Totem's newest to date, a sour IPA at a firm ABV, tasted in 'avant-première' from a sample generously offered by the brewer himself at my place. Thin, loosely structured, open, egg-white, bubbly head - the beer was still so young that it had not reached its full carbon dioxide saturation levels yet; cloudy warm peach blonde with salmon-pinkish tinge. Aroma of ripe Cantaloupe, mangosteen, Doyenné pear, guava, overripe kiwi, mango chutney, hints of rhubarb stew, dough, blood orange. Very juicy onset, ripe strawberry- and guava-like flavours mingling with peach, melon and mango, softish carb (again this will likely sharpen in time) with full-ish, smooth mouthfeel, feeling thinner than a beer of this strength normally would. Smooth soft-doughy core gently dried by an unripe orange-, lemon yoghurt- and lime juice-like, elegant and colourful sourness, balanced with 'virtual' sweetness - or better put, seemingly balanced by the sweet aromas of melon, guava, strawberry and mango provided by the hops, which also establish a pomelo-tinged citric bitter touch in the end - mellow enough not to interfere too much with the fruity sourness and juiciness, and at the same time clear enough to remind me that this concoction is still intended as an IPA (a personal thing - I am well aware that many hazy IPAs these days lack hop bitterness intentionally). Ends with a colourful play of radiant fruitiness and utterly juicy sweet-sourness, in which the alcohol remains perfectly hidden - 'high drinkability' is one of this new creation's foremost features, one could say. Deliciously paying tribute to Totem's skills in the field of innovative globally oriented craft brewing, this is again a superb brew, I cannot wait to revisit it again when it hits the market in canned form (which should not take long anymore now).

5/IX/25 - 33cl can @ Alengrin’s place, BB: XII/2028 (2025-853) Thanks to Klaas for sharing the can!
(and again from draft at Kwatrechts Bierfestival on 27/IX/25)

Cloudy yellow to orange beige beer, dense creamy off-white head, pretty stable, a little adhesive. Aroma: lovely, very old school American IPA (like 2010’s), fruity notes, a metallic touch, melons, some watermelon, resinous and piny, passion fruits, some citrus nice! MF: soft carbon, medium body. Taste: nice, pretty acidic in the start, then very quickly rather bitter, grapefruit, lots of grapefruit, passion fruit as well, papaya and mango, very juicy, zesty, nice! Aftertaste: fruity, good bitterness, juicy, dry, zesty, more grapefruit, pretty acidic finish, very drinkable, lovely stuff!