Hoppenstance
Hamburg Brewing Company

Draft at Public House. Beautiful pour, milky yellow, thick, rocky head. Light hop aroma, citrus. Taste also features tart citrus, bitter snap comes late. Creamy mouthfeel.

 

 

 

 

 

On tap at The Owl House in Rochester, NY.

This one pours a light amber color, with a half inch head, and lots of lacing.

Smells like astringent booze, sweet malt and lots of like.

This is pretty aggressively mediocre. It's just all booze and maltiness and bitterness, with nothing that makes this stand out in any positive way.

This is medium bodied, with a very bitter finish.

Can't really recommend this to anybody.

In my haste to try a new beer, I grabbed this little number. Only later did I realize the fine coat of dust on the bottles and the "born on date" some nine months ago. Clumps of yeast abound. Still, not bad. Would love to try "fresh."

This double IPA pours gold with a heart of fiery orange beating in the center. It forms a thick, white head that retains well.

Smells of tropical fruit with a hint of dank grass. Sweet malts remind of shortbread.

The taste is understated but remarkably smooth. It is noticeably more carbonated than most dIPA's. This carbonation really delivers the grassy hops, along with sharp citrus.
As the carbonation fades the beer mellows and the sweet malts come through.

Some of the most amazing beers I've tried (Delirium Tremens, Lawson's offerings) share a characteristic with this offering, in that they reveal different characteristics as you drink them.

It's not fair to hold a beer to another's standards, but I mean it as a genuine compliment when I say that this beer belongs in the conversation of the best east coast double IPA's.

Didn't realize at the time but I bought a shelf turd from the brewery. 6 months old and tasted like a 6 month old IPA. Not sure what the brewery was thinking. I usually expect to get fresh beer from a brewery.

 

 

 

 

A: [4.00] The beer is a cloudy straw to apricot color. It forms 1 finger of solid white head. The bottle lists the ABV (8.0%) and there is a clear born on date (11/24/15). So this may have some faded hops.

S: [3.50] Grass, dank, pineapple, mango.

T: [3.75] Similar to the nose but I am getting more lemon peel, peppery spiciness and oranges. After a few sips I am getting some sweetness and body from the malt.

M: [3.75] Medium+ body. The carbonation is mild which enhances the heft of the mouthfeel. The beer does not have a dramatic bitter finish like some IPAs. It has a gentle citrus finish.

O: [3.75] This is not a hop bomb - but it is possible that the hops have faded in the past 3.5 months of its life. I like the balance of hops and malt in this one. I also like the citrus flavor profile that comes forward. A decent (but not stand out) IPA.