Nelson Sauvin + Motueka
Other Half Brewing - Center Street

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picked this up at the brewery the day it was released, as this beer had a canning date of 9/9 below "Helenahandbasket". All of their offerings have been great lately and it's nice to see Other Half brew more beers featuring one or two particular hops. This was one of the examples of what that was as both the Nelson and Motueka were allowed to equally shine here without feeling overpowering or overly bitter.

This had the typical Other Half look to it as the dank, melon hue and fluffy head were an indication of what was to come. The lacing left behind was a spotty web that served as an indication of the moderate consistency of this beer. Lots of dank melon and honeydew in the nose to go along with a lemon and lime zest as the two styles complemented each other nicely. The gooseberry came out in the taste as this was juicier than I would have been led to believe. Really nice mouthfeel to this as this felt a bit like wine between how light it was and the white grape that seemed to be the underlying and uniting flavor between the two hops. A good amount of bready yeast, moderate carbonation, and light tropical aftertaste were all indicators how well this beer was crafted as none of them were detracting in any way.

To be fair, the alcoholic content was just a notch too high here but it couldn't be detected on the tongue. I felt just a slight dizziness when I finished this but the slick aftertaste and dry dankness were enough to have me wanting more. The juiciness of the gooseberry tied into the aftertaste well and the lemon and lime gave this beer the bright and tangy side that kept the dankness from feeling too heavy. I loved how this grew on me throughout my session and how it showed that a double-hopped beer could be as good as any collaboration or experimental beer that Other Half has released in recent months. Solid stuff that showcased everything put into it beautifully.

Poured from a can into a teku glass.
L: Pours a hazy golden orange, with a decent size head that dissipates fairly quickly with good lacing.
S: Smells somewhat fruity but not overly strong.
T: I just didn't get a bunch from this. I've read others say it has great hop character mixed with types of fruit - but I just didn't get that. It was subtly bitter, and in fact a bit more than I expected from a beer that color. The hops weren't "shining through" to me.
F: The mouthfeel was great - thick but smooth & creamy.
O: Enjoyable, but nothing to write home about.

Look is like sort of dark orange juice.
Smell is sort of spicy but really hoppy and citrus. Sort of like mosaic dream but with the spicyness.
Initial taste is bitter but mellows out to a mango flavor. Really good and smooth.

 

 

Pours cloudy and amber/gold, smells like tropical fruits. Taste is surprisingly mellow: sweet, and tropical and melon. There is a slight grape/wine flavor at the end, and the bitterness is very mild. Smooth, creamy, and easy to drink. I was surprised how much I like this, usually I don't like Nelson hops. This was extremely enjoyable.

 

 

Acquired in trade. Beer smells amazing with the two very aromatic hops used in this beer. Not a fan of Nelson by itself ,but with motueka the combination plays well together.

A very interesting beer I would seek out again

 

Growler shared by Jake. Thanks man!

Bright yellow body with a thin, soapy white head. Aromas of melon, pineapple, tangerine, fresh hops. Juicy and delicious. Mind bitterness and high drinkability. One of the best offerings I've had this far from Other Half.