Terrapin Side Project Hopzilla Double IPA

Brewed by Terrapin Beer Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Athens, Georgia USA

Serve in Shaker, Snifter

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   update pic

12oz bottle into a snifter. Pours a hazy orangish-brown with a one finger white head that fades away pretty quickly. A fairly solid white ring is left around the top of the beer with some splotchy lacing. The aroma is filled with tropical fruit and grapefruit, oranges, and pineapple. Not a whole lot of malt but the juicy hops more than make up for it. Huge hop burst upon tasting with a big rush of tropical fruit much like the aroa. Grapefruit, mango , pineapple, and orange are predominant. There is some nice biscuit malt character in the background and just a quick whiff of alcohol about halfway through. Bitterness is quite high but does a great job of counteracting the sweetness from the malt. Mouthfeel is slick and fairly dry for the style with a very balanced finish. Overall, an extremely well done IIPA. Alcohol is very well hidden and the mouthfeel is not overly sweet as often happens with these beers. Great hop and malt balance and really quite drinkable for the strength. A nice beer.

12 oz. bottle. Vintage: 2013. Different label than that in the picture. Mine says 10.3% ABV. A rusty orange pour with tons of funky floaties and a nicely sized antique white head. The pungent and relatively well-balanced aroma features quite a bit of pine, grapefruits, oranges, citrus rinds, caramel, and a biscuity breadiness. Some touches of vanilla and a booziness become apparent as things warm up a bit. Medium to full-bodied. Caramel and a sweet breadiness start things off taste-wise. Kinda grainy. Vanilla is evident in the middle. The finish is crisp and just a tad harsh with some tongue-stripping grapefruits and zesty citrus rinds. Definitely resiny. A fair amount of alcohol warmth and a bit of booziness throughout.

Poured from a 12oz Bottle Appears to be very light, must have been brewed with two row or light grains though has a very robust flavor. Nose is sweet, floral, citrus and hoppy! Not much head on pour, very clear hay yellow color, which is suprising for such a big beer. Slight malt tones with grass hop flavor not much of a citrus note but a little citrus after taste on the tongue. Not as malty as you would think for a big ipa, but does have a nice sweetness. Overall another success from the guys at terrapin!!

Poured from a bottle into a snifter. Golden orange with very little head. Nice big aroma - pine, citrus, a bit tropical. Taste is sweeter than you might expect for a DIPA - sweet malt open followed by a citrusy hop finish. Mouthfeel is full, carbonation is soft. Overall, I found this beer very enjoyable; not too harsh and hides the 10.3% abv really well.

Poured from 12 oz bottle into tulip glass, aroma - very nice blend of citrus and hops. Grapefruit. Appearance - beautiful golden orange color. Taste - good citrys flavor but too much malt for me. Not bad. Palate - same as taste. Get a strong boozy malty mouthfeel. Overall - ok. Not my favoirite dipa

UPDATED: MAY 10, 2013 Gorgeous orange amber pour with a white head. Aroma is malt malt and more malt. Sweet, slightly piney. Not a lot of hop presence. Flavor is big sweet and malty. Not very bitter, maybe a bit of resinous character but it’s subdued. Maybe good as a different style but pretty disappointing as a DIPA. Meh.

Malt bomb. I don’t understand why Terrapin puts "hop" in so many of their beer names that have no hop presence. This is a decent looking DIPA, but when you get to the aroma there is none; almost smells bad even when fresh. Way too malt forward and virtually no hop presence. Drain pour for sure.

Decen IPA. Flat gold color. Plenty of bitterness and acidity. No standout flavors.

Small, tan head with decent retention and a stringy lace. Hazy, copper/orange hued brew. Nose of sweet malts and piney hops and a lil pee, cuties. Body is fully medium and a hint oily on the palate, lil sticky from the sweet malts though.Soft carbonation. Fairly sweet malt foundation that, to me, does not have a balancing bitterness. I know! 110 IBUs!! Dont think so. Catty, piney, fruity with citrus and melons but just a goodly much on the sweet side for me. Sweet finish with not enough finish hops for my liking.Bottle from statelineliquors.

I’m happy this made it to 12oz bottles for me to get a crack at it (vintage 2013). Nose is massively hoppy, piny and very woody, just a hint of the tropics, big alcohol showing but not burning. Body a gradient golden leaning toward orange, with a short beige head. Taste is very sweet and medially bitter, explosively hoppy, raining down juice and oils and light resin. A winning choice here: not drowning this in caramel or crystal malt; the Maris really blends well and probably accentuates the hops. Lots of orange and a little lychee, also getting faintest vanilla with light dough, bridges the alcohol and sweetness quite well (extremely, extremely well-integrated alcohol, by the way, kudos!). Full body is smooth rather than aggressive, but not flat. This is an ideal ’gateway’ IIPA, a big beer loaded with hops somewhat on the sweeter side and decidedly non-harsh -- if you can get it fresh, definitely worth a few bottles.