We aren’t sure if this is the same brew as the the hop hog India Pale Ale with the green label, as the side of this label shows the word ‘India’ but with a line through it?? Maybe it’s their seasonal brew? That was our first thought but the second you get a whiff of this you know it’s another big hop-forward West Coast-style IPA.
Served in an IPA glass the slightly hazy amber pour constructs a fizzy one and a half finger head that retains well. Holding at least 5-6mm and releasing some healthy webbed lacing. The aroma is brilliant, really Citra hop-forward with an arsenal to back it up including grapefruit, sour lemon, lychee, passion fruit and pine resins with a mild woody malt backing. In the mouth it offers an oily texture with medium carbonation and a surprisingly moderate bitterness. Upfront the taste buds are treated to a gorgeous integration of grassy hops, pine and tropical fruits. The mid-palate seems to end a bit abruptly but is survived by a mild injection of sweet-ish caramel malts that lead on to the the dry, bitter finish that well makes up for it. The length is respectable, lending a decent hop dryness on the tongue. Quite sessional for a hopped up IPA. 5.8% ABV is bang on, adding to this beer’s session ability. This IPA somehow keeps winning first place in the AIBA. Don’t get us wrong, it is a classy IPA but this doesn’t even get close to Riverside brewing co’s 777 or the Bentspoke Cluster 8. Not bad, but definitely not worthy of Australia’s best beer.