Blue Point Hoptical Illusion

Sampled on draft at Rivertowne Inn in North Huntington PA this beer poured a bright orange-amber color with a large yellow-white head. The aroma was sweet fruity and floral hops. The flavor was sweet malts followed by fruity and floral hops that were fairly strong. The finish was crisp, tangy, bitter and hoppy. A pleasant surprise.

Crazy, lovely taste. Doesn’t taste like an oyster at all. Wait a minute...

Poured a clear effervescent golden amber with a fizzy white head. Aroma of grapefruit, orange, perhaps a touch of pine and toffee. A bit muted but present and nice. Flavor follows with essences of orange and grapefruit, a bit of dishwater soapiness which mutes a bit, finishing dry, citrusy and refreshing, leaving you wanting more. Although a bit muted and leaning somwhat towards the generic side, it still carries nice flavors and finishes positively to create overall a nice brew.

On tap at the Bocktown Bar in the Robinson Township Shopping Complex. Pours like any other american pale ale - transparent yellow but perhaps a little darker than typical. Same aroma as most IPA, fruity grapefuit. Lotts of bitter grapefruit peel in the first taste. As with any other IPA flavor is intense with hops. Has more personality than I desire. You hop lovers are laughing. Finish is long and lingering astringent bitter. Like medicine.

12 oz bottle. Pours to a slightly hazy, deep golden color, with a thick, creamy, white head, and a good bit of carbonation. The nose on this beer is very fragrant, with lots of big citrus, and piney hop aromas. The palate is firm, with a good pale/biscuity malt base, that leads into lots of piney/citrus bitter hop flavors on the tongue. This beer finishes with more good pale malt up front, then ends with a very bitter piney/citrus bite that lingers. A hop blast, this beer has plenty of hop aromas, flavors, and bitterness. Would make an excellent aperitif beer, and a perfect match with hot and spicy foods such as a Thai, or Tex-Mex.

On tap at Bocktown. A slightly better than average IPA, though I thought this was an APA by the taste. The aroma was of a slight hoppiness with a little fruitiness thrown in. The pour was a typical brownish red with no head. The taste was a citrus-y hop that died before the swallow. Had that taste followed through in the end, this would have been a great beer. Unfortunately this beer was a "hoptical illusion" of a great beer.

Sampled with Beerdrenched. Pours copper / bronze with a small off-white head. The aroma has lots of floral hops that is well balanced with the caramel malt. There is some pine and grapefruit hop aspects. Medium body that has some sharp carbonation and a resiny finish. Taste starts with initial maltiness then the wood / pine / cardboard hoppy taste comes through. It seems to have some staleness to it. Some lemon notes seem to linger around on the back of the finish. Would like to try again with a fresher bottle.

bottle-thanks to vyvvy for the sample. pours light orange with a small beige head around the rim of the glass. nose are citric with lots of floral hops, but somewhat soft. flavros are citric and light pale malts. really doenst have catch to it-pretty straight forward. this seems to be a delicate beer which should be sampled when very fresh. lots of subtle flavors, but hard to pinpoint what exactly. Maybe i will try it again.