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

Pours a hazed muddy orange straw into the glass, with a lightly retentive suds ring that leaves light soapy lace. The nose is floral with huge pine notes. A very heady hop leads a grapefruit and rind/peel essence along with a decent malt balance. The hop carries forth through the finish with lots of pine bitters, lingering decently without being heavy or overburdening. A nice grapefruit essence hangs over, just at the end of the pull. This is extremely quaffable, with an impeccable balance, and the ABV integration is held superbly in check. The mouthfeel is substantial, complex and round, with an almost perfect palate integration. One of the best IIPA’s I’ve experienced, let’s hope this "side project" becomes a "main one". Flat out great.... really.

Bomber courtesy of Craftbeer design ( thanks Geoff!) poured a hazy golden amber with a lasting off white head. Aromas of skunk bud, biscuit, tangerine, pink grapefruit, pine and light tropical fruit. Palate was meium bodied and smooth with a dry finish. Flavors of biscuit, tangerine, earthiness, skunk bud, pine and grapefruit with a smooth dry lingering bitter finish.

On tap at Pinnocchio’s. Opaque orange pour, little head, some lacing. This is a citrus beast. Thick like a tangerine, orange and grapefruit milkshake. There’s so much sweet fruity goodness that it doesn’t quite seem as bitter as 110 IBUs would suggest, but it’s not short on hops by any means. A citra assault on your senses. Good stuff.

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.

11 ounce goblet - $7.50 at The Fred in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Appearance: Dispensed a well-clouded, near opaque, dark orange-gold body with a film of off-white fizz. Smell: A decent malt presence, with some notes of simple sliced bread, almond butter, and caramel, though we’re mainly here for the hops, with a penetrating liveliness when it comes to the myriad of fruit scents - loads of citrus, tropical, and even some orchard fruit. Light waft of booze as well. Taste: Lightly bready malts in the fore with sweet traces of caramel and marzipan. A lavish abundance of fruity flavors - pineapple, pear, lychee, tangerine, and lemon, all melting together to impart a boutique pâte de fruit character. As for the 100+ IBUs, the bitterness was definitely bold and brash, but it was never displeasingly abrasive. A pinch of sugar, then back to the bitterness assimilating some peppered alcohol tones. Bittersweet, warming, still so fruity finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-plus. Medium-light carbonation. Some noted chewiness to the mouthfeel. Drinkability: Full, flavorful and packed with fruity complexities. I enjoyed this one. As for the drinkability, the sheer tastiness overrode the bitterness and alcohol, so maybe that’s why the remainder of that particular evening is a tad hazy.

Bomber pours deep opaque gold with thin white head. Looks like an over hopped IIPA and that makes me happy. The aroma is rich with wonderful sugar sweetened grapefruit, tangelo and a mix of pine resin and pineapple as well as malt sweetness and a touch of booziness in the background. The taste starts with a moment of malt sweetened grapefruit, citrus hop flavor, tangelo and pineapple and then quickly ramping up in bitter citrus and resiny hoppiness taking the hoppy experience to dizzying heights. Nice, loads of citrus hops that are very heavy on the bitter side as well as on the boozy side too. If you want a bold hoppy envelope pushing IIPA then this is for you. Solid and perfectly to style. Yum.

12 oz. bottle from SoHo Organic Market in Elizabeth City, NC (2012 bottle, 10.3% ABV). Pours dark orange with a fluffy bright white head. Bold pineapple, grapefruit, and pine needles on the nose. The taste is bitter grapefruit with some pineapple, pine, and wet grass. The heat from the alcohol is detected somewhat. Really nicely done.

Cloudy yellow, creamy white lacing. Very green nose-herbal, floral and grassy. Green-ness continues on the palate, where there is a great herbal flavor and bitterness, but a little bit of creaminess on the back palate. The palate is phenomenal-leaves you satisfied and not bitter ;)

Yellowish orange pour. White head. Sweet and juicy citrus hops and syrupy sweet malts. Awesome sweet and hoppy flavor. Delicious!

It’s unfortunate that my rating for hopzilla will not count- it’s a fantastic beer. Tried it tonight on tap at the Terrapin Beer Co. in Athens, GA (the tour/music was great by the way). I thought the high alcohol was well hidden. Hops and citrus fruits.