Review: Karbach Hopadillo Imperial IPA

The latest brew in Houston-based Karbach‘s Hopadillo is a bruiser: Hopadillo Imperial IPA, which not only tips the scales at 9.9% abv, it does so in a huge 19.2 oz can. Made with Chinook, Centennial, Comet, and Citra hops, it’s the “experimental hop oils” in the mix that make this especially unique.

Let’s give it a whirl.

For a 9.9% monster, I really expected this beer to be a lot more aggressive and off-putting. It’s anything but, and the fruity sweetness is rather surprising. Densely syrupy, it pours on massive flavors of orange marmalade, sugared grapefruit, and lemon curd, making for something of a gooey fruit salad experience, complete with poppy seed dressing. The finish is sweet and a bit tropical, leaning into mango. Bitterness is only vaguely hinted at throughout the glass, but it lives primarily on the finish — though it can barely scratch the surface of the unctuous fruit salad. It’s certainly fun for a time, so share a can with a buddy. Or two.

9.9% abv.

B+ / $3 per 19.2 oz can

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