A traditional looking IPA; deep golden yellow with a slightly off-white frothy head. There is a bit of sediment in the bottle so you have to pour it slowly and carefully to get a lovely clear ale. The head is amazingly robust and lasts right down to the last drop.
There isn't a strong aroma but what comes through are yellow fruits; predominantly lemon, grapefruit and pineapple. As you know, I'm not a fan of the very citrussy beers so this is nice and subtle and not off-putting at all.
I was really surprised with the taste as it is a lot sweeter than I expected. It's an IPA so it is citrussy but the sweetness takes the edge off it perfectly. The aftertaste is also quite pleasant; it's bitter as expected but is more juicy grapefruit than lemon squeezy washing up liquid, so that gets a thumbs up from me. It's quite fizzy in the mouth; tickling the tongue like sherbet.
It's not often I really enjoy an IPA but I really liked this one. As St Austell have used American hops instead of the traditional Citra hops, the sweetness counteracts the bitterness and blends perfectly to create a very palatable drink for this dark ale lover.
Brewed by St. Austell Brewery, Cornwall
5.5% ABV
My rating:
