Hollister Hip Hop Double IPA

Brewed by Hollister Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Goleta, California USA

Serve in Shaker, Snifter

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sampled at GABF. Won Silver Medal. Congrats. I would have given it Gold. It was my favorite in show. golden pour with thin head. great fresh hop aroma. awesome fresh hops, citrus, well balanced with caramel malts. Great IIPA.

Growler from Hollister. Golden amber color with a nice 1 finger white head. Smells of wonderfully pungent citrusy hops with a bit of caramel sweetness. Taste complements the smell. Lots of citrusy hop character that finishes with a nice bitterness. Nice, light caramel malt body that just barely balances the hops. Very tasty. Nicely carbonated with a rich but easy to drink body. Recommended. A great DIPA from a wonderful up and coming brewery.

On cask at Pizza Port real ale festival: This is the sample that really stood out from some of the others because of the strong nose of hops and the dense yet pure golden hue it gave off. The flavor was heavily induced with fresh hops and really reminded me what a double IPA should taste like.

UPDATED: JUN 19, 2009 Draught at the brewpub. Clear, dark gold with a creamy head. Herbal and citrus hoppy aroma. Firm malty body with more sweetness than the pope ipa. The alcohol slightly shows. Lots of hops, but not too bitter. Good balance, and pretty subdued for an imperial ipa. Full and creamy palate. Nice and drinkable, but not very bold for an imperial ipa. (3.6) Rerate: I’m appreciating the balace and hop flavor more. Full flavor and the citric hops really shine. Well done. (3.8) Rerate: If this is on cask, do not pass it up. The mouth-feel is awesome, and the aroma is like walking into a pine forrest where the trees have been grafted with grapefruit branches, and the grapefruits have all been slashed open just prior to your arrival. The cask conditioning smooths the bitterness a little, but it remains dry and very hoppy in the finish. I think this batch is 9.5%. I had the regular keg version last week and it was just as good but with an obviously different mouth-feel.

On draft at O’Briens. Medium amber and clear, thin head. Hop forward aroma, citrusy, piney and fresh bitter herbs. Hip hop hoppy flavor, pine and spruce, the aggressively bitter hops, overpower any other flavors, orange peel astringency in the finish. Medium-full body and tingly carbonation. Funny, I came out with exactly the same rating as Vac.

On tap at O’briens. Pours with an orange-gold body topped by a thin head with some lacing. It’s hoppy and piney with a touch of grapefruit and grass, as well as very slight underlying malt notes. Seems a little green. Medium bodied, smooth and slightly dry.