Tuatara Brewing Company Tuatara Nui American Pale Ale at 7% ABV ($9.50 at Sherbrooke Liquor, 500ml, no bottle date or best before)
Pours clear pale amber with one finger of tight light tan head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, excellent lacing. (4/5) Nose is pine, tropical fruit, pineapple, mild caramel malt. (8/10) Taste is moderate sweet, strong bitter. (8/10) Medium to full body, moderate carbonation, building bitter finish. (4/5)
Yeah, OK, I bought it for the bottle – come on, The Eye of Sauron on the cap, and a great alligator (dragon?) skin finish, how can’t you? I almost didn’t, because they DIDN’T DATE IT and I’ve been burned by a few ANZ beers – but, man, that’s a lot of hops! Although this bottle wasn’t dated, I think it has to be fairly fresh, because I’m getting all of the reported 80IBU. Very hop forward, with just enough caramel malt for support. (And how is it that I end up having not one, not two, but three ANZ APA/AIPA’s in the past 24 hours while located almost as far from Australasia as it’s possible to get?) (16/20)
8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
