Blue Point Hoptical Illusion
I’ll be honest. It was the crazy mishmash of design elements on this beer’s label that caused me to pick up a single bottle and add it to a mixed six pack the other day. I wasn’t particularly looking for something hoppy, but I just couldn’t resist.
Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy in the basement
Brewed with an unknown rare hop variety, Hoptical Illusion is a pretty darn tasty American IPA that weighs in at 6.8% ABV. It’s not mind alteringly phenomenal, but it’s got a nice hop presence that balances out nicely with a good malt backbone.
Appearance
Light amber in color, the beer was capped with a slowly fading, fairly large white head.
Aroma
Smells like an IPA — good helping of pine resin, light citrus and a touch of bready malts. There’s a nice earthy character to the hops.
Taste
I wouldn’t call the taste of this one disappointing as it is a good brew, but it doesn’t quite live up to the nose. There’s a decent hop presence that has that piny, earthy character to it. There’s a subtle hop bite in the finish that lingers for a good while. It’s a well balanced brew, but not as hoppy as I was expecting.
Overall
Despite the expectation of a beefier hop presence, Hoptical Illusion is still a darn good IPA that’s easy drinking and refreshing. I really enjoyed the earthy nature to the hop profile and can see myself drinking quite a few of these over a warm Summer weekend.
Rating: 3.5/5