Hop Shortage Ale (Terrapin Beer Company)

[Beerrific]

I think this is the first beer I have seen to acknowledge the hop shortage on the bottle.

From the bottle

2008 will forever be known in professional brewing circles as the year of the Hop Shortage. Brewers everywhere are scrambling to find hops just to produce their standard line of beers. Some are so nervous they are even cutting back on brewing hoppy beers. NOT US! In typical Terrapin fashion we are going against the grain (or against the hops, so the speak). If there is going to be a shortage of hops, why not put them all into one huge hop bomb of a beer? We hope you enjoy our HOP SHORTAGE ALE.

It appears these are fresh in the bottle. No stats on the bottle or website but I would call it an IPA.

Not all of the 'hop bomb' I expected but a good beer nonetheless. The aroma hit me as soon as I cracked the cap and bloomed when I poured. Pine and citrus dominate. The aroma follows pretty well into the flavor...depth in the hop flavor is nice. Bitterness is firm and lingers but is not harsh. Malt is present and balances the bittereness and accentuates the hop flavor but is not heavy at all. Moderately dry, medium body.

This is a very easy drinking beer. I hate sweet IPAs, this was not one. Not the best IPA I have had, definitely not the worst. 22oz went fast and I could have had another.

Doesn't appear there is a hop shortage in Athens but it looks like the prices have caught-up, $8.99 ($5.99 with my Kroger card) per 22oz will keep me from buying too many more.

 

[Edcculus]

They are selling this for $15 a bottle at a local pub. I just saw it at a local liquor store and picked up the last one. Its probably past its prime, but nice and hoppy.