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 Victory Hop Devil IPA
by erik lars myers
 Brewer: Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA
Style: India Pale Ale
Y'know, I used to not be a very big fan of hops. But the more beer I drink, the more they're growing on me (aaagh! Get them off!!).
Don't get me wrong. I am not, nor will I ever be, a hop-head. Nothing will ever replace the beauty of a well-balanced beer for me, but I think I'm starting to develop an appreciation of good, well-made, hoppy beers. That's what you've got here. Aside from the clearly attractive label, there are actually other reasons to drink this beer.
Unsurprisingly, the aroma on this beer is all hops, and definitely American ones. I might take a guess at Cascade and/or Mt. Hood, but I'm not sure I'm good enough to actually pick them apart on smell. What you're also getting on the aroma, though, is a nice caramelly malt body underneath. See -- it's not just about hops!
It's got nice carbonation and a nice light creamy mouthfeel. The flavor is, of course, a lot of hops - but not necessarily super bitter. It's a good blend that's IPA without slapping you around with hops. You don't lose the flavor of the beer in the mission to create something super hoppy.
It's a fairly strong beer (as many IPAs are) so there's definitely a nice warming feeling at the end that plays around with the hops aftertaste that's a little bitter, but doesn't stick around for long enough to be unpleasant.
If you are a hop-head, you'll probably like this beer, if you're not - give it a shot to see what you think about it. I think it's a very well-balanced IPA and might open the door to appreciating the style for you.
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