Schmohz Hopknocker Imperial IPA

Brewed by Schmohz Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

Peachy coloured, off-white head. Mostly fruity notes present nice array of pears, apricots, oranges, but not much else. Feels a bit smoky in mouth where the fruitiness keeps on stronger than ever with plenty of citrus and a very dry character. Meidum bodied, light-average carbonation. Simple.

Draft sample at brewpub. Poured clear amber color with an average frothy white head that diminished slowly with fair lacing. Moderate sour citrus hoppy aroma. Medium body. Medium bitter flavor with a medium bitter finish of moderate duration.

Sampled draught at the Michigan Brewers Fest. Love the brewery name, and the label shown here, but alas I didn’t love the beer. Apricot-peach-juice color with little head...peachy, fruit-juicy nose, hints of grassy hops and grapefruit...very sweet body, juicy-fruity, I’ve never experienced a fruitier, sweet IPA I think...bit of hops come in along with some thyme at the end, and a touch of sourness, but they fail to save this over-the-top candy IPA.

Grapefruit, herbal hops over strong fruit (apricot/orange) in the nose. Hazy yellow-tan with low white head. Very sweet and fruity flavour with mild finishing bitterness that only just reminds you this is beer. Medium-light body is fairly dry with moderate carbonation. Sampled at the Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival 2005.

2008 MiBGF: Reddish amber with an okay head. The aroma has notes of catty and resiny hops, pepper, caramel, bready and roasty malts and a bit mineral. The taste starts with a bitter astringent note with a malty backbone, Slightly spicy finish. Strange mouth feel chalky yet sharp. Okay beer, needs crisper hop profile.

Michigan Brewers Festival. Orange amber body with a small creamy beige head. (3+) Mild sweet orange and muted resin in the aroma. Flavour have muted not quite dilute resin and hops. Average palate. Pleasant but unexceptional.

Sample at the Sam Adams beer tasting at Blacklick Wine & Spirits on 07/30/09. The beer is a mostly clear light orange color with a medium off-white head that recedes quickly. Spotty lacing on the cup. Mild hops aroma with touches of malt and citrus. Medium, clean body with hops and bready malt flavors. The finish is moderately hoppy and short. Overall an okay IPA, and a below average IIPA.

MBG 06. Aroma not great - very grainy. Orange, with very creamy orange/white head. Better taste - all malt and then the hops. Very balanced. Nice beer, but more of an APA with restrained hops - too bad about that aroma though.