Capital Brewing ‘Evil Eye’ Red IPA

Rating:

21192932_742410259276455_1272184923769395229_n“A BIG & BOLD RED IPA NAMED AFTER AN OLD TREE STUMP TATTOOED WITH AN EVIL EYE, ONCE LOCATED ON LAKE GEORGE JUST OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL. WITH A FORWARD HOP PROFILE, IT’S FULL BODIED, HAS FRUITY NOTES, PACKED WITH FLAVOUR AND AROMA AND HAS A BALANCED DRY FINISH. WE’VE USED FRESH BATLOW GROWN US CASCADE HOPS FOR EXTRA HOP KICK.”

 Served in an IPA glass. She pours a clear, deep and bold amber with a soft cognac tint. It generates a puffy two finger head that settles to a thick overlay. Laced well.
This smells absolutely divine. The balance they’ve struck between the super sweet malts and the fruity hops is superb. Loads of caramel, toffee and butterscotch erupt out of the glass with the tropical stonefruits following close behind. A delicate hint of treacle and pine needle come through as the caramel malts fill it all out. Brilliant aroma.
The flavour backs up what the aroma is saying….big impressions of caramel malt sweetness, toffee and butterscotch with a healthy showing of tropical fruits such as pineapple, rockmelon and paw paw. A hint of citric acidity kicks in midway adding a grapefruit bitterness before it rounds off on a bitter yet sweet finish with excellent length on the rear.
It’s dry and bitter (60 IBU) but also quite gelatinous in texture. Medium body and co2.
Look out Bentspoke there’s a new player in town! What a way to kick off proceedings with this new Canberran brewery. This red IPA has it all – exceptional balance, big aroma and flavour and dangerous session ability with a relatively low ABV (6%) to boot. Solid offering here folks.