Liberty Bell Ringer
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown

Tucquan from Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this on 2021-07-07 near Pittsburgh, PA from a 12oz can with a best by of 2021-11-07

A - Fairly hazy straw-gold with a 1-finger white head that drops quickly leaving little lace.


S - Unusual. Moderately dank, lemon-lime, unripe peach, pepper

T - Lemon-lime tartness and bitterness, light cracker, herbal tea and more pepper up front than the smell. Not much fruit or malt sweetness. Finishes dry and bitter.

M - Light-medium body and medium carbonation.

O - Reminds me of an amped up Session IPA except with more alcohol. This "fortified hop tea" isn't my bag but it is well made.

Jul 07, 2021

daliandragon from Maryland

3.99/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

DIPA 12 oz. single for a mere $2.19? Yes, please. Thanks, Catoctin Mountain Wine and Liquor in Thurmont, MD. really solid, almost too perfect appearance, with two fingers of mellow head over a clear golden. Nose is tropical with herbal notes. you can taste the layering left by the dry hopping and this brings the bitterness but not at the expense of flavor. Tropical and citrus notes with medicinal backing. Not much for balance, but that is really par for the course. Maybe a touch too much carbonation but this is what its supposed to be, if that is what you are looking for.

Jun 13, 2021

arizcards from North Carolina

4.09/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Picked up a 16 oz single can from the Kings Beer & Wine cooler 5-21-20 for $2.99. Best by 09 AUG 2020, consumed 8-1-20. Cold stored since purchase.

Beer poured golden with a nice white head that has some good hang time.

Nose has some lemon and orange that is at the forefront.

Taste is lemon forward blended by orange and grapefruit over a substantial pils malt base. Finishes with a nice subtle but effective bitterness consisting of pine and rind; 7/10 on my scale.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and both pretty smooth and refreshing on a 110 degree afternoon.

Overall i like the lemon expression on top of the pilsner base yet it provides a nice traditional west coast fashion finish with the pine and rind expression at the end of each sip. Nice beer at a nice price point!

Aug 01, 2020

Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

"Like walking through an orchard", exclaimed Leah on first whiff.... Taste is on par with smell.... REALLY enjoyed this at Annie Bailey's Irish Pub in Lancaster. So full of orange smell and I can hardly stop. Delightful! A "light" DIPA.

Jul 27, 2020

Stooven from Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First want to say that DDH does not necessarily equal NEIPA, and doesn't in this case. Lib Bell Ringer is first and foremost a DIPA, and it hides the alcohol pretty well. I'm drinking it approximately one-month before the drink-by date. Maltiness has started to take over, but it's still bright with lemon and citrusy flavors. Appearance is more unfiltered than hazy, with a thin head around the rim. Taste is one big smear of malt, pine, soap, lemon again, bread.

Jul 14, 2020

Alieniloquium from Florida

3.88/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16 oz. can. Slightly hazy orange. Smells of pungent citrus. Lemon and lemongrass herbal notes. Tastes of lemon and turns to lemongrass and some soapy flavors. Slightly grainy. Pine back end. Mild bitterness. Medium body and does not drink like a DIPA. This is really nice. Two months from the best by date, but who knows what that means. Even if it isn't the freshest, it's very tasty.

Jul 08, 2020

Danzifer from Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured on tap into a 16oz can, then sealed, then poured from can into a glass.
Looks golden, mildly hazy. Nice little forthy head
Smells like citrus and grapefruit
Has a nice tropical punch, very hoppy
Finished clean and slightly dry, not very carbonated so it's smooth
Overall, a mighty fine double IPA

May 29, 2020

listenatjoes from Pennsylvania

3.92/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

While this is a flawless DIPA, I wonder if Victory has hit the limits of what can be achieved in this style using only whole cone hops as they pride themselves on doing. These styles benefit from concentrated hop pellets, lupulin powder and cryo-hops. Dry hopping with tons of whole cone hops is not going to cut it.

May 23, 2020

RaulMondesi from California

2.29/5  rDev -44.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

No. No 100 times over. Like stroking a hairless cat, Raul is not feelin’ this one. Why did Victory do this to me? It’s all basic IPA upfront like some captain taking a voyage to the West Indies, but then the ship takes a sharp turn to Skittle Island because it ends hella sweet. This one is foul straight off the bat like when Jose Altuve doesn’t know which pitch is coming.

(Apparently there is a new hop edition of Cashmere hops here. And I think it’s pretty safe to say that like Raul, Robert Plant would not be feeling this one.)

Peace!

May 15, 2020

BB1313 from Ohio

3.66/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Enjoy by 8/9/20. 16oz can poured into a tulip. Pours a pale golden with some haze, but there's also some clarity to it; creamy and fluffy eggshell white head that falls slowly leaving nice retention and lacing. The aromas are floral along with some citrus. Fresh bread and crackers. Malts are there. The aromas aren't bad, but they're pretty mild and subtle. The flavors are very clean, crisp and refreshing. Very citric. Lots of lemon and fresh grass leading the way. Hints of grapefruit. More floral notes. More bread and crackers in the mix. Solid bitterness. Low sweetness. Malts do their thing without dominating and almost take a backseat. Finishes very dry. Alcohol is well hidden. Mouthfeel is full-bodied with active carbonation. It's sharp, fluffy, smooth and easy to drink.

This is a solid DIPA. It's not flashy, but that's not a bad thing in this case. It's very clean, crisp and refreshing. Nice floral and citric notes. The craftsmanship is on point. It's enjoyable and fun to drink. It's probably better than my "numerical score" might indicate. I like it.

May 10, 2020

hman43 from North Carolina

3.71/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Look: It pours golden and somewhat cloudy. It has a white head with very good head retention.

Smell: There is a moderate herbal element in the aroma with citrus, lemon, and lime.

Taste: The flavors are forward with lime and lemon. There is still a bit of a strong herbal presence as well. It also has a bit of a dank flavor to it as well.

Feel: It has a medium body with a moderately high bitter aftertaste.

Overall, interesting flavor combinations.

May 08, 2020

milkshakebeersucks from Maryland

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Golden hue, small head, light lacing. Aroma of citrus and tropical fruits. Taste of malt sweetness mingles with a zesty hop profile highlighted by lemon, lime and tropical fruit. Medium bodied, nicely carbonated mouthfeel. Alc content imparts a modest buzz. Long lasting finish.

May 04, 2020

RacerX5k from Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Look. I'm sorry to say but Victory just doesn't make great beer anymore, I don't know why? I suspect it has to do with selling out or whatever they did with their business. The best thing about this is for $2 a can (I got two) it packs a wallop 8.7% 16 oz equates to an 11.6% beer. Very mediocre attempt at an, I guess? NE IPA. No bitterness, looks boring as hell. Smells boring, lightly hopped tastes follows. Nothing to describe here, other than boring. Been drinking Troegenator since the beginning circa 2010, loved certain Weyerbacher beers miss the Slam Dunkel was incredible back in the day, my favorite spring seasonal ever. And I remember (fondly) the happy hour poker game every Wednesday at Reeds (rt 73 and 202) when we drank $2 Hop Devils all afternoon. But this beer, like EVERY Victory beer I've had lately, fucking stinks.

May 02, 2020

DavetotheB from Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

From a 16oz can dated enjoy by 8/9/20 (assuming it's pretty fresh!) into a pint glass.

Pours murky dark gold color with about one finger of white head. Pretty decent retention and lacing.

Smells mainly of pine, resin and a little bit of grass. Picking up some citrus sweetness in the background.

Taste is dominated by pine and resin bitterness. Given the 8.7 abv there is very little malty sweetness-just a touch. This is a hop bomb-no complaints here.

Mouthfeel has some stickiness. All the bitterness makes the swallow not as smooth. I would say it's just a bit out of balance-dominated by hoppy bitterness with a strong bitter aftertaste.

Overall, this is a keeper if you enjoy big bitter DIPAs. Nice price point too. Glad there's 3 more left in the 4 pack.

Apr 26, 2020

cjeep from Pennsylvania

4.04/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a simple pleasure, enjoyed at home in the time of the virus. best by 8/8/20 so good job by my peeps at bella vista beer distributor.
L: just slightly hazy yellow orange. nice head that sticks around for a bit. good lacing
S: fairly mild. bit of sweetness and tropical fruit.
T: sweet fruit, then bitterness with grapefruit. I like it. A lot.
F: medium. nice carbonation.
O: Another winner from Victory!

Apr 25, 2020

JohnniEMc from Pennsylvania

4.21/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Looks like a slightly cloudy ordinary commerical American lager. A sharp taste of hops defuses that notion. Perfect hop finish without any malt taste.

Apr 17, 2020

mvanaskie13 from Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured into pint glass: color is gold, head is off white, presents 1 finger thick with fine bubbles and some lacing on the glass sides, remaining head is thin/solid.

Smell is tropical fruit, some berries, pine, and stone fruit with light malt, toast and hint of biscuit.

Taste is more tropical fruit, stone fruit, some grapefruit rind creeps in with warmth, then some earth, herbal notes, pine with light biscuit like malt notes.

Mouthfeel is crisp, moderate carbonation, bitter, drying feel.

Overall a great IIPA with big hops, good bitterness, light malt and bitter presence.

Jan 30, 2020

dacrza1 from New Jersey

4.21/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

DATE: November 6, 2019... OCCASION: short week in the books and seventieth birthday celebrations for the in-laws in Trenton tomorrow--time to kick off the weekend... pours a mostly hazy grapefruit-colored lava lamp of effervescence... its brightness is attractive, as is its single finger of creamy white head.. bubbles and crags form at the glass... huge pine courtesy of the Simcoe, while a dankness pervades from the Strata... big pineapple, melon, herbal shampoo and perfume counter citrus... its heft and hop promise are fulfilled in its aroma, at least... sticky sweet, its first sip is a puckering, full frontal attack that bubbles well into the throat, buzzing with activity... its finish is lightly malted, settling into a lasting citric/pine cone chewiness... I appreciate a beer that advertises its intention and fulfills it, as this can does--the double dry hopping does imbue a "massive" tropical punch--pineapple, mango, and orange--while harder fruits like pear mix with a dank leathery cologne expanding its profile... this is a great beer to slowly sip the night away with--powerful yet subtle in its alcohol, big and bossy in its flavor, and ultimately refreshing despite its heavy ABV...

Nov 07, 2019

jameswaldo from New York

4.21/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I remember liking this before, but don't remember it having cashmere hops last time. Nor do I remember the long lingering aftertaste. If this "limited release series" stays this good, or gets better, I may need to change my feelings about just what exactly is my favorite IPA here in Ithaca NY. OK, so it has to travel 230 miles north to reach me; can't call that a local brew. But it's close enough, and the aftertaste lingers so gloriously as I bike home from the beergarden that for sure I'm going to remember this ale a good long time. I don't usually like oats in my IPA, but the hops in here keep me from tasting that fat soft starchy porridge style New Engliand IPAs seem to feel proper to a strongly hopped ale (they're not on can label, but brewery website notes they're in there). I could use a wee more bitter, but this brew is masterful.

Oct 15, 2019

irs from New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

The nose is pretty good, nice and fruity. I would have liked a little bit more malt to offset the bitterness of the hops. If you like a lot of bitterness, you'd like the beer more than I did. The mouthfeel is also a little bit thin for such a big beer. Maybe I have just set my expectations a bit too high for anything from Victory. These guys definitely make great stuff. Also, it was a warm box from JC's, so I don't know how fresh it is. This might be way better fresh and kept chilled. I guess I'll need to try it again and find out.

Oct 11, 2019

mushroomcloud from Texas

3.65/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

16oz can with a best by date of 11 NOV 2019. Opened 9-12-19.
1+" white head with awesome sticky retention, fresh lace clinging from the start. Opaque yellow gold.
Cheesy, ripe fruit - like fruit salad (pear, apple, orange, etc...) familiar fruit...not tropical or citrus.
Lots of fruit, again I lean towards pear, apple - fruit salad syrup type flavors. On the ripe end. Malt base pokes thru all these hops with a bready base. Some pine in the middle to finish.
Full body, low to medium carbonation.
On the fence on this beer. It's "fresh" based on the best by date but there's a few things that seem "off" to me...cheesy and fruit salad chief among them.

EDIT: Decanted the last 2 cans I had and ended up serving myself a much better beer without the cheesy / weird aspect...initial rating 3.49, new rating = 3.65.

Sep 13, 2019

avalon07 from South Carolina

3.83/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

L: Poured from a tallboy can to a snifter glass. Had a golden yellow color and a mostly clear consistency. There was an inch and a half of foamy, somewhat long-lasting head. Excellent lacing.

S: A pretty good, but not great aroma of hops, tropical fruit, malt, a bready quality, and citrus fruit.

T: Tasted of a some light malt notes (present throughout, though subtle), a bit of citrus fruit (grapefruit, in particular), a good shot of hops (a big component), some of the bready quality, and a light tropical fruit presence (pineapple). Not a bad flavor, but it's heavier on the hops than the fruit. Lacks some balance, but not without charm.

F: A good amount of carbonation with a lively finish. Medium-bodied.

O: An uneven beer, but it has its good qualities. Worth a look.

Sep 08, 2019

Lucular from Maryland

3.55/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

5 oz pour on draft. This beer is a big beer to be sure, and more than a little bit rough around the edges. It is bitter and boozy and not in a very good way. There is some nice citrusy character but for the most part it is overwhelmed. I won't seek this out again.

Sep 05, 2019

russpowell from Arkansas

4.24/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a semi-hazed effervescent gold with a thumb of pearl colored head. Lovely head retention and lacing

S: Bready pink grapefruit, pineapple

T: Grapefruit, pine, cakeyness up front. A little papaya, tangerine, a little dryness as this warms. Finishes with a little juiciness, grapefruit, and bready dryness

MF: Pretty thick, restrained carbonation, good balance

Drinks pretty, good, west coast take on the style

Aug 27, 2019

HardTarget from Texas

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: Hazy golden yellow glass holds a frothy cover of white foam that laces the glass in thick curtains.

Aroma: I smell hops at arms length at the pour. Grapefruit skin, hard candy, yeasty, and hop leaves.

Taste: Citric juice, pineapple, pear, so much hops there's a cut grass vegetal note. The base is crystal malt sweet without too much depth leaving a lasting bitter.

Mouthfeel: Sudsy, medium low body, medium carbonation, oily, slightly hot.

Overall: Take a beer, double the malt, quadruple the hops, and then go hazy. This is a perfectly logical course of action, I approve. It's a big, somewhat unrefined beer, but it's made from good stuff. It seems like it would be something I really like, but I'm having trouble thinking about buying it again. I'll enjoy this 4 pack of tall boys no problem. But next time I go for an IPA, there are just so many good choices. This is in the range of "ooh, it's on sale" not "going to the store to get some Liberty Bell". That said, I'll watch for a sale!

Aug 27, 2019