The new HOP SALAD Double IPA from DRAKE’S BREWING is truly a hop fiend’s dream beer (well OK, that’s probably HOPSICKLE, but this doozy is right up there). The first time I tasted it, one swallow off another man’s glass, it was like, wham – total hop overload, but with a real juicy, piney aftertaste that I loved. I resolved to get myself in deep with this one whenever I encountered it next. Luckily that was earlier this week at the Toronado in San Francisco, where they had it on tap (it’s also at Barclay’s in Oakland, CA). Unfortunately it’s not in bottles yet, but let the campaigning for that start right here. This is an almost picture-perfect Double IPA, totally intense like many in the west coast style, and something that might be off-putting for the average beer drinker. Who knows, it’s a lot more than the intense, stinging, taste bud-bristling hoppy bite – HOP SALAD also has a real aromatic smell of pine & grapefruit (REALLY strong grapefruit), and while I wouldn’t say it goes down “easy”, it’s incredibly alive and full of flavor. A great find that you ought to start petitioning for in your neighborhood. 8.5/10.
Friday, March 23, 2007
GET A LOAD OF THIS HOP BOMB
The new HOP SALAD Double IPA from DRAKE’S BREWING is truly a hop fiend’s dream beer (well OK, that’s probably HOPSICKLE, but this doozy is right up there). The first time I tasted it, one swallow off another man’s glass, it was like, wham – total hop overload, but with a real juicy, piney aftertaste that I loved. I resolved to get myself in deep with this one whenever I encountered it next. Luckily that was earlier this week at the Toronado in San Francisco, where they had it on tap (it’s also at Barclay’s in Oakland, CA). Unfortunately it’s not in bottles yet, but let the campaigning for that start right here. This is an almost picture-perfect Double IPA, totally intense like many in the west coast style, and something that might be off-putting for the average beer drinker. Who knows, it’s a lot more than the intense, stinging, taste bud-bristling hoppy bite – HOP SALAD also has a real aromatic smell of pine & grapefruit (REALLY strong grapefruit), and while I wouldn’t say it goes down “easy”, it’s incredibly alive and full of flavor. A great find that you ought to start petitioning for in your neighborhood. 8.5/10.
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1 comment:
I also like Hop Salad, much more than the typical overly-syrupy too-much-malt DIPAs.
I've encountered it on tap at Alembic in San Francisco (the spirits bar outpost of Magnolia, a few blocks down Haight St toward Golden Gate Park). No idea if it's currently on tap, but worth asking them.
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