Hoplite IPA by Kelsen Brewing co.

Nestled in a conspicuous row of stores of a small mall in Derry, NH, hides Kelsen Brewing, a nano brewery who is getting noticed. Friends Paul and Erik had made some homebrew together and enjoyed the process so much that they decided to start doing it professionally in 2010. Since then, business is booming and they are happily brewing daily to keep up with demand.
Both Paul and Erik are of Nordic decent and their brews reflect that tradition. Each of their artful labels resemble axe-wielding figures of old. Their recipes are their own and have been perfected in each edition as they gain more notoriety. It is noted that a Hoplite soldier from the 4th century BC was one of the most heavily armored foot soldiers in the entire army. They were also fond of really good beer so this folk lore has lead to the beer we are looking at today. With 45 breweries in NH and so much competition in the beer industry, it is great to have Kelsen be part of our brew tribe!
You can learn more about them at kelsenbrewing.com.
Hoplite is a gem of an IPA. It is so well balanced (47 IBUs) and flavorful that I was glad that it was a 22 oz bottle and not a 12 oz can! Pouring a golden yellow with awesome clarity, Hoplite invites you closer to gather what is has to offer. The aroma is not overpowering and not weak; but a hint of sweetness graces your first impressions. Your nose will definitely pick up citrus immediately, followed by fruit and some spice notes. A slightly off-white lacing of foam lasts to nearly the bottom of the glass. With a light to medium body, this beer saves its final notes of bittering to the end of the first sip.
At 5.5% ABV, Hoplite IPA keeps your attention throughout the entire bottle. Never changing much from top to bottom, this brew uses Belma and Azacca hops which are not widely chosen in more common IPA style beers.
Distributed in 22 oz bottles, Kelsen’s great beers can always be found at Case-n-Keg, Meredith and Laconia. BeerAdvocate.com has rated this beer officially as 92 out of 100 which exclaims their ‘Outstanding’ mark of excellence. Others have given their accolades with 4.2 to 4.75 to 5.0, so Kelsen has really scored big on this great beer!

Nestled in a conspicuous row of stores of a small mall in Derry, NH, hides Kelsen Brewing, a nano brewery who is getting noticed. Friends Paul and Erik had made some homebrew together and enjoyed the process so much that they decided to start doing it professionally in 2010. Since then, business is booming and they are happily brewing daily to keep up with demand.
Both Paul and Erik are of Nordic decent and their brews reflect that tradition. Each of their artful labels resemble axe-wielding figures of old. Their recipes are their own and have been perfected in each edition as they gain more notoriety. It is noted that a Hoplite soldier from the 4th century BC was one of the most heavily armored foot soldiers in the entire army. They were also fond of really good beer so this folk lore has lead to the beer we are looking at today. With 45 breweries in NH and so much competition in the beer industry, it is great to have Kelsen be part of our brew tribe!
You can learn more about them at kelsenbrewing.com.
Hoplite is a gem of an IPA. It is so well balanced (47 IBUs) and flavorful that I was glad that it was a 22 oz bottle and not a 12 oz can! Pouring a golden yellow with awesome clarity, Hoplite invites you closer to gather what is has to offer. The aroma is not overpowering and not weak; but a hint of sweetness graces your first impressions. Your nose will definitely pick up citrus immediately, followed by fruit and some spice notes. A slightly off-white lacing of foam lasts to nearly the bottom of the glass. With a light to medium body, this beer saves its final notes of bittering to the end of the first sip.
At 5.5% ABV, Hoplite IPA keeps your attention throughout the entire bottle. Never changing much from top to bottom, this brew uses Belma and Azacca hops which are not widely chosen in more common IPA style beers.
Distributed in 22 oz bottles, Kelsen’s great beers can always be found at Case-n-Keg, Meredith and Laconia. BeerAdvocate.com has rated this beer officially as 92 out of 100 which exclaims their ‘Outstanding’ mark of excellence. Others have given their accolades with 4.2 to 4.75 to 5.0, so Kelsen has really scored big on this great beer!

Jim MacMillan is the owner of WonByOne Design of Meredith, NH, and is an avid imbiber of craft brews and a home brewer as well. Send him your recommendations and brew news to wickedbrews@weirs.com.