A Right to be Blind

Double IPA made in Kontich near Antwerp – by the two new and progressive microbreweries active there. Thick and mousy, egg-white, uneven-bubbled but stable and closed head, cloudy deep bronze-brownish-tinged amber robe, quite dark for a ‘normal’ DIPA. Aroma of soggy biscuit, marmalade, fig jam, candied grapefruit peel, pink peppercorns, ripe melon, medlar, banana bread, rambutan, dried thyme, crushed almonds. Sweetish onset, candied orange blended with melon and lychee, softish in carbonation with light minerally accents; quite some honeyish sweetness remains draped over a biscuity malt body, its breadiness accentuated by some yeast and also the ‘deceptively’ sweet hop aromas. The finish is deeply soaked in marmalade-, melon- and sweet mandarin-like hoppiness, very fragrantly so, but ends in a long, peppery, grapefruity bitterness, which nonetheless refrains from overt harshness, letting malt sweetness prevail in the end, accompanied by a strong candied orange effect and some lingering yeasty breadiness. Quite yeasty-bready indeed for the style, a typical ‘European’ DIPA so to speak, but there are no annoying ‘Belgian’ fruity or phenolic effects worth mentioning so this is, in all, a successful attempt for me. Above all, a deliciously fragrant, juicy, ‘full’ and soft beer, easily drinkable and exemplifying Tall Poppy’s typical, somewhat edgy but always interesting house style. I loved this one.

Pours unclear dark amber. No real head. Clear , intense stonefruit aroma. Taste is intense, creamy, mild bitterness. Intense stonefruit. Good body, creamy. very nice, even for me -- who doesn't like the stonefruit aroma in this hop.

Draught Good dense cream-yellow head over hazy foxy-amber beer. Superb exotic fruit/citrus, fruitesters jumping out of the glass. Bitter leafy, horse chestnut, acorns, resiny hops. Tad of meaty esters too. Rather well-bodied, quite hopoil-slick, good carbonation. Another excellent try from Tall Poppy.