This sour IPA is hopped with Enigma, Bravo and Apollo to create the biggest grapefruit profile. Included is grapefruit zest and juice, with the addition of lactose.
Poured into a schooner glass we see a clear straw coloured brew which we weren’t expecting. Virtually no head here with only some lacing on the glass. There are big carbonation bubbles making their way up. Decent aromas of grapefruit and pine, and some sweet juicy malts. First sip is interesting. We get that sour sweet thing going on as you swish around the mouth. The sourness is almost Brett-like and the sweetness must be the juice because the zest would normally be tart. This brew’s bitterness is amazingly contained. We were expecting a big whack of it given the grapefruit hops. Unless these grapefruits used were sweet juicy blood orange grapefruits as opposed to white fleshed grapefruits, then this could explain the flavour. Carbonation is mild in the mouth, and there is a mild to moderate body only. As we reach the middle we just can’t get pass the sour and sweet dance going on here on the palate. It’s balanced quite well though, although we would love a slightly heavier body. Sitting at 6% Alc vol it’s extremely easy to drink on this warm day. We certainly get the lactose added as its a smooth almost velvety mouthfeel that almost leaves a coconut creaminess to it on the back end of the palate. Mild drying effect. The malted barley sits in the background but certainly doesn’t come into this brew much. Some lacing here on the glass but minimal. Well this one we weren’t expecting. It’s almost moreish. The sourness works well but maybe more grapefruit bitterness needed. We have had better grapefruit IPAs but this almost delivers like it says on the glass. It almost drinks like a soft drink. We get to the last sip and think “I could have another”. Interested to try more from this brewery.