Hopewell Ya Filthy Animal 4Pk

Hopewell Ya Filthy Animal 4Pk is a seasonal sour red ale from Chicago's Hopewell Brewing Co., sold in a 4-pack at 6.4% ABV. Inspired by mulled holiday drinks, this limited release blends dark fruit and warming spices into a tart, refreshing package that stands apart from the typical winter ale lineup.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.4%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Sour Red Ale  |  Brewery: Hopewell Brewing Co., Logan Square

Production & Heritage

Hopewell Brewing Co. operates as a progressive craft brewery and taproom in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood. Ya Filthy Animal is their holiday seasonal — a sour red ale brewed with black currants, plums, and a blend of mulling spices, essentially translating the experience of a mulled wine into beer form. The sour base provides the acidic backbone that keeps the fruit and spice additions from reading as heavy or cloying, a balance that sets it apart from the malt-forward stouts and porters that dominate winter seasonal shelves.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Mulling spices lead — nutmeg, peppercorn, and allspice — followed by a wave of dark fruit: plum, prune, and black currant. A slight tartness edges through underneath, hinting at the sour ale base before the first sip.

Taste: The palate opens with ripe dark fruits — plums and currants most prominently — before the spice profile takes hold at mid-palate. Nutmeg, allspice, and a touch of spicy pepper create warmth without heat. The sour character threads through the entire experience, keeping the fruit sweetness in check and adding a vinous quality reminiscent of actual mulled wine.

Finish: Light to medium bodied with mild carbonation, the finish is tart and warming with lingering notes of baking spice and dried plum. It fades clean, encouraging another sip rather than sitting heavy.

How to Drink Ya Filthy Animal

This sour red ale is best served cold, around 45–50°F, in a tulip glass or snifter that concentrates the spice aromatics. Pouring from the can into a glass makes a significant difference in how the mulling spice notes present themselves. While this is primarily a standalone sipper, its tart fruit-and-spice profile can work in beer cocktails: try it in a Berliner Shandy mixed with sparkling lemonade for a lighter take, a Beer Sangria alongside sliced stone fruit and cinnamon sticks to amplify the mulled character, or a Snakebite variation layered with dry cider to play up the tannic, vinous qualities of the currant and plum.

Best For

• Holiday gatherings where you want something festive beyond standard eggnog and spiced cider
• Gifting to a craft beer drinker who gravitates toward sour and wild ales
• Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner as an alternative to wine with rich, savory dishes
• Introducing sour ale skeptics to the style through an approachable, fruit-forward seasonal

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ya Filthy Animal taste like? It delivers tart dark fruit — plum, prune, and black currant — layered with mulling spices like nutmeg, allspice, and peppercorn, finishing clean and lightly sour. Think mulled wine translated into a sessionable beer.

How does Ya Filthy Animal compare to a traditional Flanders red ale? Classic Flanders reds like Rodenbach develop their sourness through extended aging in oak foeders, producing a deeper vinegar-like acidity; Ya Filthy Animal is a spiced American sour red that leans more on added fruit and mulling spices for complexity rather than prolonged barrel aging.

Is Ya Filthy Animal good for sipping on its own? Yes — at 6.4% ABV with balanced tartness and warming spice, it drinks comfortably as a standalone beer without needing any additions or food alongside it.

Where is Ya Filthy Animal made? It is brewed by Hopewell Brewing Co. at their brewery and taproom in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois.

What foods pair well with Ya Filthy Animal? Roasted duck or turkey benefits from the ale's tartness cutting through rich fat. Aged gouda or gruyère complement the dark fruit notes. Charcuterie boards with dried fruits and spiced nuts mirror the beer's flavor profile. Gingerbread or spiced holiday cookies echo the mulling spice character. Dark chocolate with a high cacao percentage pairs well with the currant and plum backbone.

What sizes does Ya Filthy Animal come in? Ya Filthy Animal is available in a 4-pack of cans as a seasonal release from Hopewell Brewing Co.

Is Ya Filthy Animal worth the price? It positions as a small-batch seasonal craft release from an independent Chicago brewery, placing it in the mid-range craft beer tier — reasonable for a specialty sour ale with fruit and spice additions that require extra ingredients and process beyond a standard year-round offering.

Why Ya Filthy Animal?

Holiday seasonal beers tend to fall into predictable categories — heavy stouts, spiced porters, winter warmers. Ya Filthy Animal takes a different approach entirely by building a holiday beer on a sour red ale base, using black currants, plums, and mulling spices to create something that genuinely evokes mulled wine in beer form. The 6.4% ABV keeps it approachable for a full evening of drinking rather than a single pint. For anyone looking for a seasonal release that breaks from convention while still delivering unmistakable holiday character, this is one of the more inventive options coming out of Chicago's craft scene.