There are a lot of fruited sours out there but just when you think you’ve tried every possible combination under the sun, along comes Dragon Sour. The Hop Nation limited release pours a stunningly bright pink while the trio of cherry, dragonfruit and toasted coconut to make both an unusual and splendid flavour journey. First up, the toasted coconut tastes like it's been stolen from some freshly baked coconut cookies with its distinct nutty, roasted and sweet combination. When it comes to dragonfruit, a couple of weeks ago I probably couldn’t have picked the flavour out of a lineup but I’ve just been on holidays in Thailand and can now safely say that this beer has an unmistakable kiwifruit-esque sweetness which makes the best and makes me feel like I'm back by a pool eating tropical fruits from a big bowl*. But while there is sweetnes to be found, that combo quickly cut back by tart cherry and the beer's beer’s zippy sourness.
Flathead meanwhile, gives us a fruit we’re far more used to in beer: grapefruit. The brewery say it’s called flathead thanks to its smooth and balanced profile but we can’t help but wonder if there’s ever before been a grapefruit-heavy IPA that featured a fish and maybe could have provided a little inspiration. Having said that, balanced this beer certainly is, with the juice joined by Sabro Cryo and a dry hop of Amarillo Cryo and Azacca Cryo. Together, those hops add to the layers of citrus while also seeming to add just a touch of tropical fruit* and a big bitter finish.
Will Ziebell
*After weeks of annoying my friends and family with holiday photos and stories, I thought I’d branch out to a wider audience.
*Again, this could be the holiday talking, see above.
Published November 16, 2023 2023-11-16 00:00:00
