Hop Lab Series: Talus & Zamba
Bombshell Beer Company

TL;DR: Incredibly tasty hazy IPA with a strong malty backbone, pleasantly sharp citrus rind hop tones resolving to light resin and a fantastic sweet fruity malty aftertaste.

Ever since I've moved to North Carolina I’ve been inundated with the incredible beers and breweries that dot the state. One of these breweries is the Bombshell Beer Company. I tried their seasonal Triple Vixen Apple Pie, and just writing about it brings me back to that moment – it was fantastic to say the least (should’ve written about it but I finished the can before the moment passed. Twice. Yes, I had it twice and didn’t think of reviewing it both times, but I’m digressing, aren’t I?). After drinking this I can firmly say that I’m super stoked to try whatever seasonal brews Bombshell comes out with.

Bombshell Beer Company Hoplab Series: Talus & Zamba Hazy IPA. First thing that comes to mind – Breath of the Wild Link doing some fitness dancing in a stone-themed gym. Poured from a can into a Costco double-lined coffee cup. I need to get a proper pint glass, and a way to sneak one through the significant other without raising alarms.

L: Pours a rich white foam, not unlike beaten egg whites, of maybe a finger wide – which in hindsight is a great indicator for me to prepare my gout medication. Deep gold in color and incredibly hazy with very little effervescence. Doesn’t look any different from what you’d expect from a hazy IPA.

S: Now here’s where it gets interesting. The label say Talus and Zamba hops. And you do get the aromas from the hops. There’s the candy juiciness from the Zamba hops (almost Fruit Gushers-adjacent) paired with the floral-resin aromas of the Talus hops. It’s light, though (could be the cup), but it’s there. And it’s pleasant.

T: Oh. My. Goodness. I’m very partial to malty, sweet beers. This delivers. It’s amazing. It starts with that incredible mix of hops – lightly bitter and citrus peel with maybe a hint of resin followed by a rounded caramel-esque sweetness. Do I get a bit of rose? Maybe a hint – it’s definitely something herbal and floral. And then the sweetness of the malt supplemented by the candy sweetness of the Zamba hops. I need a second sip. Yep – there’s definitely a light rose floral-ity (not a word, but it works here) to the start – and it carries to the end too, strengthening somewhat as the other flavors fall away. When I first drank this I distinctly thought of spiced apple crumble or some apple desert adjacent dish. But now that I’ve had a few sips I can say that this beer reminds me more of a drink from my youth in Southeast Asia called bandung – rose syrup with evaporated milk – it’s there in the aftertaste. The aftertaste of rounded sweetness and the rose essence – I could almost cry from nostalgia. I’m sitting at Jalan 2/10 Petaling Jaya with my parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins eating roti tisu and drinking teh at 1 am in the morning – and I’m 10 again (please if you haven't, visit Malaysia - it's a foodie's paradise. No other country comes close no matter what they say). That’s what this beer is doing to me. I’m biased now – sue me. Or am I going insane from homesickness?

F: Sharp crispness at the start that follows up with a rich creamy richness. This isn’t a very effervescent brew, but it’s crips, wonderful, and luscious at the end. Starts very much unlike bandung, but it ends just around that ballpark. Sans the alcohol. They don’t serve alcohol at mamak (Indian Muslim) restaurants. Alcohol burn is nonapparent - but don't try to session this. It's a bit to rich for that.