Sierra Nevada Hoptimum - Blind Taste Test

Who doesn't like a big hoppy IPA? Okay, well a lot of people don't. But, that's not the case with the guys on this panel. Will they like the "ultimate, whole-cone hop experience"? Hoptimum from Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California has been compared on-line to Hopslam, which is a beloved beer on this show. Does it match up to this and other great imperial IPAs? Unlike most beer reviews, that are like beer forum lemmings, we provide you with a blind taste test so that you can get a real review that isn't biased by the marketing hype.
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Partial Transcript: "On Tap -- Hoptimum
Hi. I'm James Knott and this is your Better Beer Authority. Today we are drinking "The Ultimate Whole Cone Hop Experience" -- according to the brewery.
Hoptimum is a yearly May release from the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California.
It clocks in at 10.4% ABV and 100 IBUs. This beer is all about the hops. They use Magnum, Chinook, Simcoe and an exclusive new hop variety that is grown for the brewery. They use whole cone hops instead of hop pellets.
These hops are not only used in the boil kettle, they dry-hop the beer and then quote/unquote "Torpedo" the beer -- which is a process that was developed by Sierra Nevada. Traditional dry-hopping involves soaking the hops in bags in the fermenter, while torpedoing involves pumping the beer from the fermenter through a torpedo-shaped, stainless steel vessel to extract more of the hop flavors and aromas.
They say that Hoptimum has aromas of grapefruit rind, pine, herbs and tropical fruit. This beer is brewed for hop fanatics. Let's see if the hop lovers on our panel go ga-ga for it in a blind taste test."

[@Oldschool503]

I love this beer fresh!

[@dmsanx]

Great beer!

[@poktangju]

my favorite reviewers on youtube...sad that this will end.

[@newengland72]

James, the new glasses and slim look make you look like you need a raise.

[@duwaynealberts4109]

That was a great beer! Great review....

[@biker944]

awesome

[@ASunnyDisposition]

Digging the shirt James. I've enjoyed this beer this year and previously, but it felt like this year it was a lot more bitter. Maybe that's just me though. Love the hop puns throughout haha. Always look forward to the release of this bad boy. Great video guys!

[@Brew88880]

I had this brew in an IPA glass and it had AMAZING aroma, but the glasses these guys are using should also stimulate some aroma particles to rise up.. a friend of mine also had it and didnt get aroma off of it either.. maybe freshness is involved?

[@bobot1981]

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum, god bless it! My favorite beer. Mmmmm. I told my family once that I was going to open up, and tell them the 3 most important words one person could say to another. Having their attention, I said "Sierra Nevada Hoptimum."

[@bobbyyyd]

Double trouble by founders trumps this beer. Probably explains why there are like 15 cases still sitting at my beer store

[@257milo]

Great vid!!! Hard to beat Sierra Nevada or Dogfish Head were it comes to IPA's!!!
James hope you are OK. CHEERS!!!

[@twoquickii1330]

One classica IIPA. 9.5

[@ronaldtheriot]

I thought it was an outstanding beer.

[@tootygreen]

I give this one a solid 10. Drink this.....then any other beer and the next beer just doesn't measure up. That includes a hop slam. Imho

[@spiderwrangler4457]

I think your response should be aded to the description of what qualifies as a 10 on the BBA scale.
10 - Best of the Best - personal favorite - You would put this in your top five beers - only one in every 40-50 beers should receive this high honor. Uttering the name of this beer is the most important thing one person can say to another.

[@theherbpuffer]

Great beer and review folks! I look forward to this each Spring/Summer. A solid 9 in my book

[@bobbyyyd]

Nothing like hop slam

[@paulb2399]

Isn't Double Trouble also double the price? I would take Hoptimum or Hopslam over any DIPA that runs 20 bucks a four pack.

[@donosborn]

James Knott, how did you get so skinny?! I think you might be right about pouring a full glass making it harder to get aromas. cheers.

[@uglydirtball]

this is a choice beer guys really happy you got this on the show. One of my favorites, plz sierra make it a six pack!!

[@LandmarkMediaInc]

for some reason I have never liked this beer. I will have to try it in a blind taste test and see what happens

[@JamesKnott]

I agree completely.

[@zephead989]

How many videos do you still have to release?

[@Al_562]

Never Again!!!!!

[@ckalnicki]

You give this beer a 9 but a world class beer like Heady and 8 ? Hahahhaha. Novices....

[@EDungarian]

Is James sick?

[@kittenak47]

Zap add

[@47productions]

Awesome logo, pretty average IIPA.

[@distantandvague]

Jeff looks frighteningly like my ex girlfriend's father.

[@spiderwrangler4457]

I bet Jeff's mustache would tickle if he sniffed your armpit.

[@lovelyhomeandgarden]

EWRFFLF