Poppy Seed Bun
Hop Butcher For The World

16oz can, PKG 10/10/23
L: hazy golden-amber body; tall & frothy ivory colored head
S: earthy, herbal, and floral with some citrus & pine; light caramel
T: lightly caramelized grain, honey, and bread crust notes for malt; hops add notes of earthy pine, herbal, candied orange, grapefruit
F: medium body, ample carbonation, hop oils bite the tongue, bitter finish with some residual malty sweetness
O: I love Riwaka hops so I was excited to try this one, which is the first solo Riwaka hopped beer I’ve had. I really like it, but I’m torn on whether Riwaka should be left on its own or if it needs another hop to complement it. Regardless, HBftW did a fine job with this one, as expected.

 

 

Hands down one if my favorite Pale Ales of all times, certainly one of my favorite ones from Hop Butcher. The kicker: the smell actually reminds me of a freshly baked poppy see bun. So very good!!

Dark gold to copper colored with a half inch of creamy beige on top. The aroma is of green onions. I’m tasting bitter green onions. The mouth is very approachable and refreshing.

 

Deep amber pour with off white foam; excellent cap retention, solid ring; lots of soapy lace. Skunky dank tropical fruit nose. Grapefruit, sweet pineapple with a lemon/lime finish. Medium light body, moderate minus carbonation; no astringency. Overall, thin but crushable; I really like the Riwaka hop nose/taste.

 

Hot dog, hot diggity dog! Hop Butcher for the World uses what's best of Riwaka hops to fuel an otherwise classic American IPA that's as iconic as the Chicago dog.

Light honey amber and shaded in a light haze, Poppy Seed Bun tops off with a foamy ivory crown while swirling with the scent of citrus, tropical fruit, light herb and spruce. As juicy as its scent is, the taste is just as plump with toasty, caramel and shortcake driven malt.

As the attention turns back to the hops, the middle palate opens up with a burst of citrus. Pink grapefruit, tangerine and a sweeter lemon flavor provides a rounded fruitiness that leads into a more tropical taste of mango, papaya and peach. Tightening its grip a little, the late palate trends herbal with lemongrass, sun tea and fresh spruce needles for a bitter, peppery and lightly resinous balance.

Medium bodied, bitter-sweet and trending hoppy, the session closes with a bitter extension of grassy hops and a crisp, clean and highly refreshing after palate.

Pours a hazy burnt orange color with two fingers of an off-white, dense head. Dissipates slowly. A few floaties in there. Looks more like an old school pale ale, but with a much more unfiltered look.

Aroma is that Southern Hemisphere earthy funk, juicy ruby red grapefruit, tangerine, floral, and some lychee from the hops. Malt brings some bread and simple syrup notes.

Taste is ripe ruby red grapefruit flesh, orange slice candy, lychee, orange and grapefruit pith, lemon, and floral, with that characteristic Southern Hemisphere earthy funk layered over it all. Bread, slight caramel, and table sugar come from the malt. Dries out into the finish with a light bitterness.

Medium body. Soft, slick, smooth, slightly oily, chalky. Light medium carbonation.

I was hoping for an all old school APA with a new school hop, but this is more of a mashup of new and old school qualities. Has much more balance from the malts and that classic APA look (albeit with much more haze), but is much softer and rounded on the feel with less bitterness than desired. The hop character is interesting though. Not my favorite pale ale by these guys, but by no means is this a disappointing beer.