Horny Goat – Hopped Up ‘N Horny IPA & Chocolate Cherry Stout

Last night I marched out two brews that Horny Goat Brewing was nice enough to send me to sample.  We really enjoyed their Brownie Porter and Stacked Milk Stout, so today we wanted to dig into the box and break out two more.  As I said last night, don’t let the name fool you.  Horny Goat may be a bit of a marketing tool sort of name, but don’t lose sight of the beer inside that package.

First up on this Sunday evening was Horny Goat Hopped Up ‘N Horny IPA.  Let me say up front that as a lover of all things IPA, I’m a tough judge of most IPAs.  I look for specific characteristics, flavors, aromas and mouthfeel, and I only return to the beers that make the mark.  With that said I was curious to try Hopped Up ‘N Horny IPA and see where it falls for me.  Hopped Up has a nice citrusy nose, but it’s subtle even in a snifter-style glass.  Hopped Up’s most pronounced flavor is probably the dry-hopped Cascade hops, but again it’s subtle.  If you’re expecting an over-the-top west-coast style IPA, Hopped Up won’t quite match up, but if you’re looking for a hoppy Pale Ale or a slightly tamer IPA with a malty finish, you’ll like Hopped Up ‘N Horny a lot.  This is an easy drinking beer, and it hides the 6.3% ABV well.  Personally I liked it better cold, and thankfully I liked it enough to finish my glass while it was still just right.  I’d say Hopped Up leans a little toward a British-style IPA with it’s malt-forward flavors, but it’s a likeable beer for sure.

Next Mrs. BeerBuzz and I switched gears and went for Horny Goat Chocolate Cherry Stout.  It was quite a switch from the Hopped Up ‘N Horny so while the first impression was purely “sweet”, but after a few sips we really started to enjoy the flavors on board.  I’ve had a lot of Chocolate Cherry Stouts and once again it is a favorite style for me.  I think Horny Goat’s version really held up pretty well, and if I had any complaint it would be the thinner mouthfeel that detracted a little from the overall experience.  With that said, the chocolate flavor is there and the cherry was pleasant but really subtle.  All in all a very nice stout and I was surprised at it’s 6.3% ABV since it was so easy drinking.  This beer uses 8 different malts and it’s aged on Ecuadorian Cacao Nibs and dark sweet cherries, so it’s loaded with flavor.  Try this one for yourself.  I suspect this is a beer a lot of people will really enjoy.
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