Victory Wild Devil

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Ryan_PA

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It looks like the boys in Downingtown have released a new variation of Hop Devil with a dosing of Brett. Of the few reviews I have seen online, it appears to be a real winner. I am a fan of Hop Devil, so the funk'd version should be a winner for me too. I am getting a few bottles from my bottle shop this week and will most likely age them for as long as I can hold out.

victory-wild-devil-ale.png



http://drinkcraftbeer.com/the-news/...ale-from-victory-brewing-co.-coming-soon.html
It's arguable that our menacingly delicious HopDevil has always been "wild." Though the India Pale Ale style that he represents was born in Great Britain, we approached the style with German malts and whole flower American hops, making a unique ale of him, indeed. But what has made him truly wild is a change of yeast. Brettanomyces yeast has given many a Belgian ale its soulful character of sharp tang and deep funk. Fermented completely with brettanomyces, WildDevil features the greatest flavors of Europe and America combined. Floral, aromatic hops still leap from this amber ale, but a whole host of new flavors are intertwined with the citrus and pine flavors of these hops, making WildDevil a sensation that is wild, worldly and wonderful!750ml bottle
6.7% abv
We had a chance to try this beer last summer at the American Craft Beer Fest in Boston and WOW! The 100% brettanomyces fermentation does not give it that traditional brett character! It's citrusy and clean and bright! The yeast definitely works great with the hops and the two meld to form some great flavors. If this is the same thing they had on tap there, then this is one delicious beer that we can't wait for!

WildDevil - Victory Brewing Company - BeerAdvocate

A-
 
As of right now we're planning on going. I am on call that weekend but Sunday is more a just wait and see if I get a text message so I should be in the clear.
 
I tried it a few weeks back in Philadelphia during Philly Beer Week. Reps from Victory had it on tap at the Brewer's Plate Dinner. Stuff is really, really good. Best beer I've had from Victory, period.
 
That is good news. I have 3 in the cellar now. I will let them get some age to open. I hope to grab a few more, but there are other beers on the want list too, so we shall see.

I may stop by the brewery this week since it is on tap too.
 
i had this on tap at the brewery twice over the last few weeks. Its Phenomenal! i brought a 3 home to age. although i have a good feeling one of them will be gone by month's end. Also, i got an email from the beer yard in Wayne. they have it in 1/4 kegs and 750's. but i would expect that stock to go quick.
 
yeah, that was what one of the Victory guys told me...they'd be bottling it in 750s and he thought they were waxing it. He said they were just rolling it out and he said I'd be able to get it in Chicago eventually...so hopefully it's rolling it's way west right about now.
 
yeah, that was what one of the Victory guys told me...they'd be bottling it in 750s and he thought they were waxing it. He said they were just rolling it out and he said I'd be able to get it in Chicago eventually...so hopefully it's rolling it's way west right about now.

let us/me know when/where you find it in chicago.
 
Just to add a bit of FYI my beer guy (distributor) was told by his rep that Victory released it earlier than they should have or wanted to. They had to have it out for Philly beer week. So if you can wait it should get even better. I am fan of Victory but not of Brett so I have not tried or picked any up. That said i will try to get my hands on one for the novelty. Just so no one thinks I am trying to put this beer down just want to give a heads up. I had a Golden Monkey that was aged in a chardonnay barrel at their beer dinner. It was an incredible experience. So I am always intrigued when they experiment.
 
Just to add a bit of FYI my beer guy (distributor) was told by his rep that Victory released it earlier than they should have or wanted to. They had to have it out for Philly beer week. So if you can wait it should get even better. I am fan of Victory but not of Brett so I have not tried or picked any up. That said i will try to get my hands on one for the novelty. Just so no one thinks I am trying to put this beer down just want to give a heads up. I had a Golden Monkey that was aged in a chardonnay barrel at their beer dinner. It was an incredible experience. So I am always intrigued when they experiment.

+1 on the aging. The kid in the retail shop at the brewery told me they brought the bottles on the floor about 2 weeks earlier than they wanted to.
 
Pete from Victory showed up at our local tap room last night and shared a bottle with a couple of us.

This beer was incredible, and not at all what I was expecting. He stated they had a "Full brett fermentation", and it finishes so incredibly clean with just a hint of esters from the brett. If you are not a fan of brett, try this beer anyway. Seriously.

What a great beer.
 
Not sure how I missed this thread!

Picked up two 750s a couple weeks ago when I was home with the folks for Easter. The Brett character was there but seemed to slip into the background as I worked my way through the pint. The hop presence clashed at times. This one needs to be laid down for a while - hopefully I can get a couple more bottles to cellar and revisit in a few months.

I wasn't blown away, but this one has real promise with age.
 
What do you mean about the "hop presence clashed"?

I didn't get nearly as much hop as I was expecting. It seemed to be mellowed a lot more than what a normal Hop Devil tastes like..

I'm a ****ty beer judge and suck at explaining flavors/aromas. I'm just curious what you mean by those comments. :)
 
I had it on draft at the brewery and really agree with the need to age it. I have 3 bottles that I will try to forget about for at least 12 months.
 
To my palate, the hops overshadowed the Brett character. The Brett was there, then it wasn't, then it was there.

Make sense? ;)

Yes, thanks.
Interestingly, I thought the complete opposite. I kept wondering where the hops were in the bottle we shared last night.
 
To my palate, the hops overshadowed the Brett character. The Brett was there, then it wasn't, then it was there.

Make sense? ;)

That's pretty much my impression of the glass I had on tap but it was more a sense that at times the flavor & aroma components were just not working well together. There were moments were it seemed too corky w/ a chard character then the next minute, the hops were clashing with the brett then in another moment it all worked. For me, I'd prb not bother with it again.
 
This is the only beer out of that brewery that I actually enjoyed. It was an American version of Orval. Not over the top with bitterness with just enough hop flavor and the brett finishing it out. Much better than Hop Devil which was really disappointing.
 
I'm drinking a 750 if this now, with a brew date of 4/22. I'm not getting the brett / hops clash that these posts refer to.

I don't know if the few months on this bottle made the difference, or if I just m not detecting it.
 
Funny you brought this thread back up. I just pulled one of my 3 remaining bottles out of storage to drink this week. I am hopeful it improved with the months. From memory, I think it is the 4/22 batch as well.
 
Okay, I just cracked the bottle tonight. WOW!!! Some age sure did this beer good. I will take some detailed notes, but it really is a completely different beer, a thousand time better than it was at the brewery. The brett funk has developed into a nice floral wine-like scent. I am glad I still have 2 big bottles left and I will seek out several more for the cellar.

Anyone disappointed with this needs to get some aged product and try again.
 
glad to hear this is getting better with age. I picked up a bottle yesterday that had a bottled date of June so it has about 4months on it which looks like when this beer starts getting good. I put it right in the fridge last night and will be enjoying it tonight while watching the NLCS game 1. If it is as good as it sounds I will be back to the brewery for a few more bottles to lay down for a year or so to see how the brett continues to develop.
 
Anyone know if they use the brett for the bottle conditioning as well? Thinking about trying to harvest the dregs from this.
 
Should have waited a few more years. This stuff is fantastic. Yes, the hops are faded, but the brett character is full and deveploed. The hop flavor suppports the brett beuatifully.

I found this in a distributors wharehouse behind some other stuff, with a moldy, faded label.

They have a whole shelf of leftover unsaleable stuff. A lot of Avery's bigger beers as well. I'm going to need to go back.

Anyone know what strain of brett they used?
 
I'd rather not say. Its the local distributor here. Don't get too excited because I cleaned them out.
 
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