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King Slayer DIPA – ABV 8.5%

Tangy marmalade, creamy sweetness and more subtle on hops compared to some Buxton brews, this Vermont DIPA hides its booziness under layers of tropical fruits.

Look: Pours clear  and yellow-amber in the glass with a small, creamy white head.

Aroma: Tropcial fruit punch stuffed with mango, pineapple and orange with highlights of pine and some grapefruit zest.

Taste: Under the light aroma notes are jammy strawberry and zingy marmelade with some biscuit increasing the body and mouthefeel. Slight boozy warmth but otherwise the alcohol is well hidden with a moderate carbonation and persistent crisp finish.

Verdict: Layers of rich sweet jammy fruits, tropical hints and interludes of hoppy crispness – long live the King Slayer!

Imperial Black IPA – ABV 7.5%

Fresh hop aromas, pine crispness, orange zest and bitter lime peel taste with lingering forest fruit and candied red fruits – this is a black-belt Black IPA.

Look: Very dark, almost jet-black with a pale tan headthat just clings to the side of the glass, and medium carbonation.

Aroma: Strong starting notes of pine and tropical fruits plus some berries and strawberry jam.

Taste: Red berries move to centre stage accompanied with stone fruits. Still some background orange zing and zest of lemon; long, roasted malt and bitter finish and full bodied.

Verdict: For something so dark this tastes like Mediterranean sunshine.

Frank & Vrij IPA – ABV 6.9%

With more tropical fruits than you can shake a palm branch at, this “Vermont IPA-ish” has mango, peach, and pineapple notes and a satisfying alcohol warmth.

Look: Golden-amber with a lasting white head and low carbonation.

Aroma: Bursting with tropical fruits: pineapple, orange and passionfruit.

Taste: Even more tropical fruits, as above plus peach and mango, backed up on a bed of creamy malt and caramel. Medium-bodied with slight bitterness and some boozy warmth in the finish.

Verdict: Sweet and creamy and layer upon layer of fruit. I’ll be Frank: this is a belting IPA.

Magic & Tricks NEIPA – ABV 8.4%

Billed as Strong Vermont IPA, this collab with Magic Rock gets its magic a bittersweet and fruity yeast character and loads of ripe orange and peach notes.

Look: Pours hazy amber-orange pour with a creamy off-white head and moderate carbonation.

Aroma: Zesty strong tropical fruit – a zing of orange, mango, passionfruit and peach and some creamy banana notes.

Taste: Layers of intense sticky sweet fruit; more mango and orange plus papaya. Soft carbonation yet bold and full-bodied with a nice boozy finish.

Verdict: Vermont IPA or Double IPA, call it what you will – this fruity, creamy beer is complex, juicy and bursting with boozy fruit notes – ceratinly is absolute magic.

Agent of Evil – ABV 7%

This Black IPA / Cascadian Dark may ‘celebrate the Dark Side of the Force’ but the New World Hops positively shine through in a smooth, crisp and drinkable ale.

Look: Pours a deep black-brown with lasting lacing and off-white head.

Aroma: Smokey roasted dark malts with piney hop accents and some light orange zest and pineapple fruit notes.

Taste: Caramel, chocolate and biscuit sweetness balanced with crisp bitterness on the palate. Medium bodied, velvety mouthfeel and a lingering bitter finish.

Verdict: Well balanced, fine depth and smooth. This is an Agent of Evil we’d happily side with.

Guardian of Peace – ABV 7%

Juicy tropical fruit the bold American hops with a gentle tingling finish, this unfined IPA celebrates the “light side of the force”.

Look:  Deep golden amber and hazy with a medium white head.

Aroma: Loads of orange marmalade and grapefruit with accents of bitter pine.

Taste: Starting sweet and punchy with apricot and orange, moving into a lingering rich bitterness. Medium smooth body with soft-medium carbonation and tingling finish that hints at the booziness without detracting the drinkability.

Verdict: Surprisingly rich without yielding on juicy fruity notes or drinkability, this Guardian can look after us any time.

Cuvée Mam’zelle – ABV 8.5%

Hazy Belgian sour, made with wild yeast and aged in white wine barrels.

Look: Pours hazy golden amber with a fluffy off-white head.

Aroma: Sour lemons and ripe green apples.

Taste: Intensely sharp and sour, with loads of yeasty funkiness. In a good way.

Verdict: Like it sour? Then pucker up and prepare yourself for a treat, because this Mam’zelle is going to take you all the way to sour heaven.

Arabier – ABV 8%

Enjoy the best of both worlds, the classic flavours of Belgian yeast dry-hopped to deliver an unusually bitter Belgian ale.

Look: Pours golden with lots of long lasting white foam.

Aroma: Fruity esters and citrus/pine.

Taste: Full-bodied and malty, lots of fruit the yeast combined with bitterness the hops to deliver a fresh tasting and refreshing beer.

Verdict: De Dolle continue to produce beers that give a fresh twist to traditional Belgian brewing.

Dulle Teve (Mad Bitch) – ABV 10%

dulle teve

De Dolle’s yeast-forward, high-density Belgian Tripel made with pale malt and candi sugars taking it to double digit ABV.

Look: Pours hazy orange with a thin fluffy white head.

Aroma: Fruity esters of banana, mango and bready yeast.

Taste: Stone fruit and caramel balance out the yeast and with some citrus sharpness and a nice long bitter finish.

Verdict: This mad bitch is a beautifully balanced Tripel that gives you more of everything; yeast, hops and alcohol. Superb.

New England IPA Citra Mosaic – ABV 7%

Strong, fruity, juicy and deceptively drinkable IPA, fermented with Vermont ale yeast.

Look: Pours hazy golden orange in the glass.

Aroma: Citrus and tropical fruit.

Taste: Big and juicy, with intense hop aroma and a nice bitter finish.

Verdict: Juice bomb that’s everything a good NEIPA should be.