De Molen - Amarillo

When it comes to the realms of barrel-aged beasts that are as dark as "The Nothing" from Neverending Story and as deeply complex as all of Steve Buscemi's facial expressions, I trust De Molen with the same level of loyalty and devotion that I would normally reserve for middle-distant family members and childhood pets. When it comes to their light stuff though... Well that's a different story. I may just have been unlucky but I've had 4, 2 were infected, 1 was flat and the last was just sad and mediocre. So it was that with much apprehension I purchased Amarillo, a Double IPA-ish (they like saying ish at the end. It gives the impression that they're not entirely sure what they're doing. I know that they do but it does somewhat plant the seed of doubt.)

It pours well (into my branded De Molen glass,) with a malted-milkshake type haze in the body and a colour that reminds me a bit of malteasers. The head is frothy, happy and fine, leaving thin but determined speckling that sticks like bathroom tile sealant. As expected there is a nice earthy aroma but, being De Molen, there is a little kick, an orange spiciness with a hint of cloves. Maybe this could be the beer that turns it all around!

Wow! I did not expect that from an IPA called "Amarillo"! Though now that I look closer I come to understand that it was dry hopped with Amarillo and that the main hops were sladek and saaz (De Molen LOVE saaz.) What this gives you is a rich, zingy, lightly sweet IPA with a candied orange afterglow. The malt in this is particularly well established, bringing in the sweetness that has a big hand in making that orange afterglow such a treat.

I think I can officially say that the tides have turned for my opinion on anything by De Molen that isn't black as pitch, though this is 9.2%, it's not a massive stretch. That all being said and all former impressions put to one side, this is a particularly charming double IPA that is refined, balanced and inexorably quaffable. Well played, chaps, well played.

Food Suggestion: Duck in any form will fit this well, especially duck a l'orange, though we no long live in the 70's so that may well not be an option anymore... Hoisin duck wrap from Waitrose? That'll do.

Drink this if you like: It is similar, in ways, to Citrus Ninja by Westbrook and Dennoginizer by Drakes, one with the citrus elements and the other in regards to its luxurious mouth feel and malt characteristics.