Hopzilla Double IPA brewed by Terrapin Beer Company - Athens, GA       

Terrapin's HOPZILLA is the newest member of the MONSTER BEER TOUR. This brew had its first run as Side Project 14. It's back and this Monster shows no mercy! At 10.7% ABV, this double IPA will truly bring you to your knees. An enormous backbone of 100% Maris Otter malt is the only thing that contains the barrage of hop bitterness in the Hopzilla... this beast knows no boundaries. "Oh No, They Say He's Got to Go . Go, go Hopzilla!"
 

       
Beer Review by Beer Advocate
Appearance - Pineapple orange, light tan. Creamy 1 inch head and some nice sticky lacing.

Aroma - Hops, hop oil, orange, pine, lemon, grapefruit, spices. Not as strong hop strong as i remember the side project 22oz version.

Taste - Major hop bite at first sip. Very grapefruity, orange/tangerine. Big caramel backbone comes in near the finish. Spices add some flavors, im sure theres some corriander and lemon peel added in. Alcohol is present, and adds some warmth.

Mouthfeel - Soon as hopzilla hits mouth, it wrecks it, that simple. Huge hops, big malts and plenty of booze hit tounge, and palette and work it all over. Aftertaste is hoppy, alcohol warmed, and malty.

Overall - What a monster. I had a whole case of this when it was a side project in 22 oz bottles and loved it. Very good still, but i think Its not quite as cirtic hoppy and a little more malty now. Still very good, even though i overpaid for it, but i had to have it. Hop fans, espically hopslam, hercules, devil dancer fans must try this. So glad its a annual beer now!
  

Terrapin Beer Company
Terrapin Beer Company was founded by Brian "Spike" Buckowski and John Cochran. The two men actually wanted to develop their own brewery, in 1998, before they had their own beer. After finally developing a beer the two were contemplating names when Buckowski, a Grateful Dead fan, mentioned Terrapin. The name comes from "Terrapin Station," which is a Grateful Dead album. After three years of talking to bankers and investors to no avail, Spike and John realized the only way to start Terrapin Beer Company was to begin as a contract brewery.  
   

   
It released its first beer, the Terrapin Rye Pale Ale, in Spring 2002 at the Classic City Brewfest. Six months later this beer, which was sold only in Athens, Georgia, was awarded the American Pale Ale Gold Medal at the 2002 Great American Beer Festival. With demand for Terrapin growing daily, the Rye Pale Ale was soon made available to beer fans in Atlanta, Georgia as well. Soon after, Terrapin was chosen by producers of "Blue Ribbon" on Turner South to be featured on a TV special about breweries in the South. The viewers of this show voted Terrapin as the Best Brewery in the Southeast by an overwhelming margin of 72%.

When a Georgia state law capping beers at 6% alcohol was overturned in 2004, Spike and John turned their attention to creating a line of seasonal beers that pushed the envelope of traditional brewing. It was this desire to challenge the palates of beer drinkers everywhere that led to the creation of the Monster Beer Tour. The seasonal brews consist of Big Hoppy Monster, Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout, Rye Squared, and All-American Imperial Pilsner.

Terrapin's brewery in Athens, GA is and open for tours. Located at 265 Newton Bridge Rd. in Athens, GA, the new brewery is 45,000 square feet. Tours are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 5:30-7:30.