BBNo - 05|03 IPA Amarillo Mosaic

I love an IPA I do, there's just something about having more hops than someone else, it's rather satisfying in an underlying unintentionally classist kind of way. Maybe it's not even that, maybe it's just that over the years I've associated a more pronounced hoppy flavour with a better quality of beer. Whatever it is I know that if someone asked me what my favourite hops were I'd say "OMG! AMARILLO AND MOSAIC! LIKE, TOTALLY!" Which is particularly convenient for this review because BBNo have only bloody well put them in an IPA together! (Though the label says Amarillo and Citra, something you might want to look at, guys ;) )

It's exactly how an IPA should look, clean, crisp, pure, with a thick head... Until you decide to dump the sediment in and completely ruin the aesthetic. I prefer it with a little bit of sediment anyway, I'll leave it for a little while but then I'll dump the sediment in like Dr. House dumps pills in his face. The thing I think is interesting about this, more so than the hops, is the malt they've used. Wheat and Munich (malts are important!) both of which normally create very smooth, very clean and crisp, drinkable beers and both are utilised heavily in German beer, which is as addictive as crack cocaine if you drink it fresh and from the source. So what I expect is a medium aroma, nothing massive, followed by a big hoppy burst and earthy pine qualities running through the core.

I got the aroma right, it's understated, it's refined, it's got a little bit of pine to it, which will probably be the Amarillo coming through. The head has started to recede too, no miracles like with the Saison Citra, which seemed to last beyond the 2 minutes it took me to finish that little beauty off. I was pretty close with the taste too, there's a whole opening act of hop bitterness that instructs more than it assaults, followed by a scene that revolves around a snowy forest, there's pine everywhere! This beer is a perfo
rmance, it goes through acts and scenes, some bitter and poignant, some earthy and comforting. All I can really say for sure is that this is some top quality brewing. Really, really, top knotch IPA especially considering how new to the scene they are. With only a handful of beers to their name they've already streaked ahead of people like Camden and Crate (easily) and are knocking on doors that belong to people like The Kernel. The quality is comparable! Seriously impressive beer!

Watch out for these guys. I want to say "they'll surprise you," but I've ruined all of that, haven't I?

Food suggestion: I always say Indian food for an IPA but this one has to be specific, it has such a smoothness and such a bite that only a top quality, creamy, sweet curry will do. Something like a Kashmir would fit the bill particularly well.

Drink this if you like: If you liked Wyoming Sheep Ranch by Buxton, you'll definitely like this.