Holy Cow
The Alchemist

Holy CowHoly Cow
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From:
The Alchemist
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
5.1%
Score:
93
Avg:
4.16 | pDev: 7.93%
Reviews:
50
Ratings:
322
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 20, 2021
Added:
Apr 16, 2014
Wants:
  77
Gots:
  42
Holy Cow is an old favorite being revisited. When we opened our doors for business at the old pub, this was one of the initial offerings. Back then, I was testing the waters to see how people would respond to a truly hoppy IPA. Funny, right?

We soon started to refer to it as a Session IPA, as most of my other IPAs came in above 7% ABV. Through the years, Holy Cow went through countless changes before settling into a groove near the end. In that spirit, I am wiping the slate clean for this new recipe.

The malt bill is the same, but the hops are most defiantly different. Columbus and Amarillo are now joined by Huell Melon, a new and unique hop from Germany. So sit back, relax, and get into a little sesh with Holy Cow. Enjoy..
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by yasky:
Photo of yasky
Reviewed by yasky from Canada (ON)

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
2 finger head that laces all the way to the last drop. Hazy orange colour. Aroma of Grapefruit,, Mango and hops - lots and lots of hops. Taste of American and English (?) hops, Grapefruit Rinds, Lightly toasted Caramel Malts and a bit of pine and spruce. Actually finishes like an English IPA - fairly dry. Went down like water, and took a couple before the alcohol hit me. More please.
Jul 04, 2017
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.25 by smartassboiler from Illinois

Nov 20, 2021
 
Rated: 3.33 by BWM-PGH from Pennsylvania

Jan 22, 2020
 
Rated: 4.06 by LXMRTN from New Hampshire

Dec 17, 2019
 
Rated: 4.06 by SebastianOwl from Massachusetts

Dec 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by rare_bird from Michigan

Dec 02, 2019
Photo of RookieNumbers
Reviewed by RookieNumbers from Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Holy cow surprised me to say the least. Drank from the can, this beer is low in ABV at 5% but it still has that delicious IPA flavor. One of the better IPA’s I’ve tasted and I do say with confidence it is neck and neck with the Heady Topper.
Nov 07, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by hozersr from Pennsylvania

Oct 30, 2019
 
Rated: 4.15 by Barleycorn from Pennsylvania

Oct 24, 2019
 
Rated: 4.03 by rdoggg from Pennsylvania

Sep 14, 2019
Photo of 5toutman75
Reviewed by 5toutman75 from Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
I love the Hop bite on this. So much flavor for a 5.2% abv beer. Sure I’ll almost always pick a DIPA over a lower abv beer, but this is top in its class. Don’t pass it up.
Sep 14, 2019
 
Rated: 4.17 by Gambyt20 from Illinois

Sep 08, 2019
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.27/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pushing forward and throwing back, the brewers at The Alchemist get a little retrospective with an old school IPA recipe that's gone under a few revisions for a modern hop loving audience. Huell Melon hops join Columbus and Amarillo for a taste that's old but new again.

I can hear Harry Carey now as "Holy Cow" rolls off of the label and into the glass. Reasonably hazy and with silten matter floating in the later subsequent pours, the honey gold beer just radiates with a bold hop perfume that's redolent with orchard and tropical fruit, laced with citrus and herb. Sweeter with a straight forward honey and light caramel maltiness, its basic grain profile is standard of West Coast IPA.

But as the ale rolls across the middle palate its focus shifts toward the hops. Peach, grapefruit, tangerine, honeydew and lychee offer a branch ripe fruit profile with the juiciness of sun kissed varieties for a succulent hop display before the flavors dive head first into a bitter, grassy and herbal taste late on the palate. Chive, fresh grass clippings and gripping pine resins ensure a West Coast type of bitterness in throwback fashion.

Medium bodied but drying beautifully on the finish, the bold resinous bitterness is a far departure from the New England styled trends of hop bombs as the moderate strength beer has a bold hop impact in a long, grassy and bitter aftertaste.
Sep 03, 2019
 
Rated: 4.28 by Johncnh from New Hampshire

Aug 24, 2019
 
Rated: 3.78 by WhackoMillah93 from Massachusetts

Aug 24, 2019
 
Rated: 4.1 by Ajlvt from Washington

Aug 23, 2019
Photo of ChipChaight
Reviewed by ChipChaight from New York

4.24/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Can from the brewery in Stowe, VT. Smells and tastes like fresh cut grass soaked in pine resin with candied citrus, has a dank and nicely bitter pine finish, this beer is light and crisp. A low ABV beer with huge hop flavor, holy cow indeed.
Jul 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4.73 by Shy5 from Oregon

Jul 24, 2019
 
Rated: 4.14 by blg541 from Virginia

Jul 12, 2019
 
Rated: 4.41 by cd34 from Illinois

Jun 08, 2019
Holy Cow from The Alchemist
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 322 ratings