Style: IPA
ABV: 7%
Nick’s Take
I am grateful to live close enough to Raleigh that we are able to take advantage of the plethora of breweries and beers that come out of the area. Joe shared some of the wealth from his recent trip there, and it came in the form of “Hop on Top” from Lynnwood Brewing Concern. This brewery is a hidden gem in Raleigh in my opinion, and I was fortunate to have paid them a visit earlier this year, to enjoy some bar food and good craft brews while seated outside on a beautiful summer afternoon. I actually recall having this particular beer when I was at LBC, but it had been six months, and I was eager to have it again and give it a formal review (and see what Joe thought).
“Hop on Top” pours beautifully as a hazy golden color, which allows enough light to pass through and give it a shimmer around the outside. I poured my can a little more gently than I normally would, allowing a whipped foam to develop all the way up to the brim. It was sturdy enough to persist for several minutes, but ultimately settled down and clung to the glass as it subsided. I wasn’t able to twirl very vigorously, as I’d filled my glass almost to the top, but when I did the head was quick to regroup, and it assured me that I’d be able to spend a lot of time sniffing out the aromas.
Sure enough, there was plenty to detect on the nose. As you might predict from the namesake, the hops were the star of the show. I’d characterize the hop profile as fragrant, piney, and juicy. Underneath this, you’ll likely find some combination of fruit/juice aromas. For me, it was melon and pineapple, though the brew calls for some citrus fruits. As I searched a little deeper, there was some sweetness present, as well as signals of the malt used.
Upfront, this beer is very crisp and exciting. The carbonation is persistent throughout each sip and it feels like bubbles are coating each taste bud. This created a really refreshing experience and led me to sip it rather quickly. After a few mouthfuls of “Hop on Top” it started to show a drying sensation, leaving my gums and tongue a little parched. I wouldn’t hold this against the overall mouthfeel, though; this is expected with hoppy and/or bitter beers and is personally not a complaint.
After half a year (and hundreds of new beers later) I had, of course, forgotten exactly what this beer tasted like. It was great to revisit, as I knew that my entire experience at LBC had been enjoyable. This beer packs plenty of hop flavor, ranging from bitter and piney to juicy. I think this complexity is great, as you get a multilayered tasting experience. For me, the piney hops were taking center stage, but the juicy aromas I detected earlier were making themselves known. I wrote down pineapple, mango, and cantaloupe in my own notes. After several sips, I realized that my palate was being overwhelmed by the hops (in bitterness and flavor), so I grabbed a drink of water to try cleansing it. That did help me finish my notes, and I’d also recommend having something handy to reset your palate (either water or food) to ensure you experience the full gamut of flavors that “Hop on Top” has to offer.
If you are a fan of hoppy IPAs, you’d have no problem getting through a couple of these – I made light work of my pint for this review – but as I mentioned, there is a lot of potency here. Depending on the situation, I’d recommend one or two in a sitting (the 7% ABV should also be noted) and it could be a great pairing with food. If you like spicy options, buffalo wings would complement “Hop on Top” nicely, or you could go with some barbecue as well. Something with a lot of flavor is the way to go, as foods that are more subtle would likely be masked by the strong hop bill in this IPA. You can find cans of “Hop on Top” at bottle shops/grocery stores in the Raleigh area, or better yet, stop by their taproom and enjoy it with something off of their food menu.
Cheers!
Abbreviated tasting notes
Appearance: Hazy gold with limited light getting through. Whipped foam that persists and sticks to glass. (4/5)
Aroma: Resinous hop character on the nose, with aromas of juicy melon and pineapple. Slightly sweet and some malt comes through. (4/5)
Mouthfeel: Bright and exciting with a good level of carbonation present throughout each sip. Leaves mouth a little dry on the finish. (4.5/5)
Taste: Piney hops, pineapple, mango, some cantaloupe. Palate is dominated by the hop bill, but is complemented by the juicy flavors. (4/5)
Drinkability: Tasty and refreshing, but would stick to one or two pints due to potency of hops (would recommend cleansing palate afterwards if having a different beer). Food recommendation: BBQ plate, or buffalo wings if you like heat. (4/5)
Total: 20.5/25
Joe’s Take
We’re back on another Monday with another NC beer of the week post. This week we aren’t straying too far from Greenville and have picked up a four pack of “Hop on Top” by Lynnwood Brewing Concern in Raleigh, NC. I visited Lynnwood over the summer and was impressed with their setup. They had an excellent outdoor space with a large indoor taproom and restaurant across their yard. I wish that I had more time to spend there that day but will definitely be making a return this year. For now, I’ll have to suffice by drinking one of their beers.
“Hop on Top” poured a nice golden yellow color (you know I had to pour it into my branded Lynnwood Brewing Concern pint glass) and immediately puffed up a fluffy white head. The head stayed in place for quite some time and left a nice lace when it finally died down. There is something about a fluffy, cloud-like layer of foam on a beer that gets me ready for a sip. The beer itself was hazy but not completely opaque. As it sat in the glass I developed a real thirst.
But…I had to give it an aromatic evaluation first, you know, with it being the subject of our formal tasting for the evening. So thirsts aside, I gave it a good sniff. I picked up strong volatile hop compounds that provided some piney, citrusy, and even floral characteristics. There were some notes of sweet malt peaking through as well, but the hops were certainly the star of the show. It smelled as refreshing as it looked.
Now it was time to take a sip, finally. The brew was smooth and didn’t feature a lot of harsh carbonation. It was a refreshing amount of carbonation that didn’t take away from the flavor of the beer. There was a definite drying sensation as the beer exited the mouth, and this precipitated many more sips.
“Hop on Top” featured, as you guessed it, bounds of hop flavors. The name can be taken quite literally as it is a hop forward brew that has a more subtle malt character to smooth out some of the vegetal harshness. The hops imparted flavors of pine, citrus, grapefruit, and some floral characters. These finished with a more pronounced bitterness, that when combined with the beer’s drying character, kept me going in for another sip (until the beer ran dry). I think this beer would pair well with burgers, pizza, barbecue, or any full flavored greasy food. The drying character and pronounced hop bitterness would work well with these flavors and would help refresh the palate between bites. To be honest, writing this is making me quite hungry.
Drinkability is excellent with “Hop on Top” as you can probably sense from my previous ramblings. I wouldn’t hesitate to have a few of these in a session.
I think Lynnwood Brewing Concern made one refreshing beer with “Hop on Top.” If you’re a fan of IPAs I would recommend giving it a try. If possible, I would try to get it from the source for the full experience.
Cheers!
Appearance: Golden yellow, vibrant. Fluffy white head, plentiful, persistent. Hazy. (4/5)
Aroma: Slightly resinous and piney, strong hop aroma. Hints of citrus fruit and floral characteristics. Sweet malt undertones. (4/5)
Mouthfeel: Smooth, lightly carbonated. Leaves the mouth feeling dry. Light-bodied. (3.5/5)
Taste: Strong hop flavor. Notes of citrus, grapefruit, and light malt. Hop bitterness pulls through on the finish. (4/5)
Drinkability: Easy to drink, glad I got a four pack. The drying sensation keeps you coming back for another sip. (4.5/5)
Total: 20/25
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