Rocks state on their cans that the liquids inside "are brewed to drink", which is perhaps why they bring back their XPA every year when sleeves get shorter and pale beer season is truly upon us.
It pours a moody yet inviting tangerine colour that holds both a nice, hazy sunburst gradient and a frothy head. The aromas are spiky but subtle, a little pineapple courtesy of double dry-hopping with Cryo and T90 hop pellets.
As a result, the taste is bolder on the palate than a lot of sessionable XPAs: honey and lemon squeezed over chicken that’s still sizzling. At 5.6 percent ABV (1.6 standard drinks), it’s also packing a solid amount of booze to balance the upfront tropical punch. Despite giving your palate a lot to consider, XPA is still a very repeatable beer that manages to balance a tender malt sweetness with bitter fruit and lingering hops.
A beer for anyone who loves hazy XPAs, summer and saying: "YEEEEWWWW!" a lot.
Benedict Kennedy-Cox
Published November 14, 2023 2023-11-14 00:00:00
