Moylan’s Hopsickle

The legal system may be full of fail but at least I have good beer. Today we have a very well reputed ale from Moylan’s Brewery hailing proudly from Novato, California. I was a bit concerned I had missed my opportunity to sample this ale when I walked into The Four Firkins and saw none in the fridge but Alvey was wise to limit the purchases to one per person so he had been storing the bottles in the back and I was lucky enough to get his very last one. The bottle says this ale is a tribute to hops worthy of a king, and from the aroma I get just from opening this bottle leads me to believe they’re telling the truth. As a winner of many awards in the past few years and recommendations from others I am sure this will be a delightful treat and a wonderful way to make a bummer day more festive and enjoyable. Aside from their California pride the bottle also encourages us to recycle and drink safely,  probably a good warning for a bottle that also states it is triple hoppy and 9.2% ABV. This ale pours a vibrant orangish red color that is largely transparent and produces about three fingers of fluffy white head that remains for many minutes. Aroma is lovely, the hops produce an immense array of fruity and floral scents, from strawberry to melon to orange with only a little bit of bitterness coming through. Wowza. I am rarely surprised by the multitude of hop flavors in an ale and I am happy to say this ale has surprised me pleasantly. This is one heck of a hoppy ale and does it’s name proper, if one were to freeze this ale on a stick I’m not sure how many licks most people could get through. Initially I get many different hoppy bitter flavors, as those calm down you start to notice the citrus and floral flavors reminding me largely of orange and apricot as well as a bit of malty sweetness. The flavor is then wrapped up with some more bitter hop flavors just in case you forgot you were drinking a hop bomb.  The body of this beer is  medium and the mouthfeel is quite smooth. The 9.2% ABV of this beer is well hidden behind the multitude of hop layers though a bit more noticeable as this ale warms. If you are a fan of serious hops it would be in your best interest to at least sample this beer if you have the opportunity. Certainly not for the faint of heart nor for those who do not enjoy bitter flavors. This ale is probably best in moderation but would be wonderful with a nice spicy Asian dish or something similar as it complimented the slightly spicy andouille sausage I got from Kramarczuk’s very nicely. The more you drink this ale and allow it to warm up the more the sweeter fruity and floral flavors stick out it is certainly an intriguing ale that I plan to drink more of when the opportunity arises. Give it a shot and ride your bike.

Moylan's Hopsickle

3 Responses to “Moylan’s Hopsickle”

  1. One of my favorite reviews. This makes me want to go to the four firkins after work but NO, you got the last one!

  2. Seems like you enjoy your hoppy beers. If you get a chance check out Tröegs Nugget Nectar (http://www.troegs.com/beers_nugget%20nectar.htm). Fantastic beer from over here in PA.

    Alcohol by Volume: 7.5%
    Hop Bitterness (IBU’s) : 93ish
    Color (SRM) : Straw-Orange
    Malts: Pilsner, Vienna, Munich
    Hops: Nugget, Warrior, Tomahawk, Simcoe, Palisade

  3. Love the name and label art Josh. Sounds delicious, I will certainly have to grab a bottle if I’m ever in the area. Thanks for the suggestion. imp7 yea I’m a jerk, I’ll keep an eye out for you though 😉

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