Last week whilst dining at the Firkin Tavern, I was encouraged by my server to try a new beer they had just brought in to grace the legendary Firkin taps. I was informed that is was an IPA (India Pale Ale) brewed on Long Island by the Blue Point Brewing Company, and that is was a beer made of only the finest hops. Being a fan of the sparkling finish and crisp bite of IPA’s in general, I was moved to thinking about trying something new. Under normal conditions I will more or less ignore the recommendations of my server and stick with the tried and true. But once I heard its clever name, Hoptical Illusion, my decision was all but made – this new beer I would surely try.
To my delight the beer was not only satisfactory but flat out excellent, prompting me to pound 3 pints in a half-hours time. I was shocked to find this beverage a worthy rival to my favorite all-time micro brew which hails from Triumph Brewery in Princeton, New Jersey. Unfortunately the beer to which i just referred, Bengal Gold, can only be purchased and drunk at the bar itself, whereas Hoptical Illusion is a beer I can now buy in a six-pack to enjoy in the friendly confines of my home.
So if you enjoy a brew with a crisp finish and a nice kick, and you are a lover of the hoppy flavor – Hoptical Illusion is a beer you ought to try (it is kid tested; mother approved). As far as comparing it to a more mainstream beer, it is similar to albeit much better than Sierra Nevada.
I would be remiss if I did not remind everyone of Benjamin Franklin’s sage like wisdom, “beer is proof that god loves us.”
Now I wonder what Homer Simpson thinks about beer …
Image Used in this Post
Hoptical Illusion image courtesy of Flickr user MontageMan published under the CC license.
12 Comments
Just of curiosity do you guys have Sierra Nevada beer out there?
Yup, and I will indulge myself with it from time to time.
Oh man, I’m gonna have to try Hoptical Illusion tonight…TGIF!
I live in Chico, ca where they make Sierra Nevada.
That’s pretty cool. I would imagine that Sierra Nevada is a very popular staple beer out there then. Chico’s 5th food group perhaps?
Triumph is a great bar!
I have always loved Magic Hat. Every try it? They make a different brew for every season pretty much. Some of the most popular Magic Hat brews are #9, Fat Angel, and Hocus Pocus.
I’m a fan of Sam Adams seasonal ales, especially Summer and Fall.
Sam Adams seasonal is nice. Ever get the case with all the different types? I think there was a cherry wheat ale in there. Oh man was that good.
Haha, I’m not a fan of the cherry wheat. But Kat loves that crap.
IPA never disappoints no matter where I go, whether its Triumphs or Harvest Moon in New Brunswick. I am a big fan of microbrewed beers. I will have to try some of the Hoptical Illusion.
As far as my choice of beer to drink usually I would have to say Yuengling is my favorite. Oldest brewery in America Since 1812.
Nothing beats a nice cold pint or bottle of Yuengling when there is a choice to be made at a bar.
Anyone ever been down to the Tun Tavern in Atlantic City? They brew their own beer and have a pretty nice selection I might add.