Bootleggers Hopinator Hefe with Citra Hops and Vanilla Bean charges to the Super Bowl

After crepes at the Farmers Market, I wished the parents well after a successful weekend and charged over to Charlie and Patti's for their house warming/Super Bowl party.

Charlie's advice to new home owners: Don't throw a Super Bowl party right after you move in. HA, I can imagine...

The Bootleggers Hopinator Hefe is version 2.0 of their 'Old World Hefeweizen' recipe. They took their standard hefeweizen, added vanilla beans and ran it through a 'hop rocket.' This is my first encounter with the device and I only just read about it last week. It's literally a 'hop infuser' and why do I 'keep having to' use freaking 'air quotes' to indicate 'specific words?' Goddammit.

Anyway, looking at the picture above, imagine running newly made beer through a hose into one side and out the other and thus, literally infusing hops into the beer. It's an interesting concept whose specific purpose I don't fully understand, but heyyyy more hops!

Unfortunately the Bootleggers growler went flat, but that isn't stopping me from drinking three cups of it. I like hops and vanilla beans a great deal, so adding them to their already solid hefeweizen produces a tasty treat. Because the vanilla and hops are added post-brewing, the flavors aren't as well rounded and come off stronger than you want, but this simply makes the Hopinator Hefe more of a novelty or specialty beer. TRANSFORMES rating.


I'm rooting for outstanding play by Aaron Rodgers and a defeat for Ben Rapistberger, although as an athlete I would like to acknowledge how good he is - however, his lumberjack beard doesn't help his reputation as a nefarious scallywag. Also, I just devoured lamb balls and the best beef sliders I've ever had - including Kogi beef sliders. Next, more Bruery beer of the Loakal Red and Mischief type. No matter who wins, it looks to be an excellent day.