“Hops, and lots of them! Bitterness with tropical, citrusy and piney notes that is balanced by a malty backbone.”
Served in an IPA glass. It displays a bold amber complexion with a big, fluffy two and a half finger head on top. Excellent retention, holding its shape as it deposits a smattering of lace down the glass.
Pretty typical IPA aroma : hop forward with plenty of citrus, tropical fruits, pine and a sweet biscuit malt at the base. Wafts of tangy orange, pineapple and yellow nectarine begin to open up but it’s all quite restrained in its delivery. Kind of reminds us of Mountain Goats IPA. Not bad.
In the mouth it’s fairly well balanced. Super smooth texture, nice amount of carbonation with a well behaved 65 IBU that offers a delicate all round bitterness. They’ve hidden the 6.5% ABV brilliantly as well.
Lovely presentation of fruity hops on the front palate. The contrast between the tangy citrus and juicy tropical fruits sits comfortably against the sweet biscuit malt backing. A clean piney note is introduced as a grassy hop carries forward in to a crisp and ultimately clean and well balanced finish. Fine endurance on the close.
This is only our 2nd crack at the Hawkers range but we can see a pattern emerging here. The brewers appear to have the basics dialed in, offering balanced aromas and flavors without being too outlandish. This IPA ticks all the boxes and would certainly fit the bill as an all round session beer, despite the 6.5% ABV. Nothing overly memorable but a decent beer all the same.