As the intake of stouts and porters and other more seasonally acceptable beers has increased the past couple of weeks, I found myself actually craving something hoppy. While at the store last week I kept an eye out for some hopped up brews while storing up on some heavier varieties. Clay Pipe Brewing’s Hop-Ocalypse looked like it would fit the bill for what I needed.
Appearance
The beer pours a rich copper with a slight orange edge with a light tan head.
Aroma
Hop-Ocalypse smells hoppy, but not nearly as a strong as I would have expected based on the beer’s name. Amongst the hop aromas there’s also some pine notes, grain and subtle lemon presence.
Taste
Despite the nuclear explosion in the label art, this one is far from a hop bomb. It certainly has a great hop character, but it’s not over the top. The grain and piny notes are active on the tongue and comingle with the light hop bitterness well. The finish is crisp and has a slight earthiness from the grains that makes for a tasty brew.
Overall
I can see many bottles of this on empty on the back deck on a nice warm summer day. It’s not a revolutionary beer, but I’ll be damned if it didn’t hit the spot perfectly. It’s hop presence is at a level that pushes if a bit farther than your standard IPA, but not far enough to alienate the bitter-fearful.
Rating: 3.5/5
