Reviews: 2,488 | Ratings: 7,148
Reviews by Dantes:4.1/5 rDev +1%look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5Package:12 oz. brown longneck bottle. Enjoy by APR 19 03 Usual well-designed Victory graphics adorn bottle, with leafy HopDevil character. Short blurb describing the spirit of the beer.
Cost: $6.99 6-Pack at Bottle King
Presentation: Pint glass at 45º-50º
Appearance: Medium dirty-blond color. A bit cloudy. Loose, light white head, settles quickly to a thin film. Exhibits some small-caliber bubbles.
Smell: Hops are very evident, along with some strong citrusy notes. Malt struggles up through the sharper notes. A bit aggressive at first, but evens out as the head settles. A nice, but somewhat one-dimensional aroma.
Taste: The taste is a bit more balanced than the aroma. I am not normally a fan of overly hopped beers, but this one accomplishes it a bit better than most. First sharpness of hops and citrus bite are somewhat moderated by the malt and alcohol warmth. Clean and but a bit thin and brittle without being sharp. The middle and finish are a bit insubstantial and short. A touch too dry. Id like to give it a 4.25.
Mouthfeel: Nice carbonation, smooth and even, but a bit coarser than Sierra Nevada Celebration and a touch watery.
Drinkability: Very drinkable. At the price and ABV, this is an excellent go-to beer for every season. On draught, this would probably be fuller and softer (as suggested by other reviewers), and more enjoyable for me overall.
This is an excellent effort, but I think that this is not as good as the SN Celebration. Perhaps this is an unfair comparison as one is a seasonal special and costs $1-$2 more, but stylistically they are similar. Celebration is definitely NOT a barley wine. Given the choice, Id buy extra Celebration and set it aside, but this is a great alternative.
Backwash: As this is practically a local brew and readily available year-round at a relatively low price, it is virtually untouchable for value. A great all-around beer.★ 1,938 charactersDantes, Feb 16, 2003More User Reviews:4.47/5 rDev +10.1%look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.512oz brown bottle with a very cool label ... it's a devil face made out of hop leaves.Appearance: Hazy orange/copper beer with a patchy cream off-white foam head that clings to the sides of the glass.Smell: Very pronounced grapefruit hop aromas, spicy with background sweet malts and a faint bready grain aroma.Taste: Whoa! This is one bold, dangerous and outrageous beer! Mouthfeel is ultra-smooth and creamy with a malty thick full-body. The initial taste is an absolute hop assualt on the palate! A spicy, stinging and salty plethora of citric nuances literally overwhelm the senses. Earth, leaf and grass flavours pull-thru, then are followed by an alcohol presence and spiciness. The malt in this beer is definately present but gets its ass fiercly kicked by the hops. Malt includes some toasted, slightly bready and light honey flavours with an even malt sweetness. It hardly balances the beer, but does keep it somewhat control. Beer finishes with residual hop spice and malt sweetness, which tends to linger for some time.Notes: This is a very hyped-up beer, and it should be as it is an absolutely marvelous beer for all the hop-heads out there, albeit very daunting for those who are not into hops to the extreme. For what it is, it's crafted to near perfection. A "Wow!" beer for sure. 6.7 % abv.★ 1,315 charactersTodd, Nov 19, 20014.66/5 rDev +14.8%look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5As a hop head it crazy that I have not tried this brew! What a nice surprise. Poured out of a bottle a nice amberish color with little head. Smell was floral with apricot, slight banana, and pine. Taste was a blast of hops! It dissipates giving way to a citrus and apricot hint and finishing with just a hint of pine. The hoppy taste lingers for a bit after the finish. A must try for hop heads!★ 395 charactersMickeyp2814, May 04, 20155/5 rDev +23.2%look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5Cask conditioned Hop Devil is the best beer that I have ever tasted. It is liquid crack. After I tasted it, I went out and bought a Angram Beer engine so that I could have it at home. The smell is a perfect aroma of fresh hops. Beyond the taste and smell , the color is phenomenal. I loved it so much that I had the Sikkens paint company (manufacturer of Mercedes paint) color match it with their spectrophotometer device to perfectly match a gallon of paint for my bike. The best.★ 487 charactersvonmisian, Sep 02, 20154.5/5 rDev +10.8%look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5A bit dryer and crisper than on-tap, the clarity is a shade clearer but still hazy with a frothy sticky head. Quite aromatic with lots of semi-coarse hop, lightly toasted grain alcoholic esters. The flavour is a mirror image of the aroma with lots of hops in the bitterness and flavour. I prefer it on draft though, probably because I usually drink it our of a 32oz mug at Bukowskis Tavern.★ 392 charactersJason, Jul 29, 20024.75/5 rDev +17%look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75L: It pours brilliant amber under a 1” off-white foam collar that dissipates to a thick film. S: Citrusy grassy hops with some biscuit aromas rise form the glass. T: Rich hoppy palate with spices that suggest oregano season a biscuit malt backbone. F: Creamy medium body and carbonation. O: An outstanding American IPA.★ 321 characterspat61, Aug 17, 20154.71/5 rDev +16%look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75This may be THE classic American IPA (at least for us East Coasters). Big hops in your nose and rolling across your tongue, but a nice malty backbone to support it. It's closing in on 20 years since I drank my first bottle of Hop Devil and crowned it the best India Pale Ale I'd ever had, and it remains one of my favorite IPAs still today.★ 340 charactersJ-EKoslosky, Mar 08, 20154.16/5 rDev +2.5%look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4L -- Pours copper with a small off-white head that quickly fizzles out. No lacing on this pour. S -- Immediate, bold grapefruit scent, along with a minute lemon zest ending, right after pouring. Develops into a more balanced hop aroma with resin joining the fray. There's a minor sweetness to it as well that adds complexity to the hops. T -- Flavor very much follows the aroma: grapefruit, pine, with a strong bitterness to go along with it. The end notes are very much resiny, but the sweetness from the aroma melds with it to lessen the overall bitter-blow. The malts add a bready component, sorta like a tasty honey-nut flavored loaf, plus some minor caramel notes. F -- Medium body, crisp, refreshing: very drinkable. I'll actually call it full-bodied for an IPA as the more I drink it, the "richer" it starts to feel in my life. It leaves a fairly dry palate and the bitterness leaves a light zing on the tongue. O -- A very good beer. It's a great east coast IPA example, with plenty of hops and a solid malt backbone to go with it. I'd be happy to have this in the fridge all the time.★ 1,101 charactersfrozyn, Aug 07, 20152.9/5 rDev -28.6%look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75A: [3.75] Beer has a nice caramel color. Very minimal head formation. Bottle lists ABV (6.7%) and best by (02/23/15).S: [3.00] I get sweet notes like caramel. Not what I was expecting for an IPA. Nothing aggressive like pine or citrus. T: [2.75] The taste is mostly malt. There are no hops present at all. There is a sweet mild caramel flavor. There might be a hint of bubble gum on teh finish. M: [3.00] The carbonation level is slightly elevated but appropriate. Nothing bitter or lingering.O: [2.75] I feel like I got jipped. I wanted a nice hoppy IPA for the night and I feel like I got lager. This has none of the characteristics of an IPA. Overall I just feel like this beer could not be more average. Nothing stands out. I might have to seek out a fresh one and re-rate in the future.★ 814 charactersfscottkey, Jan 07, 20154.1/5 rDev +1%look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.512 ounce bottle into tulip glass, best before 12/30/2014. Pours fairly crystal clear deep orange/copper color with a 1-2 finger dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a light amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big grapefruit, tangerine, apricot, lemon zest, orange peel, floral, grass, light pine, caramel, biscuit, light toast, and floral/grassy earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of bright citrus hop and moderate dark/bready malt sweetness; with good strength. Taste of big grapefruit. tangerine, apricot, lemon zest, orange peel, floral, grass, pine, caramel, biscuit, light toast, and floral/grassy earthiness. Moderate amount of pine/grassy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, apricot, lemon zest, orange peel, pine, caramel, biscuit, and floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity and balance of bright citrus/pine hops and moderate dark/bready malt sweetness; with a great malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a smooth, fairly creamy, and lightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is an excellent IPA. All around great complexity and balance of citrus/pine hops and moderate dark/bready malt sweetness; and very smooth and crisp to drink. A very enjoyable offering.★ 1,524 characterssuperspak, Sep 13, 20144.55/5 rDev +12.1%look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5First of all, wow!A deep Amber copper color. Creamy off white head that never fully dissipates. Beautiful lacing.The smell was good, but it didn't prepare me for the taste. The smell was underwhelming. The taste was certainly not.Very hoppy. Finishes very sharp. A little salty, even. Feels almost creamy, but not heavy. My favorite aspect of the beer.Overall, a beautiful beer. If you like IPAs, give it a try. If you don't like IPAs, save your money because it's truly an IPA.★ 488 charactersLahoi, Jul 19, 20153.98/5 rDev -2%look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75Appearance: dark amber/orange with a very thin somewhat soapy head that doesn't persistSmell: slight hints of molasses and toasted malt lead into piney earth notesTaste: surprisingly yeasty and malty with a constant underlying pine hoppiness. After sipping there is a definite toasty note lingering on the tongue. Id be interested in seeing the grist bill for this brew. Not going to lie the taste threw me off a bit. It had the malty richness or a trippel but the bitterness and refreshing hints of a very hoppy IPA. Not unenjoyable, just unexpected. Overall: An IPA to break the mold. Hoppy and complex. I can see why people love this brew but to be honest it wasn't my favorite. It has a certain heaviness in the flavor that I think appeals to many and almost feels like a "winter ipa" if you would. Still would drink again though★ 840 charactersNaked_Batman, Aug 24, 20154.88/5 rDev +20.2%look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75Excellent Beer and priced right. My go to IPA. Their Dirt Wolf is amazing as well. Victory is a great brewery. Love a good IPA and this is one of the best.★ 155 characters1dogFaceKilla, Feb 19, 20154.14/5 rDev +2%look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25A classic. Always have some at my house for guests. Had it on nitro at Victory as well, but it took away the great hoppy flavor that is so characteristic of this amazing beer. Really one of the beers that started it all.★ 223 charactersThomasJ25, Feb 27, 20155/5 rDev +23.2%look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5Outstanding beer... Full flavor just enough hoppy taste to make it right... World class87 charactersLettsgo3, Jan 27, 20154.25/5 rDev +4.7%12oz Brown bottle with pry-off cap and best by date of 10/20/2014 poured into a snifter.Appearance: Pours amber with a slight haze and 1/2 finger of head with a full lace down the glassSmell: Piney hops and slight floral noteTaste: The hop character starts off earthy and a bit floral and spicy in the middle; finishes bitter with a pine noteMouthfeel: Moderate carbonation and feels slightly oily Overall: This is a solid IPA that has whats almost becoming an "old-school" flavor as crazy as that sounds. The newest and modern IPA are really focusing on citrus flavors but this beer really reminds me of how my very first IPAs tasted like a pine cone. Its been over a year and half since I last had this, its a classic and will stand the test of time.★ 766 charactersTuck_leepulin, Aug 15, 20144.21/5 rDev +3.7%look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25The Hop Devil ignited my thirst for better beer. I had this as a freshman in college, and haven't looked back. Normally my reviews are longer, more detailed, and define each and every part of it. But all I'm going to say is this: It's hoppy, flavorful, and yet easygoing enough to please the masses. It's a phenomenal staple beer, and should stand the test of time as Victory's best, and as the perfect drink to transition a normal beer-drinker into a hop-head. It's not the greatest, but like I said, it's a drink to remember. Enjoy.Drink if you want a great, hoppy pale ale.★ 582 charactersvish747, Aug 18, 20154.34/5 rDev +6.9%look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25One of the beers that really turned me onto craft beer. I had been trying different brews here and there but this one blew me away and now I can't go back. Very tasty brew that drink easy and light but has nice mouth feel and flavor. This is one of my core 3 brews that's almost always in my fridge.★ 302 charactersreds2harleys, Jan 07, 20164.2/5 rDev +3.4%A- Copper/amber with a one finger white head. Mostly clear. Some thin lacing on the glass.S- Malty. Some citrus/pine notes, but not as much as I expected. T- Bitter pine, citrus, hay(?) with a malty backbone. Alcohol well hidden.M- Medium body and smooth. Carbonation on the low end but enough. Very bitter but it works.O- A hop bomb for sure. I liked it. Not for the timid/1st time IPA drinker for sure!★ 412 charactersnodder, Aug 17, 20144.95/5 rDev +21.9%look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5One of the best american IPAs & the price is phenomenal55 charactersWolfStOner, Mar 26, 20154.13/5 rDev +1.7%look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5Slightly cloudy orange-amber, more orange than most. The head is pale orange to light toffee in color and leaves wisps and small sheets of sticky lace as it falls. The nose is hoppy, but it isn't one-dimensional. Malt is appreciated, as is a certain spiciness. The flavor is of hops and caramel malt. The hops win comfortably, but there's more malt than I'm used to in an American IPA. Those of you who like a strong malt presence or a balanced character in your IPAs will love it. Citrus fruit is front and center, especially grapefruit and orange peel. The body/mouthfeel is medium-full and is nicely done. It's very slightly dry on the finish, which is where the hops assert themselves to an even greater extent.Even though I like my IPAs to be slanted a little more toward the hoppy end of the scale, this is a very good beer and is one that I'll buy whenever I have the opportunity. Love the HopDevil on the label.★ 925 charactersBuckeyeNation, Jan 07, 20044.71/5 rDev +16%look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75No matter how many amazing, hop-heavy beers I try, I will always remember that this is the one that put me on the IPA train. Love this beer, will always be one of my favorites.★ 176 charactersSchluessMuenster, May 21, 20154.08/5 rDev +0.5%look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4First of the Victory line I have tried and I came away very impressed.Now Iam not a hop-head but this beer has a nice balance to the hoppiness.Poured a real nice rich copper color with a pillowey head,the aroma of hops hits ya from almost a foot away.Taste is herbal hoppy with a nice nutty malt background.Had this at a pub in Blue Bell not far from my new place.★ 364 charactersoberon, May 07, 20034.47/5 rDev +10.1%look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5A beautiful amber pour with a small head. The nose was ripe with hoppiness. And i mean lots of hoppiness. There was a small fruitiness in the nose as well. The taste was also super hoppy which was great and balanced out nicely with my thai curry chicken. There was also a rich maltiness that gave this beer enormous backbone. The mouthfeel was extremely smooth and moderatley creamy. A great combination of hops, malt and light fruitiness gave this beer exceptional range. Fantastic. My favorite IPA around.★ 507 charactersPopsinc, Jan 17, 20044.53/5 rDev +11.6%look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5Appearance  This was a work of art. The body was a gorgeous, deep dark orange with a monster head that rose and rose. I couldnt stop staring at the lacing that it left when it finally went down.Smell  Extremely complex hop profile. I think just about every type of hop must be represented in this ale. Theres also a subtle yet distinct malt balance, but this one is all about the beautiful hop scent.Taste  The complex aromas found there way into the taste. The hops were very well balanced, and made this one a pleasure to consume. The malt backbone was enough to balance, but this one certainly is all about the hops.Mouthfeel  Medium-bodied with a bit of carbonation. The exceptional balance of this ale made it feel terrific in the mouth.Drinkability  This was a terrific IPA that was exceptionally smooth, tasty, and exciting all at the same time.Update – I thought I’d revisit my review 10 years later. The incredible mouthfeel stands out to me again. It is so smooth it just disappears from the glass. This one will never grow old.★ 1,066 charactersRoyalT, Oct 08, 2003