Hop Butcher Facepeeler 4Pk

Hop Butcher Facepeeler 4Pk is a 10.25% ABV Triple India Pale Ale from Chicago's Hop Butcher For The World, sold as a four-pack of 16oz cans. Built around a limited supply of New Zealand Riwaka hops alongside Motueka, Idaho 7, Strata, and Centennial, this triple IPA carries a 4.3 out of 5 rating on Untappd from over 2,600 reviews.

Quick Facts: ABV: 10.25%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Triple IPA  |  Brewery: Hop Butcher For The World

Production & Heritage

Hop Butcher For The World operates its main production facility in Bedford Park, Illinois, with an additional taproom and experimental brewery on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago. The brewery has built a devoted following through limited-release, heavily hopped ales that rotate frequently. Facepeeler was brewed using the last remaining stock of Riwaka hops the brewery had stashed away, blended with a lineup of house-favorite varieties — Motueka and Riwaka from New Zealand provide tropical character, while Idaho 7, Strata, and Centennial contribute resinous depth and citrus bite. At 10.25% ABV, Facepeeler sits firmly in triple IPA territory, a style that demands aggressive hopping to balance the elevated malt backbone.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Pours an opaque, saturated orange with the dense, hazy body characteristic of Hop Butcher's hop-forward releases.

Aroma: Melon leads the nose with layers of tropical fruit and stone fruit, followed by a faint, warming booze heat that signals the beer's considerable strength. The New Zealand hops add a distinctive green, almost grape-like quality underneath the fruit.

Taste: The entry is surprisingly soft and smooth for a triple IPA, with ripe melon and tropical fruit giving way to a more assertive bitterness through the mid-palate than many of Hop Butcher's double IPA releases. The alcohol is present but well-integrated, showing restraint rather than harshness. Late flavors of resinous pine and citrus pith emerge from the Centennial and Idaho 7 additions.

Finish: The finish is moderately long with a lingering, drying bitterness and residual tropical sweetness. A gentle warmth builds at the close, a reminder of the 10.25% ABV without becoming overpowering.

How to Drink Facepeeler

Pour Facepeeler into a tulip glass or stemmed IPA glass at around 45°F to let the hop aromatics fully express themselves; drinking straight from the can mutes the complex nose. This triple IPA is best enjoyed on its own as a standalone sipper given its intensity and ABV. For those who want to experiment: a Hop Drop (a float of triple IPA over a lighter lager) creates an interesting layered contrast; a Boilermaker alongside a dram of bourbon plays the tropical hops against caramel and oak; and a Michelada variation using Facepeeler adds serious hop punch and body to the classic tomato-lime framework.

Best For

• Sharing with fellow hop enthusiasts who appreciate limited-release IPAs
• Weekend cookouts where bold beer can stand up to grilled and smoked meats
• Building a tasting flight comparing double and triple IPAs side by side
• Gifting to a craft beer collector who follows Hop Butcher's rotating releases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Facepeeler taste like? Facepeeler delivers a smooth, full-bodied tropical and melon flavor profile with more pronounced bitterness than typical double IPAs, and a well-managed alcohol warmth despite its 10.25% ABV.

How does Facepeeler compare to other Hop Butcher double IPAs? Facepeeler is a triple IPA rather than a double, which means a higher ABV (10.25% versus the typical 8–9% range for their doubles) and a noticeably more bitter profile, though it retains the soft, hazy mouthfeel the brewery is known for.

Is Facepeeler good for sipping neat? Yes — its smooth body and layered hop character reward slow, deliberate drinking from a proper glass, and the elevated ABV makes it more suited to savoring than session drinking.

Where is Facepeeler made? Facepeeler is brewed by Hop Butcher For The World at their primary production facility in Bedford Park, Illinois, just outside Chicago.

What foods pair well with Facepeeler? Spicy Thai curry mirrors the tropical hop character while the bitterness cuts through richness. Smoked brisket or pulled pork benefits from the beer's assertive hop bite. Sharp aged cheddar creates a classic contrast of bitter and savory. Fish tacos with mango salsa echo the melon and tropical fruit notes. Buffalo wings pair naturally, as the bitterness cleanses the palate between bites.

What sizes does Facepeeler come in? Facepeeler is available as a four-pack of 16oz cans, which is the standard format for Hop Butcher's limited-release IPAs.

Is Facepeeler worth the price? Facepeeler positions as a premium limited-release triple IPA, and its use of scarce Riwaka hops and high ABV place it at the upper end of the craft IPA price spectrum — a justified tier for hop-focused drinkers seeking something beyond everyday doubles.

Why Facepeeler?

What separates Facepeeler from the crowded field of hazy IPAs is the convergence of a rare hop bill and genuine triple IPA intensity. The brewery's use of their final reserve of New Zealand Riwaka hops — a variety prized for its passionfruit and grapefruit character and notoriously difficult to source in quantity — gives this release a flavor dimension that cannot simply be replicated batch after batch. With a 4.3 rating on Untappd across more than 2,600 reviews and an 86 on BeerAdvocate, Facepeeler has earned strong marks from the community despite its limited availability. For drinkers who want to push past the double IPA ceiling into bigger, bolder territory without sacrificing drinkability, this is a focused and well-executed expression of what Hop Butcher does best.