The Mischievous Kea
Altitude Brewing

 

my first from these guys and its quite solid, even if its a little less fresh than it probably would be closer to the source. i love new zealand hops in a beer like this with a little malt support to it, and i think this is an excellent showcase of them, bright and fruity and clean, melon and white wine and lime notes, unfortunately a touch of oxidation too, but thats more my fault probably than the beers. a light copper hue to this and astonishingly immaculate clarity. airy and lasting white head on top, gorgeous in the glass. aroma hops are incredible, fruity all the way, with just a little bit of sweetness coming through from the grain, picking up some of the more candied fruit elements of the hops, orange peel, pineapple, and mango slices are all there for me. the flavor is a little less vibrant, but still rightly fruity, just faded some, still insanely clean, even being a little more malty than most ipa types now. a slight english grain aspect there with the hops at the end, an unlikely but compatible combination. overall a really tasty brew that i hope to get the chance to drink perfectly fresh one day, delicate feel, unique hop profile, well crafted!