Oddside Hoplicated 6Pk

Oddside Hoplicated 6Pk is a 9.0% ABV imperial Citra pale ale from Odd Side Ales in Grand Haven, Michigan, sold in a six-pack of 12 oz cans. Brewed exclusively with Citra hops, this single-hop imperial ale earned an 89 on BeerAdvocate and holds a 4.0 rating on Untappd across nearly 9,500 reviews — strong marks for a beer that deliberately bets everything on one hop varietal.

Quick Facts: ABV: 9.0%  |  Origin: Grand Haven, Michigan  |  Style: Imperial Citra Pale Ale  |  Brewery: Odd Side Ales

Production & Heritage

Odd Side Ales operates out of Grand Haven, Michigan, a small-batch brewery known for experimental and boundary-pushing recipes. Hoplicated takes a counterintuitive approach: rather than layering multiple hop varieties as the name might suggest, it showcases Citra hops exclusively, letting a single varietal carry the full weight of an imperial-strength pale ale. At 9.0% ABV, the beer is remarkably restrained in its boozy character, a testament to how effectively the grain bill and hopping schedule mask the alcohol behind waves of tropical fruit and citrus.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Toasted citrus leads the nose, followed by fine herbal notes and unmistakable stone fruit — apricot and ripe peach drift through as the beer warms. A faint caramelized sweetness anchors the aromatics underneath.

Taste: The entry is bright with orange, red grapefruit, and cantaloupe, quickly joined by mango and apricot from the Citra hops. Mid-palate, caramelized malt sweetness converges with the fruit to create a bruised-peach character, while pineapple and lemon add sharpness. A light pine resin note surfaces toward the peak, providing structural bitterness without dominating the tropical profile.

Finish: The beer dries out considerably at the close, leaving a tea leaf and lemongrass tang on the tongue. The finish is medium-long with a clean, slightly bitter exit that invites the next sip — dangerous at 9%, as the alcohol remains thoroughly hidden.

How to Drink Hoplicated

Pour Hoplicated into a tulip glass or an IPA glass around 45–50°F to let the Citra aromatics fully develop. Drinking it straight from the can works for casual sessions but sacrifices much of the stone fruit complexity on the nose. For a shandy-style summer drink, mix it with fresh lemonade to play off the existing citrus and lemongrass notes. It also works in a Michelada, where its grapefruit bitterness pairs with lime and hot sauce. A beer float with mango sorbet leans into the tropical character for a playful dessert serve.

Best For

• Hop-focused tastings exploring single-varietal beers
• Backyard cookouts where a sessionable-tasting beer with real punch is needed
• Gifting to a craft beer enthusiast who appreciates Citra-forward ales
• Pairing dinners built around grilled seafood or spicy cuisine

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Hoplicated taste like? Hoplicated delivers bold tropical fruit — mango, apricot, grapefruit, and cantaloupe — over a caramelized malt backbone, finishing dry with tea leaf and lemongrass bitterness. Despite its 9.0% ABV, the alcohol is remarkably well-hidden behind the fruit-forward Citra hop character.

How does Hoplicated compare to Three Floyds Zombie Dust? Both beers spotlight Citra hops as the sole varietal, but Zombie Dust is a standard-strength pale ale (around 6.2% ABV) while Hoplicated pushes to 9.0% ABV as an imperial expression. Hoplicated carries more malt sweetness and caramel depth to support the higher alcohol, whereas Zombie Dust plays lighter and more purely hop-bitter.

Is Hoplicated good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the single-hop Citra profile is expressive enough to reward slow, contemplative drinking, and the hidden 9.0% ABV means a single can delivers a full experience without needing multiple servings.

Where is Hoplicated made? Hoplicated is brewed by Odd Side Ales in Grand Haven, Michigan, a craft brewery on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan known for creative, small-batch recipes.

What foods pair well with Hoplicated? Grilled shrimp tacos with mango salsa mirror the beer's tropical notes. Spicy Thai green curry benefits from the beer's citrus sweetness cutting through the heat. Sharp aged cheddar contrasts the caramel malt body. Fish and chips gain brightness from the grapefruit bitterness. Grilled pineapple or stone fruit desserts echo the beer's core flavor profile.

What sizes does Hoplicated come in? Hoplicated is commonly available in a six-pack of 12 oz cans, which is the standard retail format for this release.

Is Hoplicated worth the price? Hoplicated positions in the mid-premium tier for craft imperial ales, and its 9.0% ABV means each can delivers more intensity per serving than a standard IPA — strong value for drinkers who appreciate single-hop showcases with real depth.

Why Hoplicated?

The single-hop commitment is what sets Hoplicated apart. Where most imperial ales layer three, four, or five hop varieties for complexity, Odd Side Ales strips back to Citra alone and lets that varietal prove its range — from tropical fruit and stone fruit to herbal tea and lemongrass. The result is a beer that reads as deceptively simple on paper but reveals genuine layering in the glass. An 89 on BeerAdvocate and strong community reception on Untappd confirm that this approach works, making Hoplicated one of the more compelling single-hop imperials coming out of Michigan's craft scene.