Brew dog ‘Hoppy Christmas’ Festive pale ale

Rating:

imageYes it may be early February and a little late to be drinking Xmas beers but we thought this one was too hard to walk past.

Served in a shaker glass the gorgeous amber/copper appearance boasts almost full clarity. Crowning this attractive beer off is a tight 1 finger head that retains well, slowly reducing to a fine layer that holds up defiantly, omitting some healthy lace trails down the glass. The aroma is giving off all the right fragrances with a solid emphasis on tropical fruits, wet pine resins and spicy Simcoe hops. Pineapple, passion fruit and ruby red grapefruit come through the strongest while a backbone of caramel, pale malts and subtle alcohol are an absolute pleasure to take in. Brilliant aroma. In the mouth it’s smooth and well rounded with a slightly oily texture. The carbonation is moderate and the body light to medium. The first couple of sips offer a mild alcohol warming that eases mid-beer, following the sweetness of the tropical fruits is the assertive bitterness that comes alive through the mid and carries through to the fruity finish. Good duration on the tongue. The 7.2% ABV does play a firm role in the character of this beer but it’s well behaved, enhancing the body and flavour. These virtuoso brewers from Scotland have once again brought the goods with this very ‘festive’ IPA. Damn fine brew.