There’s a real joy in seeing people enter the beer industry for the first time. But there’s also a pleasure in tasting the fruits of decades of experience. After 20 years in the game, Sunday Road’s head brewer Mick O’Rance is a seasoned vet who knows how to ensure his beers are made with finesse and balance.
Take Sunseeker Red IPA, for instance. At time of writing, it has the biggest malt body of the Sunday Road portfolio, as well as the biggest dry hop. By all rights it could be a brutish number, only enjoyed by heavyweights who have trained their tastebuds. Instead, it’s luxurious. It pours like a light sherry, with an off-white head promising to be a malty delight and a fruity aroma revealing the liberal amount hops within.
Close your eyes and you could almost imagine it’s a dark fruit cake with caramel sauce - citrus zest and dried berries, caramel and grapefruit toffee. It’s complex without being overwhelming; just the thing for a sweet tooth and a warm chest.
Finesse and balance.
Mick Wust