Hop Solo
Somerville Brewing Company (Slumbrew)

 

16oz. can into Night Shift stemware.

NE IPAs are usually hazy... this one's not so much hazy as it is chunky. Huge chunks of floaties can be seen in a translucent orange beer. Almost scared to drink this one considering the amount of debris in it. Nose is metallic with hints of citrus and papaya. Not the most aromatic but not bad. Beer opens papaya, mango and grapefruit. There's a roundedness to this one that's a little strange. A light, grassy hop bitterness is detectable in the back but the bitter character doesn't quite fit here for some reason. Body is light to medium with moderate carbonation. Prickly on the palate but filmy all around and going down with a bone dry, sticky aftertaste.

Maybe I'm not tasting the same thing as other reviewers on here but this isn't very good. For the style, the juiciness is not there, the aromatics are missing and the look and feel leave something to be desired as well... and considering how almost every brewery in the North East does a very solid NE IPA, I'm not sure what that says about Hop Solo. Pass on this one.

 

 

 

 

Purchased this one on a whim. Pleasantly surprised. This is a very different. Just the one hop which sets up the opportunity to taste all of the various fruit flavors. The finish is what does it for me. A little dry but very clean. Also, good head retention. Again, this is really a different IPA. It's dialed down on the hop profile. Overall, this is an excellent brew.

Very cloudy which gives a white hue to the pale gold color. Moderate head which settles to rim bubbles but also leaves nice streaking lace.

Smell: Passion fruit with cantaloupe and white pepper.

Quite fruity and sweet for an IPA. There's enough hop bitterness to provide balance. The overall effect is appealing. The body is notably rich while the carbonation is quite low. Long and complex aftertaste of all of the aforementioned elements.

 

I initially stopped buying these beers as they were way overpriced for OK beer at best. But for a Galaxy single hop I'll give them another try. No can date

Pours with a small light fizzy head that fades quickly like it's 10% abv, no lacing, very hazy murky golden tan color.

Nose brings some nice galaxy at least, tropical fruits, pineapple, mango, guava notes, a little citrusy and a little floral, mild sweet malt background.

Taste brings a sweet malt candy flavor out front, a little alcohol warmth with sticky candy, mild phenol note from the alcohol, seems like a lot more than 7%.... hops are there but less than the nose, big pineapple, candied caramelized pineapple, some ripe mango and green underripe mango as well, guava, a little citrusy note again but more of a candied citrus jelly. Fair bitterness, a little spicy and grassy hop note on the finish, a bit sticky, more warming booze too.

Mouth is med bod, a lot more warming booze than it should have, tingly carbonation on top of that.

Overall it has some decent notes but overall meh, even they dropped the ball on a single hop Galaxy IPA, how do you do that?

Galaxy hop IPA. Golden in color. Turbid as all hell. Lots of suspended yeast floaties. Pineapple, guava, ripe mango, peach and and orange. Simple grain malt. A bit sweet. Lower level of Citrus zest bitterness. Semi dry finish. Medium bodied. Pretty much juice.