Beer Review: Dogfish Head Aprihop

Dogfish Head Aprihop IPA

This is one of Dogfish Head's spring season offerings and a unique one at that. Fruity IPA beers are rare finds and always something I will be willing to try. This IPA brewed with Apricots is no exception. This creation pours a dark amber color with a long lasting head that definitely shows some lacing. The aroma is beautiful. I get lots of malt, generous hops, and barrels of Apricots. The wort must have been one pungent thing during the boiling stage.

Flavor is really one of a kind. Its kind of like they took one of their 60 minute IPAs and threw in a bunch of apricots. The most noticeable departure from a traditional IPA is the fruity tang. Adds to the crispness. But it also takes away from the hop experience. They are still in there, they just take a back seat. Which is not something you look for in an IPA. I think they should put this under its own category. The malt is still present though. Somehow the malt flavor comes through as clear as the fruit.

Overall, this is a solid beer and one that I would get once or twice a year. I still much prefer a regular IPA. If you feel like experimenting this is something worth a shot but if you go into this expecting an IPA you will be disappointed. I do support new beers and I will give Dogfish Head my thanks for continuing to innovate.

Final Score: 75% (A Fun Experiment But Doesn't Hold Up In The Long Run)