Hop Butcher Mellotron 4Pk

Hop Butcher Mellotron 4Pk is a 7.5% ABV Double India Pale Ale from Chicago's Hop Butcher for The World, sold as a four-pack of 16oz cans. Brewed with a triple-hop combination of Azacca, Motueka, and Citra, Mellotron has earned a 91 score on BeerAdvocate and a 4.1 out of 5 on Untappd across thousands of ratings — strong marks that reflect the brewery's reputation for consistently excellent hazy IPAs.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7.5%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Double IPA  |  Brewery: Hop Butcher for The World  |  Hops: Azacca, Motueka, Citra

Production & Heritage

Hop Butcher for The World operates out of its Lincoln Avenue brewery and a Bedford Park production facility in the Chicago area. The brewery has built a cult following through a rotating, limited-release model — there is no permanent core lineup, and each batch is self-distributed, often reaching shelves only hours or days after canning. Mellotron is one of the brewery's recurring favorites, leveraging the interplay of Azacca's tropical punch, Motueka's lime-like brightness, and Citra's stone-fruit depth to create a layered Double IPA that rewards freshness above all else.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with ripe orange and bright peach, quickly followed by waves of melon and mango. Undercurrents of raspberry and tropical berry add complexity, while a subtle citrus peel note — grapefruit and lime — lifts the entire aromatic profile.

Taste: The first sip delivers juicy, fizzy mango and orange that coat the palate. Mid-palate, peach and stone fruit emerge alongside tangy pineapple and lime-forward citrus. A layer of melon and banana rounds out the body, with a mild resinous pine bitterness providing structural backbone beneath the fruit.

Finish: Medium in length with a dry, grassy fade and lingering grapefruit peel bitterness. The finish remains clean and refreshing rather than cloying, encouraging the next sip.

How to Drink Mellotron

Mellotron is best consumed as fresh as possible, poured cold into a tulip glass or straight from the can. The hop-forward aromatics benefit from a temperature around 40–45°F, which allows the tropical fruit layers to open up without letting the bitterness become harsh. While Double IPAs are primarily sipping beers, Mellotron's juicy profile makes it a strong candidate for a Beer-garita — its citrus-mango character blends naturally with lime and salt. It also works in a Michelada, where the fruit notes complement tomato and hot sauce, or a Hop Shandy mixed with fresh lemonade for a lower-ABV summer drink.

Best For

• Sharing at a backyard cookout with fellow hop enthusiasts
• Gifting to a craft beer collector who tracks limited Chicago releases
• Pairing alongside spicy tacos or bold street food
• Adding to a curated tasting flight of hazy Double IPAs

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Mellotron taste like? Mellotron delivers a juicy, fruit-forward Double IPA experience dominated by ripe mango, orange, peach, and melon, balanced by a moderate grapefruit peel bitterness and a dry, grassy finish.

How does Mellotron compare to Bell's Two Hearted Ale? Bell's Two Hearted is a classic American IPA at 7% ABV built around a single hop (Centennial) with a more balanced, piney-citrus character, while Mellotron is a hazier, juicier Double IPA at 7.5% ABV that emphasizes tropical fruit through its three-hop blend of Azacca, Motueka, and Citra. Two Hearted is widely available year-round; Mellotron is a rotating limited release that prioritizes ultra-freshness.

Is Mellotron good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the layered tropical and citrus flavors make it a rewarding standalone drink, especially when consumed fresh and served cold in a tulip glass.

Where is Mellotron made? Mellotron is brewed by Hop Butcher for The World in Chicago, Illinois, with production split between the brewery's Lincoln Avenue location and its Bedford Park facility.

What foods pair well with Mellotron? Spicy carnitas tacos benefit from the beer's juicy sweetness cutting through the heat. Grilled shrimp with mango salsa mirrors Mellotron's tropical hop character. Sharp cheddar cheese contrasts nicely with the citrus and melon notes. Thai green curry's coconut and lemongrass work alongside the Motueka lime qualities. A simple charcuterie board with aged salami and stone fruit preserves complements both the malt body and hop aromatics.

What sizes does Mellotron come in? Mellotron is available in a four-pack of 16oz cans, which is the standard format for Hop Butcher's rotating releases.

Is Mellotron worth the price? Mellotron positions in the premium craft Double IPA tier, and its limited-release, self-distributed, ultra-fresh model justifies the cost for drinkers who value hop-forward beers at peak quality — the 91 BeerAdvocate score suggests strong consensus on the quality delivered.

Why Mellotron?

What separates Mellotron from the crowded Double IPA field is the Hop Butcher distribution philosophy: this beer is designed to be consumed within days of packaging, not weeks or months. The Azacca-Motueka-Citra hop combination is deliberately chosen to maximize aromatic impact when fresh, producing a tropical-citrus intensity that fades rapidly with age. A 91 on BeerAdvocate across dozens of reviews confirms that the approach works. For anyone seeking a Chicago-brewed hazy DIPA that demonstrates what hop-obsessed freshness actually tastes like, Mellotron is one of the more compelling examples in the category.