Beer - #645 - Tuatara - Tu-Rye-Aye

To be accurate -  Tu-Rye-Aye Midnight Rye IPA - Emerging beer, Forgotten songs, count your own beat and beat a path to the gathering.

Like the lyrics to Dexy’s famous song, rye refuses to be forgotten

From the FYO station at the local outlet, this is 1 litre of beer that is 60 IBU things, 7.5% ABV, which would be 225 calories a serve size, and the bottle is 5.92 standard drink units.

Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in the emerging Style of  Black IPA and they are still in Paraparaumu, New Zealand

Like the lyrics to Dexy’s famous song, rye refuses to be forgotten.

[caption id="attachment_11612" align="alignright" width="300"] Come on Eileen ![/caption]

In this limited edition brew the rye grain’s spicy shrills duel exhilaratingly with the blended harmonies of fruity west coast hops, while deep dark malts plug away in the background.

The result is a complex, full, unfiltered cacophony in the concert hall of your mouth. So pour one, make a midnight run and sing just like our fathers.

Dungerees optional.

Taste: Tu-Rye-Aye black rye IPA starts with a rich dark malt, spicy rye malt, and US citric hop aroma. Complex flavour profile of dark malts and rye malt, balanced with 60 ibu of bitterness and full fruity flavor of American hops.

This brew is unfiltered to retain all of its character and fullness. 
Look: Black with a deep red hue and a light tan collar of foam
Aroma:Rich dark malt, spicy rye malt, and US citric hop aroma.

So what could possibly go wrong? Apart from bursting into song?

Certainly looks dark enough in the bottle.

There is no escaping the hop fresh aroma as I flip that top open, quite pronounced.

Pour is fantastic, lovely white head that is persistent-ih and then stops to a fine film that I'm overly happy with.

Taste. Stand on me. This is really really nice. Dominated by the firm middle of sweet roasted malts, the slightly dry finish is long and lingering.

The aroma now seems quite lost and odd on the nose as you raise to drink, but then you get that lovely wash of light bitterness and the sweetness and the light smack of dryness.  It is a bit good.

I went back to check the ABV, and then I wondered how they hid that, this is a beer that seems on the face of it to be very easy drinking and inviting to have a few (which is lucky I have another glass( but at the level it might be best tempered by a food thing.

Is this the perfect beer then? Hardly. It is however quite the lovely thing. It is lovely and dark, it has the toasted malt thing, it has the hop bite that should be there, it has a nice dry but not arid finish, but if anything it is over sweet which leads to a lot of lip smacking as you try to shake it off, despite the other flavours calling you back in, frequently, and which is why I think that in a bar you could get a bit over-indulged.

Play was interrupted by dinner, and so this sat for a bit doing what it did. Which is get a whole lot dryer and darker on the palate, which isn't at all a bad thing. So to the second glass, which I managed to pour as a half/half beer/head, because you know things happen.

So the second half of this is like a different beer, much hoppier, less sweet, harsher on the finish, and yet enough of that sweetness to make it still enjoyable.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 of its things from the thing. Eight again. It's a time for the eights. which is still on the better side of average. At the end of day the hop load catches up and frankly wears you out with its presence, which is quite loud, does a great job of deflecting attention early but is just too strong a hop based beer to get away with it for long. But all hail the beer.

Off to sing a song.....

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? I am, it's a journey.
Would I have another? I had a couple, I'd enjoy another, but then I really might start singing.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Actually I would turn up at yours with this, because it is one of those cross-over things and this one is fair decent and entertaining.

Music for this. Well of course it's ' Dexy's Midnight Runners ', but this isn't what you might expect. They have a spectacularly good very hard to find album called 'Don't Stand Me Down '  There is a play list on Youtube here.  For me  though the brilliant  standout is the track" This is what she's like " invest you're 15 minutes in this, or skip the first minute and get to the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXh19wfJT3Q&index=2&list=PL5BA914A30BD81D08

Don't Stand Me Down is the third studio album by Dexys Midnight Runners, released in September 1985.

BLACK IPA

An emerging beer style roughly defined as a beer with IPA-level hopping, relatively high alcohol and a distinct toasty dark malt character. Typically lacks the roastiness and body of a strong stout and is hoppier than a strong porter. Expressive dry-hopping is common. Also called India Dark Ale, India Black Ale, Cascadian Dark Ale, Dark IPA, and sometimes India Brown Ale.

Beer - #599 - Tuatara - Conehead Air Hopped IPA (2015) (Keg version)

The Tuatara Conehead Air Hopped IPA (2015) from the keg . I know there is a keg version, stand by.  Older new beer, old new music, old number math and oldies only parties.

Enjoy vibrant notes of passionfruit, gooseberry and grapefruit that only the freshest Sauvin hops can provide

A Bottle that is 1000ml, with a 6% ABV beer, about 4.74 standard drinks in NZ, and @ 45IBU things, with 180 ish calories a serving. I think that covers it.

Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in the well known style of an American Pale Ale and the are in Paraparaumu, New Zealand

The hops are always greener on the other side, in this case the other side of Cook Strait.

[caption id="attachment_11066" align="alignright" width="300"] Man with a frown who needs haircut waves a beer[/caption]

There's only one way to get those cones to the North Island in prime condition and that's to scramble the jets.

OK, it's to scramble a single engine prop plane with the seats taken out, but be assured that the 800kg of green hops that went into Conehead 2015 were flown direct from Nelson to Paraparaumu in an actual plane, touching down right next door to the Tuatara Brewery.

One short hop for a brewer, one giant green-hopping for mankind.

I've had previous versions of this beer, that I wasn't a fan of, but hey, what could possibly go wrong?This is  the keg version at the FYO. 

"Air Hopped" of course reference to the tiny tiny aircraft they jammed all the hops into, as opposed to the more usual 'Dry hopped' There are pictures on twitter if you can find them.

As you can already see it's chestnut brown in the bottle, from where a burst of hop grassiness bursts on flipping the lid.

Pour is lovely with a nice little white fluffy head . The taste is quite big, a real burst of sticky resinous grassiness bitters with a lovely mouthfeel and still persistent with a grass bite at the back.

This drinks differently to the bottle version, in my opinion, which could be for any number of reasons. The taste not my opinions.

But this seem 'bigger' up front and less bitter in the middle than the bottle, to my recollection.

Lot bigger in the overall sticky resinous hoppiness overall, but less dryness in the finish, it's a funny thing. Now I know this is how it is because I was out in town the other night and had some in an actual pub, for real, it's not all sit at home Noddy-no-mates here I can tell you.

It is a big beer, and with this level of hops not a session beer, without food intervention, it's a really good beer to work towards or away from, lucky I'm at home and can have a couple. Even though this is moderate in the ABV level I don't know that I really could drink a lot of it in one go. be happy to give it a crack if anyone wants to give it a go with me, perhaps.

I really like this beer in the keg, and the glass, it starts all brash and shouty and then it calms down and just becomes a really interesting beer that takes time and patience to enjoy. It is a seasonal and I wait until next time to try again a new spin on an old favourite.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 a of its things from the thing.  As it warms it gets more rounded and less edgy and then more drinkable, despite what I said earlier at the right temperature then this is like nectar (although it still needs a food to keep your palate in check)

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I really worked my way into this, it was great.


2. Would I have another? Yes, please.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I would so bring this to a congregation and I'd insist on the music which is quite the thing.  I'd have my groove on and be dancing, it'd be embarrassing. It's a thing, right?

Musication was from Milky Chance,  a German folk duo with reggae and electronic music influences made up of Clemens Rehbein (vocals and instrumentals) and Philipp Dausch, the album Sadnecessary, this is Stunner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHPLi3hW0jU

One of the very few musics to make it to my iPhone as opposed the iPod.  Listen here on the Spotify and all the other places probably

AMERICAN PALE ALE

American Pale Ales are light in color, ranging from golden to a light copper color. The style of this beer is defined by the American hops used. American hops typically have high bitterness and aroma.This is a perfect beer for big fare like grilled burgers or combination pizzas, as well as lighter fare like sushi and green salads.

Related articles

• Next Round: It's all about the IPA


• Brewworks' Hoppy Grounds Pale Ale Is What's On Tap

Beer - #595 - Tuatara - Conehead Air Hopped IPA (2015)

The Tuatara Conehead Air Hopped IPA (2015) in a bottle. I know there is a keg version, stand by.  Older new beer, old new music, old number math and oldies only parties.

Enjoy vibrant notes of passionfruit, gooseberry and grapefruit that only the freshest Sauvin hops can provide

A Bottle that is 500ml, with a 6% ABV beer, about 2.37 standard drinks in NZ, and @ 45IBU things, with 180 ish calories a serving. I think that covers it.

Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in the well known style of an American Pale Ale and the are in Paraparaumu, New Zealand

The hops are always greener on the other side, in this case the other side of Cook Strait.

[caption id="attachment_11013" align="alignleft" width="300"] He looks keen![/caption]

There's only one way to get those cones to the North Island in prime condition and that's to scramble the jets.

OK, it's to scramble a single engine prop plane with the seats taken out, but be assured that the 800kg of green hops that went into Conehead 2015 were flown direct from Nelson to Paraparaumu in an actual plane, touching down right next door to the Tuatara Brewery.

One short hop for a brewer, one giant green-hopping for mankind.

I've had previous versions of this beer, that I wasn't a fan of, but hey, what could possibly go wrong? If this is ok perhaps I'll get the keg version at the FYO. 

"Air Hopped" of course reference to the tiny tiny aircraft they jammed all the hops into, as opposed to the more usual 'Dry hopped' There are pictures on twitter if you can find them.

Brilliant tactile bottle, as always,  fresh muted hop aroma and a gentle hiss on opening.

Pour is lovely orange brown with a small but firm persistent head, I have my pouring mojo back. Aroma in the glass is still more muted hops with a hint of spices.

Lots of resinous dryness, and the middle of my tongue seems to have become numb, that's never happened before, I think I like it. Plenty of malt sweetness in this that lifts and carries. The bitterness is quite mild, present but not stingy bitter, just smooth and pleasing. It's clever.

The bitterness picks up a little as it comes off the coldness from the fridge, and that's nice too, just a little pinch to remind you. The dryness at the end of the palate isn't so bad, although it's quite broad.

Is it fantastic? It isn't but it is nice and very enjoyable. I know it's fresh, I've seen the pictures and everything, and it does make me smile when I drink it, offering a couple of challenges, by which I mean little peaks of flavours and layers, when you quaff.

It isn't though quaffing beer, more a meandering enjoyment, far to nice to quaff and be done, unless, unlike me you have another waiting. For the single sitting beer this should be enjoyed for as long as your will power holds out.

As I near the end the lovely subtle grassiness of the hops is really enjoyable, the dryness is still there, the malt less, the whole a lot more than was expected.

An Annual beer, much anticipated and much enjoyed and appreciated, not though, for me, a flagship beer, regardless I'd be happy to sit for a while and drown all my sorrows to this, a few times.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing.  8 is 'very good' on the scale of my own making. Even I'm confused by it, this is 'a bit good' and would be enjoyed by a range of people with a range of expectations. It really is just a nice beer to drink on an autumn afternoon.

Cheers. 

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Yes I am enjoying it, it's quite smooth, delivered in a flatter profile of tastes making it a lovely drink to savour.


2. Would I have another? I would like to try the keg version.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I would, this is a beer to enjoy with friends and you should if you could get some. I think you'd enjoy it.

Musication was from  Mono Town is an Icelandic musical band from Reykjavík, this is "In the eye of the storm" which for no reason made me bop about a bit. You can listen here on the Spotify or the everywhere else possibly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqZSF1ONqc0

I like this Album, a lot.

AMERICAN PALE ALE

American Pale Ales are light in color, ranging from golden to a light copper color. The style of this beer is defined by the American hops used. American hops typically have high bitterness and aroma.This is a perfect beer for big fare like grilled burgers or combination pizzas, as well as lighter fare like sushi and green salads.

Related articles

• Next Round: It's all about the IPA


• Brewworks' Hoppy Grounds Pale Ale Is What's On Tap

Beer - #441 - Tuatara - NUI (Mighty Big Hop APA)

Big brother of the fantastic ITI, I'm now going to enjoy the NUI. I hope anyway to enjoy it. It's a big act to follow.

Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company and that's in the style that is American Pale Ale and they're in Paraparaumu, New Zealand

For this then the familiar all bumpy and lumpy bottle that is 500ml (17fl oz) with a beer that is 7% ABV and 2.76 standard drink units, 210 calories and 8o IBU's round out that set. 80IBU is about  high IPA - low end DIPA - so therefore a bit bitter.

NUI (te reo Maori for “big”) takes Tuatara’s beloved American Pale Ale and reshapes it into a more assertive beast. We’ve spiced things up with some serious New World hop porn in the form of Citra, Simcoe and Amarillo, delivering 80 IBU of palate-stripping bitterness. And to showcase the aromatic action, Nui swaggers about on a beefed-up malt base that lifts the alcohol to 7.0%. Frailer souls will blanch at the thought of having their taste buds assaulted in this manner, but the rest of us will love Nui big time

I wonder if the big brother is as good as the little brother?

Beer - #440 - Tuatara - ITI (Little Big Hop APA)

Another beer from the nice people at Tuatara, this one their ITI,  this is the companion to a beer I don't have, the NUI (Mighty Big Hop APA), which I will get to as soon as I can. I hope.

Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in that style you know as: American Pale Ale and they are based in Paraparaumu, New Zealand

This is in the smaller 330ml bottle, still with the lumps and bumps of the bigger bottles, and it's only 3.3% ABV, so only 0.86 of one standard drink in this bottle. Only 99 calories too. Sounds like a winner.

[caption id="attachment_9258" align="alignleft" width="300"] Man in need of haircut holds up a beer[/caption]

Here at Tuatara we understand that your enthusiasm for hops has mutated into a full-blown obsession. We also know that your king hit of the beloved cone often comes with alcohol levels that can turn an evening into a lifetime. ITI (te reo Maori for “small”) is what you’re looking for.

It’s got the New World hop slam you crave from Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo and Cascade, but with a subdued malt background and a very diplomatic 3.3% alcohol. It’s the ideal session ale for the unreconstructed hophead.

So a nice afternoon beer, even it was cold and raining outside.

Beer - #372 - Tuatara - Conehead Green Hopped IPA

The Tuatara Conehead it's been beckoning to me. 2014 Vintage.

Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in the well known style of an American Pale Ale and the are in Paraparaumu, New Zealand

A Bottle that is 500ml, with a 5.5% ABV beer, about 2,28-2.4 standard drinks in NZ, and @ 40IBU things, with 174 calories a serving. I think that covers it.

Limited Release. Tuatara's first go at a green-hopped beer (made with fresh or wet hops, meaning they have not been kilned or dried). On 19 March, the brew team headed down to Motueka to pick up 200kg of freshly cut Nelson Sauvin hops from the Mac Hops farm. Those aromatic hops were chucked in the back of the brewery’s refrigerated truck and, with some help from the ferry, driven back to the brewery where they went straight into a brew which was already running. Brewer Carl Vasta says the beer, which has been nicknamed Cone Head, is hoppy but not quite as hoppy as the Tuatara APA. It has a huge amount of late fragrant hop and is about 5.5%. The style is broadly an APA though some may consider it more of a Cream Ale.

Beer - #318 - Tuatara - Ardennes

I'm a simple man, but Tuatara Ardennes, strikes me as being something Belgium related, of course.

Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company this is in the style of a  Belgian Ale and they do that in the metropolis that to me an you is known as Paraparaumu, New Zealand.

500ml bottle (Pint-ish) of a 6.5% ABV beer, or 2.5 standard drinks to me and you, 195 calories a servings.

Tuatara Ardennes is a strong, Belgian-identified ale. There’s no missing the strong bit – 6.5% alc/vol should be fairly self-explanatory – but the Belgian half of the equation is the result of our obsession with the style. In creating his own version we've named it after the Ardennes yeast that gives it all those spicy orange notes. We were also fairly obsessed with making it drinkable, so drinkable in fact that we may have to redirect your attention to the 6.5% alc/vol bit. Avoid heavy machinery.

They say.

I have to cook on the BBQ I hope that at least on of the things works out ok for me

Thats fairly yeasty and a bit sour on opening, vinegary. Very pale, and I was surprised by that, I was expecting darker, or different. No head, at all. But it looks fairly well carbonated.

Aroma settles to more yeast, which would be what you might expect.



Pours a great golden colour, and has a decent head, but this is very carbonated on the tongue. To the nose this is a Belgium style yeasted beer, and the sourness of the up front note is of Belgium. But that's all there is.

Does look nice in the glass though.

So where are we at? This is a beer that is made to, at least, smell and initially taste like a Belgium style beer. Which for me it does.

What else does it do?

Frankly not a lot. And honestly as it warms it gets more 'iffy' the warmth that you'd expect from the malts appear to be a bit off centre, and they clash with the sourness. It's a challenge.

This might make for a fairly decent domestic beer, but it's hard to look past the way that it appears to have rapid changes of personality. The over-riding sourness makes this less than a winner, but not by much

The pdubyah-o-meter - the arbiter of arbitrary- says 7 - which is ok, makes this beer that you shouldn't avoid or skip on, it's ok at what it is an what id odes it's just, again, not setting a benchmark or bar that other beers would beed to meet or beat.

Smells like Belgium beer should, tastes like a Belgium beer should, but that shouldn't be all of it, or perhaps they're showing off and it is, As an extension of their Dubbel and Tripel this is nice rounder.

Musically , the Vinyl gave away to the iPod and some Elbow, and this on the loudness.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dELKUivJo4w&w=640&h=360]

Belgian Ardennes

is one of the great and versatile strains for the production of classic Belgian style ales. This strain produces a beautiful balance of delicate fruit esters and subtle spicy notes; with neither one dominating. Unlike many other Belgian style strains, this strain is highly flocculent and results in bright beers.

BELGIAN ALE

Belgian-style ales seldom fit neatly into classic beer styles, but this category represents those "session" ales (in Belgium this means under 7% abv!) that do not fit other categories. Colour ranges from golden to deep amber, with the occasional example coming in darker. Body tends to be light to medium, with a wide range of hop and malt levels. Yeastiness and acidity may also be present.

Related articles

• Beer - #258 - Tuatara - Dubbel


• Belgian Blonde Ale


• Beer Review # 1: Tuatara APA (Aotearroa Pale Ale)


• Belgian Pale Ale


• A Beginner's Guide to Belgian Beer Styles

 

Beer - #235 - Tuatara - Belgian Tripel - Redux

Back to the middle again, away from the heavier beers that I seem to have been having of late with a NZ Tuatara Belgian Tripel, Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in the style of a  Belgian Strong Ale and they're in, of course, Paraparaumu, New Zealand.

Develop an active interest in Belgium’s monastic Trappist brews and it’ll quickly become obvious that the Low Countries weren’t named after the alcohol content of their favourite beers. Tuatara Tripel is is brewed in that same intense style, rich on the nose with esters and hop aromas balanced to perfection. It’s possessed of a sustained and lively body that instantly fills the mouth with flavour. Meanwhile a smooth aftertaste ensures the kind of drinkability that by rights no 8.5% alc/vol beer ought to possess.

And just to make it worse for myself here is a clip of me taking it all serious

http://youtu.be/FBpcybmsedY

8.5% of a beer, in a 650ml bottle, in NZ 4.65 standard drink units.  I rated this 8 last time I drank it   Who's surprised that I forgot about this. well me. I don't know that it made much of an impression because I'm usually better at remembering things, he said not convincingly.

I also picked up, knowingly a Brewaucracy "In Triplicate" Which I thought was a 9, as if that changes anything.

Hopefully then, a head, and a bit more balance of flavours. We'll get to that next.

Fair hiss, vinegary cider aroma, Orange golden pour, and fluffy white head to accompany. Aroma more to caramel malts and familiar belgium notes. It's better than I remember.

Slightly sour front, but it gives over to a nice balanced sweetness, and finishes sharp. Again the alcohol is not apparent in this, which is both a good and bad thing. Nose full of aroma every sip too, and you know I mean "big sip".

Lovely earthiness, lovely sweetness, nice tang, and a #smileface from me on this. I rated it an 8 before and I think that on this I would probably rate this on the pdubyah-o-meter as a  9 making it a great beer.

Of course I'm coming off the back of a few of the more eccentric beers, the porters and stouts and some very very hoppy beers, so this was a retreat to something I know, or hope, is more comfortable to drink. Very easy drinking, very tempted I would be to have another if I had one to have. For a New Zealand company this is quite accomplished.

To be able to buy a quality Belgium Tripel style beer, made locally, and for it to be the equal or better than some imported offerings, for my palate at least, is a very rewarding thing. At least it's not like Champagne and they'll have to change it's name to something. Which reminds me that one of our commercial brewers trademarked "Radler" as a name, and so therefore you can't get a 'real' Radler beer brewed or marketed here. But that's a different story altogether.

Related articles

• Beer - #132 - Tuatara - Belgian Tripel (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #161 - Brewaucracy - In Triplicate (pdubyah.com)

Beer - #132 - Tuatara - Belgian Tripel

Tuatara Belgian Tripel  Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in the style of a : Belgian Strong Ale and that's all done in Paraparaumu, New Zealand.

8.5%ABV (4.65 Standard drinks) contained in a 650ml bottle.

Develop an active interest in Belgium’s monastic Trappist brews and it’ll quickly become obvious that the Low Countries weren’t named after the alcohol content of their favourite beers. Tuatara Tripel is is brewed in that same intense style, rich on the nose with esters and hop aromas balanced to perfection. It’s possessed of a sustained and lively body that instantly fills the mouth with flavour. Meanwhile a smooth aftertaste ensures the kind of drinkability that by rights no 8.5% alc/vol beer ought to possess.

This wasn't my first choice tonight, but if you buy beer at lunch time and leave it to get warm then what can you do, except stop and buy another beer from the cold room.

Expectations are of golden/chestnut , malty sweet, and alcohol present but not making a big deal about it.

Ok it pours golden syrup golden, it fizzes like an alka-seltzer, but delivers no head, and now appears to look very flat. Slightly bittery yeasty aroma.

And then heaven on the tongue! All the malty sweetness floods you with a tearful hug.  There's plenty of length in this too the lingering taste on the lips and back of throat. They're fairly docile tastes though, and I didn't get the same enjoyment second or third mouthful. Bit disappointing, I do still get the back burn of something though.

For me there isn't enough sweet malt taste, the alcohol is masked but bobs it's noise in a bit, it might be just over carbonated, and it still looks like a flat beer poured a day ago.

Taking stock though, as you must. This isn't bad. It stands on it's own merits and is doing what it says on the label. There isn't much indication that this is an 8.5% beer, and that you should be paying more attention to that.

Overall the pdubyah-o-meter things that 8 on its arbitrary scale means that this is accomplished, and well mannered, unlikely to disappoint, and also unlikely to make it to the top table.  I like it a lot more than I thought I would, you know the bar is high when it comes to trying to make a standard your own thing. Fair play and well done.

Related articles

• Beer - #121 - Yeastie Boys - His Majesty 2012 (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #123 - La Chouffe (pdubyah.com)


• Beer - #124 - Mc Chouffe (pdubyah.com)

Beer - #102 - Tuatara - Double Trouble APA

This is from the Tuatara Brewing Company in the style of an  Imperial/Double IPA And that do this all the way  south in sunny Paraparaumu, New Zealand

Calling Double Trouble a "hop showcase" might imply that this brutal 167 IBU monster has your best interests at heart. If your answer to the question, "How much hopping would you like?" is simply "more", this is what you wish for. The malt base and Chico yeast together construct the perfect platform for the multiple additions of so many hop varieties no mere beer label could label them all. Your overwhelmed taste buds will know the feeling.

So here's a list of what I think I'm getting: Bitter. Bitter. 167 IBU us on the high side, roughly speaking,  beers with IBUs of less than 20 have little to no apparent hops presence. Beers with IBUs from 20 to 45 are the most common and have mild to pronounced hops presence. Beers with IBUs greater than 45 are heavily hopped and can be quite bitter. 167 puts this at the top end of the top http://www.beertutor.com/beers/index.php?t=highest_ibu. So not scientific in the sense that the brewer declares a value, but even so, this is going to be something.

Hopped With: Pacific Jade to bitter (70 IBU up front), then Pacific Jade, Nelson Sauvin, Simcoe, and Zythos late in the boil for Flavour and aroma. Then Nelson Sauvin for the first dry-hop, and Simcoe and Zythos for the second dry-hop. Calculated at 167 IBU.

Also it's 650ml (pint and a top up) of a 9% ABV Beer, that's about 4.6 standard drinks, so I'm either going to get frowning or in a nice place smiling, the IBU question may fade to grey.

And surprise you can smell the hops and the bitterness they promise in spades. The beer is pale golden beer colour and a decent off orange head. A win!  Very grassy on the nose, nice carbonation, and again, this time without the sarcasm, a fairly muted bitterness received, compared to what I expected. I'm getting a citrus tone in this as well, I could be making it up to impress you I know what I'm tasting of course, but I spy grapefruit.

This is nice on the tongue too, decent length and a nice after. I might put the 3-d glasses on and have a gander at the label. Which is in 3D :-), back at the beer, and I'm enjoying the bittery, but I'm also now getting orangey.

It's a thing alright. Very tidy and not at all a challenge, mainly because this time I came prepared with an expectation that matched the label and not what I thought in my head might happen.

This is not a cheap beer, but for this I'm not sitting here thinking that it was money not well spent, I'd hate to think of the price in bars if I pad around $13.00 for this. bearing in mind that this is the equivalent of, say, 2 Heineken beers, by volume, which would be a bout 2.6 units of beer, than in a unit of beer per ml this is easily great value for money.

the pdubyah-o-meter loves this 9.25 worth of love. BUT I couldn't in all honesty sit down and have a another, this is "beer for the evening" not "the beer for all evening" it's would make you a dull boy in the morning.  It's very cleverly delivered as a strong beer with a lot of bitterness that manages to hide both the extreme bitterness and the alcohol content, and that's very cunning.

I'm not going to gush and offer you a refund if you buy and don't like, you know that this is bitter, you know that this is strong, it's not a sweet beer, it's immaculately balanced and something to behold, you should be satisfied if you like those things and you'll need no encouragement.