In the case of both Adelaide Hills-based Uraidla and Mountain Culture of the Blue Mountains you've got breweries with damn fine reputations when it comes to creating IPAs, even if such beers are just one string to their respective bows. And it's IPAs that both have created for NZ Hops' Great Brew Challenge, for which both brewers were given Nelson Sauvin to play.
Uraidla's Kinetic Illusion brings a full bore hop assault to your palate, one emboldened by the meaty yet lean enough malt base, with classic West Coast vibes throughout thanks to the beer's sweet pine and citrus personality. They might like to be known for the full-flavoured, lower ABV beers at which they excel, but please keep these IPAs coming!
We'd happily take more IPAs like Mountain Culture's Nelson Muntz-referencing Haw Haw too, another West Coaster that ratchets things up, both in terms of booze content and volume: there's 500ml of this bad boy awaiting you. Pouring with a deep copper colour and accompanying light caramel sweetness, the specialty malts and 8.2 percent ABV lend the hop character – ripe pineapple, Jaffa oranges and Juicy Fruit candy – a sweetness and smother some of Nelson Sauvin’s sharper edges, while a finely-judged oily / slightly resinous bitterness wraps things up.
Fans of classic IPAs will want to get their hands on both beers, or risk warranting a disparaging "haw haw" from young Mr Muntz.
James Smith
You can read about other NZ Hops Great Brew Challenge here: Hemingway's and Working Title, CoConspirators and Mismatch, Molly Rose and Sailors Grave, Range and Your Mates and Deeds and Six String.
Published January 17, 2022 2022-01-17 00:00:00
