Our featured beer this week is Sierra Nevada Hoptimum:
A group of hop-heads and publicans challenged our Beer Camp brewers to push the extremes of whole-cone hop brewing. The result is this: a 100 IBU, whole-cone hurricane of flavor. Simply put —Hoptimum: the biggest whole-cone IPA we have ever produced. Aggressively hopped, dry-hopped, AND torpedoed with our exclusive new hop varieties for ultra-intense flavors and aromas.
Resinous "new-school" and exclusive hop varieties carry the bold and aromatic nose. The flavor follows the aroma with layers of aggressive hoppiness, featuring notes of grapefruit rind, rose, lilac, cedar, and tropical fruit—all culminating in a dry and lasting finish.
A 4-pack of 12oz bottles goes for $8.99. Hop-green colored label with a rendering of a classic hop-head.
STYLE: Imperial IPAALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 10.4%
COLOR (0-2): Golden orange color that’s mostly clear. 2
AROMA (0-2): Strong hoppy scents of grapefruit and pine. 2
HEAD (0-2): White color, good volume and lacing. 2
TASTE (0-5): Hoptimum delivers as promised with a heavy hop punch. Like the smell, there are strong flavors of grapefruit, pine, and floral hops with a touch of sweetness. Medium-bodied with a smoother mouthfeel. You can definitely feel the heat, yet it remains pretty drinkable despite the high alcohol content. 4
AFTERTASTE (0-2): The finish is dry and the delicious hop flavors hang around for a long time. 2
OVERALL (0-6): A top notch Imperial IPA that delivers a great hop bang for the buck. Hoptimum has rich, bold hop flavors with a nice kick that pushes the taste envelope without going too far. 5
TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 17
