REVIEW #36: Hop Wallop (Victory Brewing Co.)

Pours a luminous gold with plain white head that has good retention. It has a pronounced aroma of pine coupled with medicinal, herbal notes. Grassy, eucalyptus and aniseed flavours accompany a bitingly resinous and bitter backbone. Nevertheless the beer seems full bodied and remarkably well balanced; an appreciable level of malt can be detected. A medium-dry, intensely bitter finish occurs with marked alcohol warmth.

Hop Wallop, an APA, is one of a range of beers brewed by Victory Brewing Co. of Pennsylvania. The company was initiated by two guys who started out as friendly homebrewing rivals. In 1996 they turned their hobby into a business and have grown their brewery from producing 2500 barrels to nearly 68,000 a year. Like many American pale ales this one is certainly overhopped, a feature they have made all their own. Its an excellent example of the style.

• MALTS: german malts 

• HOPS: AMERICAN WHOLE HOPS
• IBU: high!
• ABV: 8.5%`

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