IPA (India Pale Ale) Briefing:

For those who have took a gander at my latest blog you saw me write a little review about an IPA or Indiana Pale Ale. To be more accurate, Hop Wallop is actually an American Double IPA, which is basically an IPA on steroids or the Barry Bonds of IPA's. Haha!

Pale ale is one of the broadest terms used to describe a variety of beers. Overall they have a bitter taste mixed with a whole host of flavors and aromas. IPA's are meant to be drunk intuitively, not chugged.

One of the best things about beer is, duh, the alcohol content. Well, the average IPA has medium to high alcohol by volume, roughly 5-8%. The color is a light amber or copper. IPA's are also the worlds first "export" beer. Why? It is because they are heavily hopped, and the high alcohol content. The natural design of the beer made it ideal for overseas travel in the 19th century.
I was nineteen the first time I actually tried my first IPA. I thought it was terrible, I'm not going to lie. All I was accustom to was the usual Bud Light or Miller Light. The hoppiness of an IPA is definitely an acquired taste. The beer was Hop Hog from Lancaster Brewing Co. It is pretty ironic that it is in fact a Pennsylvania beer. It has been so long since I have tasted it I can only recall a few things. First, it was very bitter at the end of every sip. Second, the 24 pack my friend and I bought for around $30.00 on a hot July afternoon got us very, very drunk. : ) I plan on trying it again soon just to see if I still don't like it.


Cheers!

Megabeerman

All Hail Hop Wallop

Brewery: Victory Brewing Co. Beer: Hop Wallop

Style: American Double India Pale Ale ABV: 8.5%

While grabbing lunch at Mister Bones, a friendly little bistro in Greensburg, PA that also offers nearly 200 craft and import beers, I asked the gentlemen working behind the register, "What's a great IPA that's Pennsylvania brewed and will be great to wash my sandwich down with?" He offered up a few suggestions. The third suggestion was Hop Wallop by Victory Brewing Co. located in Downingtown, PA. The name alone intrigued me enough to choose it.

So, I sat down at the table and made an excellent pour. One similar to the picture on the left, and took my first sip. Their was enough hop flavor to rip my tounge out, which was awesome. I mean with a name like "Hop Wallop," it better wallop my taste buds. Considering the intense alcohol content and sheer style of American Double IPA's, Hop Wallop is extremely drinkable. I wouldn't necessarily describe the taste as bitter persay, but their is a very big hop bite. The color of the beer is somewhat lighter in color compared to other's of its style. Overall, "Cheers to Victory Brewing Co. for this one!"

Also, every label on Victory's beer comes with a little tale of how it became. Here's the tale of Hop Wallop: Horace ‘Hop’ Wallop headed West a broken man. For it was a certain Miss LuLubelle Lager that had left him, thirsting for more. Drawn by wild tales of the riches of the gold mines, Hop pressed on westward. His last nickel spent on a prospecting pan, Hop's hunger and thirst got the best of him. Two fistfuls o' barley and three of some wild and wayward hops tossed in the pan with some clear water was to be his meal. But sleep overcame him and he woke to a bubbling, cacophonous concoction. Overjoyed with the beautiful ale that he had made, Hop realized the secret of the 'green gold' he had discovered in those fresh hops. Celebrated far and wide, Hop Wallop lives on in this vivid ale with his words, "Hoppiness is happiness!"

Cheers!

Megabeerman