IPA

Rodhams

What a difference a couple of years make!

Reviewed by RD

6.2% ABV

Colour: Clean pale, straw like amber with a healthy white head that settled to a fine film on top.

Nose: Zesty citrus, gooseberries, grapes (but not wine) bitter orange biscuit malt honey…A lot more than I expected

Taste: Straight off it was wet and refreshing then the hops arrive and in a very well measured amount. Rather bitter but crisp and to the point. Zesty and sharp rather than perfumed that is emphasized by the tart grapefruit that appears on a rather bitter aftertaste, but also clean and drinkable.

Overall Experience: When you are faced with a British IPA that weighs in at 6.2% ABV I’m usually partly excited and a little apprehensive. A large section of British ales that claim to be IPAs fall very short and should be cast into the ever-expanding glut of substandard pale ales. But I’m glad to say this one pulls it off in spades. Lots of fresh hops balanced with citric fruits and biscuit malt. I wasn’t expecting much from the tiny brewery that is little more than a homebrew in ways of set up, but I really enjoyed it.

The one and only Zak Avery wrote about an earlier incarnation of this beer. It seems to me that this brew has evolved and improved over the last three years. I’ll have to supply “The Beer Boy” with the 2009 edition, I think he may change his mind. Click Here….to see Zak’s review of this beer from 2007.