Ale Asylum- Hopalicious: I may have lost the beer battle but I will win the brew war!

Tonight I drink in celebration. It has been a great couple of weeks: new job, moving in with my amazing girlfriend finally, my work is all caught up and I just got done working out. Also I have the new Halo Reach game in hand which I am going to crack even more eagerly than a fresh beer. Lets take Ale Asylum’s Hopalicious for a spin before I plasma grenade some covenant bastards.

Hopalicious is brew that Jason’s peeps brought back from their epic Wisconsin road trip, and he was gracious enough to spot me one. Here is the lowdown, “Eleven separate additions of cascade hops give this American pale ale its lush citrus aroma and bold hop flavor without crazy bitterness.”  They are not lying about the citrus scent. It actually smells and looks a lot like the cleaning product Orange-Glo. This lightly carbonated ale is a neon orange street sign; it actually seems to light up a room. It also smells surprisingly sweet. I am intrigued at least.

Blah. That was the first word that came to mind. The sweet and citrusy scent is paralleled in the taste. Unfortunately it’s not really very appetizing or original. This beer is serviceable at best. It is extremely light with a very, very slight hop nip at the end. The real problem is that Hopalious doesn’t do anything to stand out. I mean nothing. I will forget that I ever tried this beer after less than two days and so will you. I will never, ever judge a brewery based off one beer, but Ale Asylum should be ashamed about using the word “hops” on the label. With a killer, kick-ass name like Ale Asylum, I am sure they have something better to spend your coin on. I will never know what Jason saw in this brew. This is not a beer to get a man pumped to save the universe from some scumbag aliens. Spartans prepare to drop!

ABV:  5.8%

Consumed: Globe Glass

Verdict: Bum one from a friend!

Ale Asylum- Hopalicious: An Asylum I’d Be Happy To Be Stuck In

With March coming to a close I decided I needed a change.  Inspired by one of my new favorite people (Pam at Finnegan’s Irish Pub in Plainfield, IL) it was determined that I need to broaden my Craft Beer horizons.  Don’t get me wrong, I like other styles, but Wes has got me addicted to IPAs and it is very hard to kick the habit.  So it seems rather strange that the person that inspired the change actually gave me the beer that this review will be based on.  It is Ale Asylum’s Hopalicious from Madison, WI.

Ale Asylum classifies Hopalicious as an American Pale Ale and their website describes Hopalicious as, “Eleven separate additions of cascade hops give this American pale ale its lush citrus aroma and bold hop flavor without crazy bitterness.”  The label on the bottle continues, “Hopalicious is all natural and unfiltered for superior flavor and quality.  It is brewed with passion and is best enjoyed that way.”

Hopalicious pours a cloudy orange/caramel color with a tiny ¼” off white head that disappeared quickly, a mixed bag of citrus, hop & floral aromas with an ever so subtle hint of grapefruit and comes in at 5.8% ABV.

A big beer shout-out goes to Pam at Finnegan’s for sharing this beer with me.  In addition to IPAs, I also love APAs.  This Wisconsin based brew is perfectly carbonated and is as balanced as the world famous high wire family, The Flying Wallendas.  I can sense the thoroughly intertwined tastes of both the hops and malts together and it finishes clean and refreshing.  While Alpha King still remains my favorite of the Pale Ales, Ale Asylum’s Hopalicious is a serious contender in the division and is a definite must try…so much so that I would even recommend making the drive up to the land of cheese & cows to get some.

ABV: 5.8%

Consumed: New Belgium Globe Glass

Verdict: Buy A Case