Aug 4, 2014

Hardywood Hoplar

American oak, French oak, reclaimed American Chestnut and even exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood — the types of wood that beer has been aged on the past few years has grown increasingly more diverse. Of all the varieties that I’ve encountered, however, Hardywood Parks’ Hoplar is the first that I’ve come across that’s been influenced by Virginia Tulip Poplar. Fallen during Hurrican Isabelle, the particular tree was salvaged, toasted and formed into sticks with which the brewery then aged an imperial IPA.

The result is Hoplar, a 8.5% ABV and 100 IBU brew that is not only a great example of the style, but also one that — due to the influence of the poplar — also brings a unique flavor to the genre. You can certainly tell that the brew has been aged on some type of wood, but having never encountered any other example of this species of tree in use, one would be hard pressed to identify the woody traits. It’s just different, in a very good way.

Appearance

Hoplar pours a slightly hazy, rusty copper in color with a rocky stack of beige foam that left behind solid lacing as it dropped.

Hardywood Hoplar photo

Aroma

It certainly smells good as hints of grapefruit, mango, caramel, soft pine and distant woody notes all come together smoothly.

Taste

There’s a much more pronounced woody presence that the nose hinted at here as a wash of grapefruit, mango, and pine flow over the tongue. Also joining the party are spicy, resinous hops, vanilla, caramel and a solid amount of bitterness. At 100 IBU there’s a good amount of bite, but it’s not too distracting for the style. The finish is lightly drying with a warm afterglow of alcohol. The tulip poplar influence is strong and brings a unique woody flavor and solid earthiness to an excellent beer.

Overall

Hoplar is a big beer statistic-wise, but it drinks much smoother than its numbers would let on. That unique woody flavor and a strong hop profile makes this beer one that I’ve had several times since this first tasting back in early Mar of this year. It’s also one that’s got me staring wistfully at the massive Tulip Poplar in the back yard as I type up this review.

Rating: 4.25/5

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