In the few short years since Australian brewers discovered New England style IPAs, the trend has been explored and experimented with and altered and adapted, and finally found a spot in the regular lineup of a number of well-respected breweries. Mr Fruju fits comfortably in Stockade’s range of fruity hop-driven beers.
Mr Fruju’s haze isn’t the opaque blur of some NEIPAs, but more like sun-infused mist settling on a tropical island. The friendly face of an island totem on the can is made up of pieces of fruit, telling the drinker what flavours to expect - passionfruit eyes, a pear nestled in the headdress, pineapple slices for ears, and a wedge of nondescript citrus forming a cheeky grin. This isn’t a beer designed to surprise, but to refresh and relax; even the bitterness takes the day off with this one.
Stockade’s descriptor of “freshly squeezed like a breakfast juice” isn’t far off the mark, but this smooth fruit medley may be less suited to the morning meal and more to a sunny afternoon in a hammock.
Mick Wust
- Style
- NEIPA
- ABV
- 6.0%
- Bitterness
- 40 IBU
