I picked up a 4 pack on the way home today. I’ve been resisting buying IPAs for quite awhile at the liquor store, because they’re never as fresh as mine (obviously), and are more often than not overly crystally sweet, which I don’t like with high hopping levels. But this store just got it in today, very fresh, and I have some IPA crazy friends who’d been bugging me to try it. So… it’s very good. Really similar to what I shoot for in IPA and IIPA - pale, well attenuated, drinkable, big hop flavor and aroma. Very West Coast.
Victory supposedly uses Chinook, Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe for this one, a combo that could be really fruity if not blended properly. But it is blended properly. I made a few fruit bomb IPAs last year and hit the wall with that approach. But the hop character here is wonderful - the Chinook and Simcoe balance nicely with the Citra and Mosaic IMO, so you have plenty of pine together with citrus and tropical fruit.
But what makes this a really good IIPA IMO is the attention to the grist. It’s mostly 2 row, with what can’t be more than 5 or 6 % C40-ish, plenty of sugar to dry and attenuate. It’s 8.7% abv and the alcohol is very well hidden. I suspect plenty of gypsum is used to dry the finish and make the hop character pop. Being a IIPA, it is EASILY more drinkable than many commercial AIPAs (ie., 6.5% abv-ish), which says alot. I will be buying this one again (when fresh).
100% agree with your review. Dirt Wolf is a beer I don’t mind paying for. It’s a reasonably priced and tasty DIPA that isn’t too sweet. Dry or semi-dry DIPAs aren’t common for easy to find beers. I think most people must like the sweetness.
Have you tried Three Floyds Permanent Funeral? It’s a $12 bomber that disappears quickly, but it’s a dry DIPA hop bomb worth drinking once or twice.
They are getting 50% production volume upgrade soon for only $10,000,000. Maybe Permanent Funeral will be on the shelf for two days instead of two hours. One can only hope.
I tried this again. It’s an easy to swill almost 9% DIPA with a smooth bitterness that is never too harsh or weak. If I tasted it not knowing what the hops were, I’d guess Chinook for sure because it seems to be the most prominent hop, then Mosaic because I get some berries in the flavor and aroma with a tiny bit of unobjectionable cat pee. I wouldn’t have guessed Citra or Simcoe. It has mild tropical flavors which could have come from Mosaic. It’s not a fruit bomb, but it is fruity. It doesn’t take hop flavors and aromas to the max, but it doesn’t need to. I like the relative dryness and crisp carbonation for the style.
LOL - I find this so frustrating! >:( I work in a bottle shop and the large majority of my customers (including myself) are always in a desperate search for a Dry DIPA, yet most of the highest regarded DIPA’s are so full of Malty sweetness that we’re left wondering if we’re all just a ‘rarity’!?!? ???
I LOVE VICTORY overall for satisfying the Dry DIPA enthusiasts, and Dirt Wolf thankfully upholds this tradition that includes Prima Pils, HopDevil and even batch #1 of their Moving Parts line of IPA’s.
I have to include my top two DIPA’s that are also indicative of this, ChillWave by Great Lakes Brewery and HardCore IPA by BrewDog’s as my #1 ;D
I think this is a great DIPA. Glad to see I am not crazy. I have a few friends who tried this after I raved about it and they responded with “eh…it’s ok”. Easily one of my favorites!
I first saw this beer last week. I love it. I bought another four pack last night. I agree with thee simple grain bill. It does nothing to hide the hop explosion. And I got it fresh too. It’s pretty much the closest thing to a fresh west coast IPA in the Midwest. Also noted that there isn’t any booziness to it even at 8.7%. It’s very smooth.
Now onto the hops. I’m surprised to read that it has mosaic in it. I have not been a fan of mosaic beers, but maybe it blends well with chinook, Simcoe and citra. I pick up a very pungent floral aroma. As far as taste goes, i get strong dank/resin. I have some mosaic in the freezer that I need to find a way to enjoy. I might have to use it in a combo like this.
I agree - I made a few Mosaic beers when it first became available around here and decided I might not use it again for awhile. But it works in that combo. And man, that is one dangerous beer ! It drinks almost like a pale ale at close to double the abv. Blows those sweet IPAs and IIPAs outta the water.
I don’t usually buy commercial IPA’s, but I needed to fill out a mix-a-six and I trust everyone’s opinions here…
I have to say, the hop character is fantastic in this beer. There is a nice mix of tropical, citrus and stonefruit with enough piny resin to keep it from being a fruit bomb. Bitterness is firm and snappy, but not “paint your tongue with iso-AA’s”. And I don’t get even the slightest hotness from the alcohol.
Unfortunately, what I do get is a bunch of sweetness from the alcohol. That’s not Victory’s fault - this beer is impeccable. I’ve just come to the conclusion that I pick up alcohol above 7% or so as sweet. Add in hops like Mosaic and the sweetness becomes a big distraction for me.
Maybe they’ll come out with a Session Wolf some time if I’m lucky…
Yeah, that’s my feeling too. Aside from the alcohol sweetness, it’s a dry IIPA with limited crystal. But I find I’m making less and less IIPAs because of the alcohol sweetness (and strength). If I don’t have a bunch of friends over, the hop character (in my mind) is past its prime before it’s gone. A keg of Quad or Wee Heavy gets better with time, not a keg of IIPA. I’m liking 1.065 kegs of AIPA with great hop character a lot more nowadays. They don’t last long.
EDIT - Instead of trying to duplicate a great IIPA like Dirt Wolf, I’ll just pick up a fresh 4 pack now and then.
and even batch 