They're on a journey of discovery at Urban Alley, with one release taking them on a hero's epic and another taking them to an earlier era in America. Odyssey is a DDH West Coast made with a collection of hops that couldn't have been stranger to the Ancient Greeks (or to Pliny for that matter), with the Melbourne brewers bringing together Simcoe Cryo, Motueka from Freestyle, and the Kiwi grower's Subzero Hop Kief of that same variety. It's a mix which brings an impressively broad sweep of flavours that move between peach, pine, lime, and grapefruit rind while a bitterness crashes through like a ship that's heard the Siren's song.
Then there's Bellhop, an American porter that's hopped with one hop and one hop alone: the early variety called Comet. Though riding that elevator alone, Comet shows why it became a star, with blackcurrant and resin joining the dark beer's roasted edge and slightly sweet swirl of chocolate.
It means for the drinker, we have two very different beers, made entirely differently, that both still show how wonderful a flower hops are.
Better yet, if you'd like to try each beer, Urban Alley have provided The Crafty Pint's lovely readers with a special discount. Just head to their online store and type in CRAFTYPINT20 up until the end of August.
Will Ziebell
Published July 31, 2024 2024-07-31 00:00:00
