Victory Brewing Company HopDevil, a 6.7% ABV American India Pale Ale
| Appearance | Clear, bright amber color; long lasting off white head and lacing. |
| Aroma | Sweet malts; powerful citrus punch; herbal notes. |
| Taste | Citrus, apricot, peach; piney and herbal; just enough malt to balance. |
| Mouthfeel | Full-bodied; moderate carbonation. |
| Overall | Perfectly balanced IPA. One of my favorites! |
When choosing this week’s New Brew Review, I must it admit it came down to, “What do I want to drink right now?” A single bottle of Victory’s HopDevil peeked at me from the refrigerator shelf. Bingo!
Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski have been friends since fifth grade. They both fell in love with homebrewing in the mid-80s, and the hobby inspired a friendly rivalry between the pair.
Ron left his job as a financial analyst to complete an apprenticeship and then worked for a year at Baltimore Brewing Company. He later studied at the Technical University of Munich at Weinhenstephan.
Bill took over Ron’s job at Baltimore Brewing Company. During his tenure there he won several medals for his German beers at the Great American Beer Festival. Bill went on to study brewing at Doemens Institute in Munich.
After returning from Germany, Ron worked as brewmaster at Old Dominion Brewing Company before deciding to open a brewery with Bill in the area of Pennsylvania where they first met.
Victory Brewing Company opened their restaurant and brewery on February 15, 1996 in a former Pepperidge Farm factory in Downingtown, PA. The brewery added a second location in 2013 when they began brewing at the 212,000 square foot facility in Parkesburg, PA. Additionally, the Kennett Square brewpub opened in 2015.
HopDevil is Victory’s American India Pale Ale that is available on tap and in bottles year round. HopDevil was one of the first three beers brewed at Victory when they first opened along with Victory Festbier and Brandywine Valley Lager (now Victory Lager).
As the bottle says, HopDevil is Bold, spicy and menacingly delicious. Brewed with imported 2 row German malts and whole flower American hops, HopDevil satisfies year round.
Wanna pick this one up? Use Victory’s Beer Finder!
Check out… this video from Victory to learn more about HopDevil from Bill Covaleski.
If you have a beer you think we should review, let us know!
And as always, toast our check-in on Untappd, and let us know what YOU think!
