Hoptimum

Don't worry about the scores here. PtY is 100. I'd rate it an 85. Bramble is a 91. I'd rate it a 100. Your palate is all that matters.

 

Hoptimum is a great beer to add to SNs lineup but I don't think it's as good as the heavy hitters. I'd take an $8 Double Jack over a $10 4-pack anyday.

 

Pliny and Hoptimum are not much alike. 8% and 10.4% is like comparing a Triple IPA to a Double. You can pack a bigger hop punch into a 10.4% beer for sure, so if you're looking to get floored with hops, you'll prefer Hoptimum. I think PtE is a much better crafted beer and much much much more sessionable beer. 91 seems right to me for big bad boozy sticky icky icky Hoptimum, but it's all personal preference. Find out which one YOU like better. Don't let BA and BA scores influence your preference...

 

I love Hoptimum... I thought I was crazy that it seemed better and more balanced this year. That being said, I'd take quite a few IPA/IIPA's over it anyday!
Pliny
Abrasive
Wet
Flower Power
471
Unearthly
Dreadnaught
Lupulin Maximus
Harpoon Leviathan
Furious
Sculpin
Maharaja
Denogginizer
...etc

 

All three are in my top 5 IPAs (although only the Younger version of Pliny)
1.Pliny the Younger
2.Hopslam
3.Hoptimum
4.Unfiltered Double Simcoe
5.Nugget Nectar (come on, it's an IPA)

This pretty much makes up my top tier. "On par"? Absolutely.

 

I've had hoptimum and pliny countless times. Here's my opinion, I can't really explain is, but I prefer hoptimum from a bottle into a glass as opposed to hoptimum on tap, and then the exact opposite with pliny. I've never had hopslam so I can't comment on that, haha kind of seems like I'm rambling, but yeah, there was my two cents.

 

Hoptimum? Good beer, no great. Not top tier. I do not mind it but I will take Torpedo over it everyday.

 

Hoptimum is a great beer. I've been very happy to have a great double IPA 4pk that I can pick up while grocery shopping. I think I'd prefer some of the others mentioned in this thread above it, but that may also be a factor of the abv difference some people have mentioned.

In any event, I don't think a discussion of good double IPAs can be had without mention of Hill Farmstead. Some of the best double IPAs are coming out of Greensboro Bend right now! Double Galaxy is probably the best hoppy beer I've ever had.

 

I'd NEVER take Torpedo over it, but I totally agree that it's not top tier. Not even top 20 probably.

 

Heady>Hopslam>Hoptimum=Erie Monster

 

After recently doing Heady vs Abrasive vs Pliney vs Hopslam in a day, i would go Heady then Pliney and Abrasive going neck and neck hopslam last for sure, hoptimum is right on par with hopslam for me though. Nowhere near the complex flavors or scent that Heady has (which to me are like pliney that has been hitting the gym for a few months)

 

On tap hop 15 is one of the top 3 IIPAs I've ever had, out of the bottle a far different story......I wish port could figure out the whole flat bottles problem.

 

Brooklyn Blast!!! Tap only! It's so rediculous, that it's... uhmmm... rediculous!!! It could very well be Pliny the Aborted!!!

 

Hey look, my opinion is better than your opinion!

 

I'd have to do the math on the top 20 DIPAs. If Hoptimum is not in that group, then it's right behind.

The one thing I will say about Hoptimum that wins more points in my book is drinkability. For a 10.4% beer, it's very, very drinkable, more so than DIPAs that are probably in the top 20.

 

I love Hoptimum, but I would choose many over it. For the price you can't beat it. Pliny, Heady Topper, Palate Wrecker, Double Jack, and HF Abner.

 

Pliny and Hoptimum are both great beers. But so are Boulevard Double-wide and Great Divide Hercules.

 

totally agree with this, hoptimum, pliny, etc. are uniquely different from each other for me so it's hard to rank them. i'll take them all!

speaking of last year's, has anyone had a year old hoptimum? just curious as I have a few left and was thinking about saving some for next year...

 

That, and my point in listing those beers specifically is that they're all quite different in ABV and hop character, as well. The first three are all listed as DIPAs, Sculpin's an American IPA, and Zombie is an American Pale (according to their style listings). They may all be on the same spectrum, and they're all excellent in their own right, but definitely not a fair comparison from one to the next!