Pure Hoppiness | Alpine Beer Company
Brewed by:
Alpine Beer Company
California, United States
alpinebeerco.com
Style: American Double / Imperial IPA
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.00%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
So mega-hopped it will take you to hop heaven. We’ve used hops in the boil, more hops in the giant hopback, and added to that, an incredible amount of dry-hopping for that cutting-edge “hop bite.” Once you’ve tasted this unique beer, all others pale in comparison. 1.072 OG Classified IBU
Added by xlperro on 12-18-2002
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 3,676 | Reviews: 928
4.04/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Bottle was old I believe. Too malty for the style
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Bottle was old I believe. Too malty for the style
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4.56/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
pours crystal clear straw gold, with a bubbly head that retains for a bit. Smell is big lemongrass, citrus, tropical fruits, sweet apricot and mango notes, grassy notes. Taste is lemony, rosy sweet citrus with a dirty west coast bitter bite. Feel is appropriately smooth with some fizz. Great DIPA overall.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
pours crystal clear straw gold, with a bubbly head that retains for a bit. Smell is big lemongrass, citrus, tropical fruits, sweet apricot and mango notes, grassy notes. Taste is lemony, rosy sweet citrus with a dirty west coast bitter bite. Feel is appropriately smooth with some fizz. Great DIPA overall.
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4.06/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Medium brown color. Small head. Aromas are very nice floral hops. Medium bodied IPA. A hop fest in a glass. The malts are really overpowered by the hops in this beer. The hops are floral, grapefruity, spicy, piney and bitter; take your choice cause they are all here in this beer. As the name implies it a hop bomb and very bitter, yet it still manages to have some smoothness to it. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is crisp and smooth. Aftertaste is bitter.
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look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Medium brown color. Small head. Aromas are very nice floral hops. Medium bodied IPA. A hop fest in a glass. The malts are really overpowered by the hops in this beer. The hops are floral, grapefruity, spicy, piney and bitter; take your choice cause they are all here in this beer. As the name implies it a hop bomb and very bitter, yet it still manages to have some smoothness to it. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is crisp and smooth. Aftertaste is bitter.
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4.03/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
No subtlety to this bad boy. An unabashed, mammoth west coast IPA. Piney, resinous, and grapefruit pith flavors jump out. The malt balance is just right, letting the hops shine while reigning th back in just enough for a smooth finish.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
No subtlety to this bad boy. An unabashed, mammoth west coast IPA. Piney, resinous, and grapefruit pith flavors jump out. The malt balance is just right, letting the hops shine while reigning th back in just enough for a smooth finish.
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4.02/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: crystal clear; copper colored; 2 finger ivory head that receded to a thick cap; nice lacing;
S: predominantly pine, with a hint of tropical fruit behind it;
T: follows the nose; mild bitterness on the finish;
M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; lightly dry finish;
O: don't see too many piney DIPAs; nicely done;
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: crystal clear; copper colored; 2 finger ivory head that receded to a thick cap; nice lacing;
S: predominantly pine, with a hint of tropical fruit behind it;
T: follows the nose; mild bitterness on the finish;
M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; lightly dry finish;
O: don't see too many piney DIPAs; nicely done;
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4.44/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pure Hoppiness has a dark, copper colored body with at least a finger of off-white head. The head is pretty creamy looking, and unsurprisingly it has good retention and leaves behind good lacing.
As soon as this beer landing on the bar, everyone around me could smell it. Holy shit is it hoppy. Loads of fruit with pineapple, mango, white grape and grapefruit. A lot of resin and pine scents; just a hint of pale malt lurks in the background.
Pure Hoppiness tastes about as good as it smells. Once again, there are just a ton of fruit flavors competing for dominance, including everything I picked up in the aroma: pineapple, mango, white grape, blood orange and grapefruit. All of these flavors come together to form a flavor that I imagine tastes like some sort of very bitter citrus juice. The resin and pine flavors are almost as powerful as the fruit flavors in the taste. Although this beer is bitter, especially in the finish the amount of hop flavor exceeds the bitterness. Somewhere in the background a bit of pale malt is hiding, but it doesn't do a whole lot to try and express itself.
The mouthfeel has a good amount of body. It is dry, bitter and a bit oily across the tongue.
I don't think Pure Hoppiness is a beer that you will sip. You will drink as much as you can quickly and happily, and then finish drunk.
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look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pure Hoppiness has a dark, copper colored body with at least a finger of off-white head. The head is pretty creamy looking, and unsurprisingly it has good retention and leaves behind good lacing.
As soon as this beer landing on the bar, everyone around me could smell it. Holy shit is it hoppy. Loads of fruit with pineapple, mango, white grape and grapefruit. A lot of resin and pine scents; just a hint of pale malt lurks in the background.
Pure Hoppiness tastes about as good as it smells. Once again, there are just a ton of fruit flavors competing for dominance, including everything I picked up in the aroma: pineapple, mango, white grape, blood orange and grapefruit. All of these flavors come together to form a flavor that I imagine tastes like some sort of very bitter citrus juice. The resin and pine flavors are almost as powerful as the fruit flavors in the taste. Although this beer is bitter, especially in the finish the amount of hop flavor exceeds the bitterness. Somewhere in the background a bit of pale malt is hiding, but it doesn't do a whole lot to try and express itself.
The mouthfeel has a good amount of body. It is dry, bitter and a bit oily across the tongue.
I don't think Pure Hoppiness is a beer that you will sip. You will drink as much as you can quickly and happily, and then finish drunk.
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4.47/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I've heard this brewery can be mean to interlopers (don't worry, I don't want to slap anyone), but they brew some fine beer.
Pours a surprisingly light orange with gold overtones. Surprising color for a DIPA. Can't recall any quite this hue. Two or three inches of long lasting foam, nice bubbling. This is a superbly carbonated beer. Smells more grapefruit than pine.
Great flavor. Not the most balanced DIPA, as there isn't much of a malt or tropical/sweet fruit background to intrude. Thankfully, though, they've somehow managed to tone the hop content down just enough with carbonation, or perhaps by blending several different hops, to keep this beer really drinkable. It's not raw, is I guess what I'm trying to say.
Very good beer, I'll keep an eye out for it from now on.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I've heard this brewery can be mean to interlopers (don't worry, I don't want to slap anyone), but they brew some fine beer.
Pours a surprisingly light orange with gold overtones. Surprising color for a DIPA. Can't recall any quite this hue. Two or three inches of long lasting foam, nice bubbling. This is a superbly carbonated beer. Smells more grapefruit than pine.
Great flavor. Not the most balanced DIPA, as there isn't much of a malt or tropical/sweet fruit background to intrude. Thankfully, though, they've somehow managed to tone the hop content down just enough with carbonation, or perhaps by blending several different hops, to keep this beer really drinkable. It's not raw, is I guess what I'm trying to say.
Very good beer, I'll keep an eye out for it from now on.
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3.6/5 rDev -16.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
4.42/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
What a good changeling IPA takes the form of. White head is a little thin but fluffy. Does leave a sticky thin lace, somewhat spotty. Head fades farily quickly.
Nose is sticky pine forest thick. Sweet and a bit tangy with a citrusy aroma hidden within, on the peachy side with a tangerine orange twist with a orange blossom as well. Toffee malty ness helps balance but the pine hops are front and foremost.
Damn, damn good IPA. Big bittering hop on the finish with a nice caramel malt with a bit of RS helping to balance. Chewy, resiny, pine infused hop profile throughout the palate. Again peach, and tangerine with hints of floral hops in the middle. Other citrus fruity flavors are hard to distinguish from the huge amounts of bitterness (a good thing).
Mouth is medium, hoppy and nice. Not perfect but nice. An IPA I would like to drink daily.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
What a good changeling IPA takes the form of. White head is a little thin but fluffy. Does leave a sticky thin lace, somewhat spotty. Head fades farily quickly.
Nose is sticky pine forest thick. Sweet and a bit tangy with a citrusy aroma hidden within, on the peachy side with a tangerine orange twist with a orange blossom as well. Toffee malty ness helps balance but the pine hops are front and foremost.
Damn, damn good IPA. Big bittering hop on the finish with a nice caramel malt with a bit of RS helping to balance. Chewy, resiny, pine infused hop profile throughout the palate. Again peach, and tangerine with hints of floral hops in the middle. Other citrus fruity flavors are hard to distinguish from the huge amounts of bitterness (a good thing).
Mouth is medium, hoppy and nice. Not perfect but nice. An IPA I would like to drink daily.
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4.57/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
seaoflament hooked me up with this one in a recent trade. huge thanks carlos!
22oz bottle. sampled june 7/08.
pours coppery orange with a small dense white head. the head drops fast and leaves spotty lace behind.
aroma is great. big hop blast up front. pine, grapefruit, orange peel. bit of orange and tangerine. caramel. bread and biscuit. slightly powdery. light alcohol. there's also a touch of herbal character in there too.
taste is great. light alcohol. tons of juicy hops. orange and tangerine with a touch of sweetness. grapefruit. bit of pine. just over medium bitterness level. a bit powdery. white bread and crackers. bit of herbal character here too, but it works well and gives another dimension to the hops.
mouthfeel is great. medium well integrated carbonation. medium body. silky smooth.
drinkability is great. excellent balance. great malt and hop depth. an excellent example of the style, and one i'd be happy to drink all day.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
seaoflament hooked me up with this one in a recent trade. huge thanks carlos!
22oz bottle. sampled june 7/08.
pours coppery orange with a small dense white head. the head drops fast and leaves spotty lace behind.
aroma is great. big hop blast up front. pine, grapefruit, orange peel. bit of orange and tangerine. caramel. bread and biscuit. slightly powdery. light alcohol. there's also a touch of herbal character in there too.
taste is great. light alcohol. tons of juicy hops. orange and tangerine with a touch of sweetness. grapefruit. bit of pine. just over medium bitterness level. a bit powdery. white bread and crackers. bit of herbal character here too, but it works well and gives another dimension to the hops.
mouthfeel is great. medium well integrated carbonation. medium body. silky smooth.
drinkability is great. excellent balance. great malt and hop depth. an excellent example of the style, and one i'd be happy to drink all day.
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4.05/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Drank on-tap at O'Brien's, San Diego, CA
Poured a clear amber with a thick, dense, creamy, frothy, off-white head. Lots of clingy, thick lacing cascaded down the glass.
The aroma was hoppy and citrusy with noticeable sweet caramel malts.
The taste was similar to the aroma yet a bit more smooth, sweet and fruity. Citrusy hops were obvious along with tropical fruits (including mango) and a sweet, caramel malt backbone. The malts were most noticeable up front and mid-palate, where they combined seamlessly with the hops to provide a needed balance. As the beer warmed, the sweet caramel malts became even more pronounced. The finish was hoppy, yet not over the top, with lingering notes of pine sap, grapefruit and pineapple.
Mouthfeel was rich, smooth and quite creamy, but the carbonation was excessively low.
As for drinkability, this beer was quite easy-drinking (especially for the style). There was a nice mix of both sweet and bitter flavors, and the 8% ABV was very well hidden (but it definitely caught up with me by the beer's end).
Overall, this was a smooth and tasty double IPA, albeit somewhat less extreme than many others in its category.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Drank on-tap at O'Brien's, San Diego, CA
Poured a clear amber with a thick, dense, creamy, frothy, off-white head. Lots of clingy, thick lacing cascaded down the glass.
The aroma was hoppy and citrusy with noticeable sweet caramel malts.
The taste was similar to the aroma yet a bit more smooth, sweet and fruity. Citrusy hops were obvious along with tropical fruits (including mango) and a sweet, caramel malt backbone. The malts were most noticeable up front and mid-palate, where they combined seamlessly with the hops to provide a needed balance. As the beer warmed, the sweet caramel malts became even more pronounced. The finish was hoppy, yet not over the top, with lingering notes of pine sap, grapefruit and pineapple.
Mouthfeel was rich, smooth and quite creamy, but the carbonation was excessively low.
As for drinkability, this beer was quite easy-drinking (especially for the style). There was a nice mix of both sweet and bitter flavors, and the 8% ABV was very well hidden (but it definitely caught up with me by the beer's end).
Overall, this was a smooth and tasty double IPA, albeit somewhat less extreme than many others in its category.
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4.75/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Pure Hoppiness from Alpine Beer Company
Beer rating:
4.33 out of
5 with
3,676 ratings
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5