Hopsickle Imperial India Pale Ale
Moylan's Brewery

Spike from England

3.25/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Big, bold, over-hopped, Imperial IPA. A mouth-puckering, tongue-curling, bone dry, hot & spicy, hop bomb with minimal fruit to balance the bitterness. A dense layer of syrupy malt offers little in terms of balance. Ultimately, too harsh for me.

Feb 17, 2020

BEERMILER12 from Maine

4.21/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a copper color with 2 fingers of head that fades down to a thin cap

S: Very hoppy. Citrus and pine up front along with some light floral notes

T: Follows the nose. Pine resin and citrus up front along with some lighter floral notes. Light malt backing. Quite bitter. Finishes with lingering pine and citrus

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation

O: One of the OG West Coast “triple” IPAs. Dangerously drinkable for 9.2%. Definite respect

Feb 16, 2020

brureview from Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Golden honey color with a 3F head in a Spielgelau IPA glass.

Mild piney, citrus aroma.

Very smooth, creamy MF.

Excellent piney, vanilla taste.

Very enjoyable.

Feb 12, 2020

Treb0R from Oregon

2.84/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

Too rich, malty, full-bodied and boozy. Triple IPAs aren't fun because they lose all of the fresh nuanced hop notes. This beer just tastes like a jumbled malt bomb. And at $19 a 4-pack, I regret revisiting it.

I've been brewing & enjoying IPAs and double IPAs for 12+ years now, and I'm amazed by all of the positive reviews for this beer. Usually a beer with 90 or above on this website is a stellar example of the style. The only reason it has received higher than average marks is due to the high booze content. Some people are just suckers for a quick buzz.

Stone Enjoy By IPA is better than this beer and similar abv.

Feb 03, 2020

jrc1093 from Connecticut

4.17/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Batch #2183

Pours a beautiful sheen of translucent deep orange copper topped with multiple fingers of creamy, off-white froth; excellent head retention fades gradually to a generous spread of chunky, soapy lacing, light, fluffy cap, and a steady, tightly-wound collar of froth.

Aroma is bursting with floral notes, candied tangerine, and orange zest upfront, with subtle accents of fresh peach and orange blossom honey guiding into sticky apricot and grapefruit with a touch of malt to close.

Taste offers earthy pine and sticky apricot against refined, resin-soaked malt dominant across the profile; booze-laced grapefruit peel comes into prominence on the back end, while a dirt-laced fresh hop char marks the swallow.

Mouthfeel shows a slightly oily full body and carbonation a shade below medium; a slick, semi-boozy mid-palate warms into a rounded, honey-smooth and lightly sticky finish, leaving a gritty, bitter lingering remaining long past the swallow.

Not one for all occasions, this is an old-school IPA intense in every regard; saturated and just barely self-contained, but I can't help but respect the finesse they managed into such an effectively hoppy brew, potent even as it warms.

Jan 29, 2020

elNopalero from California

4.43/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This pours a slightly hazy amber gold. Thin foaming. Big big big aroma. Lightly floral orange blossom and candied citrus notes. Big intense bitterness with a strong citrus and pine character. Just a touch of boozy heat and some sticky malt backing. This was good.

Jan 29, 2018

R_i_P from California

4.44/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I picked up a bomber of Hopsickle from Hi Times in Newport Beach, CA on 02/12/2017. No bottled date, which is pretty asinine in this enlightened age of "drink fresh." APV 9.2%. Colorful label touting the various awards won by this imperial IPA and providing you with directions to Moylan's Brewing in Novato, CA. Novato is located 30 miles north of San Francisco in Marin County.

Actually, I'd classify this beer as an Imperial Triple IPA -- it has an insane hop-forwardness with an Imperial IPA's backbone. This beer relies upon Amarillo, Palisade, Simcoe and CTZ hops -- a ton of these hops.

Hopsickle pours a light hazy copper with low to moderate carbonation. 1 finger of ecru foam which dissipates quickly. Beautiful lacing. The smell is strong notes of honey and hops -- citrus, flowery and piney hops. This aroma, while relatively okay, doesn't prepare you for the assault on your taste buds.

The taste starts with honey and bitter pine hops, followed by hops, hops and more bitter hops, ending in a delightfully (or painfully, depending on your opinion) bitter honey taste. At first sip, the honey (malt) backbone washes out the complexity of the hops. But then the bitter hops quickly overwhelm the honey taste, leaving just a wonderfully bitter, piney taste that lingers in your mouth for literally hours afterward. I'm not kidding -- for hours afterward. This is some very cool sh*t!

This is definitely an imperial IPA of extraordinary hop intensity and bitterness. That said, Hopsickle isn't for everyone. I doubt many drinkers will truly appreciate the bitter/sweet insanity of this imperial IPA. It literally knocks your socks off with its hop bitterness and honey malt. This isn't just something one drinks every day -- this is also what one savors on special occasions.

Feb 21, 2017

EMV from Pennsylvania

4.06/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a tulip

L: Pours a semi-opaque golden orange color. 1.5 fingers of white head falls quickly. Moderate lacing.

S: Hops, hops, hops. Citrus and pine... peppercorn, all mixed with bready malts.

T/F: Rich malt body... full, and with a very big hop profile. Lots of resiny pine, light citrus notes... sharp and peppery. Juicy and oily. Finish is bitter.

O: A big hoppy Imperial IPA. Not the best I've had but definitely upper third. Well worth snagging for a test drive.

Oct 22, 2016

rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.51/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Darker than average ipa, this one brings a healthy dose of crystal malt if you're into that kind of recipe from yesteryear. So much hop oil it makes it almost impossible to form the off white head on top.. Aroma dropped lots of caramel sweetness and C hop bitterness.

Taste is just going for those ibu numbers, trying to make it as bitter as possible while creating an almost barleywine like malt body and sweetness to boot. Its hot and bitter.

Only comes in a bomber, way expensive for its one trick pony bitterness. Thanks for the trip down memory lane, but ultimately this is a barleywine to me.

May 30, 2016

richj1970 from Alabama

4.02/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 22 oz bomber into snifter. No visible bottle date.

A: Copper tinted orange with generous 2-3 finger dense white head. Lasting retention and leaving lots of lacing.

S: Fresh pine cones, and bold earthy hops. Orange peel and grapefruit.

T: Dank, resinous, earthy hops from start to finish. Faint citrus with grapefruit and tangerine.

M: Medium body with average carbonation. Finish is bitter with hop oils lingering on the tongue.

O: Seriously huge hop bomb that I thoroughly enjoyed. My first from Moylan, and hopefully not my last!

Feb 10, 2016

stevoj from Idaho

4.18/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle from the Co-op. Orange copper pour with one finger fluffy head. Big bold hop aroma, taste continues with more hops, assaulting the palate with some real dank bitterness. Bitter finish slides down the throat with some heat. A big, chewy, meaty DIPA. Nice!

Dec 22, 2015

VABA from Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

They did a very good job with the hoppiness. Great beer. The hops are very strong and the aroma is overwhelming. The taste is also very hoppy and smooth.

Dec 16, 2015

beerchic from Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a hazy reddish orange. Smells resiny, piney, orange and maybe grapefruity. The taste is a wonderfully bitter, yet balanced brew. The mouthfeel on this big beer is really selling it for me. The body and carb level are making a happy dance on my tongue! Really wish I had brought back more from my vacation, yum!

Nov 01, 2015

ljjpowers from California

3.79/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

ABSOLUTE HOP BOMB!!!!! Couldn't even comprehend some of the citrus notes before the bitterness destroyed my palate. Extremely piney. This is not a '100' rated beer, bros. But it is damn good. Oddly enough, some sweetness shined through (maybe residual resin, maybe (chocolate?)?

Sep 08, 2015

Tracs from Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Look: yellow maybe a bit more Amber than the average IPA.

Smell: lots of complex hops. Floral and resinous. Not much citrus if that's your thing.

Taste: unique and complex from the start. Not very sweet. There are surprising notes of chocolate and coffee. Finish is bitter as the tomahawk hops come through

Feel: medium bodied. Not crisp but not overwhelmingly sticky.

Overall: a very distinct imperial IPA. Strong hops and not afraid to let the bitterness fly. Fans of sweeter IPAs might not be a fan but overall a very enjoyable drinking experience.

Aug 14, 2015

TRiGS from Canada

4.29/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Must have got a relatively fresh bottle as I didn't notice any lack of carbonation or muted flavours like some of the other reviewers. Great beer. Bready, malty, with a pleasant bitterness. Excellent mouthfeel. Bitterness balanced quite nicely with malt flavours.

Jul 22, 2015

pat61 from Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

L: Hazy amber gold with a persistent 3” clingy white foam cap. S: Malty nose with some hops, citrus. T: Intense hops with grapefruit, citrus, melon. F: Medium to medium full body, medium low carbonation. O: A big, intense hoppy elixir.

Jun 23, 2015

beermeplz from California

3.95/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Don't know exactly when this was bottled (come on people, date stamp that shit...seriously), but shouldn't be more than a couple months old.

The taste and smell on this are great. It's much more malty/bready than I would've expected, but this is well balanced by a hop kick in the middle and a lingering bitterness.

I would've rated it higher, but, considering the price I paid, I expected something better executed. My bottle is way undercarbed and so the mouthfeel is lacking. Fix that issue and it'd top-notch.

Apr 14, 2015

Santosizer from California

4.51/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Looks super hazy, nice off white head that disappears quickly. Smells like one of my favorite hops being simcoe, super citrusy, piney, malty goodness. Tastes nothing like the smell, a very malt forward beer with subtle notes of the nose, earthy, mineral iron towards the end. This is not what I was expecting from something brewed in California. This is a malt bomb at times. Medium to heavy side. Just not at all what I was expecting from these folks. I liked it, just not a flavor you'd expect from simcoe and amarillo.

Mar 13, 2015

jhartley from Florida

3.11/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

This may have been an old bottle, hard to tell with no bottle dating.
Will re-review when I have this again; this just wasn't what it should have been when I had it.

Feb 01, 2015

GregJ from Louisiana

3.6/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Smells of pine, earthy, woody, a little lemon. Strong malt and pine resin/spice flavor, rye. A little over powering on the hop resin which dominates the palate and aftertaste. Heavy body.

Nov 16, 2014

barczar from Kentucky

3.8/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Way too bitter for my liking. In fairness, there was some age on this one, so I should revisit it when fresh. Unfortunately those were all the notes I had on this one.

Aug 23, 2014

TreyIsWilson from Michigan

3.9/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - Pours a hazy orange with a one-finger white head. Lots of sticky lacing.

S - Aromas of grapefruit, orange peel, and big piney hops.

T - There is a citrus peel and piney hops right upfront. Once the citrus fades the bitterness kicks in. The bitterness is aggressive and lasts through the finish.

M - Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Very dry mouthfeel.

O - This is one big bad DIPA. Lots of piney hops and aggressive bitterness.

Aug 08, 2014

gillagorilla from Maryland

4.02/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sample at Max's on 7/23/14 (from notes)

A: Lacing and copper colored.

S: Hops, all day.

T: Bitter as hell. Along with pine, that is the taste. I don't usually get this even with some of the other big IPAs out there.

M: Smooth with light carbonation.

O: Unbalanced but hoppy and bitter as hell.

Jul 30, 2014

Dan_McNeely from Wisconsin

4.41/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearence very deep orange copper Thick very appetizing.

smell very multi with fresh deep hops but enough citrus adds sweetness in the smell

the taste is it exactly like the smell very smooth rich deep a bit creamy very tasty beer

very smooth mouth feel.

Overall a great beer

Jul 20, 2014