Ale Asyulum Hopalicious 6Pk

Ale Asylum Hopalicious 6Pk is a 5.7% ABV American Pale Ale from Madison, Wisconsin, sold in a six-pack of 12 oz cans. Built around eleven separate additions of Cascade hops, this flagship APA earned an 88 on BeerAdvocate across more than 1,000 ratings — a testament to its balanced hop character and enduring drinkability.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.7%  |  IBU: 52  |  Origin: Madison, Wisconsin  |  Style: American Pale Ale  |  Brewery: Ale Asylum (now brewed by Karben4 Brewing)

Production & Heritage

Ale Asylum was founded in Madison, Wisconsin in 2006, and Hopalicious quickly became its flagship beer. After Ale Asylum closed its doors in July 2022 following 16 years of operation, the brand and its recipes were acquired by Karben4 Brewing Company, which continues to produce Hopalicious at its Madison facility — notably the same city where the beer was born. The recipe's defining technique is eleven separate additions of Cascade hops throughout the brewing process, a method that layers citrus and pine aromatics while keeping bitterness measured at a moderate 52 IBU. The result is a hop-forward pale ale that avoids the harsh bite common in more aggressive IPAs.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Clean and inviting, opening with pine resin and bright citrus peel from the Cascade hops. A sweet malt backbone rounds out the nose without competing with the hop character.

Taste: Orange and mild grapefruit lead on the entry, with the Cascade hops pushing forward through the mid-palate in a direct but controlled way. The malt provides just enough sweetness to balance the hop oils, and the bitterness stays clean — assertive but never biting.

Finish: Medium in length with a dry, crisp close and lingering citrus peel. No harsh astringency lingers, making the next sip come naturally.

How to Drink Hopalicious

Hopalicious drinks best poured cold into a pint glass, where its hazy gold color and lacy head can develop fully; a temperature around 45°F lets the Cascade aromatics open up without warming into flabbiness. It works well in a Hop Shandy, where its citrus notes pair naturally with fresh lemonade for a summer refresher. Try it in a Michelada, where the clean bitterness stands up to lime, hot sauce, and tomato juice. It also makes an excellent Beer-a-Rita base, as the grapefruit and orange character echoes the citrus in a classic margarita mix.

Best For

• A backyard cookout with burgers and brats on the grill
• Introducing a friend to craft pale ales without overwhelming bitterness
• Stocking a tailgate cooler for a Wisconsin game day
• Pairing with pub-style food on a casual weeknight

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Hopalicious taste like? Hopalicious delivers forward Cascade hop flavors of orange and mild grapefruit balanced by a clean malt sweetness, finishing dry and crisp with no lingering bitterness.

How does Hopalicious compare to New Glarus Hop Hearty Ale? Both are respected Wisconsin hop-forward ales, but Hopalicious is a lighter-bodied pale ale at 5.7% ABV with a single-hop Cascade focus, while Hop Hearty is a bigger, more complex IPA with higher alcohol and a broader hop bill. In direct comparisons among Madison beer drinkers, the two are frequently pitted against each other as local favorites.

Is Hopalicious good for beginners? Yes — at 52 IBU and 5.7% ABV, Hopalicious is hop-forward enough to showcase what an American Pale Ale can do without the aggressive bitterness or high alcohol that can overwhelm newcomers to craft beer.

Where is Hopalicious made? Hopalicious is brewed in Madison, Wisconsin. Originally produced by Ale Asylum (founded 2006), the recipe is now brewed by Karben4 Brewing Company at its Madison facility after acquiring the Ale Asylum brand in 2022.

What foods pair well with Hopalicious? Grilled bratwurst, where the hop bitterness cuts through the fat; sharp cheddar cheese, which echoes the citrus brightness; fish tacos with lime crema, complementing the grapefruit notes; spicy buffalo wings, where the carbonation and bitterness cleanse the palate; and classic pub burgers, a straightforward match for this sessionable APA.

What sizes does Hopalicious come in? Hopalicious is commonly available in six-packs of 12 oz cans.

Is Hopalicious worth the price? Hopalicious positions as a well-priced craft pale ale in the everyday drinking tier, delivering a level of hop complexity — via its eleven Cascade additions — that punches above many comparably priced APAs.

Why Hopalicious?

The eleven separate Cascade hop additions are not a marketing gimmick — they produce a layered citrus and pine character that single or double hop additions simply cannot replicate at this ABV. An 88 on BeerAdvocate and over 45,000 Untappd ratings confirm that this is a beer with genuine, sustained appeal rather than hype-cycle novelty. Now preserved under Karben4's stewardship in the same city where it originated, Hopalicious remains one of Wisconsin's most recognized craft pale ales. For drinkers who want real hop flavor without palate fatigue, it continues to set the standard for approachable, well-constructed APAs.