Hop Hooligans being one of these brand new Romanian craft breweries makes, among other beers, this hazy IPA and cans it, like any random American, Scandinavian or British craft brewer would do today – but within the context of Romania, this still manages to surprise me a bit. Mousy, creamy, egg-white, stable head over a milky yellow-blonde robe. Aroma of freshly crushed green gooseberries and green kiwi, old garlic, green onions, melon, herb cheese, even a vague sweaty socks touch (not all hops here were equally fresh apparently), dough, butter past its prime, passionfruit. Fruity onset, somewhat stingy and very minerally carb (clearly too much for a New England style IPA), green melon, plum and banana peel notes, bready and doughy malts, very soft but – as said – coarsened by overcarbonation; highly aromatic hoppiness colours the rest brightly, with impressions of mango, passionfruit and green peppercorns as well as a cheesy and sweaty touch, with only very soft bitterishness in the end, along with a lingering sourishness that, however subtle, seems a tad out of place in this kind of beer. Not free of flaws, some partial old hops character and a bit overcarbonated, but certainly a decent start for what may indeed become a full-fledged new European craft beer culture in the wake of its Polish, Slovenian or Croatian predecessors.

Draught at Van Moll Fest. Appearance is horse semen. Medium sized white head. Smell and taste malts, citrussy hoppy, citrussy light to moderately bitter. Decent body, medium to firm carbonation. Ok. 7-2-7-2-12

330ml can. Hazy, yellow-ish, pale golden colour with average to huge, thick, creamy, moderately lasting and lacing, snow-white head. Piney and juicy, tropical fruity, hoppy aroma, notes of pineapple, passion fruit, mango, minimally leafy overtones. Taste is slightly sugary, pale and crystal malty, minimally biscuity, fruity hoppy notes of passion fruit, some pineapple, dry, zesty hints of grapefruit and lemon. Watery texture, minimally crumbly palate.

Ruikt lafjes, teveel koolzuur

Very well made, one of the better IPA's of the festival so far. Dank, pretty damn juicy, some sweetness and a light bitterness. Very well hopped, without any burn. Light, easy drinking, yet full of flavour.

Tap. Pours hazy yellow. Aroma and flavor are sweet, bitter, garlic, lactose. Overall: ok.