Honey Pot IPA
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown

L: Nice golden hue, transparent.
S: Lacking, faint biscuit.
T: Sweet malt upfront, citrus notes. Fades to mild pine.
F: Crisp, light.
Pretty solid. The sweetness upfront is unique in that it has mead notes from the honey. Victory did a good job blending sweet and bitter.

(Best by Oct 01 2023) A little past its prime but still good. Poured a semi clear golden honey color from a 16 oz can into a Samuel Smith imperial pint glass with visible carbonation, a 2 finger high white creamy head and ample lacing. Aromas of pine, honey, light earthy malts and orange blossoms are all present. Taste is hard to describe, but it's kind of a malty bitterness that's not really round but also not sharply bitter. It sits mid palate on the sides of the tongue and also in the back of the mouth; it's not bad but just hard to pinpoint. Very smooth & silky finish with very little bite and no alcohol burn. Would like to try a fresher batch to see if my opinion differs, but since this is part of their small batch series; doubtful I'll see it again.

Its a fine hazy, but average+ at best for me. There's a hint of the advertised honey and orange blossom but nothing groundbreaking. That said, its a fine drink but no reason to stray from Victory's own fine Cloud Walker which is a very good juicy NEIPA.

 

 

 

You can catch a little honey with the nose as you crack open a pint cant. Pouring its contents into a clear glass liter mug reveals a well carbonated brew that's light honey-amber in color. There is some stark white foam on top. The beer is bright and somewhat translucent. Honey isn't the only smell, there are parts of malt and hops in the overall aroma. Thankfully, to taste, it's not too sweet. Unfortunately, it's not too anything else. With an admission that honey is in the wort, extra sweetness might have been acceptable. Yet, it is sweet, with a weird aroma that's somehow earthy, yet somehow metallic. Whatever, it's not inviting. The taste is also a little off-putting. At its best, this is moderately and almost cleanly, piney. The mouthfeel, without being sweet, seems a bit sticky. It's also not smooth, nor full bodied. It's best attribute is the dry finish, although that might mislead those thinking this might be a sweeter offering by virtue of its name. It's great when breweries expand and push limits, like this one. It may not work entirely, but it's not bad and thanks for the effort.

 

Victory Brewing Co. "Honey Pot IPA"
16 fl. oz. can "BEST BY OCT 01 23 DTW 23090 1019 FL". Sampled on 3 May 2023.
$4.49 @ Total Wine & More, Claymont, DE

Notes via stream of consciousness: So what is this "Honeypot Honey Brite IPA"? It's 7.6% ABV and brewed with local honey. The label is kind of confusing though as it reads "Bright notes of orange blossom buzz against locally sourced honey in this Honey Brite IPA." Does that mean that it's brewed with orange blossoms? There's no mention of that on the label. Or is that orange blossom honey that's not local? I don't know. Anyway, a rough pour has brought up a finger's width of off-white foam atop a clear deep golden body. Not a whole lot of bubbles can be seen rising within. The aroma is quite nice, and it is floral. It's also fruity, and you can smell the honey as well. On to the taste, it does have a distinct orange blossom characteristic. It's floral, fruity, citrusy, sweetish, and honey-ish in the finish. The bitterness is kept in check, as is the alcohol. You can tell that it's strong, you can sense the alcohol, but it's not harsh. I do find it a little bit odd, however, that there's so much there at just 7.6%. Regardless, the finish is dry. In the mouth it's medium-light in body, and perhaps even-light-medium. The carbonation is moderate which explains the limited head during the pour, and I should note that it dropped fairly quickly. It has left some decent lacing though so at least there's that. Overall I find it a decent beer with an interesting character although it's probably a "one and done", not something you'd drink repeatedly. Of course at 7.6% that's probably a good thing.
Review #8,608

 

Purchased at Pennridge Beverage, Perkasie, PA. 4pk/16oz cans.

Pours a golden-yellow, translucent color. Thin white skim of a head.

Aromas of earthy hops with a slight sweetness.

A classic tasting IPA with side notes of slightly sour citrus flavors. Not as sweet as the “honey pot” name would imply. Lemony, bitter orange rind aftertaste. ABV is not noticeable.

Medium carbonation, thinner consistency.

Overall, a decent IPA but not anything special for a “Limited Release”. Nothing off putting but not a brew I’d say is something special or worth revisiting. Cheers!

 

 

Can "best by" 10/15/23 into pint glass. Pours a fairly clear medium honey-gold with a brief off-white head. Not much lacing. Initial impression is orange rind and malt sweetness, with some citrus overtones. Mouthfeel is smooth and clean. Finish fades to a slightly resinous citrus bitterness. Overall, I was expecting a lot sweeter. A pleasant surprise!