Hop Devil India Pale Ale

Image courtesy of Victory Brewing Co.

As the IPA season winds down (if that ever truly happens) and I move to the more heavy brews for winter, I fondly look back at Hop Devil India Pale Ale by Victory Brewing Company of Downington, PA, and cherish its memory, as I do the falling leaves and fleeting autumn evenings that were the backdrop to the enjoyment of the 6-pack.  Honey colored and ultra lacey, Hop Devil’s lingering splotchy head and hoppy esters are a pleasure to behold.  The full malty backbone balances the piney, rusty character, although there is a note of sulphur lurking far away.  Hop forward, malt back, but both well represented.  This medium bodied IPA is still light enough to be quaffable, and the lingering bitterness and sweetness, maybe almost peachiness, are reminders of pleasures recently gone.  Something in the hop choice reminds me of Chicago’s Legacy Lager, a long gone excellent beer from the 1990s.  This is a great beer.  90/100 IPA