The only beer I’ve ever had from them that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy was Boomtown Blonde, despite loving the name and story. Anyhow, Hop Gusher IPA is another winner.
Hop Gusher’s got the sort of balance that’s a bit rare in IPAs – I feel like the malt backbone and sweetness counteract the hop flavor and hop bitterness that typically turns off macro drinkers, although both are still there and very enjoyable.
Hop Gusher IPA starts off light on the palette, despite an aggressive, bready, fruity, hoppy nose. The bark is louder than the bite, in other words.
That aroma is the climax, and it eases up a bit as the aforementioned malt backbone kicks in to sweeten up the sip, making way for a pretty solid bitter after taste. The after taste has some mildly fruity, citrusy, hop characteristics that linger well.
When it comes to most of the IPAs we write about, there’s little comparison in the way of macro, but this reminds me a bit of Galveston Island Brewing’s Citra Mellow because of the very quiet melon undertone in the hop flavor and great balance.
I’m giving Hop Gusher IPA a 3.5 because we don’t do 3.75 yet. Yet… Also, as with almost all their beers, I really dig it. I’m not picky, but I know great beer when I see/taste it, and Hop Gusher IPA is exactly that – great Houston beer.
Hop Gusher pours a cloudy golden color with a thin, chalk-white head when poured aggressively, it dissipates pretty quickly. It’s got a medium mouthfeel with similar carbonation, and all that sensory stuff makes way for some of the finest lace I’ve ever seen in a single IPA from Houston.
I’ve had a handful of SpindleTap’s brews, and they’ve set the bar pretty high. I expected a terrific beer, and I think I got one in Hop Gusher IPA.
Hop Gusher has a duo-tone green can with white and yellow accents. Per usual of SpindleTap, there’s a big badge front and center on the can that contains the name and main illustration. That illustration is an oil derrick with the hop acting as the bit, and all that’s flanked by hop vines.
Pretty sure Hop Gusher can be found anywhere that good beer is sold, but when in doubt, check TapHunter.
Hop Gusher is another winner from SpindleTap. What’s your favorite from them?
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Anthony's a Houston native, a Creative Strategist at https://ledgeloungers.com/, an adjunct instructor of Visual Communication at Lone Star College, and a UH Coog that loves good beer almost as much as he does his city. Anthony lives to help others and that's found a home helping some of the coolest breweries on earth with creative and marketing projects that can be seen on our Portfolio page. Fueled by hoppy lagers, sessionable IPAs, and gangster rap, he's ticked his way through H-Town, rocking the most unusual Nikes he can find. When he's not writing for us, he's with his family or very patiently rooting for the Rockets.
[…] with, “What’s the difference for you brewing a North East style IPA versus, say, Hop Gusher?” “The changes are subtle but they make a big difference,” he replied humbly. He […]
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Posted at 09:27h, 02 July[…] with, “What’s the difference for you brewing a North East style IPA versus, say, Hop Gusher?” “The changes are subtle but they make a big difference,” he replied humbly. He […]