Whitesnake
Twin Elephant Brewing Company

Reviewed 3 days after can release. Poured from 16 oz. can into a pint glass. It pours a murky, dirty golden color with a huge, fluffy, eggshell-colored cap and thick, clinging lacing. The smell is ripe and fruity with lemon, lime, orange juice, pineapple, honeydew, and oats. I expected its taste to be as sweet as the nose but it's surprisingly tart and dank. The lemon and lime pop first - the Motueka influence is strong - along with grapefruit rind from the Riwaka hops and some berry from the Rakau. But as it warms a bit the creamy oats, ripe melon, and orange give it a subtle creamsicle quality. The use of Nelson Sauvin hops is apparent from the dry, white wine grape and there are also slightly grassy, herbal notes. In addition, there is an unusual flavor in the background which I'm guessing comes from the torrified wheat - it's bitter and slightly burned. This is one complex ale. It has a terrific mouth feel: thick and creamy with moderate carbonation. And the 8.4% ABV gives it lots of heft. Overall, Twin Elephant and D96 have put a lot of effort into this collaboration and you can taste D96's influence in the soft fruitiness. My overall impression is that there are too many flavors competing. This is one of those collaborations which doesn't reflect the best beers of each brewer. But it's still pretty darn good!