Bitburger Triple Hop'd 6Pk

Bitburger Triple Hop'd 6Pk is a 5.8% ABV dry-hopped India Pale Lager sold in a six-pack, born from a transatlantic collaboration between Bitburger Braugruppe and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Scoring 88 on BeerAdvocate and 87 from Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine in blind BJCP judging, this limited-run IPL earned serious respect before being discontinued.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.8%  |  Origin: Bitburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany  |  Style: India Pale Lager (IPL)  |  Brewery: Bitburger Braugruppe (est. 1817) in collaboration with Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Production & Heritage

Bitburger Braugruppe, founded in 1817 in the town of Bitburg in Germany's Eifel region, is one of the country's most recognized pilsner producers. For Triple Hop'd, Bitburger partnered with California's Sierra Nevada to create a dry-hopped lager that bridges German brewing precision with American hop-forward intensity. The beer uses four hop varieties — Bitburger's proprietary Siegelhopfen blend sourced from a farm minutes from the brewery, locally grown Eifel-Cascade hops, plus American Chinook and Centennial — layered over a light malt backbone. The dry-hopping technique, uncommon in traditional German lager production, gives it an aromatic boldness that set it apart from Bitburger's core range. Note: this beer is no longer in active production by the brewery.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Grapefruit citrus leads immediately, followed by floral hop character and hints of aromatic tropical fruit. A faint malty sweetness anchors the nose beneath the hop-driven aromatics.

Taste: The entry is juicy, with Valencia orange and grapefruit sections giving way to a mid-palate of pale malt sweetness, light caramel, and grainy cereal notes. A pronounced minerality and surprising malt density build toward the peak, where pine resin and citrus rind take over. Some drinkers detect a savory, almost browned-butter quality alongside the hop bitterness.

Finish: Medium-length with a clean, pleasant bitterness that lingers without turning harsh. The grapefruit character fades slowly, leaving behind dry grain and a subtle floral echo.

How to Drink Triple Hop'd

Pour into a pilsner glass or standard pint glass at around 42–46°F to let the hop aromatics open up without losing the crisp lager backbone. This beer drinks well straight from a chilled glass and does not need embellishment.

• Beer Shandy: Its citrus-forward profile pairs naturally with fresh lemon juice and a touch of simple syrup for a bright, summery shandy.
• Michelada: The minerality and grapefruit notes complement lime, hot sauce, and Clamato for a punchy Michelada with more hop complexity than a standard lager.
• Hop Skip (beer cocktail): Mix with a splash of grapefruit juice and a dash of Angostura bitters to amplify the citrus character already present in the beer.

Best For

• Hop-curious lager drinkers looking to explore IPL-style beers without committing to a full IPA
• Collecting discontinued collaboration beers with verified critical acclaim
• Summer cookouts and barbecues where a flavorful but sessionable lager is ideal
• Pairing alongside bold, grilled foods that can stand up to pronounced hop bitterness

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Triple Hop'd taste like? Triple Hop'd delivers prominent grapefruit and citrus hop character over a light, slightly sweet malt base, finishing with a clean, balanced bitterness. It sits between a German pilsner and an American IPA in intensity.

How does Triple Hop'd compare to standard Bitburger Premium Pils? Bitburger Premium Pils is a classic German pilsner at 4.8% ABV with restrained noble hop character, while Triple Hop'd pushes to 5.8% ABV with four hop varieties — including American Chinook and Centennial — for significantly more citrus aroma and bitterness. The collaboration with Sierra Nevada gives Triple Hop'd a distinctly American hop profile that Premium Pils intentionally avoids.

Is Triple Hop'd good for craft beer beginners? Yes — its lager base keeps the body light and approachable, making it an accessible entry point into hop-forward beers without the heavy mouthfeel or high ABV of many American IPAs.

Where is Triple Hop'd made? Triple Hop'd was brewed by Bitburger Braugruppe in Bitburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, developed in collaboration with Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. of Chico, California. Bitburger has operated from the same town since its founding in 1817.

What foods pair well with Triple Hop'd? Grilled bratwurst or sausages complement the malt backbone and cut through hop bitterness. Fish tacos with citrus slaw echo the grapefruit notes. Aged cheddar or Gruyère match the beer's minerality. Spicy Thai dishes balance well against the citrus and bitter finish. A simple grapefruit salad mirrors the hop profile for a refreshing pairing.

What sizes does Triple Hop'd come in? Bitburger Triple Hop'd was primarily available in six-packs of individual bottles, the standard retail format for this collaboration release.

Is Triple Hop'd worth the price? Triple Hop'd positioned as a mid-range craft collaboration beer, priced slightly above standard imported lagers but below most premium American IPAs. Its discontinued status and limited availability may affect current market pricing for remaining inventory.

Why Triple Hop'd?

What made this beer distinctive was the Siegelhopfen factor — Bitburger's proprietary hop blend grown on a farm just minutes from the brewery, a raw ingredient no other brewer in the world has access to. Combining that with Sierra Nevada's expertise in American hop-forward brewing created a genuine hybrid: German lager discipline with Californian hop ambition. Its 88-point BeerAdvocate score and 87 from Craft Beer & Brewing's blind BJCP panel confirmed it delivered on that premise. As a discontinued collaboration, remaining bottles represent a closed chapter in one of the more interesting transatlantic brewing partnerships of recent years.