Beer of the Week - Victory in Pennsylvania

I purposefully withheld the BOTW a day or two in the hopes that I could give a timely nod to this brewery. The Steelers did not disappoint.

When one thinks "brewing culture," several states in the US might come to mind: California, Oregon, Colorado, Wisconsin, but probably not Pennsylvania. For those who know, Pennsylvania has been a hotbed of brewing culture since this nation was still a group of colonies.

Victory Brewing of Downingtown keeps Pennsylvania's rich heritage alive with a full slate of quality brews. From a delectable Belgian style blond, to a premium pilsner, Victory's slate runs the gamut, keeping quality high throughout.

Our BOTW is a year-round brew, an accurately named ale called Hop Devil. I'm generally leery of any beer that has "hop" in the name, but perhaps I should alter my prejudice, having been wowed by beer the likes of Hop Whore, Hop Slam, and also Victory's Hop Wallop.

If you need a classification beyond "ale" I guess I would call it an APA. Drinking it yourself is probably a better way for you to find out exactly what it's all about.

The drink starts with a punch to the palette, bringing those grapefruit you smell to life. Beyond the citrus, there is also a bit of a "grass" taste that really rounds the citrus into a spicy, earthy, tangy hop experience. The German malts don't get lost in this little demon; they hold their own, giving the beer a smooth mouthfeel and a clean round finish.

When you sit down to drink almost any Victory product, be careful. If you're anything like me you'll have the thought..."Man, I could drink 8 of these." While drinking 8 is not advised, sampling all of Victory's wares is.

Victory? Win.