Esker Beer Co West Coast IPA

Esker Beer Co tend to hove pretty close to style guidelines for their beers, which presumably has played a part in their awards success over the years, both pre- and post-name change. That's the approach with West Coast IPA too, a beer that sets out to tick the requisite boxes for the style.

Pouring a deep copper colour, you're met by the classic orange peel and pine one-two combo, set against a sweetly balancing biscuit / caramel malt backbone and a slow-building earthy / piney bitterness. Nicely judged.

James Smith