Hoplar Imperial IPA | Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Brewed by:
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Virginia, United States
hardywood.com
Style: American Double / Imperial IPA
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.50%
Availability: Spring
Notes / Commercial Description:
Hardywood Hoplar follows the wood-aging tradition of the earliest India Pale Ales, which were matured on oak. Rather than oak, we’ve selected the delicate wood of a fallen Virginia Tulip Poplar, which was TreeCycled by CitiWood and toasted for use in this hearty IPA. While this Poplar can no longer rustle in the wind or give shade, it is able to offer balance to the bright citrus and pine character from heaps of Cascade, Columbus and Summit hops with subtle notes of caramelized vanilla. And the tree was hoppy.
In the mid-1800s, when the early IPAs were being shipped in wooden barrels from the breweries of Burton-on-Trent to thirsty British colonists in India, our Tulip Poplar was a mere sapling on the outskirts of Richmond, Virginia. On September 18, 2003, this towering Poplar prevailed to the fierce Hurricane Isabel and fell on Bell Creek Road. Richmond-based CitiWood Urban Forest Products helped us transform the wood from this fallen Poplar into custom designed flavor- and aroma-enhancing infusion sticks. Post fermentation, Hoplar is dry-hopped with a generous helping of whole-flower Cascade hops and conditioned on the toasted Poplar.
Hardywood Hoplar is mahogany in color with a hearty, tan head and offers an aroma of grapefruit brûlée and pine needles, as well as delicate vanilla toffee and a hint of campfire. Medium- to full-bodied with assertive (100 IBUs) yet delightful hop bitterness, Hoplar is balanced with ample caramel malt backbone. A bit of earthy tannin from the Poplar harmonizes with the resinous hoppy character, which dissipates into a lingering finish.
100 IBU
Added by siege06nd on 04-22-2012
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 392 | Reviews: 54
Reviews by the Alström Bros:
4.47/5 rDev +10.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
750ml brown corked and caged bottle, vintage date on the label.
The head retention alone won me over ... to start. Seriously, an amazing head and perhaps the best looking one this year! Hazed copper hue is inviting. Aromas of wood, spice, fresh pine sap, melon rind, mango, papaya, parsley, yeast, yellow cake. Deep smoothness, semi-creamy medium body. Big hoppiness, very bitter, heavy wood, earthy, spice, vanilla, peppery, resin, slightly pungent, hint of caramel, dried grass, yeast, tropical fruit, warming alcohol, long bitter and woody finish.
Someone pinch me ... mind-blowing.
587 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
750ml brown corked and caged bottle, vintage date on the label.
The head retention alone won me over ... to start. Seriously, an amazing head and perhaps the best looking one this year! Hazed copper hue is inviting. Aromas of wood, spice, fresh pine sap, melon rind, mango, papaya, parsley, yeast, yellow cake. Deep smoothness, semi-creamy medium body. Big hoppiness, very bitter, heavy wood, earthy, spice, vanilla, peppery, resin, slightly pungent, hint of caramel, dried grass, yeast, tropical fruit, warming alcohol, long bitter and woody finish.
Someone pinch me ... mind-blowing.
587 characters
More User Reviews:
3.59/5 rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
4.43/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.23/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.46/5 rDev +10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.05/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4.16/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.39/5 rDev +8.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.82/5 rDev +19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A - Pours a opaque reddish copper with a solid 2 fingers of off white creamy head.
S - Very pungent citrusy, floral nose. This stuff could peel paint.
T - Nice malty backbone on this beer. The intense bitterness is mellowed out pleasantly and the wood aging helps to compliment the entire package.
M - A little hot yet, the alcohol is very much in the game. Agressive carbonation keeps everything in check, leaving your mouth clean sip after sip.
O - Delicious beer, near perfection. Thanks to Beejay for sharing this one with me.
536 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A - Pours a opaque reddish copper with a solid 2 fingers of off white creamy head.
S - Very pungent citrusy, floral nose. This stuff could peel paint.
T - Nice malty backbone on this beer. The intense bitterness is mellowed out pleasantly and the wood aging helps to compliment the entire package.
M - A little hot yet, the alcohol is very much in the game. Agressive carbonation keeps everything in check, leaving your mouth clean sip after sip.
O - Delicious beer, near perfection. Thanks to Beejay for sharing this one with me.
536 characters
Hoplar Imperial IPA from Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Beer rating:
4.03 out of
5 with
392 ratings
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