Friday, December 16, 2011

Weyerbacher | Hops Infusion IPA


Ahhh Weyerbacher.... a rather local brewery (Easton, PA) known for their bold "Double Simcoe IPA" and their many European style ales. This one however, seems to have slipped under the radar a bit, so lets take a closer look at Weyerbacher's Hops Infusion IPA. 6.2%abv, brewed with 7 hop varieties, and a "strong foundation of toasted caramel malts."

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a pint glass, this IPA has a deep amber color with the slightest bit of haze, and a thick fluffy white head. Decent head retention throughout sipping, and little bits of sticky lacing. The aroma is really interesting on this one, with all the hops that are in there you get your standard IPA aroma (pine, grapefruit, other citrus), but there is a strong aroma of sweet sugary candy. It's different than sweet malt, more of a sugar coated hop.

The taste is a barrage of hops from all angles, ranging from juicy and sweet to floral, to bitter and citric. A dry bitterness rides in and out through the middle, mixing with flavors of juicy fruit. Hints of malt come into play, smoothing it out in the finish. There is a certain twang to the flavor in this ale, as opposed to most IPA's, which can only be attributed to the sweetness that is present, or the overabundance of hops. It's definitely not a bad thing! Just a unique characteristic of this beer.

This IPA has a light-medium body with carbonation on the low end, adding to its smoothness. While there is a lot of hop flavor going on (there are still hops resonating in my mouth 10 minutes after finishing the beer), it's not overly bitter, and this one goes down pretty easily.

All in all Hops Infusion is an extremely unique IPA that deserves a try from any hop-head, especially since it's brewed only a couple hours away along the Delaware River. If you're looking for a hop forward beer, well, almost a hop-only beer, pick this one up, and get it while it's still fresh! Personal 6/10, for the style 7/10.

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