Scratch Beer 111 - 2013 (HopCyclone Harvest Ale)
Tröegs Brewing Company

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From:
Tröegs Brewing Company
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
6.8%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.06 | pDev: 7.39%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
52
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 12, 2019
Added:
Aug 26, 2013
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  3
Earlier this year, we introduced an innovative device that would usher in a new era of dry-hopping technology at Tröegs Brewery -- the HopCyclone. This hopped-up Harvest Ale (which shares its namesake with the aforementioned device) begins with plenty of Columbus and Crystal hops for bittering. We then further intensify the hop aroma by adding an abundance of whole flower Mt. Hood hops to our hopback vessel. Finally, we apply a healthy dose of Galaxy and Motueka hops directly to the HopCyclone during dry-hopping to push this beer over the edge. The result is an aggressive IPA-style Harvest Ale with plenty of lip-smacking, juicy hop goodness and a tinge of dry spiciness due to the addition of a small percentage of rye malt. Experience a hop gust of epic proportions with Scratch #111 - HopCyclone Harvest Ale!

87 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by orangesol:
Photo of orangesol
Reviewed by orangesol from Pennsylvania

4.24/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Served from a firkin dry hopped with Columbus hops during the Full Moon Firkins event.

A - Pours hazy amber orange with a creamy one finger tall white head leaving spotty webs of lace down the glass.

S - Smells of pine resin, tropical fruit, fresh cut grass, a bit of caramel malt sweetness and some light earthiness. The hops are strong from the start but it gets more balanced as it warms to room temperature.

T - Starts off with quite a bit of grassy hop bitterness slowly giving way to the pithy tropical fruit, sticky pine resin and some balancing caramel malt sweetness. Finish is surprisingly clean with only a little bit of lingering hop bitterness. The cask really helps to balance out the flavors and adds the typical smooth feel, making it very easy to consume.

M - Medium body with moderate carbonation. Smooth, hoppy feel with a bit of backing sweetness. The feel is great and the booze is non existent.

O - This one really worked for me. The hops remained strong throughout and the smooth feel from the cask made it super easy to drink. I look forward to trying this one on draft when it comes out in the coming weeks.
Aug 26, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.43 by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

Apr 12, 2019
 
Rated: 4.16 by JNForsyth from Pennsylvania

Dec 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by barflybastard from Pennsylvania

Oct 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by DrBier from Pennsylvania

Sep 19, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by BastardAleFTW from Pennsylvania

Jun 13, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Griffith from Connecticut

Feb 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by brentblack1 from New York

Nov 26, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by CoolEthan from California

Nov 23, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by chrishiker1409 from New York

Nov 10, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by ryser2k from Pennsylvania

Oct 31, 2013
 
Rated: 4.75 by MarvinSnyder from West Virginia

Oct 29, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by Syracuse12 from New Jersey

Oct 26, 2013
Photo of GreesyFizeek
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

4.7/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Surprised to get this cool find at ACME Bar and Pizza on Monroe Ave, in Rochester, NY.

Pours a brilliant dark orange. A very similar color to a tiger. Awesome! Fully formed head, with lacing like tree rings throughout the drinking session.

Smells incredible. Earthy, dank hop aromas abound.

Tastes like one of the best harvest ales I've ever had. So resinous, bitter, and dank. Tons of earthy pine, dark grapefruit, fresh cut grass, pineapple juice, orange pulp. So much hop flavor just packed into this one. I could drink this all day. Had two pours of it.

Great mouthfeel- sticky, like honey, full bodied, great carbonation.

A big surprise. I loved this one. Would love to see it again someday.
Oct 19, 2013
Photo of Darkmagus82
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance – The beer was served a golden color with a one finger of foamy white foam on the surface of the brew. The head has a good level of retention, slowly fading over time to leave a wonderful level for streaky lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma was a nice blend of tropical and citrus fruits with a nice hop profile. The tropical fruits are of pineapple, melon, and mango while the sweeter citrus is of tangerine and orange. The hop aromas have a lot going on with a good dose of grapefruit citrus, some pine and a nice blend of grass and some floral notes. There is a bit of a biscuit aroma in there as well, rounding out the aroma and producing a rather sweet and hoppy, but balanced smell overall.

Taste – The taste begins with a nice sweeter tropical fruit nature blended with a little bit of a bready flavor. Straight from the start there is a nice hop presence with a grassy and pine hop present upfront. A little bit of yeast is there from the start as well, fading quickly from the taste as it advances. The grapefruit and pine remain relatively constant throughout the taste and are later joined by some floral and grapefruit hop flavors. The bready nature of the beer picks up a slight bit at the end with the fruit losing a little bit of strength. The combination of flavors, in the end, leaves a nice smooth semi-sweet flavor with a great blend of hop flavors to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the average side in terms of its thickness and creaminess with a carbonation level that is on the slightly lower side. The average body is great for an easy drinking feel, while the lower carbonation helps create a smooth feel that matched the flavors at the end of the taste very well.

Overall – This was a very tasty IPA and one I hope Troegs recreates at some time. If you have a chance, I would definitely recommend trying this one. Very flavorful and very smooth.
Oct 18, 2013
Photo of jzeilinger
Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Pours a orange amber color with a thick, frothy white head and a lacing ring that is massive and frothy. Very frothy looking.

S - Citrus, tropical fruit, light resin (I'm guessing the cold temp right now is masking some of the nose).

T - Resiny tropical fruit: oranges, citrus, grapefruit, lightly herbal, and some spice round out the flavor. Sweet and tropical up front and resiny, piney bitter on the backside and some light caramel malt underneath that surfaces more so towards the middle. Coats the mouth with resiny hops and the bitter bite lingers for a good long while.

M - Full medium body with a slight creaminess.

O - Definitely gets better as the beer warms...Troegs has a winner here. The score would be higher if the aroma matched the intensity of the taste. Add this one to your rotation, Troegs.
Oct 17, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by dexterk1 from Illinois

Oct 13, 2013
Photo of NiceTaps
Reviewed by NiceTaps from New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Growler poured into my Sam Smith's pint glass.

A- Transparent golden-orange color, some amber. Big and fluffy off-white head, bubbly. Lots of sticky web lacing. Lasting retention.

S- Piney hops to start. The fruits are more pineapple and mango than citrus. There is some malt sweetness and alcohol as the beer warms. Floral too.

T- Piney and fruity again. Malts come on as it warms. The alcohol aroma does not come on strong in flavor, that's good.

M- Full body, viscosity. Resinous and sturdy. There is great balance between the hops and sweets ( alcohol and malts). Finishes with flavors and a touch of hop bite.

O- I'm finishing up the growler as I type...so I liked it a lot. Well blended, all the properties are there, nothing is too obvious.
Oct 12, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by BFCarr from New Jersey

Oct 09, 2013
Photo of scottfrie
Reviewed by scottfrie from California

3.62/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle into snifter. Thanks StormKing47!

A: Pours a glowing citrus amber with a greasy off-white head that slowly faded into a thick and well retained film. Soapy, spotty lace was left down the glass.
S: Citrus nose with a hint of herbal spice and leafy green-ness.
T: Rye mlats come through next to burn caramel and toasted grains. The hops are herbal, bitter, and leafy with a hint of pine and maybe kiwi.
M: Medium-full body, greasy mouthfeel with slick carbonation. Fairly balanced.
O: Pretty good balance between hops and rye. Enjoyable. Thanks again, Josh!
Oct 06, 2013
Scratch Beer 111 - 2013 (HopCyclone Harvest Ale) from Tröegs Brewing Company
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 52 ratings