“Double Dry Hopped Southernhopalistic was brewed with Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, Wai-iti and Topaz, and then dry hopped with a double dose of Motueka, Nelson and Topaz.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Kinda soft cloudy orange with bright pastel yellow edges. Three fingers of sturdy off-white foam perched on top. Broken lacing clings to the glass on its way down.

Aroma: We must admit it’s not as clear-cut as we were expecting it to be. It’s flush with all the hallmark green aromas that Kiwi hops bring but it’s just not being driven home in our opinion. Picking up a bit of a catty scent as well but it ain’t all bad…there’s discernible zesty lime/rind, luscious green forest, juicy green grapes, earthy spice and tomato vines. Not bad.

Flavour: Slightly disappointing…like the aroma. We can’t actually pick up much of that green, resinous and vinous character that is so synonymous with NZ hops. Somewhat muted tropical fruits, brekky juice and grassy notes open up and half-heartedly languish into the mid. Hints of zesty lime here and there and then a less than inspiring finish to punctuate.

Mouthfeel: Not bad actually – smooth, creamy, medium bodied. The 7.4% ABV is very well hidden.

Overall: Not massive fans of it. We’ve tried a bunch of Aussie and NZ-inspired IPA’s recently and this doesn’t stack up. It appears tired and uninspiring. Very average for a brewery of this calibre.