If you want to cheer a Crafty Pint writer during the middle of winter, a good way to go about it is to evoke the music festivals of summer. Hop Nation do just that with their dual Festival release: two IPAs that straddle the East and West Coast when it comes to style. First released at GABS, the beers have been given a wider run for anyone eager to look back at their favourite moment from the beer festival (or imagine themselves at Meredith or Golden Plains for that matter).
Starting with West Coast, the beer feels a bit like looking at a classic with a more modern lens thanks to the use of Cryo hops with Centennial, Simcoe and Ekuanot all added in concentrated fashion. Pouring with a golden orange glow, that all-American triumvirate brings fresh orange, mixed berries, pine and resin as a bitter finish keeps building.
East Coast meanwhile is packed with oats and again uses plenty of Cryo hops in the shape of El Dorado and Citra, while T90 pellets of Talus are part of the festival package too. Here, there’s a soft, lush mouthfeel that provides pineapple, stonefruit, gooseberry and pine notes that are far less resinous when compared to the Westy, more akin to walking near a pine forest.
Will Ziebell
Published July 3, 2024 2024-07-03 00:00:00
