Riwakamania I
Hop Butcher For The World

A beautiful citrusy treat, just a bit of mango and pineapple, not super sweet but the fragrance is fantastic. This strikes me as just a bit more hop-forward than many of Hop Butcher’s excellent IPAs (this is the twelfth different one I’ve sampled, and haven’t had a bad one yet). I realize that to enjoy these beers to their fullest extent, I should be better educated about the different effects of various hops, but man they are all so good on their own basic merits!

 

Gold in color with a hazy complexion. There’s a half inch of densely packed off white on top. Heavy lacing on the glass. There’s aroma is of citrus and cantaloupe. I’m tasting mandarin oranges and melon. The mouth is very approachable and refreshing.

 

 

 

Canned 4/14/25

Appearance: Pours a completely hazy (10% clarity) medium to deep, but bright golden color with a strong white head that lingers. SRM of 8-9. (4.25)

Aroma: Strong aromas of bright citrus, orange, grapefruit, and bright pine. (4.25)

Flavor: Strong flavors of orange citrus, bright grape, bright citrus and pine. Floral, vinous, and citrusy. Mildly sweet. (4.50)

Feel: Medium body, strong carbonation. Finish is bright, citrusy, mildly sweet, but clean. (4.25)

Overall: Citra plus Riwaka for some insane citrusy notes. Orange citrus, bright grape, pine. Smooth yet clean, Complex and abounding in flavors.
Wow, one of the best IPAs I've had. I didn't expect much, and somehow underestimated Hop Butcher. Maybe next time I will estimate them. . This is World-Class. (Rating: 4.35)

Crushing the competition with a tag-team of hops that everyone saw coming. Hop Butcher devises a plan to win the hoppy rasslin' match with a double punch of Citra and Riwaka hops.

Caught up in the haze, Riwakamania is held in a headlock of burnt lemon and golden matte colors that gets slammed on by an eggshell froth. As a punch of hops bring a decidedly citrus perfume, a blindside of tropical, berry and grape add complexity heading into a gentle cereal sweetness. As the hops develop from scent to taste, the strong white grapefruit, tangerine and lemon flavors hit you right in the kisser. Pineapple, passionfruit and apricot complete the onslaught of flavor before the tide turns bitter with green tea, verbena, balsa and hemp.

So much palate impact for regular strength hazy IPA, the session finishes slightly more bitter than sweet and with a malty-dry backbone. It's a perfect complement of hop flavors delivered at peak freshness for session that's a sure fire win.

 

Aroma is fruit/floral hops and a hint of sweet melons. The flavor is fruit/tropical fruit, earthy malts and a mildly sweet/big/spicy Citra hop finish.

16oz can. Poured out a cloudy golden orange color with a small, off-white head of foam. It left sudsy lacing. It smelled of pineapple, orange, grapefruit and caramel. Sweet tropical fruit taste with caramel and a piney bitterness.

 

 

 

Beautifully hazy OJ yellow-orange, its tall white foam head slowly settles unevenly to a lumpy root beer float island leaving layers of coral lacing that circle uniquely just at the rim of the glass and above the surface of the beer only.

I'm getting mildly peppery nelson vibes and I love it. It's a little smoother and more subtle than true nelson, but I can't complain. It's also fairly juicy of softly tropical juices--nothing sharp or acidic at all--accented by a little cannabic dankness. The main feature, though, is that NZ hop presence of peppery, toasted cracker, with a touch of sweetening shortbread malt arising on the exhale.

The body is a little lighter and slicker than I'd prefer, watery even. Despite its large head, which at least provides a soft fluffy entry point at the lips, there is minimal carbonation on the palate before it finishes just semi-dry.

This review is for the 2021 version, with Strata.

 

Straight grapefruit with a thin, white head.
An amazing smell of grapefruit, weed and tangerine. Also a peppery smell.
Beautiful Citrus fruit on the tongue that turns into a spicy, weedy pop. Has plenty of pine resin on the backend. Definitely reminiscent of marijuana.
Smooth mouthfeel that finishes piney and weedy.
Another great one by hop butcher!