Left Coast Brewing Company- Hop Juice: A West Coast Hop Bomber Not For Sissies

Luckily for me, the king of July vacations (Wes) blessed me with a gift brew upon his return from a visit to the West Coast.  That lucky bastard not only got to enjoy the sights and weather of Southern California but he got to experience the awesomeness of craft brew heaven, Stone Brewing Company.  Thankfully he didn’t forget his friend and decided to pick me up a couple of West Coast brews.  One of which happened to be Hop Juice from the Left Coast Brewing Company.  I find this utterly interesting because we have a local brewery here in Warrenville, IL that brews a beer that shares the same name.  Two Brothers Brewing Company also brews a crafty concoction dubbed “Hop Juice”.  Typically you don’t find two breweries that make a beer of the same name but on this occasion you do.  Now I love Two Brothers Hop Juice but will Left Coasts’ Hop Juice have the same effect?  Let’s find out.

Left Coast Brewing Company classifies this brew as a Double India Pale Ale (DIPA) and their website describes Hop Juice as, “Here at Left Coast Brewing Co. we pride ourselves on being one of the first breweries to pioneer a Double IPA style beer. In 2003, we brewed our first Double IPA, and haven't looked back since. This hop monster uses Premium American 2- Row and a touch of light crystal malt to create a solid malt foundation. The recipe calls for hops to be used in every step of the brewing process; in the mash, in a hop back, in the fermenter, and in the bright tanks. We use hop extract, hop pellets and hop flowers, hence the name Hop Juice. Hop Juice spends more than 4 weeks dry hopping in the fermenter and the bright beer tank. It is approximately 9.4% ABV and has massive IBUs. Hop usage is over 4lbs per barrel. Hopeheads, step up to the plate!”

Hop Juice pours a golden/orange color with a 1 ¼” off white head.  The aroma is a strong hop resin punch that borders on earthy and is a big 9.4% ABV.

I am having a hard time trying to understand what the so called “beer aficionados” over on that other website are talking about but Hop Juice is pretty freakin’ good.  This is a brew for your hard-core Hopheads and not some sissy-ass beer putz.  Hop Juice is a raw, resinous hop bite of DIPA awesomeness.  Hop Juice is another balanced DIPA where the malt sweetness & hop bite form a union of consistency that finishes with an ever-so-slight alcohol warming as it goes down.  Now what’s crazy is that this isn’t the first Hop Juice I’ve ever had.  Well, the first from Left Coast that is as I have thoroughly enjoyed Two Brothers Brewing Company’s Hop Juice.  Two Hop Juices…what??  Yep, that’s right, there are two Hop Juices and who knows if there are any more out there.  All I can tell you is that both are amazing and very different from one another.  Despite the haters, this is a really good Double IPA and definitely worth the sheckles you’d drop on a bomber.

ABV: 9.4%

Consumed: Nonic Pint Glass

Verdict: Buy A Twelve Pack