Aprihop – Dogfish Head Brewery Spring IPA
March 29, 2010
If you’ve followed The Brew Club for any amount of time, you might know that I’m not a huge fan of American IPAs. Why do I say that? Well, way back when, one of the first beers we exchanged for The Brew Club was the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA.
I found the beer to be way over my head, and unfortunately I’ve avoided buying IPAs since then! I know, that’s not a good thing but that’s what happened! I’ve been easing back into the fold as I’ve found that I do enjoy American Pale Ales which to me are like ‘IPA Juniors’ or something.
So I’m checking out the beer isle and I see this Aprihop beer from Dogfish Head. Its a spring release so it isn’t out all year and the sound of having apricots in the mix was appealing to me at the time. (Apricots are great!) I debated with myself (aloud, mind you) and remembered that I really enjoyed the DFH Punkin’ last fall and that convinced me to give this IPA a try!
I mentioned this was a spring seasonal beer, right? Well doing a little research I’ve learned that the recipe had been tweaked a bit because over the years the beer began to become more and more sweet and fruity, and less and less hoppy. The 2010 release is supposedly more like it was originally intended so if you’ve had it last year it’s probably going to be quite different for you.
Not ever having Aprihop before, I’ve got nothing to go on! This beer pours a very nice and perfectly clear amber color. Really a nice looking beer. There’s some carbonation going on and the beer seems lite and lively in the glass under the foamy off white head.
Not having many IPAs under my belt, I can best describe the aroma as ‘hoppy’ but more specifically it seems to be a citrusy type of hop aroma. Mixed in there is indeed the fresh smell of apricots – its there but I had to work a bit to pick up on it. So, its NOT a fruit beer, which is fine with me actually! (My wife said it had a ‘marmalade’ undertone.)
I had this beer sitting in my basement so I had it kind of chilled but not fridge cold. I think this was a good idea because while this is definately an IPA, it didn’t seem to overpower my tastebuds with hop insanity like the 60-Minute IPA I mentioned above did so long ago.
Its got a citrusy hop flavor thing, but its also got enough malt and then seemingly just the right amount of apricot to really balance everything out. I can drink this beer! Wooo!
I won’t go to much into mouthfeel and body, its a winner to me at this point based on flavor alone and its renewed my hope that I can enjoy more IPAs in the future. At one time Dogfish Head scared me off, and now Aprihop has welcomed me back!
Rating this beer is going to be hard. I really liked it and I would buy it again. I think it should be a Summer beer too – this would be great on one of those hot days. Still, I don’t have much to compare it to but standing alone I think I would give this beer a three and a half stars which is pretty good.
Rating: 
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Posted in 3 Star Reviews, Ales, American Beers, Seasonal Beers
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March 29th, 2010 at 9:33 am
I have to pick this one up this year. A few other friends of mine have said that they like it too.
.-= Mike´s last blog ..Dale’s Pale Ale =-.
March 29th, 2010 at 10:59 am
The first time I had Aprihop, I didn’t like it at all. It was such an odd mix of flavors. But I stashed one and tried it nearly a year later and loved it the second time. I doubt the beer changed much, just my taste perception. Your review reminds me a lot of my experience (even down to the detail of pulling it up from the basement
.-= nate´s last blog ..Guest Review: Don from Beer and Whiskey Bros Reviews Black Cauldron =-.
March 29th, 2010 at 11:45 am
Thanks Nate. Interesting how the beer got better over time – I think that they reformulated the beer in 2010 because it strayed too far from the original concept when they started making it.
I’d be curious to hear from someone who’s had it in 2008 or 2009 to see if this 2010 batch is really different or not.
@Mike – I liked it. Give it a try!
.-= Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Tröegs Java Head Stout =-.
March 29th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Now that you have tried the Aprihop, You need to drink the Nugget Nectar! Do a fruit flavored beer throwdown!
.-= Don´s last blog ..This Was Me Last Night! =-.
March 29th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
@Scott…I’ve had the 2008 and the 2009, actually. now I can’t wait to try the 2010. I also remember the first time I had sour beer. hated it. Now I love it. I’m learning to never say never.
.-= nate´s last blog ..Social Networking and Beer Pt. 2: Noise and Clarity =-.
March 29th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
@Don – That’s a good idea actually, and you know that I can’t say no to you!
@Nate – Curious to hear your opinions on the differences once your fast is over. I bet you have a lot of catching up to do!
.-= Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Irish Beer – Past, Present and Future =-.
March 29th, 2010 at 6:45 pm
@Don – I don’t believe Nugget Nectar is fruit flavored.
@Nate – If you left an Aprihop for a year, the flavors definitely changed in that time. Your tastes probably did as well, but the beer definitely would have tasted fairly different from when it was fresh.
March 29th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
I thought Nugget Nectar was nugget-flavored? Aren’t nuggets fruit?
All kidding aside, what are hops considered anyway? Fruit, veggies, flowers? (I know they aren’t in the meat family)
.-= Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Founders Breakfast Stout =-.
March 29th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
FYI if you go to the dogfish website Sam explains that they tweaked the batch this year as he feals like it was two fruit forward in the last couple years and they wanted it more balanced this year. I cant wait to try it now!
March 30th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Ya know I’ve never had Aprihop. gonna have to get some this year. Heard lots of good things about it. Maybe I should include it in my next beer tasting.
.-= Peter at Simply Beer´s last blog ..Helles Schlenkerla Lager =-.
March 30th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
It would make a fine addition I think Peter. I grabbed what was the last 4-pack @ Total Wine so I don’t know how long its available though! (act now!)
.-= Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..O’Hara’s Irish Stout – Carlow Brewing Company =-.
March 30th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
I enjoyed Aprihop last year, but haven’t tried it this year yet. I’m very intrigued in how they tweaked it. I’d compare Aprihop with Magic Hat’s #9. I definitely get apricots. Not a “fruit beer”, but as their slogan says – “not quite a pale ale” either. Tasty and very refreshing way to welcome in some of the first nice days of spring. I have a couple of bottles in my fridge right now.
March 30th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
@ Scott – Hops are a flower. They grow on a vine. The vine is insane, it can grow up to 1 foot per day in the right conditions.
March 31st, 2010 at 9:07 am
@Jeff – thanks. Sounds a bit like bamboo how quickly it grows! (I’ve heard bambooo isn’t so good for brewing beer though)
@Rnast – #9 huh? I see that all over but have yet to try it – I suppose I should because if its anything like Aprihop then mmmmmm.
.-= Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Brewdog’s Tactical Nuclear Penguin and Paradox Stout =-.
March 21st, 2011 at 11:50 pm
Mmmmm. Aprihop with some dried apricots on the side. What a nice treat, and what a nice beer. Not too fruity at all. Mostly IPA. Some apricot. Very happy. Thanks DFH!