One of the ongoing arguments against pre-mixed spirit and soft drink RTDs is that they pack a surprisingly high percentage of alcohol into a surprisingly drinkable – and usually incredibly sweet – package. The key is balance (or, in the case of RTDs, sweetness): the strength of the drink is disguised in order to convince you that buying and necking a discounted case from a big box retailer is a really excellent idea, despite the next morning demonstrating it's very much not. With that in mind – though with a far less sinister conclusion – we have Trippy Hippie’s XXPA.
This is a beer that drinks far easier than its 8.8 percent ABV suggests it ought to. It starts with a truly gorgeous fruity aroma from a riot of tropical fruits; passionfruit, grapefruit, melon – take your pick and be sure to pick them all. Thanks to the Citra and Galaxy hops, there’s so much upfront fruit on the nose and palate you might think they’ve forgotten about everything else. But the malt does its job too, adding the right amount of body to balance out the beer and lay the foundation for the bitterness to run nicely along the back of your palate. We’re not sure who the trippy hippie is but, if this is what they’re drinking, then it’s definitely worth asking for one of what they’re taking.
Nick O
Published September 29, 2017 2017-09-29 00:00:00
