James Squire ‘hop thief’ Varietal release no.5 APA

Rating:

1010549_221451384705681_1623316572_nTried this beauty on tap at Harrigan’s pub in the Hunter Valley. Served in a standard schooner glass the deep copper/amber pour maintains a creamy 1 inch head with good retention. Laced well. Aroma is very hop-aromatic with all thanks due to the Citra and Centennial hops. Throw in gorgeous wafts of tropical fruits like passion fruit, lychee and pine against a toasty/earthy amber malt base and we have a top notch APA. Slight undertones of caramel and spice to add extra dimension and depth. Medium carbonation, fuller bodied with a creamy mouth feel. The malt driven palate initially delivers earthy hints of caramel and spice but then the hops come to life in the mid-palate offering an assertive bitterness that also provides a long dry finish. Good length. This is our first entry into the varietal hop release series, and to be honest it kicks ass on the rest of their range. Really nice beer, went down so well on a really hot day. We’re off for another…