Hadouken - Amplified IPA - 7.4%Who's not heard of Street Fighter? If you haven't then I feel sorry for you... Especially for those of you who think Ken is just Barbie's boyfriend. Hadouken is probably one of the best beer names I've ever seen, and it even leaves things open for more beer names, like Shoryuken or Tatsumaki Senpukyaka, it even has the button combo on the label!! It's not really a "finishing move" as the bottle sates mind, just a special move... Shoryureppa or the dreaded Shinryuken and Guren Senpukyaku - now they're finishing moves... but I'm getting far too geeky here...
It's a beer labeled to have a 'combo' of three American varietal hops and it has a clean and juicy aroma. Lots of lemon and lime mixed with caramel sweetness. It's quite a sweet beer, but it's completely different to any IPA (Welsh or otherwise) I've tried before. Once you get past the big initial bitterness and juicy fruity hops it moves into a grainy sort of malty backbone which is a bit rough but perfectly delicious. It's a little earthy and very drinkable for it's strength... grapes, melon, it's very fruity... all covered in amber caramel! The bottle kind of tastes like it's just come off the bottling line too - bonus combo! Delicious
Urban IPA - 5.5%A beer claiming to be intercontinental, it definitely looks like a beer you could have a few of and not get too drunk. This 5.5% IPA has a really juicy aroma about it, a little similar to the last too - I always like a bit of consistency through a breweries beers. If I'm going to be honest, this is an IPA that I could drink all day long. It's so easy drinking, so accessible, so light and refreshing it could easily turn the biggest beer novice onto something better. I'm really finding it difficult to describe this beer other than the fact it has the perfect amount of flavour that's not going to be offensive or too bland at the same time. It's balance personified. Quite different and stunning too.
This part some people may have issue with...
I've likened Tiny Rebel to Brewdog in the past, and still today. Other people have agreed with me, but they don't really say it out loud. It's been said that Tiny are like Brewdog but not... The only thing I can take out of this these days is that Tiny Rebel have a similar ethos to Brewdog, which there's nothing wrong with, but they don't shove it down your throat, and the branding is much better in this ghost's opinion... maybe that's why there's a likeness but it's not acknowledged. Hmmm....
I was in the shop yesterday and skipped over the Hadouken because I read the label as 17.4%!
ReplyDeleteI agree on the Urban though, had a bottle last night and it was lovely.
Just noticed that! Might be something they need to look at!
DeleteI agree with you comments on Tiny Rebel, the modern branding and apparent attitude, but unlike Brewdog they are not poking people constantly with a sharp stick and annoying them. They just get on with putting great beers out there.
ReplyDeleteA couple of places in Cardiff have them now permanently on tap, such as the new bar 'Fire Island' with their excellent Beat Box,and any place that has their FUBAR on will get my custom.
Last week I had 'Cwtch' a hoppy amber ale which hit all the right spots to start our night out.
Top guys also, had a good chat with them last year at the Great Welsh beer festival where they were by far the most popular stand, and now that they qualify for the national competitions at this years festival wait for them to pick up a few medals I confidently predict.
We also got their 10% Belgian Golden ale in too, will have to give that one a go. I can see them doing very well in the shop!
DeleteA few people 'exited' eh, where did they go?
ReplyDelete