Chicagoist's Beer of the Week: Two Brothers Hop Juice

By Karl Klockars in Food on Jul 8, 2011 7:20PM

The wave of monstrously hoppy beers crested months ago, but that doesn't mean that the annual release of Two Brothers' Hop Juice is any less anticipated. This double IPA was found on the shelves of a Trader Joe's, surprisingly enough, and I'm not sure you can call a bomber of 10% ABV beer an impulse purchase, but I yanked that bottle off the shelf with nary a second thought.

It's been years since my last 120-Minute from Dogfish Head (forgive me father for I have sinned) but if I had to offer a comparison point for this Hop juice, that would be the closest one that comes to mind. Pouring a syrupy, hazy tan/orange with a minimal head and a restrained aroma, this beer has gone so hoppy it's almost sweet.

It's thick and sticky, notes of pear pop out over the barrage of hops, and while most IPAs shouldn't be cellared since hops fade quickly, I'd be curious to see what would happen to this with a year on the bottles. We put away a Founders Devil Dancer for a year as an experiment and it was still brutally kickass, so I think this could stand up to some time as well.

Best part? My last 120 cost ten bucks for at 12oz. bottle - this bomber clocked in at $8 and change. Give it a whirl if you can track it down - this beer is so popular it has its own damn festival. (Ed Note: I've enjoyed Hop Juice at Maria's Packaged Goods and Community Bar in Bridgeport. Other establishments that list Hop Juice, according to Beer Menus Chicago, are Owen & Engine, the Fountainhead, Small bar Division St., Fizz, Hackney's Printers Row, the Globe Pub and Haymarket Pub & Brewery. — CS.)

Two Brothers Hop Juice is Chicagoist's Beer of the Week.