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.

Rating:

“Double Dry Hopped (DDH) IPA showcasing Citra.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Exactly like every other one we’ve reviewed over the past few weeks – turbid pastel orange with a nice fluffy head. Good retention and lace work. Some say variety is the spice of life but when a brewery can pump out beers as good as Monkish then hey, make them look all the same. Won’t bother us!

Aroma: OG-style NEIPA. Reminds us of the old Treehouse classics like Julius and Sap. Big citrus overtones, some pine resin, herbal spice, frosty fruits and a subtle dank weedy character. The all-important hints of green mango, unripened pineapple and peach skins are also here. Somewhat dry, chalky, bread crusty malt profile. Spot on!

Flavour: If someone were to ask us an example of the perfect modern day NEIPA it’d be this. Because it tastes like the OG ones! Juicy but not overly so, citrusy but not pithy and bitter, spicy, chalky, herbal, unripened sweet tropical fruits. It’s just doing it all perfectly. Not to mention the precise balance it has as it finishes and floats off the back palate so effortlessly.

Mouthfeel: Beer clouds. So light, fluffy and aerated. Co2 is spot on and the 7.3% ABV is no where to be seen.

Overall: Superb. No doubt the best of the lot that were shipped out here. It’s fitting that we finished off the last Monkish review in this fashion too, we sincerely hope that Experience It can get another load of their beers back over here in the future.

Rating:

“DDH Double IPA w/ Vic Secret and Citra.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Pretty much a carbon copy of every other NEIPA we’ve tried from Monkish over the past few weeks. Consistent! Pastel golden-orange hue with two fingers of fluffy white head. Excellent retention and lacing.

Aroma: Interesting hop bill here – Vic Secret and Citra. Citra we totally understand but the use of our good ol’ Vic Secret is perplexing. It’s quite a delicate hop and is easily overshadowed by the much higher alpha acids in Citra. Anywho, it’s giving off big fruity notes. Not as juicy as other recent releases, it’s slightly sweeter…think pineapple, mango, orange and apricot.

Flavour: Don’t know about this one. The booze has a wee burn to it plus it’s a little astringent as well. Unlike the aroma there’s isn’t a whole lot of sweetness or juiciness from the hops. It’s mostly piney, dank and herbaceous with a dry and bready malt profile. Hits a super pithy note midway and carries into the dry, citric and warming finish.

Mouthfeel: Prickly, a little acrid and rigid. Not the most pleasant texture we’ve encountered. Co2 is ok but the 8.2% ABV is far too observable.

Overall: Can’t say we’re fans of this expression. Right from the aroma we weren’t really digging it and it just never really came together. We guess they are human after all!

Rating:

“This beer is dark, hoppy and roasted. The rye malt lends a spicy zest, perfectly complementing the citrusy hop character from some big hitters, Citra & Amarillo. This is Phase 2.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Mostly black pour except for a bit of light piercing through at the foot of the glass. Modest finger and a half of tan head but excellent retention and lacing as we go.

Aroma: Rye malt is surprisingly underrated and seldom used in brewing these days. It’s a subtle touch in this expression but because they’re pretty rare the distinct peppery spice and rich earthiness is quite noticeable. It also puts an emphasis on the roasted malts and fruity hops. Delicate herbal/piney and dank accents as well. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Flavour: Displaying roasted malts, slightly smoky notes and pine on entry. The hops come charging in with notable flavours of zesty citrus, pine and herbal spice. A decent hop bitterness kicks off around the mid palate and carries a pithy citrus into the roasty, citrusy and generally well balanced finish.

Mouthfeel: A little sharp and oily. Bitter in the swallow. Medium body with lively Co2. The 6.5% ABV is pretty well behaved.

Overall: Not totally sold on it. We’d been given 2 separate recommendations on this but we’re not really seeing the hype. Yeah, it’s a decent drop but it’s nothing to write home about.

Rating:

“DDH TRIPLE IPA with Motueka and Citra (DDH TIPA version in the Never Sleep and Cousin of Death series).”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: OG-looking NEIPA – turbid mustardy hue with two fingers of light fluffy head perched on top. Good retention and moderate lace work on the glass.

Aroma: We were just commenting on another recent review about how many amazing Triple IPA’s have hit the shelves lately. This one is already shaping up to be another one. It’s actually quite complex but it’s a definite juice bomb. Direct notes of frosty fruits, not so much juice concentrate but certainly fresh squeezed OJ, mango, passionfruit etc. Stonefruits-a-plenty, kinda weedy herbals, peppery spice, chalky. Wow.

Flavour: Holy moly! 10.2% ABV huh? Dead set it drinks like a sub 7 percenter. A tiny bit of sting in the tail but that’s it. Incredible. So much happening. Again, it’s super juicy…packed with sweet citrus, passionfruit, green mango, stonefruits. Not as weedy on the palate but it is a tad dank and piney. Some fennel seed, shallots, lemongrass. That dry chalkiness develops late then sets up a dry, citric finish.

Mouthfeel: Unbelievably smooth yet kinda flinty and dry. Not really beer clouds but light-moderate body and the 10.2% ABV…well you already know where we sit on that.

Overall: Next level Triple IPA here. It should not be so easy to drink. Proper dangerous but absolutely delicious!

Rating:

“Triple IPA with Galaxy, Simcoe, and Nelson hops. (Triple IPA version of Relax Your Mind/Conscience Be Free).”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Exemplary. Muddy, deep pastel golden yellow hue crowned with a loosely packed two finger head. Gradual reduction and sudsy lace left on the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: We detect a bit of simcoe! By far one of our most favourite older new world hop varieties. Pine resin is always one of the telling qualities but also distinct ruby grapefruit and thyme. Also picking up huge stonefruit notes, pineapple, mixed citrus (orange, lime, lemon zest), softer notes of passionfruit, green mango, fennel and green grapes. More of a grainy, cereal-esque malt profile to this one.

Flavour: Hot damn there’s been some amazing triple IPA’s released lately. It’s impressive how well the ABV has been buried. Tasting similar to the nose – pine resin, zesty citrus, bitter grapefruit, then the chewy stonefruits arrive. Very subtle minty/woody herbal accents cutting through. Again, picking up grainy, wheaty malts and a peppery spice late in the piece. Quite a bitter, zesty finish which lingers.

Mouthfeel: Smooth upfront, bitter in the swallow. Dry, creamy texture, medium body. The 10.3% ABV is well concealed for its size.

Overall: Our only criticism would be that the bitterness is a little too eager. The ABV also shows through a bit too but at 10.3% ABV it can be excused. Respectable.

Rating:

“DDH IPA featuring Nelson Sauvin from @freestylehops
(DDH version of Prehistoric B-boy).”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Pours as we’d expect – turbid pastel orange with pastel yellow highlights. Two fingers of loosely packed head, slowly reducing to a thick overlay. Thick, sudsy lace crusts up on the glass as we go.

Aroma: It’s ticking all our boxes initially. It’s Monkish so that’s a massive tick, it’s turbid and looks the goods…big tick, and it’s all Kiwi hops (single hop Nelson Sauvin to be exact) so another big tick. Beautiful fruit characteristics – fresh squeezed OJ, yellow grapefruit, green mango, pineapple, tart green grapes and passionfruit. Also getting delicate peppery spice, shallot, pine needle and fennel.

Flavour: Feels like we’re getting our vitamin C intake for the day. Oodles of juicy citrus like orange, grapefruit and lime then a nice balance of green mango, pineapple and green grapes. Dry, chalky and crusty malts in the mix. Some hints of vanilla sweetness. Our one and only gripe with Nelson Sauvin is that it can sometimes impart soft ammonia-esque (cat piss) qualities which, unfortunately, it’s doing here.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and smooth. Dries up nicely in the finish though. Mild-moderate body, finely carbed. The 6.9% ABV reveals itself a little.

Overall: Not one of their best NEIPA renditions but we ain’t gonna complain. It’s still a very decent drop from one of the best IPA producers in the world.