Left Coast/Oggis Hop Juice

Brewed by Left Coast/Oggis Pizza and Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Del Mar, California USA

Good copper color with nice sized head. Hoppy citrus nose with hints of malt. Flavor was hoppy grapefruit with a real nice blance of malt that had a nice sweet bready taste. Nice mouthfeel that wasn’t too over the top. Good amount of alcohol, yet not too much.

22 oz bomber from PHX last fall. Pours a pretty orange/shiny copper with a persistent thin head that laces the glass nicely. Good carbonation brings forth its sweet resiny perfume. Flavor has a nice balance of hops and bready malt, probably more malt than I’ve had recently in a double IPA. Some alcohol warmth is noticable but not objectionable. <P> The missing link for me was the expected hoppiness in flavor and aroma; there is plenty of hop bitterness. There is some nondescript hop flavor present, but not what I would expect given the name. Ruination is far better according to my taste buds. Still, this is a good beer.

I’ve wanted to try this ever since I first read its name. Normally I comment on appearance before aroma, so let me state that I do so here simply out of convention, though I feel it’s out of place. Poured a somewhat hazy amber with a fizzy/frothy off-white head. Wow, what an aroma... it hit me first upon opening the bottle, which leads to my feeling that the aroma should come first in this review. Powerful and refreshing, with notes of fresh mint, bitter and sweet grapefruit juice, some lemon. Flavor follows with minty and flowery hops, notes of grapefruit juice with a bit of grassiness. A touch of biscuity sweetness is there, but very little in comparison with the hops. Body is ok but feels somewhat thin for the style. I liked the refreshing hop profile here, but as an entire beer, espcially a double IPA, it came off as somewhat incomplete. This is a good beer which could be a step towards making a great beer.

Thanks to decaturstevo for sharing this one. Fairly clear orange/amber body with a fleeting white head. Minty hop aroma, some malts in the background. The big malt flavor is kept in check by the hop brakes. Big and complex, this ventures into the border territory of a Barleywine.

22 oz bottle. Clear amber with a thin frothy head. Nose is orange and honeydew with underlying caramel and strawberry. Medium resiny body with a mild carb zing that lingers on the tongue. Taste begins with candied orange peel and pineapple. Grapefruit peel takes over leading to a clean grassy finish.

NorCal Feb ’08 - I had a tough time with this beer. While I love a hop blast just as much as the next guy this beer had some issues. First, the aroma was Pine-Sol. Hate to admit it, but it was Pine-Sol/Lysol, with an aspiriny/lemony thing going on that was just too hard to enjoy. Appearance is a light orange in color with a nice one-finger thick head. Beautiful color for a IIPA. Mouthfeel was too carbonated and prickly. Flavor was full of alcohol, some bitter grapefruit hops and an undefineable sweetness. I found that the aroma on this beer was just so darned hard to get past, that it really intruded in on the flavor of the beer. I’ve been to Huntingtion Beach Oggi’s and know they can make good beer. I wonder what happened here.

One thing I did not expect in a California beer called "Hop Juice" is balance and even subtlety. But lo and behold, here we are. Sure it’s hoppy but there is a formidable malt backbone, too, with notes of banana and bubble gum mixed with caramel and toffee, plus a touch of juniper. Its a bit heavier than I was expecting, too. And of course, its hoppy - big citrus hops throughout. Thanks to fordest for the trade!

Bottle - Pours a clear orange w/ ruby highlights and a fluffy rolling off white head. Aroma is hoppy..citrusy, piney and lightly floral combined with a sugary caramel/toffee aroma backed by some light turpentine solvent notes. Flavor is candy covered hops & pine needles. Caramel sweetness mingled with piney resinous and a light alcohol chewy finish. Body is moderately heavy. 9.4% according to bottle labeling.