I don’t know why this beer’s named after a World War II ship that snapped in half just off Straddie Island, possibly as a result of German sabotage. But I do know this beer isn’t a wreck.
When it comes to hop flavour in hazy IPAs, head brewer Andrew Sydes says: “‘Loud’ is easy. But ‘better’ is really hard.”
Andrew’s first experience of a New England IPA was a can of Heady Topper in a dive bar in Burlington. For him that set a high, and quite specific, standard for brewing hazy IPAs. He likes his NEIPAs to still show some malt character, still carry some bitterness, and absolutely not contain chunks.
Rufus NEIPA ticks all these boxes. It pours a deep haze and starts giving off tropical aromas from the second it hits the glass. A fullness in the mouth carries strawberry and cream vibes along with soft coconut, and some stonefruit wending its way through the middle. The juicy sweetness arrives up front in full force, then makes its exit before it overstays its welcome. But the departing sweetness doesn’t leave a gap; there’s a bitterness that exerts pressure like a strong masseuse giving a shoulder massage.
Mick Wüst
Published July 12, 2023 2023-07-12 00:00:00
