I know I know, I am easily wowed by any IPA variant that is balanced and full of piney resin goodness. Not to rehash how local (or at least local enough – our states touch so that counts in my book) ones have more than covered my wants. The white whales the style are barely a thought in my mind these days.
The usual random searching the shelves brings us here. As the title says, why have I never heard of this before? I had picked up a bottle of Rude Elf (which in all honestly, was OK but definitely not for me). Sitting on the upper right corner of the shelf, not even having a tag was a few bottles of Hop’solutely. Why not? I figured.
I even forgot i had it, but given our lack of sleep these days that was not all that hard. So on a whim in a quiet stretch of time last night i cracked it open.
Wow pretty much sums it up. This beautiful clear caramely amber color and all the Pine you could ever want. The Alcohol barley starts to creep through until you are almost finished with the glass.
I can not believe i have never heard about this before, and why people are not singing its praises from the roof tops. Seriously this is a good as it can get. I love Victory’s DirtWolf, and as good as i find that, this is even better. DW more than held its own in the HT side by side tasting, but Hop’solutely would have pulled a Conan in the side by side. It would crush them, see them driven to kneel before the might that is this 11.5% behemoth, or something.. or they would all go out and get bacon cheese fries or what ever. It could go either way..
This is what Philly’s Joe Sixpack had to say:
This “triple” India pale ale is utterly smooth with a powerfully hoppy presence and pleasing 11.5 percent content of alcohol by volume. Its Chinook and Amarillo hops are at once earthy and floral, and its full malt body provides a sweet, sticky finish that isn’t so cloying that you wouldn’t take a second sip. That next gulp soothes the palate with a softness you wouldn’t expect from any IPA. You might even find honey and fruit notes that are sweet as melon.While Hop’solutely is fairly well regarded on the blogs and at beer-rating websites, it can’t match the publicity surrounding that other “triple” IPA, Russian River Pliny the Younger. The California-made ale [is] frequently voted the world’s greatest beer…Is Hop’solutely as good as Pliny the Younger? In a word, yes.”Joe Sixpack
I have never, and probably will never have The Younger, but really that this level they are both going to be fantastic. But which one can you easily (depending on location) get year round? and in bottle or draft?
I will be stocking up on this no doubt about it.
