As noted by a fellow blogger, there’s been a fair amount of hype around Pirate Life Brewing. They’ve slowly but surely expanded their distribution around our fair nation from their base in Adelaide, and around a month ago, they finally arrived in NSW. To that end I’m a little slow off the mark, but as I quickly found out, it was worth the wait.
Right from the start it’s evident there’s enough hop flowers used in this beer to make Floriade weak at the knees, with dank resin, grapefruit, orange and leafy scents booming out of the 500ml man can. The taste is equally hop-forward, with a big pine bitterness and some biscuity malts coming through, with the pine flavour lasting long after the sip. It feels light and watery in the mouth, making this a very easy-drinking imperial IPA.
This is one of the hoppiest beers I’ve had in a long time, with no attempt made to cover their glory…which is not a bad thing. And whilst the style is not for everyone, it’s exactly what I look for in an imperial IPA. Akin to Nick Krygios, it’s big, it’s bold, and it’s bitter. Unlike Krygios, it’s full of aromas and flavours, leaving a great taste in the mouth long after its performance. And fortunately for me, I have another of their beers in my fridge – a prospect I’m very excited about.
Drunk: from the can