Rating:

“This DDH Hazy DIPA was double dry-hopped with Yakima Chief Citra, mid harvest Freestyle Nelson, Strata and Riwaka SubZero Hop Kief. Notes of pineapple, grapefruit, passion fruit and melon. Soft, smooth and juicy – this is one dangerously drinkable DIPA!”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Murky light pastel orange with a fluffy two finger head forming on top. Decent retention and healthy lace work on the glass.

Aroma: Full on fruit salad vibes. Tonnes of mixed citrus (flesh, rind and oils), equally large amounts of tropical fruit and stonefruit. A rather notable darkness as well…gotta be the Strata hops coming through. Slightly weedy, resinous, tart berries/green grape, some nectar fruit sweetness opening up as it settles. Not much on the malt front – a bit chalky, crusty. Solid nose.

Flavour: Much spicier and dank than we’d anticipated. A hint of warmth from the booze heating things up. Still ultra smooth and fruity though. Again, lots of citrus character, stonefruit and nectar fruits. The tropical sweetness has dropped out a little but the lush evergreen, dank and weedy/herbal spice is there to fill in. Nice shift into the dank, dry and resinous finish.

Mouthfeel: Light and aerated with a notable effervescence. Mild-medium body and an intermittent 8.2% ABV.

Overall: Each time we try a new beer from these guys we become more and more impressed. Their NEIPA’s are easily up there but only just lack the refinement of MC, Banks and Range. They’re definitely one to watch though.

Rating:

“TDH Hazy TIPA dry hopped with 3 different lots of Nelson from 2 different hop farms. Bright citrus, juicy stonefruit, sweet tropical and a kiss of NZ dank.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Proper turbid deep pastel yellow pour with a wispy white head forming on top. It settles to a collar and provides ample lacing considering the lack of retention.

Aroma: Oh Nelson Sauvin, how we love you so. The hallmark characteristics are emanating beautifully – gooseberry, green grapes/Chardonnay, tomato vine, stonefruit, subtle dank/weedy notes and a hint of peppery spice. There’s a nice bready malt profile to it…kinda crusty yet doughy at the same time. We have to give mention to the unbelievably well concealed 10% ABV too. Impressive.

Flavour: Pretty juicy initially. Lots of stonefruit, citrus and a hint of tropical. The dank and weedy (and at times resinous) vibes are also getting amongst it. Just a slight warmth and sweetness from the booze which rolls into an intensifying juicy and vinous finish with an array of back end flavours ranging from herbs/vines, dank/weedy, spicy and doughy.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth, creamy and aerated. Mild-medium body, low-ish Co2. The 10% ABV, as mentioned before, is very well hidden.

Overall: What a way to initiate things with this new(ish), fairly hyped Sydney brewery. We’d probably put them on par with Fox Friday or even Range on skill level at this stage. Very good with serious potential.

Rating:

“Hailing from the tradition of 18th Century IPAs, which relied on generous hopping to protect exports during arduous journeys, this modern incarnation retains the strength, body and strong hop character which is synonymous with this beer’s provenance.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Pours a very attractive deep amber hue with 100% clarity. It forms a thumb of loosely packed head which gradually peels off. Laced reasonably well considering the lack of retention.

Aroma: No word of a lie, when trad English IPA’s are fresh they smell better than any Hazy or West Coast. It’s that big, rich, nutty and toasty malt coupled with the fruity hops that we love so much about them. Not to mention the distinct marmalade, black tea and florals. Getting caramel, spice and orange citrus/rind as well. Top shelf stuff.

Flavour: Yuuummm! To be clear we’ve had about 100 of these before, but we had to review it this time around as it’s probably the freshest we’ve ever had it. It’s straight up earthy, bitter, orange zest, grapefruit, black tea, toast, a hint of caramel and floral/herbal hops to round it out. Good duration on the back end too.

Mouthfeel: Medium body. The texture is sticky upfront then bitter in the swallow. Flatter than most new age IPA’s (but it works) and the 6.1% ABV is well concealed.

Overall: Nothing else needs to be said really. This is without a doubt one of the best English IPA’s in the world.

Rating:

“We’re back with East Coast brewing legends Trillium for an all new collaborative celebration of hop growing terroir. This time we travel to Oregon’s majestic Willamette Valley with hand selected hops from Coleman’s Alluvial Farm. A hop free boil and massive dry hop addition of Strata, Luminosa and Audacia create a lusciously juicy hazy homage to the unique character of America’s North West.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Turbid deep pastel yellow/mustard-like pour with a foamy two finger head perched on top. Good retention and thick blotchy lacing is strewn down the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: Proper juice bomb. Mostly citrus, nectar fruits like passionfruit, mango and nectarine, and macerated strawberries. There’s a notable pine and cannabis scent which isn’t all the way dank but it’s certainly resinous. Stewed fruits like pear, rock melon and papaya, subtle herbs and earthy florals make the cut as well. It’s safe to say this aroma is not short on character!

Flavour: Two new hops we’ve never heard of feature in this brew – Luminosa and Audacia. The stewy, fleshy and sweet papaya and melon notes can be attributed to the Luminosa but the Audacia traits are next level. Descriptors include huckleberry, lingonberry and pomegranate. None of which we pick up in aroma or flavour. If anything, those more subtle fruits are thrown in with the rest for good measure. It’s just a good old fashioned fruit juice bomb with tonnes of resinous pine, cannabis, earthy herbals and doughy malt.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, fluffy and well aerated. Almost beer clouds. Mild-medium body and the 8% ABV is incredibly well concealed.

Overall: We like it but it definitely has nothing on Sunrise or Yakima. We’d say even Galaxy is far better. Still, a damn good Hazy.

Rating:

“Our Green Limousine is here and you don’t want to miss it. We’ve got a limited amount available online now for purchase and it’s currently making its way across the country, get it before it goes! The Green Limousine delivers fresh Nelson Sauvin hops to us once a year. Coming from just down the road, they’re as fresh as it gets. In fact, they’re off the bine and into the brew in as quick as thirty minutes. The result is this beautiful golden brew. Super fresh and super delicious.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Deep burnished orange with a thumb of creamy white head that ain’t budging. Thick and blotchy patches of lace clings to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Smells fantastic. Displaying a hefty caramel malt profile which not only hands it its excellent balance but a lovely, rounded sweetness as well. The freshness of the Nelson Sauvin hops add a unique touch to it too – they claim that the hops are off the bine and into the brew in 30 minutes. Which is insane but it checks out as they’re situated in Riwaka (the heart of NZ hop country).

Flavour: Yeah we definitely have never tasted NS hops this fresh. Before the hallmark gooseberry and white wine notes is an almost oily/resinous grapefruit. It also has a ganja-like dankness as well. What’s also interesting is the sweet caramels on the nose take a back seat while the hops do all the work from start to finish.

Mouthfeel: Fairly smooth and rounded with discernible bitterness post-swallow. Medium body, a tempered Co2 and the 6% ABV is on the lighter end but positioned nicely.

Overall: This is our first crack at Hop Federation (other than a few collab brews with guys like Epic and Garage Project). Another one we bagged when we took a trip to Queenstown a couple of months back. Impressive stuff. It’s a shame we don’t see more of their beers here in Australia.

Rating:

“Tee up for a hole-in-one with this green-hopped IPA. Crafted with freshly clipped Motueka and NZ Cascade from Freestyle Farms, it boasts a grassiness only found in the greenest hops. If you’re yet to taste victory on the course, this brew is a good plan B.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Golden-amber pour topped off with a creamy two finger head. A very mild hop haze to it. Quite an active Co2 – multiple streams surging up to help retain the head. Excellent lace as we hook in.

Aroma: Wow, they’re not lying when they say there’s a strong grassiness. We’re getting a truck load of freshly cut grass, pine needle, lush rainforest, zesty lime juice, passionfruit and yellow grapefruit/pomelo. Man we love Kiwi hops. They bring such a unique and intense greenery that can’t be found in any other hop region on earth.

Flavour: Yum. There’s actually a notable resinous character (that we omitted in the aroma). It’s a little dank and weedy but it’s kept relatively subtle. Slightly fruitier as opposed to the nose. Passionfruit, grapefruit, lime and honeydew stand out the most with the fresh-cut grass, pine needle and lush greenery playing more of a support role throughout as well as in the dry and bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Smooth but a tad slippery…kinda slides off the tongue a bit too easy. Mild-medium body, slightly lower carb than anticipated. The 6% ABV slots in nicely.

Overall: Our first crack at this Wellington brewery. The fresh hops certainly shine and bring a lot of character to the beer. Other than that it was a fairly stock-standard IPA. Good but nothing to write home about.

Rating:

“A heavenly amalgamation of three big hitting American hops, blended with a pale orange malt body. Expect ripe mango and juicy pineapple, all tied together with a hint of bitterness.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Hazy pastel orange pour with pastel yellow edges. Struggles to produce much head, quickly forming a collar with fine spotty lace on the glass.

Aroma: It’s quite bizarre, the aroma isn’t really doing it for us. We say it’s bizarre coz it boasts two of our all-time favourite hop varieties (Citra and Simcoe). The third hop (El Dorado) is also an excellent hop so yeah, we’re a little confused. It is a bit muddled, stewy and seems a little tired. They didn’t have this on tap (only in tinnies) when we visited the brewery so it may well be old.

Flavour: It certainly tastes fresher than it smells…just to make it even more confusing. Getting tangy orange and then a raft of stone fruit like mango, melon and nectarine. Subtle hints of ripe pineapple peeking through as well. The malt profile is standoffish…get a delicate hint of oats and cereal grains, maybe some bread crust. It all falls a bit flat in the finish too. Literally falls off a cliff.

Mouthfeel: The best part of the beer in our opinion. It’s soft and fluffy, well aerated and light on. Mild-medium body and the 6.5% ABV is nowhere to be seen.

Overall: We were hesitant about grabbing this one due to the fact that it wasn’t on tap when we visited. Our guess is they’ve blown through the kegs and are left with their packaged stock which hints at a bit of old age. No dates on the can which makes it harder to know what’s up. Look, not a bad beer but not great either.

Rating:

“Something Hoppy is an India Pale Ale made with Citra, Azacca, and El Dorado hops that meld over a lovely malt cushion. Sometimes all you need is something hoppy and this is the beer for those times. To be fair, most times are those times.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: A clear and bold light amber complexion with a thumb of off-white foam on top. The head gradually peels off and leaves a wet and streaky lace down the glass.

Aroma: First thing that strikes us is the balance. The hops are quite punchy but the malt profile matches them on intensity. Conventional WCIPA-like notes of mixed citrus, oily resins/sap, dank/weedy, pine needle and some tropical fruit i.e mostly pineapple and lychee. Loving the sweet and caramelised malt bill too… gives off those old school IPA vibes.

Flavour: It opens with a wave of hops splashing over the palate. Oily citrus rind, mixed citrus fruits, slightly dank pine and resins, weed and old herbs. Once again the robust caramel malt sweetness oozes through and counters the hops beautifully. Only the mildest bitterness kicks off late in the piece and punctuates on a well rounded finish.

Mouthfeel: Light on but still providing a good consistency and chewiness. The Co2 is flatter than anticipated but it works. Mild-moderate body and the 5.9% ABV slots in nicely.

Overall: One of the other favourites from our recent trip to Queenstown. It’s light and crushable but it has the full flavour and aroma to back it up. Not to mention the near 6% ABV. They crept up on us after a few!

Rating:

“We’re about to get FREAKY. We’ve gone and traded places with our best buds from Banks to create a Freaky Friday release like no other. We’ve brewed a fresh batch of Banks’ iconic Cake Eater: Citra + Mosaic. This DDH Oat Cream DIPA is absolutely waxed with the freshest Citra, Citra Cryo, Mosaic and Mosaic Cryo we could get our hot little hands on. The baby is punching out immense wafts of a tropical bouquet, huge fresh Citra vibes that come on in waves. Take a sip and you’ll be smacked with red and blue berries, orange sherbet, mango sorbet and a hint of vanilla. All rounded out with an intense fleshy orange and hints of fresh passionfruit. The bitterness is virtually non-existent, just fresh and sticky hop oils. The finish is punchy and expressive yet stupidly smooth and drinkable. FREAKY!”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Off pastel yellow with flecks of orange fused through. It forms a big and loosely packed three finger head which takes ages to recede. An absolute smattering of lace is left on the glass.

Aroma: This is a pretty cool concept from Banks & Range. From what we gather, Banks has lent the recipe to their highly acclaimed Cake Eater to Range for them to brew in their own style. It is very interesting how another brewery (as good as Range are) simply can’t replicate the same quality though. Still a fairly decent aroma – we get tropical fruits, citrus, pine, creamy oats, vanilla and a hint of tangy yeast.

Flavour: The difference between Banks’ and this rendition is getting further and further apart…and unfortunately not in a good way. It’s a bit of a muddled fruit salad upfront. Some tropical and stone fruit mashed together. Almost like baby food. Orange citrus and mixed berries join the mixture. The oats add to the overall creaminess and a hint of vanilla and stewed fruits finishes it off.

Mouthfeel: Super smooth, mildly creamy with fine carbonation. Medium body, and the 8% ABV was extremely well concealed.

Overall: To be honest, as much as it was a great idea, we think Banks should stick to brewing Cake Eater from now on. It wasn’t a terrible beer we suppose. If anything, it demonstrates just how skillful Banks are when it comes to Hazy’s.

Rating:

“Bright IPA generously loaded with Idaho 7 Cryo, HBC 1019 and Cascade hops, giving a big juicy aroma and balanced bitterness over a light malt base.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Bright and bold light amber pour with a fizzy white head forming on top. It steadily breaks apart and leaves random patches of lace as it ebbs.

Aroma: Sunday Rd is one of the best when it comes to the West Coast style. We still think ‘6ft and offshore’ is one of the best Aussie interpretations of a WCIPA and this Cali IPA shows similar hallmarks – sweet and tropical and filled out with a soft caramel malt base. Slightly jammy citrus, herbal spice, orange rind and a clean pine scent. Brilliant aroma.

Flavour: We love it when awesome aromas transition into awesome flavour profiles. All the best traits of the aroma i.e the tropical fruit, sweet orange, herbal spice and citrus rind, are impeccably balanced by the caramel malt sweetness. A delicate bitterness enters the fray around the mid palate and rolls into a relatively clean, slightly bitter and well rounded finish.

Mouthfeel: Pretty much perfect. Smooth, mildly dry with good grip in the swallow. Co2 is lower than anticipated and the 6.6% ABV is masterfully concealed.

Overall: Superb. Literally cannot fault it. The Co2 being a tad flatter than expected could be our only criticism but to be honest we don’t mind how it is. Makes it all the more easier to throw back. Sensational.

Rating:

“A bright, punchy number; fresh grapefruit makes for an uplifting aroma, while a juicy, tropical hop bill melds seamlessly with a zesty, bitter finish.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Mildly hazy golden-orange pour with a finger of finely beaded foam atop. Pretty decent retention considering the lack of head. Laced well.

Aroma: Ooft! The fruity notes jump out of the glass. The grapefruit component is intense and the backup it receives is equal to the task. The grapefruit is sweet but also tart which tells us they’ve used the ruby variety. The strong oily citrus in support really emphasizes it all too. Tangy orange, watermelon, passionfruit and some stone fruit also. Diggin it.

Flavour: We love that the grapefruit is so direct but not overwhelming. The tangy orange and oily citrus backs it all up nicely. There’s even a hint of rind in here as well. Not much in the way of other fruits but we pick up some pine needle and resinous notes a bit later on in the piece. Quite a nice bitter finish with lingering citrus acidity on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Fairly smooth initially then a bit drier and bitter in the swallow. Medium body, finely carbed. The 7% ABV was well concealed.

Overall: A solid grapefruit IPA with big aromas and flavours. The only negative in our opinion was that it got a little too much by the end – it became difficult to polish off. Probably a good one to share. Other than that it was pretty tasty.

Rating:

“West Coast IPA finished with fresh grapefruit juice.” 

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: It has that deep pastel orange colour with a decent haze. It forms a thumb of loosely packed head which unsurprisingly breaks apart and settles at the rim. Laced poorly.

Aroma: Recently one of us brought up how good the old ‘Sculpin’ from Ballast Point was, and literally a couple of weeks later we see this grapefruit IPA pop up. It’s clearly a sign! First whiffs aren’t yielding a whole lot of grapefruit. It’s pretty darn juicy though…strong wafts of stone fruit i.e rockmelon, papaya, slightly less intense peach skin, ruby grapefruit, citrus rind and sappy resin. Some dusty/chalky notes. Nice.

Flavour: So this is where the grapefruit was hiding! Only a very short cameo of stone fruit before the tangy and rather tart grapefruit washes over. They used the right type of grapefruit (ruby) for this too as it displays that little bit more sweetness as opposed to the ultra tart and acidic yellow variety. The juicy stone fruit and resinous notes reunite for the citrusy, smooth and almost herbaceous finish.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and inoffensive. Medium bodied with a slightly higher IBU (85). Nicely carbed and the 6.5% ABV was well hidden.

Overall: Well, it’s no Sculpin but it kinda quelled the burning desire for a grapefruit IPA. We’re still holding out hope that one day an importer will start bringing them back in.

Rating:

“Formerly known as White Stout. We have tweaked the recipe and increased the hop hit. The new take on this classic Durham beer deserved a new name. Alabaster – strong and pale. Large amounts of aromatic Columbus hops over a full pale malt base. Aromas of citrus and black pepper. High bitterness is balanced by the full and rich malt body.”

Glassware: English pint.Appearance: Golden amber pour with a very mild hop haze. It whips up a finger of fizzy white head which gradually recedes to a fine film. A reasonable amount of lacing in its wake.

Aroma: Heady notes of spicy orange citrus, black peppercorn, a woody earthiness and something resembling blackcurrant. As every English IPA should, this displays a robust malt base of crusty bread, toast, some nuttiness and sweet caramel/honey. Picking up some florals as it comes up to room temp. The only thing is it all seems a bit tired and once again we’re right. The BBD is up in 3 months 

Flavour: Unsurprisingly the malt is leading out. A 9 month old IPA will do that unfortunately. There are still remnants of the hops to be found – orange citrus, peppery spice, grass/herbals and earthy notes are still kinda doing their thing. A decent bitterness throughout carries the robust malt into a rather dry, crisp and bitter finish that lingers.

Mouthfeel: Somewhat gassy, dry and bitter. Medium body, medium-high Co2. The 7.2% ABV is well buried.

Overall: Buying international beer post-convid is literally lucky dip on BBD. In most cases they’re too old…as is the case here. Frustrating AF coz it’d be an absolute pearler when fresh.

Rating:

“It was 2005 when ships were leaving the South Island of New Zealand with Nelson hops destined for the west coast of the States and eventually into some of the greatest beers of all time. Inspired by our favorite eponymously named IPAs and the ridiculous IPAs coming out of Middle Earth, Seagazer packs in all of that stinky Nelson goodness in a package with very little malt flavor at all and a surprising and assertive bitterness that tends to be missing from IPAs with noses as rocket-fueled with tropical flavors.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Relatively clear golden-yellow pour with a big and frothy three finger head forming on top. It retains well and leaves an absolute smattering of lace on the glass.

Aroma: We’re seeing NZ IPA, we’re seeing Nelson Sauvin, we’re seeing Fieldwork on the can…and it’s just frustratingly subdued. The magnificent Nelson qualities still present its aromatic greenery and kinda tart, vinous notes still. Not even a lackluster aroma can keep this hop down! Unripened passionfruit, gooseberry, lychee, tomato vine, freshly cut pineapple and shallot come forth. Very little in the way of malt. Maybe a hint of biscuit and rice crackers?

Flavour: We’ve been leaning more towards the West Coast style since the pour but it’s pretty much confirmed now. Crisp, ultra green Nelson goodness upfront. Herbal, piney, vinous. A decent bitterness kicks off midway but it tapers off as quickly as it comes as the more tart, funky and vinous characters develop late and roll into a semi-dry, semi-bitter and herbaceous finish which lingers.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and well rounded initially but a wee bit bitter and dry in the swallow. Medium body, slightly flatter Co2 than expected. The 6.8% ABV gives some bite but it’s fairly well concealed.

Overall: We’ve had far better NZ IPA’s before. We like that they took the No Coast route as Nelson Sauvin really is the ultimate versatile hop. We really haven’t been all that impressed with this latest shipment from Fieldwork though. They certainly haven’t been the 9’s and 10’s we’re used to.

Rating:

“Our southern hemisphere juice series slowly keeps growing with its latest addition of Waimea Juice. Quite possibly one of our favorite hops of the decade, we’ve found that it plays amazingly well with heavy hitters like Citra and Mosaic; but we’ve also found it makes a remarkable single-hop all on its own. This hop is fully capable of the juice but with some seriously impressive west coast-centric tendencies, piling on with complex notes of freshly squeezed tangerine juice, kumquats, white grapefruit, pomelo wedges, mango puree, pineapple flesh, and a hefty dose of pine needle oil.” 

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Pours a gorgeous light pastel orange with a thick and creamy two finger head. Good retention and lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Not what we were expecting. At first the typical NZ hop accents were missing and it was throwing out a lot of thick stone fruit sweetness i.e apricot, rockmelon, papaya. But slowly the ultra green, oily, piney and resinous characters start to bleed through. That’s kinda where it ends though. Nice bready malt bill to it – crusty, doughy, semi sweet. It’s a fine aroma, it just doesn’t strike us as much of an NZ IPA.

Flavour: Once again we both have dumbfounded looks on our faces. The initial flavour is weird. The closest thing we can come to flavour-wise is an orange zooper dooper with a twist of funky, unripened passionfruit. Throw in some candied lemon and pine needle and that about sums it up. Actually, add a fair whack of herbal citrus to that – lemongrass, lemon thyme and rosemary. Nice smooth finish with good length.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, velvety, well aerated. Medium body and finely carbed. The 6.6% ABV is well behaved.

Overall: Don’t know where we sit with this. We weren’t all that familiar with Waimea hops so maybe this was a good crash course into the characteristics of this hop. Not bad.

Rating:

“Introducing from the dark depths of the east bay, Destination Unknown Double IPA. A Cadillac-sized hop bomb that cruises the streets of Berkeley leaving notes of grapefruit oil and honeydew melon in its wake. Pouring this beer on Shattuck, its hazy body looks like the fog rolling off of the bay with a head of hop resin that dissipates just as you hit Durant. As you slide past Sproul Plaza and the smell of patchouli wafts by you find refuge by planting your nose in the glass and inhaling a ridiculous amount of Mosaic hop-induced notes. Fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, ripe melon, lychee, blueberries, papaya, fruit salad, and copious amounts of pot.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Pulled this pour up a bit shorter and thankfully we did coz a few big chunks of sediment just managed to get into our glass. We’re most likely missing out on some extra haze because of it but we’d prefer less haze than a glass full of floaties. Slightly fizzy two finger head which quickly dissipates. Lots of lace as it ebbs though.

Aroma: Pow! Now this is more like a Fieldwork aroma. Space Maze was extremely muted in comparison to this. It’s a Mosaic-bomb and how sweet it is. Overflowing with fruit salad notes then it’s backed up by strong wafts of sappy resin, pine needle, citrus rind, cannabis and aniseed. It wasn’t really all that dank at first but as it settles the dank really heats up. Diggin’ this!

Flavour: IPA heaven. It has a slight old-school vibe which we’re liking. Probably from the dank, piney resins and weedy notes. Take us back to 2012! The big fruit salad characters encompass the palate, bringing everything from pineapple and mango to grapefruit and strawberry. Nice fluency into the fruity, piney and oily finish. Good length too.

Mouthfeel: Mostly smooth but with a tickle of bitterness. Medium body and finely carbed. The 8% ABV is incredibly well buried.

Overall: Strikes us as a bit of a ‘no-coaster’. Has a bit of East and West happening. Excellent display of the Mosaic hop too. We thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Rating:

“It’s borderline unnerving how fast Strata hops broke through from obscure experimental hop to absolute stalwart of all variations of IPA. This hop can do it all, and in Space Maze it plays the perfect juice-maker. Dropping juicy hits like it’s name is Biggie, Strata lays down massive notes of strawberry astronaut ice cream, passionfruit curd, fresh smashed raspberries, riesling grapes, sugared grapefruit wedges, mango puree, lime zest, papaya, and the stickiest of the ickiest weed. With minimal bitterness and a sticky sweet mouthfeel, Space Maze is equal parts razzmatazz smoothie and nouveau IPA.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: It was pouring a nice amber orange with moderate haze until a bunch of sediment screwed it all up. It’s one of our biggest gripes with Hazy’s. Anywho, it forms a creamy half-inch head which leaves magnificent lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Pretty tame for a Fieldwork IPA. The scent it’s giving off is decent though – mildly sweet, tropical, juicy, kinda resinous and piney. Definitely getting sweet orange citrus, tangerine, ruby grapefruit, subtle stone fruits and your typical American two-row qualities i.e delicate sweetness, nutty, grainy/husky. Not bad.

Flavour: Somewhat follows on with this certain sweetness it carries. Maybe it’s just a mixture of the tropical fruity hops and the sweeter malt bill? It’s probably also emphasised by the fact that the sweeter fruits from the hops dominate – orange, peach, pineapple, melon. The grainy/husky malts underlining it all as it finishes rather smooth and dry.

Mouthfeel: Well rounded, silky, a fine sparkly carbonation. Medium body and the 7% ABV is pretty well concealed.

Overall: Not totally blown away by it but it’s a tidy and well structured Hazy. A fine example of what the Strata hop can offer.

Rating:

“There are IPA’s and there are legendary IPAs. Ours is legendary. Pale golden with orange glints this beer is forged from the finest British hops and varieties gathered from the far-flung shores of the pacific. Prepare for an intense tropical explosion of zesty oranges, grapefruit, honey and juicy bitterness. Winner of the World’s best IPA award. Like we said, Legendary.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Bold amber pour with a dense and frothy two finger crown. Excellent retention and a smattering of lace decorates the glass on its way down.

Aroma: Bursting with traditional English IPA qualities i.e fruit forward but still harnessing the toasty malt, spice and tangy orange/marmalade that we love so much about this style. Just the right amount of floral perfume and freshly baked bread at the core of it all. A delicate sweetness rounds it all out. Kind of juicy too, we’ve just realised. They call this beer legendary and we see why.

Flavour: Certainly continuing on with the lifted fruity notes – ruby grapefruit, candied orange and lychee/guava. The juiciness comes into play here too. Not in the sense of reconstituted juice but almost. The great thing about it is that it doesn’t get cloying, although it gets quite artificially sweet but the masterful use of toasty and bready/crusty malt along with the bitterness assures the balance of it all anyway.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, slick texture, slightly spritzy Co2. Medium body. The 5% ABV, although low, is right where it should be for a traditional English IPA.

Overall: Another one of those beers that we couldn’t believe we hadn’t reviewed yet. It has been a return-to beer for us for years and deservedly so. It’s a corker.

Rating:

“Putting the spotlight on Freestyle Hops’ Riwaka in all its glory. Expect exotic citrus, papaya and candy flavours to jump out of the glass. Backed up with a more modest dose of our house favourite, Nelson Sauvin, with its dank passion fruit and guava flavour profile.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Pours a somewhat bold amber with a soft hop haze. A finger of white head forms on top and as it gradually reduces it leaves some wavy lace on the glass.

Aroma: Freestyle hops would have to be one of the most popular hop farms in the world at the moment. It’s not surprising when they can produce aromas of this quality. One of the characteristics we love the most about NZ hops is the juicy lime (which this has in spades). Candied lemon, fresh herbs like basil and thyme, white grapes, unripened tropical fruit and lush rainforest in support.

Flavour: Again, an impressive display of NZ hops upfront. The palate is basking in all of that fresh green character i.e lime/lemon, fresh savoury herbs, white grape, some dank pine and resinous qualities. Just the mildest touch of malt sweetness before the hop bitterness rolls over and shifts it all into an archetypal West Coast finish of dry dank bitterness and herbals.

Mouthfeel: Smooth initially then a little dry and bitter in the swallow. Medium body, good Co2 and a well behaved 7.2% ABV.

Overall: Crisp, well balanced and dangerously crushable. It’s just a really well structured West Coast IPA. Two from two now!

Rating:

“Cliff Edge IPA is a brilliant bronze beer with a tantalising trio of American hops. Pushing you to the edge of your senses, with an intense impact of piney and spicy fruit flavours, before dropping to a crash of bitter zestiness. The Cliffs of Yesnaby, one of Orkney’s many landmarks, are just a few miles south of our brewery, and the coastal walks are memorable, much like this beer.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Slightly hazy straw golden complexion with a lick of orange through the centre. It only manages a thumb of off-white head which gradually peels off. Healthy lacing on the glass as we go.

Aroma: We really dig English IPA’s (yes, we’re aware this is a Scottish brewery) and nine times out of ten they get it right and it’s magnificent. This might be the one they get wrong. In saying that, we’re detecting a fair bit of diacetyl (butterscotch) so there could be some faults. We’ve checked some other reviews and no one mentions anything about caramelised and or buttery sweetness.

Flavour: Hhhmmm maybe not?! The American hops shine bright with their bold orange citrus overtones, pine needle, unripened melon and white pepper. That buttery diacetyl-ridden sweetness is nowhere to be seen. Getting a weird lemon Strepsil note from it but it isn’t a fault…it’s just not the most pleasant flavour imaginable. Finishes dry, earthy, spicy. Good length on it.

Mouthfeel: Well rounded, crisp and fairly clean. Mild-medium body. The 4.7% ABV makes no impact as expected.

Overall: Weird, weird IPA. It doesn’t really fit into the English IPA category so we’re unsure where it sits. Scottish American session IPA?? Don’t know. Alls we know is we’re not digging this one.