Hop Shovel
Bear Republic Brewing Co.

Hop ShovelHop Shovel
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From:
Bear Republic Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
American IPA
Ranked #712
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
90
Ranked #8,849
Avg:
4.04 | pDev: 7.43%
Reviews:
69
Ratings:
302
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 09, 2022
Added:
Aug 26, 2014
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  66
Hop pickers of old used canvas shovels to move their harvest. We added overflowing scoops of Mosaic, Meridian and Denali to this IPA to create huge tropical and citrus notes. Enjoy a shovel's worth!
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Photo of WoodBrew
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I got a 4pck of cans of this beer from a beer store in Mount Vernon, Illinois. It poured a hazy copper with white head that is leaving some lace. The scent had bright pine notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with fresh pine resin presence. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall it is a great beer.
Jul 09, 2022
Photo of cjeep
Reviewed by cjeep from Pennsylvania

3.67/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bb 11/28/21 consumed 9/19/21 so plenty fresh I reckon. Overall ok but not worth seeking out from my side
L: drinking from the can and it’s sharp
S: not a strong aroma. Bit of citrus not much more.
T: not so great. Hoppy bitterness but not much else. Not getting much of those hop flavors beyond the bitterness.
F: ok feels fine but not special
O: wanted to like it more than I do. Calls itself big-n-juicy but I’m not feelin it.
Sep 20, 2021
Photo of RaulMondesi
Reviewed by RaulMondesi from California

3.48/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Raul is a pretty nice guy. Even though Bear Republic has dwindled like a snowman in the sun over the years, Raul decided to give this fresh offering a try. Verdict? I wish I hadn’t. Looked fine enough, but there is just a pretty nasty sweet/syrup in the end that is made more for pancakes, not Raul’s pint glass. Forget it.

I’m outta here.
Jan 31, 2021
Photo of LRingen
Rated by LRingen from Montana

3.74/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Wish I had a few more to savor.
May 17, 2020
 
Rated: 4.34 by Steve78 from Florida

Feb 18, 2020
 
Rated: 3.72 by JoshuaShort13 from Texas

Nov 27, 2019
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.76/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Had this at the Bistro's 19th annual ipa festival held April 9, 2016. Haven't managed to pick up a 6 pack of this, would try it again despite it not making the strongest impression when sampled on tap.

Yellow pour, thin white head 1/5". Aroma backs up the commercial tug job Mosaic reference. Had a dank to the point of suspecting Nelsons thing going on. I like when I can't tell if Mosaic or Nelson, really pushes that humid tropical note in that regard.

Taste was leaning more on the Denali and whatever the other hop was, seemingly for bittering. Came off similar to Simcoe with a solid bitter, dry and pine soap kind of lasting effect. Mouth feel was fine, carbonation was appropriate, body of beer was light two row and pale malt kind of familiarity. What smells tropical finishes older school grapefruit like bitterness. Light hop and alcohol burn. Wouldn't say this one hides the alcohol well, its there, but its also not all you get either. Does seem like they did a hybrid ipa with some alterno grains outside the flaked wheat/oats wheelhouse.
Nov 25, 2019
Photo of KingStelle
Rated by KingStelle from California

3.64/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Looked great, smelled good, taste was terrible. Very hop forward but the malty after taste does not work well with the beer. Disappointed.
Nov 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.77 by firkingroovin from Illinois

Aug 04, 2019
 
Rated: 3.63 by Pro_Magnon from Texas

Jul 03, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by Griffith from Connecticut

May 17, 2019
Photo of Bruno74200
Reviewed by Bruno74200 from France

4.16/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Despite the hops used, this beer is really a west coast ipa with a lot of citrus and pine resine. The malt base is quite nice and brings balance. Nice one
Apr 25, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

Mar 06, 2019
Photo of GarrettB
Reviewed by GarrettB from Colorado

3.17/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
July 28th, 2015 - Stinky, like sweat or body odor, and with a waft of some redolent tropical flower, this is a foul smelling beer. Not because it's bad or soured or spoiled, but it is raw and offers a potent musk. The palate is thinner and less carbonated than the other Bear Republic beers from today, with some pineapple and orange juice, a little like a tiki beer. On that note, I much prefer the taste to the smell.
Mar 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by Karibourgeois from Texas

Jan 28, 2019
 
Rated: 5 by Kwright from North Carolina

Jan 24, 2019
 
Rated: 3.89 by Mxsluis from Michigan

Jan 20, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by heymikew from California

Jan 20, 2019
 
Rated: 2.7 by Buttersbrau from California

Jan 10, 2019
Photo of TheBrewsky
Reviewed by TheBrewsky from California

4.3/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
No bottling date, but has a "best buy" date of 2/11/19. Features Mosaic, Meridian and Denali hops.
L: Pours straw yellow in color. Looks unfiltered but not a murk bomb. About a finger of a frothy white cap that retained rather nicely. Heaps of sudsy lacing left on the glass as I partake.
S: Man this thing smells great. Tons of citrus up front, but also doesn't skimp on notes of passionfruit and pineapple. Hop profile is grassy, herbal and semi piney. Smells fantastic.
T: Really awesome. Up front citrus fruit flavor, consisting of orange and grapefruit, but then later translates into a lemony/earthy flavor. Melon and pineapple also detectible on the taste, but not as strong as the citrus. Finish is rather hoppy with lingering notes of pine and lemongrass. Mild dank resin. This is awesome.
F: Medium in body and weight. Soft-ish in feel but still is clean. Feels like it is trying to be a full on NEIPA but hasn't quite reached that pillowy status.
O: I am very much enjoying this. I picked up a single bottle but would consider getting a 6'er of this. Bear Republic is back on my radar. I am very grateful to have tried. Cheers!
Jan 08, 2019
Hop Shovel from Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 302 ratings