Yeastie Boys ‘Digital IPA’ (IPA) – Wellington, NZ and Brookvale, NSW

New Zealand brewers Yeastie Boys, makers of my favourite 2016 @gabs beer, Not Kettle Black and the outstanding Pot Kettle Black, brew their Australian distributed beer at @nomadbrewing. The Digital IPA is a real juxtaposition, with the name digital suggesting modern, but the beer itself leaning to old school IPA. It may be labelled as a ‘New Zealand IPA’, but its an English style, where the malt is ever present and the hops are thrown in to assist in the long voyage, rather than to show off and punch you in the face.

Can. Deep gold with orange hue, moderate white head and strong lacing. Tropical breakfast juice aromas (mango, pineapple, guava), peach and a light caramel backing. When cold, biscuity malt presents immediately, but remains subtle, before moving into an earth and stone fruit middle, finishing with moderate pine bitterness. As it warms the malt sweetens and becomes more caramelly. Personal choice I suppose. I liked it when it was colder (not always my position), so might pour half the can at a time next time.

3.7/5. Trent