Hereford & Hops Hop Rocket Ale

Brewed by Hereford & Hops Restaurant & Brew Pub
Style: Amber Ale
Escanaba, Michigan USA

Name: Hop Rocket
Date: 06/24/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

clear dark amber, dense cream head, solid lace, sweet citrus aroma, creamy body, rich hop flavor on a sweet caramel malt base, perfect balance between the hops and the malt, light bitterness adds to the ballance but does not detract from the hop flavor, lasting tasty bitter finish

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

On tap at the Wausau brewpub on 6/24/07: Pours a transparent copper with a well-lacing clingy white head. Lightly caramely sweet nose has some light piny hop presence. Body starts fairly full and mildly sweet with some toasted malt toward a drier, more bitter earthy hop finish. Could use some fresher more abundant aroma hops and a touch more sweetness.

On draught at the brewpub in Wausau, Wisconsin. Pours a clear copper penny amber brew with a creamy white head that has good retention and thick lacing. Aroma of light white bread malt, some herbs and plenty of grapefruit zest with piney hops. Taste is medium bodied, light carbonation with strong citrus/pine flavors that over-powers any malt flavors. Finish is quite bitter, with a lingering grapefruit zest aftertaste that makes this more like an IPA than an American Pale Ale.

Sampled at the brewpub. Red-amber colour with minimal head and lace. Lovely grapefruit hoppy aroma drew me in. Hophead bitterness, this is some breweries’ i.p.a. Significant Carmel, malt for balance. Suitably carbonated. Drying finish. A medium mouthfeel.

Copper color with a thin head. Light orange aroma. Fairly grainy taste and a bitter, slightly acidic finish. Just a bit of orange flavor.

From Skyview’s growler. Bitter, grassy hops. Orange color. Thin white head and light red color. A session beer with very low bitterness, not bad at all for what it is.

On tap. Great hop aroma, orange peel and grapefruit, sweet brown sugar malt. Deep amber-orange clear with off-white foamy laing head. Medium waery body with light carbonation. Starts with mild sweet maltiness and fruity fresh hops. Dies away quickly to a medium chalky bitterness and tongue-coating dry nutty after.

Appearance: clear, coppery hue, nearly orange, with a nicely retained creamy, fuzzy head...an attractive pint before me. Aroma is herbal hops, piney, sprucey, juicy, bitter, caramel-y, toffeeish a touch....a bit of spice, very flavorful...let’s drink, eh? Taste: great display of hops on the palate, then very smooth, and very rewarding. Bitterness abounds, leaps onto every taste...all those sensations detected in the nose combine in the flavor. Medium bodied, with a light, hoppy finish...very tasty. Damn good! Hops are ablazing in this amber....I could get good and comfortable with this ale!