TOP FIVE BEERS # 5 | “Top Five Beers for the Hop Junkie”
This list is likely to generate a lot of comments because IPAs are unquestionably the most enjoyed style of craft beer on the market. Everyone has their favorite. This list is simple; it’s to help share the ones that the hop junkies of the world should absolutely track down before they die. I haven’t put them in order of favorite, but rather by the experience of the hops themselves. These five beers range from sweet to dank to beautiful. The one thing that remains constant, though, is that hops are the star of the show.
# 1 Devil Dancer
Founders
Imperial IPA
Video Review
I’ve seen the question asked numerous times; can a beer be too hoppy? My thought has always been no. However, drinking a Founders Devil Dancer made me revisit my hypothesis. The hop character is so dank and intense that when you smell it for the first time you actually laugh in disbelief. As if someone could actually make a liquid hop extract. Well Founders did just that. When fresh, this is one the hop junkies will want to track down. When it has six months on it, you can still expect one of the best American Barleywines you’ve had. Thank God there is enough malt sweetness in this beer because otherwise I think this would just be a pure assault on your palate. It is to IPAs what the habanero is to chili peppers. Simply put, this is one hoppy son of a bitch that must be had fresh to believe. It will pummel your taste buds and remove the enamel from your teeth, and you’ll love every minute.
# 2 1000 IBU
Mikkeller
Imperial IPA
Video Review
Mikkeller is notorious for making adventurous beers. They’re also known for pushing the percentage of ABV in some of their offerings to the extreme. Most of the time these beers seem to miss in one way or the other. However, when they released the 1000 IBU they really made something great. Upon its press release, there was a lot of debate around the legitimacy of the “theoretical” calculation of the hops. Whatever the truth (or science) behind it, this really is a beer the hop junkies will be happy with. While not quite as relentless as the Founders Devil Dancer, Mikkeller’s dedication to hops shows very clearly in this beer. This is what I had to say about it last year, which I think pretty much says it best: “This bad boy is a hopocalypse if I’ve ever tasted one. You are immediately met with a mushroom cloud of hop aromas out of the glass.”
# 3 Hopslam
Bell’s
Imperial IPA
Video Review
I imagine a lot of people are wondering why this beer isn’t at the top of the list. Well, if we were talking about my personal favorite IPAs then I would definitely have it there. But when you talk about sheer hop presence in a beer, Bell’s balances them well enough that you don’t feel like you’re being bitch-slapped like you do with the other two that top this list. That’s not to say there aren’t a lot of hops here; we all know what a truly transcendent beer this is. It’s the flavor really that makes this one for the hop junkie. Upon first sip you are more than pleasantly surprised by the infectious pineapple and mango character and then you taste the sweetness that the malts and honey leave behind. The flavor sits there on your tongue for a good 30-seconds before you just have to take another sip. There should be a warning sticker on this beer, too, because after only three of these bad boys you begin to realize that you’ve just bitten off more than you can chew.
# 4 Pliny the Elder
Russian River
Imperial IPA
Video Review
If we’re talking about sheer hops, you could argue that Pliny the Younger should be on this list instead. Well…it’s a bitch to actually find it unless you live in one of only a few zip codes in the country. So I’m thinking of you while I assemble this list. And you know what? Pliny the Elder is not too shabby, either. In fact, it’s probably the most traded for beer in the craft beer community. The reason is because it’s known as one of the very first Imperial IPAs on the market. It is a true representation of the west coast style that you read about so many times. The malt is light and semi-sweet, but the hops are just on a whole different level in this beer. They are the epitome of grapefruit, tangerine, and pine. By today’s standards it may not be the best anymore, but I can assure you that I am jealous as hell of those who got to drink this early on before others came to the table with their renditions of a timeless classic.
# 5 Maharaja
Avery
Imperial IPA
Video Review
A lot of beer geeks will say this is their absolute favorite Imperial IPA on the market and that it’s also the most underrated. While I have my reservations about calling it my favorite, I can at least confess to its greatness and agree on the fact that is underrated. Stylistically it is a great representation of the style and one that doesn’t shy away from blasting your mouth with a mountain of hops. In fact, I distinctly remember what I said the first time I ever took a sip, which was “Okay! Here we go – this is what I’m talkin’ about.” Hops are unquestionably the star of the show, though there is also enough malt goodness here to help support the hops. It’s not overly sweet like some Imperial IPAs out there. Maharaja is the only beer on the list that I haven’t reviewed yet, but I’ve had it numerous times and can tell you that hop junkies should track it down. They release this one once or twice a year and it’s pretty easy to find and even easier to drink.
Posted by builderofcoalitions on May 27, 2011 at 6:30 AM
There’s not much to argue with there. One of my favorites – although it’s not highly rated on BA or RB – is Great Lakes Brewing Co’s Lake Erie Monster. Others I’d consider for the list include Green Flash Imperial IPA, Three Floyd’s Dreadnaught, and Firestone Walker Double Jack. I’m also the rare guy that has yet to be blown away by Pliny. Maybe I haven’t had a fresh one, but it just doesn’t impress me.
100 Beers 30 Days Blog has a similar list here: http://100beers30days.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/top-10-ipas-in-the-usa/
Posted by thehopry on May 27, 2011 at 6:43 AM
I definitely fought myself to add Double Jack to the list over Maharaja. And then I remembered I’d already made the cartoon that say “Maharaja” in it. DOH!!!
Posted by builderofcoalitions on May 27, 2011 at 8:50 AM
That’s too funny. We bloggers love to make editorial decisions based on circumstance and human error and not content.
Posted by thehopry on May 27, 2011 at 9:09 AM
In this case it was laziness for me… But I still stand behind everything I said about Maharaja. It’s a hop monster and deserving of being on this list.
Posted by builderofcoalitions on May 27, 2011 at 9:10 AM
Ah, yes, laziness is the cornerstone of the blogger ethic.
Posted by Jeff on May 27, 2011 at 8:12 AM
(No particular order)
Hopslam
Nectar Ales Nectar IPA
either Ska Modus Hoperandi or Toasted (rare beer last year, I am pretty sure it was a Black IPA)
Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA
Stone Cali-Belgique or Boulevard Single Wide
Posted by Scott on May 27, 2011 at 8:24 AM
Odell Myrcenary should really be on this list. It puts Pliny the Elder to shame and is a very very close 2nd only to Hopslam. IMO, Pliny the Elder is grossly overrated and only has it’s fame for being hailed as the “first” DIPA.
Posted by thehopry on May 27, 2011 at 9:08 AM
Is your criteria to rate in terms of best? Mine was to list in order of hop presence itself and also style… This is not a “best IPA” list.
Posted by John on May 27, 2011 at 9:05 AM
I like Green Flash WCIPA a lot and we should be getting that soonish…
You gotta try some John and Amy homebrewed IIPA. Amy is bottling some for the national homebrew competition final round this weekend (I’m in Tokyo until next weekend, not just avoiding the work). I can ask her to bottle a couple for you if we can arrange to get them to you before we leave for the NHC on the 11th.
Posted by thehopry on May 27, 2011 at 9:09 AM
Hell yeah. I’m absolutely happy to drink some of that…
Posted by theReaper16 on May 27, 2011 at 10:24 AM
Since two commenters are disparaging of Pliny the Elder, I’m going to stick up for it. For me, fresh Pliny is still the best of the style. My preferences on the double IPA style are pretty simple: give me intense hops, don’t give me a lot of malt, have a light-bodied mouthfeel. Of the beers on this list it has the least amount of malt presence. The mouthfeel is so much like hop juice and not at all like a medium-full-bodied malt bomb. Focused, intense hop flavor with the malt presence and mouthfeel of a single IPA.
Posted by John on May 27, 2011 at 11:09 AM
I agree. I love Pliny because there is so much hop aroma and yet you want to drink a couple of pints. Most double IIPAs these days are approaching barleywine territory, which isn’t a bad thing but do you want 3 pints of Devil Dancer like you do of Pliny? Probably not.
Posted by builderofcoalitions on May 27, 2011 at 11:17 AM
While I get John’s and theReaper16′s Pliny argument, I just haven’t experienced that from a bottle. I suspect it’s either the lack of fresh Pliny at my disposal or a case of a beer not ever able to match its own hype.
Posted by John on May 27, 2011 at 11:29 AM
I think my best Pliny moments have been draught in Santa Rosa and Denver. So, not doubting your experience.
While he is offline now my bottled Pliny is mostly from Geoi at South Bay Drugs and I tend to have it on my door step within two weeks of bottling and it tends to be good. I don’t order beer online (or trade, but I almost never do that anyway), when it is hot. When I need to enter homebrew comps in the summer (NHC second round is the only one basically) I build an insulated box with pink foam insulation from home depot, back it, leave it open in a fridge overnight to get everything cold, pack it up and ship it. Beer, especially hoppy, hates heat.
Posted by Bobby Digital on May 27, 2011 at 10:55 PM
Hrmm you did pretty well with this one.
My list in no particular order
Alpine Exponential Hoppyness
Founders Devil Dancer
RR Pliny the Younger
Moylans Hopsickle
FFF Dreadnaught
Posted by Big Mike on May 31, 2011 at 10:47 AM
As far as hop presence. Just watch your Double Simcoe review and see what a presence the cat piss aka Simcoe hops make in that beer.
Cheers!
Big Mike
Posted by Brian1431@gmail.com on June 1, 2011 at 2:35 AM
Wow interesting list there Mr.Hopry, but This would be my list:
1. Alpine Pure Hoppiness
2. Pliny the Elder
3. Stone Ruination
4. Surly Abrasive
5. Alpine Expo. Hoppines
Posted by Tom on June 7, 2011 at 12:50 PM
Haha…”get my swirl on.” Love it! Nice list Mark…I think I would have swapped out Maharaja as well.
Had Devil Dancer a few months back and it is surprisingly drinkable considering the ABV and IBUs are so high. I have a bottle in the cellar which might morph into more of a barleywine with some age. Has anyone has sampled a bottle with some years on it?
Posted by Bobby Digital on June 11, 2011 at 7:45 AM
I had a 4 year old bottle I received as an extra in a trade. It was alright, just a malt bomb at that point.
Posted by Justin on July 19, 2011 at 11:53 AM
After a recent trip to San Diego afforded me the opportunity to try Pliny the Elder and enjoying the Devil Dancer at Blanc on Saturday, I’m left with only the 1000 IBU to try. Thank you for this list. The Devil Dancer was unbelievable. It immediately became one of my favorites. After having it, I spent two days calling around to find more. I finally found it Gomer’s North.
Posted by thehopry on July 19, 2011 at 11:59 AM
Oh awesome. That Devil Dancer is a beast isn’t it?