Southern Tier Hoppe

Brewed by Southern Tier Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Lakewood, New York USA

22 oz bottle. Pours cloudy golden with a bubbly white head, leaves nice lacing on the glass. Aroma is nice, hoppy, some subtle peachiness, balanced... a lot of malty caramel sweetness in there, too. Tastes like biting into a mango infused with hops. Definitely tastes good, but it’s a little strange. Maybe it’s the aftertaste (unexpectedly bitter/dry)? Maybe the way it feels in the mouth is throwing me off a little... it’s very thick and rich, but then it’s a little powdery/grainy too. To the point where my lips and the roof of my mouth feel a wee bit powdery after taking a big gulp. Huh. Odd beer, nice try for Southern Tier, but I’m not a big fan of this one.

Bomber. Pours hazy, light golden yellow color with an immensely creamy white head that leaves tremendous sheets of lace down the entire glass. Aroma is strong, malty, hoppy, wheat, balanced. Candy. Hops are somewhat piney and earthy. Sweet. There is a strange taste in here I cannot put my finger on. A sharp, cloying sweetness that is unusual in a way that other cloying sweetnesses are not. Cotton candy? Bad fruit? Alcohol? Kind of like eating the white part in an orange peel. I do not know. But it’s distracting. This distraction is not evident in any way in the aroma. Other flavors present are a mild bitterness, citrus, orange. Medium bodied. As I drink more the bad flavor disappears. Either it improves as it warms up, my palate is shot from the bitterness, or I am drunk. Maybe all three. All in all this was pretty good.

Orange gold color. Modest hops in both aroma and taste. Hops contribute some citrus, but not much bitterness.

Bomber bottle (available in Illinois) and served in my GI IPA tulip: First pour was a clean golden hue, second had a bit of haze but both were topped a lush creamy heads and left outstanding lace on glassware. The aroma reminds me a lot of a fresh GI IIPA, juicy fruit, grapefruit, pine resin, floral and grassy, doughy bread and hints of pepper and anise, lovely and inviting!

The taste has a moderate bitterness, acidic fruit and balanced pale malt combination. Much more modest than the nose let on. Yummy and I guess it is a Double Pale Ale after all. The finish is grapefruit rind and peppermint with a dash of fresh oak. The mouth feel is lively and nicely refreshing with absolutely no signs of 10% ABV, R U sure bout that?

This is one excellent brew, a big ale without crushing you with either hops or alcohol, MIKEY LIKEY!

22 oz. brown bomber bottle. No freshness date seen. Poured out a hazy straw yellow color, with a sticky white head. Aromas are of piney hops, some grapefruit also. Sweet malts in the background. Flavors are of sweet malts, piney hops. Alcohol is well hidden. Medium mouthfeel, decent body. Finishes bitter & smooth.

Bottle courtesy of foureyedgeek. Very nice hoppy & floral aroma. Notes of grapefruit and sugary caramel, too. Pale amber yellow clear, with light lacing head. Medium bodied with medium-light carbonation. Starts with good hit of caramel and malty sweetness, subtle alcohol warming and candied grapefruit hoppiness. Bitterness grows throughout, leaving you with a medium bitter nutty finish. Nice ale.

10/05/2007: Southern Tier Hoppe pours a clear, deep golden color. It has a whipped, creamy, persistent ivory head that leaves fine, foamy lacing that covers most of the glass. There is also a mild amount of visible carbonation. The aroma is teeming with grapefruit blended with sweet orange. The flavor has a bit of maltiness with a bunch of orange (sweet and almost candy-like), hints of ripe grapefruit rind, and a touch of floral and pine hops layered on top. The alcohol is completely masked by the juicy flavors. "Extra Pale Ale" is the perfect name for this beer since it is strong, but isn’t really very bitter. The bitterness is more like that of a pale ale. It is extremely flavorful and well-balanced. The medium to medium-full body is smooth and almost feels creamy on the palate. This really is another great beer from Southern Tier. Each and every one of the Blackwater Series releases has been top notch. Keep up the great work!

650 ml. bottle / Alc. 10.0% by Vol. / 21° Plato / 83 ibu’s / 4.0° L / 2-row pale malt, malted white wheat / kettle hops: columbus / aroma hops: amarillo / dry hop: amarillo, columbus. Rating #145 for this beer...

22oz bottle purchased at Ramsey Liquors, NJ. Attractive, slightly hazy copper with an off-white head. Only a moderate strength floral hop aroma with a hint of orange and grain. Flavor starts with notes of pale brewing malt, light caramel/bread, some woodiness then comes hoppy grapefruit, orange and a tinge of pine. Has some pleasant malty sweetness with ample, yet very smooth bitterness. Alcohol VERY well-hidden, I can’t believe this is 10%. Medium, smooth on the palate with lively, fine-beaded carbonation. Overall, I was expecting more of a hop experience in flavor and aroma - but a fine beer nonetheless.