TDH Punge
Tired Hands Brewing Company

 

16 oz can about 1 month old.

Pours a hazy orange with a solid 2-finger white head. Pretty good retention with some splotchy lacing.

Strong aromas of pineapple and mango, with some key lime, white grape, and grapefruit pith. Quite herbaceous throughout.

Taste has a ton of grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, orange juice. Lots of juice. Has that faint "forest floor" note that Nelson often has, but it’s not overpowering. Finishes with a subtle bitterness.

The feel is medium bodied with light carbonation. Smooth and oily. Drinkable as hell.

Overall, a very good NEIPA. I'm not the biggest fan of southern hemisphere hops, in particular Nelson and Motueka, but was pleasantly surprised at how citrusy and "juicy" this beer is. The herbaceous quality is expected (and welcomed) and any earthiness is subdued.

Date code hard to read but based on store stock, should be very fresh, into a generic pint glass.

Pours an impossibly thick opaque orange, small fluffy foam and great lacing. Aroma is brutally hoppy, probably the strongest I've found in any beer fresh hop or not. It's honeydew and melon with a little grape, then a horrifically abrasive herbal note and dankness so strong it smells bitter. Lovely and overpowering. Flavor is similar, lots of melon and white grape juice with some funk and diesel, as well as a massively dank backbone. There's a lot of creamy citrus as well that's very enjoyable on the mid palate which evolves into grapefruit juice, slightly sweet, but the finish is really long and incredibly complex. The sweetness transitions into an extremely bracing herbal bitterness with tons of pine, then ends very aggressive, sticky, and even more bitter. The oats come through perfectly, adding the right amount of sweetness and smoothness to support and balance out the brutal hop flavors. Feel is great, also supported by the oats. This beer is exceptionally smooth, not overly carbonated, but with a great dense mouthfeel. No trace of ethanol at all and while the bitterness is incredibly high, this is astonishingly easy to drink and the long, complex finish has plenty of time to shine.

Overall, probably the most insanely hoppy beer I've ever had, and the freshness and depth of the flavors are on par with a fresh hopped IPA. It's really mind blowing how dynamic this one is, and the first proper Tired Hands beer I've had (the very old Death Tripper I had doesn't count). While there's certainly well-deserved criticism for the work environment and management, this DIPA is an exceptional effort from Tired Hands.

 

 

 

 

Out of the pint can, it's got all the looks of a modern American IPA. With the entire pint now observable inside a clear glass liter mug, it's the now usual yellow-amber in color, with some stark white foam on top. At least in this case, the foam receded quickly and evenly, so it’s not flat out ugly. There aren't much references for the nose, as oats tend to muddle aromas. Grapefruit and mango are fair comparisons, but they're muted. There's far more of a citrusy hop bite to taste than was anticipated. This bites and it's wonderful. There's no let up at the finish, as the bite turns piney, but cleanly so. This oat laden body is supple and smooth, without any chalky or sticky drawbacks some of those bring. There's no real glass lacing, par for this style. Maybe it doesn't cover all the bases, but this is a delightful treat for any hop head.

 

 

Opaque orange that looks like super pulpy OJ. Nice pillow of white head. The nose is interesting - dank, earthy, citrusy. The flavor is citrusy with grapefruit, orange zest, and orange juice pulp. There is a mild bitterness in the finish. Medium body, perfectly carbonated.

I'm really enjoying this one.