This IPA came in a Refined Fool IPA Fun Pack and sat in my beer fridge for a while due to my avocado anxieties and some other concerns. When it comes to beer I am not a fan of the fizzy fresca style, perhaps from a bad experience with another “champagne” style brew. I have a natural dislike for avocados. Is an avocado bag a real thing?* The can design isn’t going to win any art school scholarships that’s for sure, and what kind of a name is Zane anyway? And JT recently had an “Eh tu Brut” experience, which means not a good experience if you are Caesar or a beer reviewer trying out a Brut style brew.
On the other hand (and there usually is at least one other hand) Zane Grey was the old man’s favourite author**, and Refined Fool usually does a pretty good IPA. Also a little research on this new and very popular Brut IPA style had piqued my curiosity.
But I was still concerned about what avocado would do to an ipa, not even knowing if they had actually put avocado in this brew. I mean is avocado in beer a thing? Do I really want alligator pear in my beer? What does avocado taste like anyway, I can’t remember, I don’t eat the things, never did like them, a kind of mushy texture without a lot of flavour if I remember right. Then I realized I was having an avocado anxiety attack, not a pleasant experience but at least I get an alliteration out of it.
So despite my reluctance I finally said what the hay and popped that top and poured that puppy. It was a very bubbly pour, a busy glass, but not over the top in the foam and head department. Effervescent. A nice champagne coloured golden pour. It has a tropical fruit ipa aroma, so far so good. First swig, a mild tasty fruit body, there isn’t really avocado in there, is there? Mild tropical fruit, no hops or bitters and surprisingly no fizz, effervescent in the glass but not in the swig. Quite a unique style and a tasty IPA. Very light and easy drinking, you would never know it is a 7.6 percenter. Usually a fizz focus detracts from the brew but in this case it was very subtle and enhanced the flavour. Interesting and well done, I can see how this style is catching on. Avocado anxiety averted, for now.
0 Comments