To celebrate their third birthday, SixTwelve brewed three new beers, ranging from the small and session-friendly to the rather large. Starting on the smaller side, David was a no-brainer: a mid-strength version of their popular Goliath NEIPA designed to give the team something tropical they could drink all day at the birthday party. And it literally is the baby brother of Goliath with just a touch less body; the "Breakfast Juice" reigns true for David too, with pineapple, mango and passionfruit all through this easydrinker.
Birthday beer number two takes the ABV up a notch with Rude Giant oat cream IIPA. It's the first such beer from SixTwelve so, a little apprehensive due to the sweetness prevalent in many, they reined in the lactose and added a ton of tropical hops. Murky, light-yellow in colour, tropical flavours and aromas spill forth, a bit like an amped-up version of the Goliath: mango, passionfruit, papaya and pineapple with the milky sweetness performing a balancing act tying it all together and bitterness non-existent.
Completing the trilogy is triple dry-hopped triple IPA JuBEERlation, featuring classic IPA hops Centennial and Mosaic plus newbie Superdelic and hop blend Sequoia. It's clear, pours a burnt orange colour, and initially has me thinking, "Where on earth is that 10 percent?" as the balance of malt, hops, yeast and alcohol warmth is impeccable. The mouthfeel is full of sticky malts but still very drinkable, with a little malt sweetness supporting those juicy orange, candied orange peel and mango hop flavours. A decent, lingering bitterness helps dry things out a little in what's a big IPA with great balance.
Matt King
Published January 17, 2024 2024-01-17 00:00:00
