Beer of the Weekend #980: Hop Island IPA
Relatives of mine went to Hawaii recently. As payment for taking care of things at their house, I requested that the bring me some Primo Island Lager. It is something I have wanted to retry, especially since I never featured it on BotW. Alas, they were unable to find it—which surprised me since I thought it was everywhere in Hawaii.
Since they were unable to find Primo, they brought me two cans of Hop Island IPA, brewed by the Honolulu Beerworks of Honolulu, Hawaii.
Serving type: 12-ounce can. “7-2-22” is printed on the bottom, and I assume it is the canning date.
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is medium hazy amber. A finger of billowy, bubble-spotted, buttery, off-white head settles slowly and unevenly, leaving a thick collar and spots of bubbles.
Smell: Muted but citrusy. It is very muted, actually; I can barely smell it at first. Thankfully, the scents slowly emerge as the beer continues to warm. I get whiffs of grapefruit and orange as well as pine. It smells sticky. There are also scents of pineapple (as I would hope) and mango.
Taste: It is very bitter-forward, but the flavors emerge as the taste buds adjust to the shock. Pine dominates. It is a true West Coast IPA circa 2008. The citrus is also present; I mostly get grapefruit and orange. It becomes creamy as it warms, becoming akin to a tropical smoothie, and different flavors hit the palate in waves—which is fitting for a Hawaiian beer. The ABV hits me, though the alcohol, which is not super high, is totally masked.
Fun facts about Hop Island IPA:
• Style: IPA, though the brewery website calls it “HI-PA,” which is a play on the state’s postal code.
• Price: I’m unsure, though I was told it was bought at an ABC Store in Waikiki.
• Alcohol content: The can says 7 percent ABV but the brewery website says 7.5 percent ABV.
• Looking at its website, the Honolulu Beerworks has some interesting beers with interesting names. Among the current lineup are Kapi’olani Pineapple Jalapeño Cream Ale, Pronk Like a Springbok (which uses South African hops), Parking Tickets Red Ale, and Pussy Grabs Back Extra Pale Ale, which is “[b]rewed by women, to benefit women in beer.”
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
Since they were unable to find Primo, they brought me two cans of Hop Island IPA, brewed by the Honolulu Beerworks of Honolulu, Hawaii.
Serving type: 12-ounce can. “7-2-22” is printed on the bottom, and I assume it is the canning date.
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is medium hazy amber. A finger of billowy, bubble-spotted, buttery, off-white head settles slowly and unevenly, leaving a thick collar and spots of bubbles.
Smell: Muted but citrusy. It is very muted, actually; I can barely smell it at first. Thankfully, the scents slowly emerge as the beer continues to warm. I get whiffs of grapefruit and orange as well as pine. It smells sticky. There are also scents of pineapple (as I would hope) and mango.
Taste: It is very bitter-forward, but the flavors emerge as the taste buds adjust to the shock. Pine dominates. It is a true West Coast IPA circa 2008. The citrus is also present; I mostly get grapefruit and orange. It becomes creamy as it warms, becoming akin to a tropical smoothie, and different flavors hit the palate in waves—which is fitting for a Hawaiian beer. The ABV hits me, though the alcohol, which is not super high, is totally masked.
Fun facts about Hop Island IPA:
• Style: IPA, though the brewery website calls it “HI-PA,” which is a play on the state’s postal code.
• Price: I’m unsure, though I was told it was bought at an ABC Store in Waikiki.
• Alcohol content: The can says 7 percent ABV but the brewery website says 7.5 percent ABV.
• Looking at its website, the Honolulu Beerworks has some interesting beers with interesting names. Among the current lineup are Kapi’olani Pineapple Jalapeño Cream Ale, Pronk Like a Springbok (which uses South African hops), Parking Tickets Red Ale, and Pussy Grabs Back Extra Pale Ale, which is “[b]rewed by women, to benefit women in beer.”
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
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