You're All I Need - Nelson Sauvin
Interboro Spirits and Ales

 

 

 

holy cow this is good, super underrated here for my money, looks a little murky and washed out, but if its all in service of this full blown nelson hop profile, i can more than tolerate a little visual messiness! this is one of my favorite hops out there, and a wonderful expression of them, its exploding with nelson, i can smell it the second it gets poured from across the bar, and the nose stays with me even after i drink other beers and leave the place, its powerful and fresh and wonderful. the flavor is there too, its hard to believe its only nelson in here, yeah there is no bitterness and the classic aromas and flavors of the hop are foremost, including white peach and nectarine, fruity white wine, sweet botanicals and herbs, and a delicate oiliness packed with tropical fruit essence. still, there is another side to the hop profile here, an intensity i dont know of nelson alone, at any dosage, yet here we have something so bursting and forward, its really amazing. oaty in the base, a little bit heavy feeling even though its relatively dry and the booze is tame, it just feels like an imperial to me, and im okay with that as a vehicle for all this nelson, if you love this hop as much as i do, or if you dont know anything about it and want to jump in head first, this is the beer for you!

 

A: The beer is very hazy yellow in color. It poured with a thin layer of white bubbles covering the surface and a narrow collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of gooseberries are present in the nose.
T: Tåhe taste follows the smell and is dominated by moderately strong flavors of gooseberries. Little if any bitterness is perceptible.
M: It feels just about medium-bodied and a little juicy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The aromas and flavors of gooseberries seem to be a little weaker compared to other beers that feature Nelson Sauvin hops.

Serving type: can

 

Let's hope this one is as good as its Vic Secret sister beer... that was truly phenomenal, but I also happen to like VS slightly more than Nelson (though Nelson is slightly more distinct).

The pour here seems slightly less-turbid than the Vic Secret version, for whatever reason. It didn't pour as viscous-looking and it seems a little lighter in hue as well. The collar of foam is not as impressive, building up to about three fingers at its highest point, but settling down to only a half-finger, consistent ring with very little lace. Still, it's a nice color and I do like the haze well-enough. The initial sudsy buildup was good, but it didn't last super long either. First impression is not as good as the VS version.

The nose is pretty much the definitive Nelson experience, however. If you like the idea of a tangy, almost acidic white wine-like nose in your IPAs, this is your hop. I have found that the Sauvignon Blanc comparisons very accurate with this hop, especially when it's used in late-kettle or dry-hop situations. Since this is double dry-hopped with NS, its got intense lime, stone fruit and bright citrus rind with a superb tart zip to it. I like the "gooseberry" descriptor, too... it captures the somewhat elusive combination of grassiness and tartness that this hop shows off well.

The flavor profile is intensely grassy and slightly dank upfront with a quick move into juicy peach, lime peel and dry white wine-like flavors. Strong ethanol sharpness toward the end of each sip, which I think is kind of common with the crispness and dryness of beers associated with this hop. There's a move into the realm of citrus fruitiness right before the finish, as well... tart tangerine zest and grapefruit rind. One of the most interesting things here is that I don't taste that chalky "hop resin" flavor that I typically do with DDH DIPAs here... it is very clean and well-put together. YAIN: NS is really unique and fun to drink, but it's also very tough to drink more than a sip of at a time. Below you'll find out why...

I would say this really has a lot in common with what I think of when I think of the term "brut IPA," in spite of its opaque appearance. It is insanely dry and very heavily-carbonated compared to what you expect looking at it; this is no milkshake IPA, that's for sure. Nelson hops seem to force these aspects of mouthfeel when the focus is solely on them, and there's such an incisive quality to this varietal that it makes beers which prominently feature it into "sippers." The bracing finish and light tartness paired with the heavily-concentrated flavors just invites comparisons to that uber-dry sub-style of beers that's all the rage these days (apparently). Interestingly enough, I haven't yet had a good example of a beer marketed as a "brut IPA," but for one without that denotation, this really fits the bill.

Medium-pale color with a juice-like opacity and a finger or two of white foam on top... Featuring that groovy Nelson Sauvin hop, this beer presents characteristics of fruity white wine, but in beer form... Suggests orchard fruits and white grape must, floral and herbal... Sweetness is mild, bitterness, too, with a lightly woody element that brings an air of refinement... Very nice...