Riverside Brewing Co. Seventy Seven IPA

From the elephant on the label to the 7.7 per cent ABV which gives its name, simply looking at the Riverside '77' IPA gives you the impression of this being a big beer. And it is big; just put your nose in the glass and see if you can avoid being hit with the hefty punch of tropical hop aromas. But where the full-on hop aroma might seem to be preparing you for a beer of lip-puckering bitterness, some loving restraint in the hopping regime means the bitterness has been pared back enough to maintain the all-important balance and a remarkably clean finish. The Riverside IPA is a beer that gets up in your face to make a point, but also knows when to hold back enough that you'll be coming back for more.