 CaptainCougar (4663), Rockville, Maryland, USA
Sep 24, 2004
This beast pours a clear copper amber with a frothy off-white head. Aroma is bold and hoppy, no real surprise there. Some caramel and earthy malt also comes through. Starts mildly sweet, turning somewhat bready and bitter toward a crisp hoppy finish. My only complaint is that the malt and hops don’t seem to mesh together as well as they could. Nonetheless, this goes down very smooth and flavorful. Many thanks to TheBeerCellar2 for this treat.
BlackDonald (1039), North Carolina, USA
Apr 6, 2008 Oh back in the days of Spike. Its been awhile since I Have tried this, long before the days of Terrapin. A decent session IPA at the most. This was really well balanced though, just the right combination of hops and malts make this something you could drink everyday.
kp (6200), Woodstock, Georgia, USA
Sep 1, 2007 Date: 03/07/2002
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub
Hazy amber, thin white head, big bold ciitrus hop aroma, lots of hop flavor on top of a big malt base, very good for 6%,
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Date: 04/04/2003
Source: taco mac
Words: athens
clear dark amber, headless, citrus hop aroma that is subdued compared to last year, big malt body with lots of citrus hop flayor, very dry, quick bitter finish
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Date: 10/03/2004
Words: 5 seasons
huge piney nose and flavor, all resion and bitterness with a perfect amount of sweetness, the bigger malt profile allows for more sweetness to balance out the big hops without the piney chraracter overwhelm everything or being overly bitter
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Score: ***/4
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The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.
IslandHaole (1030), Onna-Son, Okinawa-Ken, Japan
Nov 4, 2006 Clear Amber with a reddish tint and a beige creamy head. Delicious hop scent, plenty of citrus peel but not overwhelming at all, in fact the sweet malts are just as (if not more) noticeable. A full-flavored, chewy feeling beer. More of an English IPA. Well balanced with plenty of hops but just enough for balance, not the astringent Left Coast hops we’ve come to know and love.
TheBeerLover (1013), DC Metro Area, USA
Jan 26, 2006 Big Hoppy Monster pours to a beautiful, bright, deep amber color with a tight white head that fades and a moderate amount of carbonation. The nose on this beer is very fragrant with zesty, lively aromas of grape fruit, lemon, and pine. This signature aroma comes from the use of PNW hops such as Cascades, Columbus, and Centennials, and they are in this beer in abundance. Some nice crystal malt is used in this beer, but it really doesn’t stand a chance in the nose, and only acts as a spring board for more hop flavor on the palate. Big Hoppy Monster has a wonderful sweet malty, candied grapefruit hop flavor, that just dances on the tongue. I’m guessing this beer ranges from 5 to 6% abv, but peppery alcohol is not a flavor factor in this beer. Big Hoppy Monster finishes with more sweet malt and candied hop flavor up front, then ends with a big, citrus burst of grape fruit hop bitterness that lingers on the tongue.
Big Hoppy Monster is a very impressive AIPA, and is a classic example of the West Coast style of this beer. I really loved the citrus/grape fruit character of this beer from the use of Cascades. Citrus hop aroma, flavor, and bitterness dominates this beer, making it pure hop juice. I was surprised to see how dark this beer poured, so they have attempted to give this beer a nice crystal/caramel malt base, but hops, as it should be with this style, is the star here. And the reason you should not be afraid of this Hop Monster, is the fact that it is a gentle hop beast. This beer is just loaded with hop character, but it isn’t so over the top that it is going to make your face wince or your mouth pucker. What I loved the most about this beer was it was so hoppy, yet so drinkable.
Big Hoppy Monster would make an excellent aperitif beer to rouse the appetite before a meal at 5 Seasons, and would work well with some of the salads or grilled pizzas on 5 Seasons menu. Or you could do as the brewpub suggests and enjoy this beer as an after dinner mint. An excellent beer, from a very impressive brewpub.
elnadeau (786), Laguna Niguel, California, USA
Jan 18, 2006 Big thanks to JohnC for this bottle. Pours copper with a decent head, aroma is roasty malt, citrus and hops. Listed at 8%, this was a fairly bold brew and a lot more roasty than an IPA, probably would fit better in the American Strong style., as close to Arrogant B as I have tasted. Some burnt orange peel and lots or bitterness in the backend, I enjoyed this more as it warmed and opened up. Quite good.
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