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Hophead Imperial IPA – Bend Brewing Company – Bend, Oregon

Posted on: 12-14-2010
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Hophead Imperial IPA – Bend Brewing Company – Bend, Oregon

Category : American Double/Imperial IPA, Beer Reviews, Bend, Oregon Beers
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Rating: 4.6/5 [1 sip(s)]

Finally, it is time for us to post about one of the best beers I have ever tasted. In preparation for this blog I wanted to spend some time making sure this life-long relationship was real. How many times have you tried a beer a second or third time to find it doesn’t compare to your original assessment? Maybe it was the food pairing. Could have been that particular batch. Or possibly it was the not so good beer you tried right before. After almost every Tuesday for over 8 months of visiting Bend Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon I can truly say this beer is unequaled by few in the community. With a 9.2% ABV this time around Hop-Head Imperial IPA is a sweet and smooth treat with a power packed punch to the noggin’ if you’re not careful.

 

Hop-Head’s home, Bend Brewing Company, is a great spot to hang out and kick it after work any day of the week. The dining area is cozy and sports fans will love the TVs in view of most tables. The bar is one step above the dining area and can seat quite a few hop heads waiting for a pour of gold! In the summer time the back patio provides a great spot to chill out while viewing the Deschutes River at Mirror Pond.

Amazingly, Bend Brewing Company has occupied the same building for it’s 15 years of existence. The brewery was actually the 2nd brewery to be founded in Bend. The beers are all nurtured by their awesome brewmasters including one of a handful of female brewmasters, Tonya Cornett. Hop-Head and some of their other brews have won medals at many prestigious beer festivals around the globe. After trying any of their award winners it’s easy to see why locals night at the pub is always busy!

Tonya Cornett and the Bend Beer Bloggers!

If you are ever in Bend make sure to stop by. The wings are a great pairing for Hop-Head. If you can’t stay then make sure to grab a 22oz. of Hop-Head from the bar. They shy away from filling growlers with Hop-Head, but occasionally if you are the mayor and you make it there early on a Saturday before the Civil War game you might get lucky! No matter what you drink this liquid heaven from it will be sure to have your head hoppin’!

So here’s the run down.

Style: Imperial IPA
Ingredients: Malts: Pale Ale Malt (2-Row), Crystal 30L Malt ??
Hops: Saaz, Chinook, Northern Brewer, Cascade??
Yeast & Water: English Ale Yeast??
Specs:
  • 9.2% ABV
  • 100 IBU

Happy Holidays! Grab some Hop-Head for X-mas!

Further Reading http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/361/26090 http://www.bendbrewingco.com/brews/default.aspx http://www.smartbrewer.com/recipes/recipedetails.php?id=24

http://www.brewerydb.com/beer/info/id/7298

  1. auz1111 12-14-2010 Recent Favorite:

    Appearance:

    Poured into a snifter Hop-Head has a orange-gold tint that remind me of a certain brick road to Oz. The beer is a little cloudy with a finger tip's length white creamy head.

    Smell:

    A mix of hops and alcohol delightfully drift from this beer. One whiff of this brew gets me salivating.

    Taste:

    I can't help but get a citrus sweet feel from this one. The hops are bitter as this one hovers around 100 IBU, but not overpowering.

    Mouthfeel:

    I like to let this one just sit in my mouth as I savor the sweet hops. Let this one sit for a minute and you will taste the alcohol. Although, the beer does have a high alcohol content, it hides this fact very well.

    Last Sip/Drinkability:

    There are things in life you just can't live without. Now that I have tasted this brew it will be hard to judge anything close. A good comparison would be the Pliney Elder, but that's not close to home. Hop-Head is one of the best IIPA to ever hit the NW and thanks to Tonya Cornett and the staff at BBC we can enjoy this awesome beer. See you at the BBC!

    Final Rating:5

  2. Cali 12-14-2010

    Appearance:

    This beer is golden orange in color, slightly opaque, with a creamy, bubbly head. The carbonation is definitely obvious as well.

    Smell:

    Please note that I am comparing different batches of this beer as it is one of my local favorites. This batch seems to smell more of alcohol to me, however it still has good hop smell, along with pine and fruit fragrances.

    Taste:

    At first taste, it tastes bitter, with pine notes and the alcohol flavor. It finishes a bit sweeter and with fruity undertones. I do like previous batches of this beer for that sweeter taste and not as bitter as this most recent batch we are talking about. I also notice a spicy flavor that lingers after for a bit in this batch.

    Mouthfeel:

    I definitely feel the carbonation and my tongue feels tingly as I finish drinking it.

    Last Sip/Drinkability:

    Nothing beats a long day at the mountain with a stop at BBC for a Hop Head on the way home. I really enjoy this beer, and think it is one of BBC's best. I will continue to order this beer in the future and think that all must at least stop in and have a sample of this outstanding IIPA. Be careful though, the 9% can get you quick!

    Final Rating:4.5

Comments

Travis said on 11-03-2011
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Every time we come to Bend we make sure to hit up BBC for the HopHead! Never disappointed.

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Hophead Imperial IPA – Bend Brewing Company – Bend, Oregon

Appearance
Smell
Taste
Mouthfeel
Drinkability