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Score
8380
OVERALLStyle
Brewed by Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery
Style: American Pale Ale
Barrie, Canada

bottled
common

on tap
available

Regional Distribution

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RATINGS: 193   WEIGHTED AVG: 3.33   EST. CALORIES: 150   ABV: 5%
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COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Defying real focus (how unlike us!), we had to call Hoptical Illusion an Almost Pale Ale (5% Alc./Vol. / IBU 17.5 / Colour SRM 3.44). Hoptical Illusion approaches the characteristics of a pale ale, but takes a quick u-turn at the end. At 18 IBUs versus 25 and up for English Pale Ales, we’re hoppier than most commercial beers, but not too crazy. The star of the show is the dizzying aroma of the privately grown Amarillo hop. Beyond the provocative citrus and floral essences that resonate from the Amarillo’s small, tight cone is a subtle but unique maltiness blended from amber kiln and roasted specialty malts. Finishing with a final Amarillo reference, Hoptical Illusion is a beer that doesn’t beat you over the head, steal your wallet, and jack your car. But you still wouldn’t want meet it in a dark alley.


top raters

3.4
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 14/20
fonefan (29525) - VestJylland, DENMARK - AUG 18, 2010

Bottle 12fl.oz.

Clear medium orange amber color with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate to light light heavy malty, caramel, moderate to light light heavy hoppy, citrus - orange. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and bitter with a long duration, caramel, orange, peel bitter. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20100805]

3.7
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
yespr (26476) - Copenhagen O, DENMARK - AUG 7, 2010
12 fl oz bottle. Pours clear and golden orange with a small off-white head. Aroma is crisp grapefruity and wooden hoppy. Sweet fruity, citrusy to grapefruity. Fruity and citrusy into a dry finish.

3
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 12/20
oh6gdx (18799) - Vasa, FINLAND - AUG 5, 2010
Bottled. Amber colour, small off-white head. Aroma is fruits, some mild wooden notes as well as slight notes of toffee. Flavour is quite much fruity, sweet caramel malts, mild dry dark fruits as well as some grassy notes. Quite a straight forward APA.

2.2
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 2/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 2/5   OVERALL 8/20
omhper (17561) - Stockholm, SWEDEN - JUN 12, 2012
Bottled at Bishop’s Arms Folkungagatan, Stockholm. Clear golden, small head. Faint grapefruit aroma. Some bread. Light-medium boy, clean rounded mouthfeel. Low bitterness. Some caramel. Dull.

2.5
   AROMA 4/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 10/20
Oakes (10941) - Savusavu, FIJI ISLANDS - JAN 20, 2012
Dull amber. Caramelly aroma. Bland amber ale taste with only a hint of hops. Invoking hops in your beer name but only have 18 miserly IBUs = abject fail.

3.1
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 12/20
argo0 (10425) - Washington DC, USA - AUG 23, 2012
12oz bottle, Campground Brewdown, thanks jercraigs. Medium beige head, crystal clear amber body. Aroma is moderately sweet, orange, some bread. Taste is moderately sweet, grapefruit, some orange, light head. Light-medium body, some effervescence, acidity.

3.5
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 14/20
jcwattsrugger (10072) - Florida and, New Jersey, USA - DEC 27, 2010
Tampa Weekly Gathering @BT Wesley Chapel-I got in trade with Fred82-12oz bottle-pours a dissipating off white head and amber color. Aroma is some resin, medium malt-caramel. Taste is resin/spice hops with some bite, medium malt-caramel. OK effervescence.

4
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
DJMonarch (9153) - Northwich, Cheshire, ENGLAND - AUG 22, 2010
UPDATED: APR 12, 2011 1. From the Bottle at Chris O’s pre GBBF tasting, Kensal Rise 31/07/2010 (Thanks Jeremy) Hoppy aroma. Golden coloured and hoppy with some alcohol present. A hint of dryness in a bitter hop finish. 2. From the Bottle at Chris O’s, Kensal Rise 05/08/2010 Fruity hop aroma. Golden coloured fruity and hoppy with a pineapple flavour. A hint of dryness in a full malt finish. 3. 355ml Bottle in Powassan, Ontario 04/11/2010 Big hop aroma. Amber coloured very hoppy and fruity with orange and pine flavours. Nutty dry slightly creamy and bitter malt finish. 4. 355ml Bottle in Powassan, Ontario 05/11/2010 Big hop aroma. Amber coloured very hoppy and fruity with pine and orange flavours. A hint of dryness in a nutty and bitter malt finish. 5. 355ml Bottle in Powassan, Ontario 13/11/2010 Big hop aroma. Amber coloured hoppy and fruity with a pine flavour. Smooth on the palate with a hint of bitterness and dryness in a pale malt finish.

3.4
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 14/20
Lubiere (8335) - Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA - JUN 27, 2010
A reddish copper ale with a thin off white head. Lightly hopped malt aroma with faint signs of sulfur. In mouth, a surprisingly solid ale with good floral hops, over the biscuitty malts, well balanced and classic APA. Bottle from LCBO,

3.7
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 15/20
JoeMcPhee (7673) - Toronto, ON, Ontario, CANADA - AUG 31, 2009
Deep amber pour with a thick white head. The nose is lightly hoppy with a bit of soft sweet caramelly maltiness. A light grapefruit and citrus nose along with a touch of pine. The malts show a kiss of cookie dough as well. Lightly sweet, but the beer still has a lovely balance. A simple, but tasty, APA


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