Hop Beard: Mountain Man IPA
Fonta Flora Brewery

patre_tim from Thailand

4.99/5  rDev +25.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Yellow jello with a light haze, no carbonation, and 6 fingers of white head.

Smells real dank of cumin, bo, onion and leaf stank.

The taste follows the nose more intensely.

Medium resinous body with light carbonation.

I got this in Asheville and am drinking it in Canton, June 24th 2020. Perhaps the freshest and best ipa I’ve had this round in NC!

Jun 25, 2020

argock from Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

060520 stamped across bottom of can. Poured into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint.

A: Slightly hazy lemonade yellow with solid 1-2 finger frothy light beige head with good retention and lacing.

S: Tropical fruit and pine-grapefruit in about a 3:1 ratio with abundant guava, pineapple, and papaya with less prominent traditional WCIPA qualities of pine, grapefruit, and dank herbal. Moderate intensity in the aroma.

T: Flavor brings even more intensity and a clarity of the hop element that really separates this new-gen WCIPA into its own class. Beautiful pineapple, guava, passion fruit, and papaya dominates but lets some grapefruit, pine, and dank qualities come through to create a wonderful, complex hop character. There is a note of grassy hops in the finish and aftertaste. I don’t sense much for esters and alcohol is hidden. Bitterness is moderate - exceptionally well-balanced.

M: Feels like a balanced ale in the WCIPA vein but not quite as dry as the traditional heavyweights of the category (Pliny, Blind Pig, Stone IPA). Medium body and moderate carbonation.

O: I am really impressed with FF Hop Beard — exceptional balance and a great version of WCIPA 2.0. Delicious and I will be buying this again!!

Jun 18, 2020

ncvillain from North Carolina

4.77/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a pint can.
Look: Pours a hazy and honey gold shade, minimal lacing after settling.
Smell: Lots of citrus hop, bit of funk, but not unpleasant.
Taste: Like an IPA, citrus, hops, a bit of funk, more hops, maybe dank and almost sour.
Feel: standard carbonation, a bit of sharpness and bite.
Overall: With big beer taking over the craft beer market, and even craft brewers contract brewing beers out of market (that never taste the same), its nice to have a reliable IPA. I'm not saying it's the best IPA made in America, but damn good, and getting better with every IPA that loses its way, especially with malt forward IPAs taking over the grocery and C-store market (this isn't malty). Ranked #1,859 on this website for the American IPA style??? That's a disgrace!!! Better than at least 40 beers on the top 50 of that list, and just as good as another powerhouse in the same region, Jade from Foothills. As of 5/5/2020 I'd say Hop Beard from Fonta Flora and Jade from Foothills are the two best IPAs brewed in NC.

May 06, 2020

avalon07 from South Carolina

3.82/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

L: Poured from a tallboy can to a pint glass. Had a golden yellow color and a slightly hazy consistency. There was a quarter inch of foamy, somewhat long-lasting head. Pretty good lacing.

S: A decent, but not spectacular, aroma of hops, citrus fruit, malt, and a floral quality.

T: Tasted of a moderate amount of citrus fruit (lemon, in particular, with a little orange), some of the floral quality (subtle, but more than expected), a good shot of hops (the main ingredient by far), and some malt (mostly in the finish). A solid flavor, in a kind of a hop-centric, throwback way. Needed a little uptick in fruit, though. Not bad.

F: A well-carbonated beer with a sharp finish. Medium-bodied.

O: This beer has its flaws, but it's solid enough. Worth a try.

Apr 26, 2020

Griffin2 from Virginia

3.87/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 16 oz can dated 4/02/20 into a Willi Becher pint glass.
L - Pours a clear amber color with a nice white head.
S - Smells of citrusy hops.
T - Has a slight lemon flavor. Nice bitterness, nothing overpowers. Very enjoyable.
F - Medium body and carbonation.
O - Very nice IPA.

Apr 16, 2020

brewme from Massachusetts

1.75/5  rDev -55.9%
look: 1.75 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 1.75

Picked-up a four-pack of cans at Julio's in Westborough last week for about fifteen dollars. My first brew from these guys, have heard of before. New to MA/NE? This review is from the second can I have tried. The first was so bad, that I dumped it. I had just come off a ton of Tree House, so thought that I would give it another shot. Nope, total crap, dumped this one too. Canned-on date of 8/14, not so old to explain its horribleness. The last 2 will become my GILBs (Guest I don't Like Beers).

Jan 04, 2020

Eamonn-Cummings3 from New York

4.31/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 16oz can into a Speiglau Heff glass.

Look is a pale slightly hazy yellow with a thin white head.

Aroma is intense herbal lemon.

Taste is an intense hoppy pine citrus.

Delicious

Apr 13, 2019

metter98 from New York

3.91/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: The beer is slightly hazy yellow in color and has a moderate amount of of carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high white head that left a large patch of bubbles on the surface and a narrow collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of floral hops and gooseberries are present in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of gooseberries and limes along with notes of floral hops, the latter of which become stronger as the beer warms up. There is a light to moderate amount of bitterness.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The taste of this beer has an interesting mix between gooseberry/lime and floral flavor once the beer warms up.

Serving type: can

Apr 06, 2019

Apellonious from North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16 oz can (no date) poured into a pint glass, a slightly hazy golden orange with thin sliver of head that immediately dissipates to a rim of lace. The aroma is dank, with noticeable grapefruit and tangerine notes. The taste take a slight shift, stone fruit enters the equation, and the grapefruit/tangerine mixing with some herbal/grassy notes. The mouthfeel is solid, with carbonation medium and a balanced amount of heft. Overall, a good IPA for fans of the stone fruit side of things. Need to add a canned date.

Mar 08, 2019

BBThunderbolt from Kiribati

3.68/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to nc41 for this one from NBS BIF #8. 16oz can poured into 14 oz teku. Poured a hazy medium gold color with alomst an inch of white head that had good retention and great lacing.

The aroma was all hops out of the can, with just a slight touch of grain from the glass. Pretty similar on the tongue, many hops, light grain, and good bitterness.

The body was firmly typical for the style, and had a lingering bit on the back that I enjoyed. Drinkability was very good, i could see drinking these on the regular if they were local to me. Overall, a very nice brew. Certainly worth grabbing if you see it, and maybe worth seeking out.

Oct 06, 2018

TonyLema1 from South Carolina

3.64/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

L: golden color, thin white head, hazy
S: pine and citrus hops
T: slightly bitter, nice balance between pine and grapefruit
F: good mouthfeel, bitter finish
O: nice IPA, never heard of these guys before

Sep 23, 2018

StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

this is not the kind of beer i know these guys for, its the wild stuff and the saisons, not the hoppy beer, that sets them apart. rather pale in color, a lot of strong hop aroma, hard to pick out any specific varietal but there is obvious grapefruit to this, fresh lime and grass, and even kiwi fruit. some pine and some oily bitterness too, not quite enough grain in here for this to be balanced it doesnrt seem, but i dont mind that, the hop intensity is appealing, classic to an extent. the flavor is fresh and bitter, and not just in the finish but all the way through it. grapefruit and lime are strong to me, white cranberry or something with a slight tang, oily feel but still light to me, deep green vegetal sort of pine at the end, good carbonation and relative dryness in the feel. not a whole lot of malt to this, and not all dry hops either, a little old school charm to this, and a good beer overall, drinkable and all, but certainly not as dynamic and interesting and high end as i have come to associate with fonta flora. everyone needs an ipa i guess, and this fills that role well, but its sure not a highlight in their portfolio...

Jul 22, 2018

Dragginballs76 from South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours bright yellow with thin white head.

Aroma - Very nice tropical aroma, pineapple and mango mostly with a touch of grapefruit at the end.

Taste - Very light tropical flavors orange mango with grapefruit and pine resin on the finish. Nice bitter finish.

Feel - Medium bodied slightly creamy feel with a slightly dry finish.

Overall - A well done tropical IPA well balanced with the hops.

Jul 16, 2017

cjgator3 from Florida

4.08/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this beer at Cigar City's Hunahpu's Day 2016 in Tampa, FL. I tried this after a lot of big and heavy Imperial Stouts and I found the big dose of citrus to be refreshing. Overall, I thought it was a solid IPA.

Mar 18, 2016

Stevem68 from Ohio

3.77/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a straw color with a touch of haziness. Aroma is a little bit on the watery citrus side. Flavor is slightly bitter citrus and a little light in the body. Overall not bad but could be way better.

Mar 12, 2016

oberon from North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -1.8%

First off I wanna rate this a little higher but can't with the new rating system!Ok this pours a dull medium golden with a thinner wispy white head.Some tangerine and orange in the nose along with a light toast and biscuit malts,on the dryer side malt-wise.A good amount of carbonation and crispness in the feel with real "green" leafy and herbal hoppiness,again a nice crisp lightly toasted malt base makes me wanna drink more.

Aug 19, 2014

humuloner22 from North Carolina

3.64/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

This beer was good. I probably wouldn't order it again since it wasn't all that outstanding compared to what is out there these days. Although my palate could have been off when I drank it, but none of the others were "off" not that this one was, but it just needed something to make it more remarkable. I think that if it had a little more sweetness to balance out the bitter hop presence it would be an excellent beer. I am still looking forward to trying other beers from this brewery I keep hearing really great things and this is my second one. Not that it was bad, it just didn't do it for me for whatever reason.

Appearance: Bronze, clear, not a lot of head really very little carbonation at all with a fairly aggressive pour, some lacing but really not a lot.

Smell: Hops, bitterness, not really anything sweet with this one.

Taste: It needs something, to balance out the hops, it was kind of thin, not a ton of carbonation and more bitterness with not a lot flavor from the hops other than bitterness. Fairly bland IPA, maybe it was just this batch, I might try another pint if it is around again. Otherwise, it was a pretty basic IPA.

May 09, 2014