire

Apr 15, 2022
 
Rated: 4.14 by M4CDO from Massachusetts

Jul 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by Velivolus1 from Vermont

May 29, 2021
 
Rated: 4.16 by Rainintheface from Florida

Apr 23, 2021
Photo of Ozzylizard
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Hopulence from Wormtown. Received on 9/4/21 from @Rub_This_BBQ in NBW BIF #13. 16 oz can stored upside-down at home at 42 degrees. Reviewed 11/4/21. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom rim stamped “PKG ON 02/25/21”. Served at 46.9 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. Final temperature 55.4 degrees.
Appearance – 4.25.
First pour – Straw (SRM 3), hazy.
Body – Pale Gold (SRM 4), hazy and opaque. When rear-lite, same.
Head – Large (Maximum 6.3 cm, aggressive center pour), floral white, medium density, good retention, diminishing to a six to twelve mm crown fed by effervescence and a thick partial cap. Three-dimensional foam clouds remain above the crown. Second pour produces a high density 1.5 cm head.
Lacing – Good. Head retraction and volume reduction leaves irregular three-dimensional narrow bands of tiny to medium bubbles with occasional long narrow columns connecting to the next lower band.
Aroma – 3.5 – Weak piney resin and weaker grapefruit. No malt, no yeast.
Flavor – 4 – Begins markedly astringent with some grapefruit and pine resin. The astringency quickly gives way to some moderate old-fashioned bitterness. Some caramel malt is also evident, no yeast. No alcohol (8.5 % ABV, as marked on container) taste or aroma. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4 – Medium, watery, lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4.25. Particularly good DIPA – I could suck these down all day – well, at least until I fell asleep which would probably be after three cans.
Apr 11, 2021
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Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Mostly clear dark orange brew, slightly coppery, and with a slight haze, but more a traditional unfiltered beer than anything resembling a modern NE IPA. Very good head production and solid retention, settling out into a firm, slightly uneven, off-white foam topper. Nice lacing, with the edges of the head clinging to the glass, fighting against relinquishing the grip.

Much danker than I expected; for whatever reason, with this appearance I was imagining tones of sharp grapefruit, pine, and bitterness, atop a grainy pale and caramel malt base. There is indeed grapefruit and pine, along with lush stone fruit and mango, but the pungent, grassy, peppery dankness is definitely front and center.

Very similar presentation on the palate. The initial hint of dankness is fairly low, and the bitterness is restrained - but all that changes very quickly. You're walking along with your sweet, kind friends Peach, Mango, and Ruby (red grapefruit), when all of a sudden Weedy McWeedersen steps around the corner and shoves a fistful of fresh hop cones directly into your mouth. Bruised, bleeding, but most of all confused, he laughs at your bitter tears and gives you another dose.

I might be overselling the dankness a bit.

It is moderate-to-strong on the weedy notes, characteristic of Amarillo (I am less familiar with the other hops they call out). It never really overpowers the fruit notes, though. Similarly, the bitterness is powerful, but in a divinely West Coast-inspired fashion (similar to Enjoy By - actually, this beer is very similar to Enjoy By, period), where it's there, and it makes the beer much more dry and astringent than it would otherwise be given the high ABV, but it doesn't at all detract from the flavors of the hops. The malt base adds some sweetness, and a bit of very slightly caramel graininess, but the emphasis is certainly on the hops.

As to that high ABV, this doesn't come across remotely syrupy. It borders on crisp, although it gets a little slick on the second half, while the hop oils linger.

This beer really reminds me quite a bit of WC stalwarts Enjoy By and Pliny the Elder - although it's not quite up to either, and nowhere near the perfection of PtE. Hey, I said it reminds me of them; I didn't say it's a clone. A very complex hop bill and over the top hopping schedule (I suspect dry-hopping the brite tank is what led to the slight haze) definitely pays off. Despite that, it's not the most complex presentation of hop flavors; rather, it really just hits you over the head with the hoppiness, and in a very good way.
Apr 02, 2021
Photo of BBThunderbolt
Reviewed by BBThunderbolt from Kiribati

3.44/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to Rub_This_BBQ for this one, from a ninja box during NBS BIF #13. 16oz can (dated 2/25/21) poured into 14oz teku. Poured a very hazy orange color with over an inch of white head that very good retention, and light-moderate retention.

Certainly hop-forward, a blend of citrus, pine, and new frooty hop scents. Very low malt presence.

Similar on the tongue, with the addition of some alcohol, and the grains poking through a touch more.

The body was fuller than medium, mostly smooth, with a couple of small spikes, and had a medium finish that leaned towards dry.

Drinkability was good, a could see drinking a few more pints of this.

Overall, a solid and enjoyable brew. Certainly worth your time if you see it.
Apr 01, 2021
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Reviewed by harrypowers from Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a translucent orange with a small head and some lacing.

Smells of floral slightly dank hops. Tastes of mostly hops with a bit of sweet citrus as well. Has a mildly bitter finish.

Light body and carbonation. Light crisp clean mouthfeel.

This is a very drinkable West Coast IPA !
Mar 26, 2021
Photo of Rub_This_BBQ
Reviewed by Rub_This_BBQ from Massachusetts

4.02/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
16oz can poured into a teku
L: deep Orange all most amber with a slight touch of haze
S: pure west coast pine and caramel malt
T: nice bite with some resin and citrus notes and some sweetness on the finish.

Overall and soild throwback, whish it finished a touch drier
Mar 21, 2021
Photo of Amendm
Reviewed by Amendm from Rhode Island

4.04/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A moderate pour yielded a finger of white soapy foam with long retention and spots of lace. Very hazy yellow gold, translucent, almost cloudy.

Piney, herbal and citrus hops greet the nose with some rosemary and crackery malt. Cardboard and alcohol are faint in the background.

The taste is semi dry with big hop bitterness that rises to above average. Juicy citrus with canned pears and peaches try to add sweetness. Toast is added to the crackery malt keeping the bold hops in check. The finish is long as is the bitter, astringent aftertaste.

Medium light body with lasting carbonation. Alcohol is noticeable and warming. Big, bitter and boozy per style. Canned on 2/20/20.
Apr 20, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by rugbyallen11 from Massachusetts

Apr 04, 2020
 
Rated: 4.24 by skiboucher

Jan 18, 2020
Photo of LarryV
Reviewed by LarryV from Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours an orange-light amber color with a frothy head, leaves impressive lacing behind. Dank hops, malty aromas are enticing, Taste follows through - big, dank, pungent hop flavors with a well balanced malt backbone. Mouthfeel is medium with a bit of creaminess. A really impressive beer from Wormtown and quite enjoyable.
Jul 10, 2019
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Reviewed by GratefulBeerGuy from New Hampshire

4.22/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
West coast style DIPA throwback
Huge malt, huge pine and sour earth.
8.5% abv feels mega.
Crusty white foam, burnt golden color is inticing.
Sour tart hops, malty madness all over crazy ghost face lace
Peppery, spicy hop attack,
Spice, pepper hop, crazy fat malt.
Bomb.
Jun 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4.1 by crackerjack57 from Pennsylvania

Jun 27, 2019
Photo of Bierman9
Reviewed by Bierman9 from New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Swung by Wormtown today with Alewife for a quick pop. Had a 13oz pour for $7.00.

Served in a way-cool Teku glass, it was a clear, rich, deep golden color. Had a creamy, fine white head with solid lace. Aroma was of semisweet fruit, like apricot and tangerine. Body was medium-plus, and glided nicely over the tongue.

Flavor, like the nose, had plenty of tangerine and apricot. It was a very nice level of sweetness, with pineapple also getting in on the proceedings. The finish had a touch of bitterness before wrapping up in a slightly dry fashion. Very nice!! Prosit!

4.25/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2086
Jun 23, 2019
 
Rated: 4.1 by Mickt465 from New Hampshire

Jun 15, 2019
Hopulence from Wormtown Brewery
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 464 ratings