Croatia’s first commercial IPA. Well, one might say it’s third, but those other two aren’t brewed in the country and are, frankly, off style. In any case, Croatia’s oldest proper micro finally released something a bit more extreme. And we are damn glad they did it. Tried this at a cool prerelease tasting session (thanks Ivan & Luka!) on Monday, and since it’s out today, might as well rate it. Poured a locely murky amber orange body with a creamy, just a touch off white head that lasted long enough. This is dry hopped, but the aroma is quite faint, a thing that the brewery is quite aware of and will work to fix in the next batch - in any case, what little is thare is basically a light note of aroma hops. Creamy taste that initially blasts you with a wave of herbal hoppy bitterness, which soon enough gets balanced out by a full maltiness (just a shade on the sweet side, but not to be taken as a minus), and lovely notes of candied orange and apricot. The bitterness lasts well into the aftertaste and doesn’t detract. So yeah, a true to style, fuckin’ well executed locally brewed IPA just landed on the Croatian market. WOOHOOO!!!! I only hope that the average, and the above average Joes brainwashed into a rabid dislike of anything resembling bitterness by the macros won’t diss this for no reason and will be able to enjoy it like it deserves to be enjoyed.

Tap at III. Croatian homebrew competition. Aroma mostly dark malts, roasted, lightly fruity. Very dark colour. Dark malts in taste, roasted, chocolate, lightly fruity. Good, enjoyable.

Tap at III. Croatian homebrew competition. Very dark brown color with medium tan head. Roasted malt, coffee, licorice, some dark fruits in aroma. Taste, roasted malt, coffee, dark chocolate, licorice, some fruitiness. Good.

Tap at the Brewpub. Aroma roasted, caramel, light oxidized hops. Clear deep amber to brown colour. Taste is a bit weird. Initially caramel and fruity. Then it turns bitter, but with almost no hops flavour. Also the body is a bit thin.

Tap at the Brewpub. Aroma is mostly hoppy, citrusy and grassy. Mostly clear orange colour. Taste is again mostly hoppy. Pleasant moderate bitterness complemented by light fruity flavours. I like it. Easily drinkable, refreshing, really good.

Tap at brewpub. Dark amber colored with medium white head. Caramel, malt in aroma. Caramel malt, herbs, medicinal notes in taste.

Tap at the Brewpub. Aroma is nice, citrus, orange, light bubblegilum. Hazy orange colour. Taste has mostly yeast character, clove, peppery, grainy. Quite nice and typical. Refreshing and easily drinkable.

Tap at the Brewpub. Aroma is lightly yeasty, overall quite mild. Clear golden colour. Taste is lightly lemony, including the sourness, but not disturbingly so. Otherwise has balanced malt and hops with no big character in either of them. Overall easily drinkable, quite good svetly.