Rating:

“Named after the very rare, but oh so amazing swell on the shore of our enclosed bay beaches. This one’s a bit of a chameleon: starting out with hints of passionfruit, pineapple and stonefruit, mango comes through as it warms a little.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Very attractive copper red to deep amber complexion with a nicely held two and a bit finger head. Good retention and healthy lacing down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: Dead set we only had to lift the glass off the table before we could smell the goods. Each time we swirl and take a whiff it changes slightly… initially it was all sweet and chewy malts then it was fruity, piney and a tad resinous/oily. Now it all seems to have merged and is displaying this extremely intense amalgamation of the two. Magnificent.

Flavour: We probably bang on about this every time we review a Red IPA but the balance is so crucial with this style and we’re glad to say they’ve nailed it here. The sweet and fairly robust malts lay down the perfect platform for the fruity, resinous/piney and slightly fleshy hops to work off. There’s a really pleasant tussle all the way through to a well drawn out finish.

Mouthfeel: Slick, chewy and gelatinous. Medium body. Nice vibrant Co2 and a well behaved 6.1% ABV.

Overall: Not surprised by the quality of this one bit. Jervis Bay is a seriously underrated brewery and deserves a lot more attention. Solid stuff.

Rating:

“Hello Stranger is our take on a red IPA that brings the hop complexity of an IPA together with the malty goodness of something a little darker. We’re really excited to be back in the swing of working with bolder malt driven beers, and you better believe this is only the first of many to come.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Very deep amber colour with a reddish-bronze glow. It only manages a short tan cap which settles at the rim. Spotty lace sticks to the glass as we go.

Aroma: The malt bill has a seriously chewy sweetness to it. Big and moreish burnt toffee overtones are backed up by rich caramel, maple syrup, butterscotch and honeysuckle. The hops (which balance out the malts brilliantly, mind you) offer more of a floral character with additions of sweet nectary fruits like passionfruit, mango and peach. Some boiled candy notes thrown on top for good measure.

Flavour: Interesting. This distinct earthy quality shows up here and we feel it creates this third wheel kind of vibe. It didn’t need it to be honest. The malts were sticky and sweet and the hops were doing a decent job at counteracting them. Still, the bones of the beer are pretty good and the balance is reasonable. The finish progresses nicely too…chopping from sweet and sticky to dry and fruity a few times.

Mouthfeel: Slightly creamy, chewy and gelatinous. Medium body, well carbed. The 6% ABV adds no more warmth than it needs to.

Overall: Look, it’s not Boatrocker’s best beer but it’s still somewhat decent. One of those try and fly sorts that aren’t all that memorable.

Rating:

“This hazy IPA pours a beautiful pale straw colour, with a bright white head and light body for an enjoyable drinking experience. Leading the way on flavour is the Australian favourite, Galaxy, backed up by Zamba and Ekuanot. You’ll find flavours and aromas of passionfruit, pineapple, melon and lime from start to finish.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Deep sandy golden pour with a medium haze. It forms a rocky two finger head which maintains its shape. Excellent lacing is strewn down the glass.

Aroma: There’s some really unique and striking features coming off it. Most notably the passionfruit, mango, pineapple, lime and bay leaf. A proper smorgasbord of other aromas such as peach, tang and or candied orange, paw paw, dried leaves, green apple and rosemary/thyme. There’s this certain scent we just can’t put our fingers on though…kind of reminds us of a scented candle but we can not think of it!

Flavour: Maaaaaybe not as much cut through as it had on the nose but it still comes together very nicely. Still trying to isolate a distinct flavour on entry. It’s very much a fruit salad, but a very unique one at that. One that is filed with pinewood herbs, stone fruits, lime, passionfruit, guava and unripened pineapple. The finish carries through the herbs and fruit sweetness but tapers off a bit.

Mouthfeel: Light and aerated. A touch creamy. Finely carbed with the 6.7% ABV tucked away neatly.

Overall: It showed a bit more promise than what it actually delivered. Points for difference and eccentricity even though the execution wasn’t quite there. Not bad.

Rating:

“An extra hoppy, extra malty golden beauty. This American style IPA is aggressively hopped and bursting with flavours of pine and ripe citrus, loaded with mounds of hops and balanced with a blend of 4 different malts. This extra hoppy, crispy brew is hugely refreshing, and will always deliver no matter when you choose to drink it.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Bright golden pour and a big three finger head forming on top. Excellent retention and lots of thick blotchy lacing on the glass as we go.

Aroma: It’s not doing anything overly fancy but what it has in spades is refinement and a certain sense of polish. Distinctly old school Yakima hops bursting with pine, sappy resins, citrus, light florals and fresh herbs are nicely balanced by a semi sweet honey malt profile. Very delicate hints of caramel, musk, cedar and orange blossom also coming through. Lovely stuff.

Flavour: It follows on from the nose with seemingly lackluster characteristics but in actual fact it couldn’t be further from the truth. It just has a very refined and peeled back nature which displays exquisitely balanced piney and resinous hops over semi sweet biscuity malts. There’s a flutter of citrus, florals and fruit salad as it finishes nice and crisp with good duration.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean and effortless. Co2 is spot on. Moderately bodied and the 5.8% ABV is nicely positioned.

Overall: We now totally understand why they call this the “House IPA”. The session-ability is through the roof, it’s impeccably balanced and faultless really. It’s an impressive way to kick off proceedings with this new Victorian brewery.

Rating:

“Fancy seeing me here! After all, the place can hardly hold 11% — I’m scraping the rafters. Makes for a good view, and it’s clear when a room needs what I’ve got in spades: fruity, dank, and devilishly hoppy flavor. Your night is looking up. Savor it and don’t blink because I like to vanish in a puff of lupulin dust.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Hits the glass with a bright and clear amber, good Co2 activity and a thumb of finely beaded white foam. Healthy lace work decorates the glass as we imbibe.

Aroma: A very archetypal old school west coast IPA. Filling the nostrils with heady pine/resin, dank herbals and ruby grapefruit. Quite pithy too but the sweet caramel malt overtones suppresses it nicely. As it settles it displays sweeter citrus notes like orange, tangerine and a hint of mandarin. The 11% ABV adds a gentle warmth as well. Solid.

Flavour: Holy hell it almost has traits of Pliny with its super clean and sharp pine/resin, dank weedy herbs and pithy citrus. The clear difference being the much sweeter and stickier malt profile which counters the warming booze very well. Hints of aniseed, toffee, stewed fruits, wood shavings and burnt orange round it all off with a lingering bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Sticky, a little chewy but drying out post swallow. Medium body and fine Co2. The 11% ABV is really well hidden.

Overall: Man it has been years since the last time we had a Hoptimum. It literally is a benchmark west coast triple IPA. Impressive stuff.

Rating:

“A clear and clean IPA featuring Simcoe and Sabro hops. The tropical aromas of lime, coconut, pineapple, and lemongrass are balanced with a slight cedar bitterness and clean malt flavors.“

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Clear pale golden complexion with good Co2 activity. It all surges upwards and helps maintain the big and frothy three finger head. Excellent lace work on the glass.

Aroma: Mostly old-school WC IPA vibes wafting out. A hint of the Sabro comes through in the form of toasted coconut and lime zest but it’s the rampaging citrus, pine and slightly dank herbals from one of our all time favourite Yakima hops – Simcoe – which takes centre stage. Subtle woody spice, tropical fruit and semi sweet honey fill it out.

Flavour: Somewhat follows the nose with its focus on old-school WC IPA but the aggression and bitterness is notably dialled back. Tasting all the usual pithy-ness, acidic citrus, pine, cedar/wood shavings and slightly weedy herbals just without the palate-wrecking bitterness that typically accompanies it all. A gentle honey sweetness in the background and a dry, bitter finish to round it out.

Mouthfeel: Fairly smooth and rounded with an assertive bitterness forming late. Medium body, mild-moderate Co2. The 7% ABV is bang on.

Overall: Nothing overly memorable but a decent and well executed No Coast IPA all the same. Not bad.

Rating:

NO COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Murky AF! It has that sandy golden complexion with a light pastel orange tint. Nice and sturdy two and a half finger head which holds together well. Healthy lacing as we go.

Aroma: Oohh yeah she’s fruity, creamy and quite dank. The brekky juice is dialled up and we’re getting heady wafts of ripe fleshy tropical fruits like papaya, paw paw, guava, mango, pineapple and peach. Hints of passionfruit floating about with a sweet and oaty malt structure at the base. Not picking up much from the Nelson hops which is surprising as it’s a very distinct character. To be honest the aroma doesn’t need more character, there’s already a lot going on.

Flavour: It’s like a wave of fruity, herbal and slightly dank juiciness washing over the palate. Detecting that black peppery spice which we love in NEIPA’s/Oat Creams. Just the right amount of sweetness from the lactose and the malts to balance out the punchy hops and warming booze. It finishes rather dry and abrasive with good duration.

Mouthfeel: Dense, smooth and creamy but with a fairly noticeable bitterness. Medium-full body, finely carbed. The 8% ABV overplays its hand a little.

Overall: We know it may sound quite harsh but these guys are like poor man’s Mountain Culture. They’re definitely on the right track though, there’s just a few loose ends that need to be tied off before they’re on MC or Banks level. Solid offering but.

Rating:

“Our fabled anniversary ale, B2 Bomber is back to help celebrate our 17th birthday! For this year’s 12th edition, we have re-created B2’s revered Imperial Belgian Black IPA base, with the addition of some new world CRYO hops. And for all the B2 lovers out there, we’ve put together an ultra special B2 deluxe pack!”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Matte black pour with a frothy three finger head which lasts. Beautiful lace work down the glass as we hook in.

Aroma: It’s unbelievably smooth and silky for a big 10% beast. At first it’s all about the oily and slightly dank piney hops mingling with the roasty/charred malts. Then the Cryo Sabro kicks in with its classic dried coconut, orange citrus and minty herbal qualities. The Belgian yeast also features with its musky, candy-esque sweetness and bubblegum. Excellent aroma with lots of depth and complexity.

Flavour: Ooopht! Just like the aroma it’s crazy smooth and effortless for its size. It’s actually all really well balanced…the roasted malts, the herbal, citrus and coconut-infused hops, the Belgian yeast, all of it comes together with a flutter of warmth from the booze. Some citric/pithy notes through the middle setting up for a toasty, bitter and slightly dank finish.

Mouthfeel: Slick, oily and coats the palate nicely. Mild-moderate Co2, medium body. The 10.1% ABV is pretty well behaved too.

Overall: Another impressive addition to this brilliant series. They’ve obviously overcome the carbonation issues they were experiencing a couple of years ago and it appears that it’s onward and upward from here!

Rating:

“A classic hop combo of Citra and Mosaic with some cheeky Sabro CRYO bringing the coconut flare.  An intense new world hop aroma is artfully balanced with some oat-lead creaminess, a smidge of lactose and soft bitterness on this finish.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Deep golden orange complexion with a good murky-ness to it. It forms a loosely packed yet well retained two and a half finger head which leaves a total mess on the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Big characters on this one. Plenty of depth as well. Tonnes of sweet and tangy citrus – orange, tangerine, mandarin, ruby grapefruit etc. Fleshy and nectary fruits like mango, peach and pineapple. Getting wafts of pine, earthy spice and herbaceous notes, dried coconut, a fleeting hint of blueberry/unripened strawberry and a savoury oat creaminess filling it out.

Flavour: Somewhat difficult to say which fruit profile is standing out more. It’s all very direct and flavoursome but it’s coming off more like a fruit salad here. The sweet and fleshy tropical fruits are edging forward midway and the smooth oat creaminess adding some grainy/earthy tones. Subtle bubblegum, grapefruit and pine being thrown about as it finishes smooth, dry and fruity.

Mouthfeel: Soft creamy texture with fine carbonation. The 7% ABV is well concealed and the medium-ish body adds some substance.

Overall: It’s a bittersweet review this one as Bridge Road have announced this as the 10th and final release in the ‘Need’ series. It has been a fun series to review and the upside is they certainly finished with a bang. Solid hazy here.

Rating:

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Light pastel orange to sandy golden hue with two fingers of well retained foam perched on top. Excellent retention and lacing as we imbibe.

Aroma: It’s apparent MC have a hand in this brew right from the first whiff. It’s kinda hard to explain but it just has their signature scent all over it. Another signature scent is the passionfruit which is imparted from the use of all Aussie Galaxy hops. Softer notes of stonefruits (peach, apricot, melon), mixed citrus, light florals, spicy wheat grains, rolled oats and chalk.

Flavour: Nothing really jumps out at us. It’s definitely a fruit salad kind of affair – passionfruit, melon, peach, sweet orange citrus, pineapple. That sort of thing. Super smooth malt profile, emphasised by the rolled oats and cereal grains/wheat. Just the faintest hint of hop bitterness as it finishes ultra smooth and fruity with decent length.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, pillowy and well aerated. Finely carbed, medium body. 6.4% ABV which is really well disguised.

Overall: It’s an all-round pleasant beer. If we had to criticise we’d say the flavour profile could be a bit more clear cut as it’s a little muddled but really, it’s an enjoyable drop.

Rating:

“This collaboration with Garage Project was brewed especially for Bridge Road’s annual harvest festival, The High Country Hop. It’s a black IPA, bursting with the unique flavours of freshly harvested local hops from HPA’s Rostrevor Hop Garden. The 2022 vintage uses fresh Galaxy hop cones, picked and added to the beer within 6 hours.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: About the darkest shade of brown one could imagine. Topped off with a short tan head which slowly disperses. There’s decent lace work considering the diminishing head.

Aroma: Oooh yeah the roast emanating off it is pretty direct. This is what we love the most about black IPA’s – the second the charred malt and smoky/burnt wood/ash component hits the olfactory’s the sharp and clean pine needle, oily citrus rind and fresh green tea pulls it right back. The combination of it all reminds us of a block of herb-infused chocolate. Very alluring!

Flavour: Atypically bland and indistinct for a Collab between two Antipodean heavyweights. The sharp separation of malt and hops displayed on the nose has been totally blurred on the palate. All that’s left is a limp roasted malt profile and a tired hop presence which when combined is pretty pedestrian. It almost tastes watered down. What the hell?!

Mouthfeel: It holds up ok. Pretty smooth and palate-friendly texture, flattish Co2. A well concealed 6.6% ABV.

Overall: We can’t work out what’s happened here. A big, punchy aroma then a dead and lifeless palate. It’s still pretty fresh so age isn’t an issue. We’re stumped.

Rating:

“An All-American theme for the hop bill in the latest incarnation of our NEed IPA series. Featuring Hops from Yakima Chief in the Yakima Valley of the Pacific North West. It’s a Hopped-up and soft mellow Hazy that belies it’s 7% ABV. HOP talk – The combo of Cryo-Pop and a new experimental variety HBC-630 bring red fruit and candy vibes. Another un-missable IPA in this series!”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Hazy slightly sandy golden pour and a neat two finger crown nestled on top. Good head retention and healthy lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Heady tropical and stonefruit notes initially. Most notable are mango, peach, rockmelon, paw paw/papaya and guava. Still a good presence of orange citrus to be found, resinous pine and dank herbals getting a look in as well. The malt bill seemingly dominated by the wheat and rolled oats… displaying those hallmark grainy, crusty bread and cereal-esque qualities. Not bad thus far.

Flavour: Not a whole lot of variation from the nose. A sweet and tropical combination of stonefruits, citrus and melon followed by a slowly developing pine and herbal accent midway. Again, not a whole lot changes but it does roll in to the smooth and fruity finish with ease. Pulling up a bit short on the back end though.

Mouthfeel: Light and fluffy, well aerated and finely carbed. Medium body, nicely positioned 7% ABV.

Overall: A little underwhelming to be frank. We can’t even be certain that the experimental hop featured here had any impact. The Cryo-pop blend did all the work…and that’s where the issue lies for us we think. We just don’t see what all the fuss is about with Cryo-pop. Middle of the road at best.

Rating:

“We are celebrating our first year of sourcing hand selected hops by releasing our first core Unfiltered West Coast IPA. Hand selection allows us to focus on what we think are the finest hops from each years’ harvest, and we will continue to evolve the hop varieties in Pure West with the freshest and most flavorful hops we can find. This inaugural brew showcases hand-selected Mosaic, Simcoe, and Nelson hops to provide an intense aroma of pineapple with a subtle dankness. Sweet floral notes soften on the palate while leading to a solid bitter finish.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Straw golden complexion and a fluffy three finger head forming on top. It holds well and weaves a magnificent lace down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: Exceptionally fresh, clean and piney. Dead set we don’t think they could have chosen a better hop combination; Mosaic, Simcoe and Nelson. All three not only feature but shine…displaying their best qualities i.e pineapple, mango, herbal spice, zesty citrus, pine/resin, unripened stonefruits, gooseberry, white grapes and evergreen. Can’t wait to taste this.

Flavour: OK it’s not really what we had anticipated. It’s a lot lighter with less malt sweetness than we come to expect from WC IPA’s. It explains the light colour too. Anywho, take nothing away from the beautifully executed hop bill which, like the aroma, exhibits all the best attributes of each hop. Understandably the light cracker malt profile is off in the distance but it does fit in to the overall laid back nature of the beer.

Mouthfeel: Light, clean and crisp. Mild-moderate body, softly carbonated. The 6.5% ABV is nicely positioned.

Overall: A very pleasant WC IPA. Very fresh, green and remarkably light while still offering the typical bitterness and playful aggression that comes with the style.

Rating:

“Originally brewed as a feature beer for Smokejumpers Grill at Disney California Adventure, this beer captures California’s juicy agricultural history. This Hazy IPA was built on a base of Pure Idaho, White Wheat, Dextra Pils, Unmalted Wheat, and Flaked Oat malts. It was hopped with Mosaic and El Dorado hops, and fermented with white and yellow peaches!”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Kinda light straw golden complexion with a soft orange tint. They can barely call this a Hazy coz there really isn’t much haze happening. Nice and fluffy two finger head which retained and laced well.

Aroma: We knew the peach component was going to be huge as we were copping wafts as the glass sat idle on the table. Seriously you’d need your head read if you don’t like peach…the unique floral, nectar-filled sweetness emanating off this is unbelievably alluring. Just a flutter of tartness, apricot delight, nectarine and ripe mango to round it all out.

Flavour: The danger in brewing with such flavoursome fruits is there’s very little forgiveness so there’s a very fine line between good and bad.. and obviously with BL being the maestro’s they are they have nailed it. Again that little lick of tartness plus a very subtle bitterness counters the sugary, nectary sweetness perfectly. Although it’s completely one dimensional it’s still absolutely satisfying.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy, medium bodied. Co2 is tight and fine. The 7.1% ABV is very well hidden.

Overall: If this were any closer to a peach flavoured soft drink it would be skull-able. So on point for a fruited IPA. Magnificent stuff.

Rating:

“IPA dry hopped with Idaho 7, Simcoe, Zappa and Cascade.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Super murky pastel yellow body with a thick and creamy two finger head. Good retention and healthy lace left in its wake.

Aroma: Pretty classic NEIPA features here; dominated by the sweet and slightly pithy orange citrus, pink grapefruit and peach. Some resinous qualities which work nicely in to the juicy Frosty Fruits and subtle peppery spice. As it settles more of the stonefruits come through as well. Nice and creamy malt base…oats, cereal grains and rice, that sorta thing. Solid.

Flavour: The first thing we notice is the impeccable balance. And the overall smoothness on it as well. Wow. Distinct orange citrus again on the palate. A touch more pithy-ness as opposed to the aroma…spurred on by the hop bitterness we’re sure. A flutter of stonefruits and piney resin, pepper and light florals/herbals lead into a creamy finish with a hint of dryness developing on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Smooth as silk, creamy and super palate-friendly. Medium body, tight Co2 and the 7.5% ABV is incredibly well hidden.

Overall: This was our first crack at this Queens brewery. We must admit we bought this purely out of hype around the brewery and the good news is it has lived up to it. It’s a quality NEIPA which does all the right things.

Rating:

“To kick off this year’s first Quarterly Core IPA – the third in our series – we celebrate the return of a beer that we rightfully named Force of Nature. This Murky IPA sports a murky yellow-gold color, a fluffy white head, and features a hop trio including Nelson Sauvin from Freestyle Hops in New Zealand, hand-selected Citra, and Amarillo. Citrusy, tropical, and pine notes flow from the glass to your senses, finishing with just a touch of bitterness.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Pours a super hazy off yellow hue with a big and frothy three finger head. Excellent retention and oodles of lace clinging to the glass as we hook in.

Aroma: Super fruity and super resinous. Those classic luscious evergreen qualities so synonymous with Nelson Sauvin also shine through with vigour. Fairly big juicy notes on it too…lots of nectar-filled fruits like peach, nectarine and mango and also some pithy citrus i.e grapefruit, orange/rind. Super smooth and creamy oat-filled malt bill. Oohh baby.

Flavour: A nice tight bitterness kicks off then the pithy orange rind and grapefruit follows on. Definitely tasting the subtle green and vinous notes from the NS. Juicy stonefruits and a faint touch of Frosty Fruits/juice concentrate developing late then rounding off on a slightly resinous and bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Really smooth and creamy even though there’s a discernible bitterness. Finely carbed, mild-medium body. 6.5% ABV is well concealed.

Overall: We’ve been big fans of this brewery ever since we visited them in San Diego a few years back. It’s awesome to see their beers on Aussie shelves too. Solid drop.

Rating:

“Team work makes the dream work! This hazy IPA is pale straw in colour with ultra smooth coconut pine-lime vibes. The aroma is heavy with stonefruit and vanilla notes An ode to our dynamic duo of brewers, Carla & Jez.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Light straw golden pour with a decent haze. It forms a fat thumb of rocky white head which maintains its shape. Good lacing as it ebbs.

Aroma: Smells mostly fruity (shock horror we know!). Mixed citrus and tropicals i.e juicy mandarin, sweet orange, zesty rind, tangerine, unripened pineapple, green mango and a hint of pink grapefruit. Lots of nuanced hop characters like dried herbs, pine needles, coconut, mild resins and pepper which are nicely countered by the kinda creamy and grainy malts. It’s setting up nicely.

Flavour: Pretty much follows on from the nose with its distinct orange citrus sweetness (tangerine, orange, mandarin, rind). Just a subtle touch of the tropical and stonefruits. Same with the herbals, pine and resins which make way for dry and grainy oats, peppery spice and a lick of toasted coconut in the smooth and relatively dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, soft and effortless over the tongue. Finely carbed, mild-moderate body. The 6.5% ABV is neatly tucked away.

Overall: We’ve been trying to track down these guys’ beers for months now and we’re glad to say that we’ve been rewarded for our efforts. It’s a respectable hazy. Certainly a good way to kick off proceedings.

Rating:

“In this experiment, we pushed the boundaries of a well-balanced, high gravity, highly hopped IPA, while increasing drink-ability. This Double IPA is brewed and generously dry-hopped with Mosiac hops. You’ll find this ale to have a super floral nose, smooth bitterness, with hints of blueberries, mango, and papaya.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Very attractive golden orange pour with a thick-set and lasting two finger crown. The lacing it leaves behind is incredibly intricate.

Aroma: Wow, everything about this so far screams old school West Coast IPA. From the immensely sweet and tropical hop profile to the chewy and biscuity malt bill and everything in between. By everything in between we mean the big helpings of pine and zesty citrus/rind, candied lemon, pineapple, guava, melon, florals, sappy resins, peppery spice and weedy herbals. Diggin it big time.

Flavour: Really sticking to this old school vibe it has going on. The only marked difference between the aroma and flavour is a slightly more prominent malt sweetness here. Other than that it’s a straight up mirror image of the nose with its in-your-face fruity hop profile, pine/resins, zest and pith, spice, ganja and a nice big finish with a bit of sting in the tail.

Mouthfeel: Kinda creamy upfront then the bitterness and ABV (8.5% ABV) kicks off post swallow. Moderate body and the Co2 has been reined in a little.

Overall: A seriously good old school West Coast IPA. The only criticism we have is the slight syrupy character it gathers as it warms up. Although it’s pretty standard for the style so no points lost on this occasion. Solid drop.

Rating:

“If you like Pina Colada’s, then skip the rain and go straight for the Lightning. Rich pineapple, coconut and papaya aromas welcome you as your mouth is filled with a tropical fruit hurricane, the big body and low bitterness lets this fruity fantasy ride on like a Caribbean cruise that never ends.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Slightly hazy pale golden hue with an enormous four finger head setting up on top. It takes an age to recede and leaves an absolute mess on the glass.

Aroma: The head is taking that long to reduce that we’re forced to take a few whiffs from the can! First impressions are good…seems to be more of a “no coast” IPA i.e displaying hints of East Coast juicy-ness and but also some West Coast citrus and pine. Heady notes of candied lemon, unripened pineapple, melon, coconut, tangerine and grassy herbals. Kinda dry malt bill; oats, wheat, that sort of thing. Decent.

Flavour: Massive fruit salad characters like lemon, orange, tangerine, paw paw/papaya, pineapple, guava and subtle blueberry. Much more nuanced spice and herbal accents, wheat grains, coconut, rolled oats and semi sweet honey finishing with a light hop bitterness, citrus fruits and herbals. Good duration on the back end too.

Mouthfeel: Fairly smooth and creamy. Just a little bit of grip on the way down…we dig it though. Lively Co2, mild-medium body. The 6.9% ABV is well concealed.

Overall: We’ve had eyes on this mob for a while but it’s taken us until now to have a crack. It’s got plenty of spunk, a good balance and some depth. We likey.

Rating:

“Originally brewed by Banks Brewing, we have rebrewed this from our own brewery and here is the OG description. “DDH DIPA collab with our buds from Mountain Culture. When you’re brewing with an ultra celebrity like DJ you better give the people what they want. This be where dreams go to die.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Certainly looks the goods. Deep pastel orange and turbid AF! It forms an egg shaped two and a bit finger head which retains well. Tonnes of soapy lace clings to the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: Ooohhh very nice. We can’t find any specs on the hop profile anywhere but it smells like it includes a Kiwi hop or two. It’s super resinous and green but it’s also jam packed with tropical fruits like mango, passionfruit, peach and nectarine. It also displays a dry peppery spice, slightly dank herbals/weed, creamy oats, tangy orange citrus and a flutter of frosty fruits. Very solid aroma.

Flavour: It never ceases to amaze us just how smooth a well brewed NEIPA can be. It’s literally like breakfast juice upfront with a nice soft line of resin and weedy herbals cutting through. The nectar-filled fruits i.e passionfruit, peach, nectarine etc jump on board mid-palate and then the creamy oats, peppery spice and stonefruits finish it all off in style.

Mouthfeel: Incredibly smooth and creamy. Medium bodied and finely carbonated. Wow the 8% ABV is really well concealed.

Overall: Another exemplary interpretation here. We only just said we don’t review beer by MC, Range or Banks but here we are again!  Hey, when it reads MC X Banks one surely has to partake. Excellent drop.