Blackfoot River Brewing in Helena, MT

Since the brewery’s expansion, Blackfoot River Brewing has really gotten into the groove of spitting out a new beer about every few months now. We’ve been graced by the Barley Wine, the Imperial IPA, and and Imperial Bitter. Next in line to get the makeover treatment is their new version of a pale ale, the Holy Hop Back Pale Ale.

Granted, I’m not exactly a pale ale fan. However, this latest entry brings something to the table that some other Blackfoot beers don’t: high drinkability. Clocking in at just above 5% ABV, the Holy Hop Back isn’t potent, brain-crushingly, or tongue-torchingly rich or alcoholic. It’s something nice to come across in a Blackfoot beer from time to time when you’re not looking to down a few pints and already feel full and inebriated. Pouring the standard Blackfoot unfiltered, muddied amber color that we all so much love, the Hop Back smelled mild and sweet, with no distinct aroma powering through the nose. The taste was slightly thinner than expected, but had a well-rounded body that felt full without the actual weight attached to it. As expected, the brew was slightly sweet, with just a touch of hops tickling the tongue. Calling this beer a high-quality, sweeter, and more flavorful version of Miller High Life might be considered an insult, but given the lack of high performing pale ales out there, it might not be a bad comparison.

Overall, this might be the most consumable beer the Blackfoot has produced in a long time. This is a beer that is highly sessionable for holiday parties and won’t trump any food items along the way. Consider this a good choice for holiday meals or your New Years Eve throwdown if you’re not looking for the hangover a growler of Scottish or Porter will surely chuck your way.