Hop Wallop

Sadly, Hop Wallop was the second of our samples that seemed to have suffered in transit, as this is usually a stellar beer. Hop Wallop is a relatively new addition to Victory’s list of year-round beers, having previously been brewed only once each year. Demand for this liquid paean to hops continues to challenge production, and it’s no secret why. Fairly leaping from the bottle, Hop Wallop fills the glass with a distinctly hazy light gold, topped by a small, frothy, white head. Unexpectedly, the aromas were rather muddled and were dominated by a somewhat sweet maltiness. Tim noted the “worty” character and he and Tom were taken aback by the absence of any hop aromas. The slightly stale malt aromas led the entire panel to believe this beer was likely mistreated in transit. At 8.5 percent alcohol, Hop Wallop definitely packs a kick, but gobs of toasty malt go a long way in shielding the drinker from the impact. Living up to its name, this brew throws down the hop gauntlet with armloads of bitterness to balance the sweet malt. This sample expressed an elevated sweetness that seemed to smother the hop flavors, with Nick commenting that, much like the aroma, the flavor was almost devoid of hop character. This, combined with a lightly oxidized (i.e., cardboard) flavor, convinced the panel that this was not a sample in its prime. When fresh, this beer is a revelation, redolent of pine forests, tangelos and traces of pineapple. Find it fresh and buy it; you will not be disappointed.