Hop Devil is a 6.6% ABV IPA that is brewed year round in Pennsylvania. We get some Victory beers out here in California, including their fantastic Helios Ale (saison,) but I can't say I've seen the HopDevil (one word, I guess.) Therefore, as with so many other beers I've reviewed in the last several months, I got this bottle in a trade!
UPDATE: HopDevil has been sold in California, so I assume that it has been distributed here and perhaps continues to be distributed here, even if I haven't happened to spot it.
Appearance: This beer is a light amber that on first pour appeared to be cloudy and opaque, but actually became very clear as it warmed. As you can see from the photo, the head on this one isn't very thick, and it recedes down to about nothing and leaves very little on the sides of the glass.
Smell: This has a really nice hop-based aroma of pine, some citrus, and some definitely floral character. As it warms, bready sweet caramel malty notes become more apparent, but the hops still come first.
Taste: Mostly grassy and piney, with some hints of orange or grapefruit. The malt is a lot less apparent in the taste than it is in the nose, even when warm. The taste is all hop bitterness, with a tiny bit of heat from the alcohol, but nothing overwhelming.
Mouthfeel: On the lighter side of medium, this is a pleasant mouthfeel that isn't especially dry or sticky. I usually do like a more dry finish, but the overall lightness of this made a dry finish not quite as necessary.
Overall: This was a pretty solid IPA that had some great earthy flavor. It's not at the top of my list but I wouldn't mind drinking it again.
3.5/5
UPDATE: HopDevil has been sold in California, so I assume that it has been distributed here and perhaps continues to be distributed here, even if I haven't happened to spot it.
Appearance: This beer is a light amber that on first pour appeared to be cloudy and opaque, but actually became very clear as it warmed. As you can see from the photo, the head on this one isn't very thick, and it recedes down to about nothing and leaves very little on the sides of the glass.
Smell: This has a really nice hop-based aroma of pine, some citrus, and some definitely floral character. As it warms, bready sweet caramel malty notes become more apparent, but the hops still come first.
Taste: Mostly grassy and piney, with some hints of orange or grapefruit. The malt is a lot less apparent in the taste than it is in the nose, even when warm. The taste is all hop bitterness, with a tiny bit of heat from the alcohol, but nothing overwhelming.
Mouthfeel: On the lighter side of medium, this is a pleasant mouthfeel that isn't especially dry or sticky. I usually do like a more dry finish, but the overall lightness of this made a dry finish not quite as necessary.
Overall: This was a pretty solid IPA that had some great earthy flavor. It's not at the top of my list but I wouldn't mind drinking it again.
3.5/5
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