Every now and then the craft beer world and stars align and a friend sends you a brew that you have been waiting to try and one that will make for the perfect beer review. The beer I am drinking this weekend is one that is sought after by craft beer drinkers around the country and is the 2014 World Beer Cup Gold Award Winner for American-Style IPA! To say that I am excited would be an understatement. This weekend NoDa Brewing Company’s Hop, Drop, and Roll is What’s on Tap!
Brewing out of the great craft beer state of North Carolina, however NoDa is not from one of the state’s craft beer hot-spots of either Asheville or Raleigh. NoDa Brewing Company is based out of Charlotte and is one of the biggest reasons Charlotte’s craft beer scene has exploded in the past 2-3 years. Their IPA, Hop, Drop, and Roll is a mouth-watering brew that has all of the IPA goodness one would ever want or need.
Hop, Drop’s appearance is classic IPA cloudy yellow-goldenish that immediately gives off an aroma of citrus, earthy notes (mainly grass), and plenty of hops. Hop, Drop’s taste is equally fantastic, full of front-forward hops with a nice blend of citrus flavors; I am getting a lot of grapefruit, that finishes with a nice bitterness. There are some slight malt notes but only to provide a balance to the hops. Because of all of the hoppyness it is easy to think that when drinking this brew it is an Imperial or Double IPA but at “only” 7.2 ABV it is easily one of my favorite IPAs.
My recommendation is to pair this brew with anything and everything. If you can get your hands on one, and I recommend that you do, enjoy it. I almost think the beer is too good to drink with anything else. Pour yourself a pint and savor this great IPA!
Cheers!
Beer Stats
Style: Indian Pale Ale
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 7.2%
Bitterness (IBUs): 81
Color: Cloudy Citrusy Yellow/Orange
Color (SRM): 7.7
Hops: Citra and Amarillo
Malts: Vienna and Wheat
Beer Review Stats
Beer Advocate: 96 and 90
Rate Beer: 99
