Upper Hutt
S43 Brewery

Canned in a big old tallboy crafty craft can and delivered right to my door by Artisan Ales
Pours a slightly hazy golden body with thick white head
Aroma is dank Cr fruits malty shenanigans
Flavour is sweet malt (crystal?) vermouth then bitter tang

Pours a cloudy, deep amber coloration with a medium, fluffy head. Smells of biscuity, caramel malt and muddled citrus/tropical hops, with some tangerine, lime peel, papaya, as well as just a hint of pine coming through. Taste is a decent balance of biscuity, slightly caramelly malt and fruity, grassy, slightly resinous hops, with muddled citrus, tropical and stone fruit of tangerine, lime peel, papaya and apricot, as well as just a hint of pine. Finishes rather sweet, with a very light bitterness and some lime peel, papaya and pine lingering in the aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel with a medium body and carbonation.

While I've enjoyed some of the others beers I had from S43 recently, this just doesn't do it for me at all, mainly because it's way too sweet and lacking in bitterness, with the hops feeling muddled and not all that expressive, except for that distinct lime peel note that always seems to dominate any beer with Motueka, while it's also a tad boozy for the ABV. Overall, this just can't seem to decide whether it wants to be old or new school, with some nice fruity and and resinous notes but lacking the bitterness for a proper old school and juiciness for a proper new school IPA. While I can actually quite enjoy a well-done cross of the two, this just ends up feeling neither here nor there, unfortunately.

L: Hazy amber color, one and a half finger white head, ok lacing, good carbonation.

S: Tropical fruits, hops.

T: Tropical fruits, hops, juicy. Very good!

F: Medium to full bodied, tons of hop flavors.

O: Very good, hoppy DIPA from England.