Honeyspot Road IPA

Hybrid between Hefeweizen and IPA, named after the road exit one has to take to get to this brewery in Connecticut. Yellow golden blonde colour, slightly misty with pale yeast particles floating around everywhere; the bottom of the bottle holds a thick deposit of this, probably because it has passed its best before date by two months. Naturally the beer becomes completely cloudy after adding this deposit - and then it effectively looks like a Belgian witbier. Medium thick, creamy, snow white head breaking open after a while and not leaving a lot of lacing. Aroma dominated by citrus: strong lemon zest, grapefruit flesh, lime juice; baked banana, freshly cut red apple, kiwi, freshly grated ginger, dry white wine, soap, juniper berries, wheaty sourishness, sour yoghurt. Taste begins with a soft sweet and sourish fruitiness, apple, pineapple and kiwi, crisp, smooth mouthfeel, soft wheat sourishness as in a German Hefeweizen, mineral accents, bit oily mouthfeel, spiciness coming up from the middle onwards and increasing in the finish with a long, dry, bitter hoppiness of dried grapefruit peel, tonic water and wormwood; alcohol remains well hidden. My first ever beer from the state of Connecticut so interesting to me personally as a tick for another state, but in itself an enjoyable beer, though I do prefer the ’normal’ or double IPAs in the classic sense of the word - the subtle and gentle wheat sourishness in this ’wheat IPA’ is somehow violated by the strong hop bitterness. Or maybe it’s just me being European and being used to wheat beers not showing much hop bitterness at all - and I have to admit there is some connection, seeing the fact that Belgian witbiers are usually spiced with dried citrus peel, an effect cleverly achieved here by the citrussy American hops.

Bottle, Beer Moth, Manchester. Pallid yellow pour with a small white head. Nose had notes of biscuity malts, grassy hops, veg and citrus. Flavour was similar with some wheat and coriander. Dry bitter finish. Interesting yet unspectacular.

Bottle at Craig’s. Pours pale yellow with a thin white head. Aromas of honey, bread. Taste is, well, honey and sweet. Ok.

Bottle at Craig’s. Pours clear pale golden, nose is pine, toffee, taste is dry toffee, sweet, yeasty.

bottle at home ... golden amber ... ..thin white lacing ... soft fruits ... light dry hop ... soft sweet fruits nose.. dry fruits ... soft fruit ..little wierd ok

(Draught at beer Temple, Amsterdam, 21 Aug 2014) Greenish yellow colour with frothy, white head. Malty, fruity nose with notes of bread, honey and grassy hops. Malty, fruity taste with bread, honey, peaches and a generous grassy bitterness in the finish. Medium body, quite dry. Fresh and tasty beer. Nice one.

23rd September 2014
Very light haze on this paleish gold beer, good white head. Palate is light and semi dry and minerally crisp. Light seltzer and bitterish yeast. Mild lemon and floralness. Light finish bring some hop bitterness. Not bad but lacks a bit of vibrancy.

Bottle from Cotteridge Wines; hazy straw yellow pour with a thin white head, peach and pine aroma, taste has a hint of green tea, lime, peach, light bitterness.

Tap at the Beer Temple. Poured a cloudy light amber with a big frothy white head. The aroma is yeast, light grass hop. The flavour is light bitter with a light toothpaste hop, light malt, citrus palate and a lingering bitter finish. Light to medium bodied with average carbonation.

Draft at Beer Temple. Pours hazy pale golden with an off white head. Aroma of citrus, light tropical fruit, pineapple. Flavour is light sweet and moderate bitter. Light to medium bodied with light carbonation.