“Traditionally, IPAs were brewed in the UK with prodigious hopping so they’d endure the passage to India. Tuatara’s IPA is hopped up with proper cor-blimey English hops for plenty of bitterness.”
Served in an IPA glass the slightly dark amber pour is showing off attractive red hues. Atop sits a two finger off-white head that settles to a thin covering over the top. Laced well. Quite a malt-forward aroma with some earthy characters that work well in to wafts of burnt caramel, roasted malt, resinous pine, marmalade, mild citrus and biscuity crystal malts. In the mouth it’s smooth with medium body. Medium carbonation. Doughy, malty flavours with hints of honey and toffee upfront are sharply taken over by an assertive dry hop bitterness that opens up in the mid-palate, lingering well on through to the bitter back end. Quite a halfbreed here. A mix of an ESB, an American pale ale and an IPA. 5% ABV. Not too bad, quite a safe beer though, very approachable. Definitely not pushing the adventurous envelope but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Nice, well balanced IPA from this Kiwi brewery.