Lagunitas Brewing Hop Stoopid

Beer Name: Hop Stoopid
Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma, CA)
ABV: 8.0%
How sold: 22 oz. bottle (650.618 mL) and kegs (likely for draft)
Where bought: Fred Meyer (Vancouver, WA)
Price: $5.49
IBU: 102
Date Opened/Drank: April 8, 2015

What's on the Label: "'Clean this mess up or else we'll all land in jail...those test tubes and the scale...just get 'em all outta here...' He was referring to the complex super-critical-CO2 hop extraction equipment set up on the table in the lab across from the brewhouse. Hop extracts are for the BIG brewers, he thought -- suitable only for crummy sub-standard and barely-passable industrial lagers, not the subtle and elegant craft beer made here. But wrong he was. The New Brewer does not eschew any possible inputs. In this case the extract will replace the mountains of hop vegetative material in the kettle thus creating creating cleaner hop flavors and preventing the otherwise spinach-like mess of a kettle full of super-hopped wort from clogging up a pump or worse. The sensuous honey-like amber ooze administered intravenously to the wort kettle and the sacrament was complete. Another kettle of Hop Stoopid is once again raised up and fermented on high. Call us @ 707-769-4495! Cheers!"

What's on the Website: "The beer with a guarantee built right into the name, this one is massively dry-hopped for your aromatic pleasure."

When brewed? Year-round beer. Or, as they say, "Unlimited Release"

Where distributed: Lagunitas ships to 43 states, the District of Columbia, and the Canadian province of Alberta. Click here to see if Lagunitas ships to your area!

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Poured a clear orange-golden-copper into a pint glass, Some carbonation; a few millimeters of a temporary head ultimately dissipated. Some lacing inside the glass. 4.5/5

Smell (25%): Sultry passion fruit and grapefruit aroma smell with very slight malty and flowery qualities. Extremely pleasant and not overwhelming. 4.5/5

Taste (40%): Very hoppy and a controlled citrus-bitter from the outset. Detecting passion fruit and grapefruit, a magical combination in my eye. It drinks pretty smooth for a Double IPA, although I admit I get more of the alcohol as I work my way through the pint. Everything still works in harmony. If you like your hoppy beers, you'll want this. 4.25/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Very refreshing. The malty quality gives it a medium body, but it still drinks fairly easy. Wonderful carbonation and lingering bitterness on the tongue. 4.25/5

Overall (20%): An outstanding Double IPA. Hop Stoopid certainly lives up to its name. I've had my eye on this one for a while, so after clearing out the fridge a bit, I nabbed one of these bottles at the local store. Lagunitas is another California brewery that I've become a fan of. Knowing that this beer is readily available in the Pacific Northwest pleases me greatly. 4.5/5

Final Weighted Rating: 4.375/5