Clairvoyance
Magic Rock Brewing

L: Dark hazy lemon colour, good head and lacing
S: Herbs, pineapple, mango, orange, grapefruit
T: Slight caramel overtone, herbs, dark berries, cucumber, zest of varying citrus
F: Full-bodied, balanced carbonation

O: 4.5

Can. Cloudy straw. Dense frothy head. Good retention.
A mixed hop aroma. Citrus (orange), grass and tropical (peach and mango) fruits.
Flavour is a muted version of the bouquet.
Dense feel. Low carbonation.
An NEIPA with added bitterness.

A 440ml can with a best before date of 9th July 2021. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.

Appearance: A hazy golden orange colour with a two finger white head that had good retention and left nice lacing.

Aroma: Mango, orange zest, citrus rind, lime, pine, and subtle notes of peach gummy candy.

Taste: Lightly sweet and bitter, grapefruit, mandarin, citrus zest, pine, with a hint of mango and peach and a tinge of lime on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Overall: Refreshing and easy drinking, although having also just tried Biotransformer, I think I preferred that a bit more.

440ml Can from Morrisons (£3):
A hazy golden with a thick, 2cm head that's fluffy white with nice lacing on the glass. It smells great with strong tropical notes & juicy fruits; citrus, mango & peach with pineapple & some grapefruit too. It's dank & hoppy with some sweetness at the end. The taste is similarly juicy & quite fruity too with strong peach & mango, some apricot & citrus flavours then a few bread malts & sugars. It's fresh, lively & well-carbonated with a dry, fairly bitter finish; exactly what I'd expected from this one.

 

From Zombier. In toothbrush glass at Barcelo Mar hotel, in Batavia bar watching show. Hazy and full of fresh tropical fruits.Probably what is called neipa, full of proteins, maybe too much as it doesnt invite to quick drinking

 

 

500ml can into a Magic Rock stemmed schooner. Paid £4.60 for a single.

Pours a hazy, opaque, yellow body that when held to the light allows plenty of fine, streaming carbonation to be observed against the edges of the glass. A light, frothy, two-finger in height, white coloured head slowly fades to a thin film and collar, leaving behind small amounts of soapy lace.

The soft and juicy nose primarily consists of ripe yellow citrus and lightly resinous pine. Lemon, lime and yellow grapefruit lead initially above mango, pineapple and peachy tropical fruits. Sweet bready malt, spicy and grassy hop profiles and a hint of the 7% ABV become perceptible towards the back-end. Taste roughly follows suit. Sticky pine and whole crushed yellow grapefruit lead upfront with restrained and gentle bitterness. Impressions of soft tropical fruit follow, with notes of mango and peach providing an almost tangible juiciness. Mid-palate, doughy wheat and oat sweetness combine to reveal a brioche-like malt backbone, before pithy grapefruit and pine begin to re-build towards the back-end. In the mouth, plenty of fine, lively carbonation manages to lift the full body just enough to give a feel that although marginally spritzy, remains pleasantly slick and smooth, whilst effectively transporting large amounts of juicy hop flavour around the whole of the palate. Grapefruit pith and peel, faintly resinous pine and small amounts of perceptible, but not unpleasant alcohol join lingering tropical fruits to provide a lengthy, well balanced finish. After the swallow, grapefruit and pine fractionally outlast sweeter peach and mango profiles, finishing crisp, semi-dry, and with traces of refreshing astringency.

Overall this is an excellent beer. Deliberately omitting any hopping during the boil and using a neutral yeast strain wonderfully highlights the soft and juicy Citra and Motueka hop profiles. Critically these whirlpool only additions still manage to impart enough bitterness to create excellent balance, but without the need for sky-high IBU’s. At 7% ABV, perhaps alcohol is slightly less well hidden than it could be, but ultimately it remains highly flavourful, drinkable and refreshing. Recommended.