Sierra Nevada Hoptimum
From Sierra Nevada – 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.
Sierra Nevada Brewing – Sierra Nevada Hoptimum Whole-Cone Imperial IPA – 24 oz. bottle poured into a tulip. 10.4% abv. Purchased at Bobby’s Liquor in Santa Clara, CA
Appearance: Pours a slightly cloudy copper with visible rising carbonation and a fluffy white head that retains rather well. This beer leaves behind a good deal of lacing.
Aroma: A big grapefruit nose, followed by fresh grassy hop notes.
Taste: Resinous piney hops, finishing with a nice malt backbone and a fruity bitter finish that lingers. After more inspection, there is a little bit of alcohol warmth.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied, average carbonation.
Overall: Above average for the style, but average for Sierra Nevada. A kicked up version of Torpedo, or a less malty version of Bigfoot? You can definitely taste the family lineage. Here’s another analogy: It’s another hit from The Beetles. I can’t ask for anything more, and I don’t know how it could improve, but it didn’t seem like a really unique offering.
January 29, 2011 @ 1:06 pm
I respectfully disagree on one point from the reviewer: I feel this beer is a revelation. Perhaps I wasn’t expecting much – I actually tried this on tap at Barclays in Oakland on Super Bowl Sunday 2010. I thought it was way overblown and I couldn’t find anything distinctive or even Sierra Nevada about it.
I tried it in bottle after dinner recently and I was honestly blown away. I found that distinctive lemon-line, sweet bitterness and velvety texture that are hallmarks of Sierra Nevadas kicked up hop offerings. Yes – a Torpedo IPA on steroids but even better if one can imagine that.
While having a pint of a great El Toro beer in Oakland last night, I was horrified to see a keg of Hoptimum sitting out in the open waiting for its turn on the tap. It was room temperature. The establishment will go unnamed for the time being. I feel bad for those that will not experience Hoptimum in all its glory at this establishment.