I was recently drooling over the beer selection at my local Whole Foods and realized I should pick up a few beers for my 50 beer challenge. While there, I came across Victory Brewing Companies Hop Wallop, an imperial IPA that’s been around since about 2003 but I’ve yet to try.
Representing Pennsylvania, Victory is one of the east coast breweries that is somewhat available in the Northwest (if you really look for it) that I really enjoy.
Hop Wallop poured a very clear golden yellow with some light carbonation bubbles dancing about in the glass. There was a thin layer of white head that wasn’t too thick and didn’t stick around to long. There was however some nice lacing on the glass after the beer had gone to a better place (my stomach).
The first few smells were like a “hop wallop.” The hops jumped out of the glass and walloped me in a good way right in the nostrils. The hopiness quickly faded away into a sweet citrus and honey aroma that seemed a bit sweeter than other imperial IPAs I’ve had recently. It’s a very enjoyable smell.
My first reaction to the taste was me thinking how it was like a hop dance party in my mouth. There is some initial hop spiciness that gives way to more of a bitter hop presence with a touch of sweetness. Lots of flavors danced around including grapefruit, citrus, pine, and a touch of malt.
Honestly looking at this beer in the glass and smelling it made me think this was going to be just an average IPA, but I was pleasantly surprised on my first sip. The 8.5% ABV is a bit hidden and it does seem a little watery on the mouthfeel, but overall this is a pretty fine beer.
I enjoyed it quite a bit.
While on the Victory website today, I came across this video they produced of them choosing hops for their beers. I thought it was pretty cool and figured I’d share it in this review. Enjoy.
My Victory Hop Wallop Review: A-
Here are the details:
ABV: 8.5%
IBUs: 70
Style: Imperial IPA
What’s your thoughts on Victory Hop Wallop?
