Both of these beers are delightful examples of "exactly what it says on the label".
Pouring a blushy pink – or, as my drinking buddy described it, "the rosé of beer" – Berry Salty Gose throws enough berry aroma into the air to to get you on board with the titular berry/very pun. A fair whack of citric acid hits you from the first sip, and the grapefruit zing and back palate saltiness get the saliva glands working overtime. (Note that this beer contains native Australian saltbush, an edible coastal shrub that neither you nor I knew existed until this very moment [Although it has cropped up in beers from the likes of Sailors Grave, Colonial and Eagle Bay in the past – Editor].)
As for the Single Hop IPA HPA-016, it showcases newly-named Eclipse hops – or "The Hop Variety Formerly Known As HPA-016" – in all their glory. While mandarin character is HPA's marketing catch cry for Eclipse, Batch boast tangerine, pineapple and resinous pine on the label of this beer... and Batch has hit my tastebuds three for three. (To HPA's credit, there's a touch of mandarin peel in there as well.)
Mick Wust
Published December 14, 2020 2020-12-14 00:00:00
