It's time to take a tour of the Southern Hemisphere as we catch up on four summer releases from White Bay, with said tour commencing on home turf with the all-Aussie hopped Holidaze. The hazy pale is light enough in colour to come across as a traditional lemonade, although citrus is just one of the elements drawn from the Galaxy, Enigma and Vic Secret hops. There's melon and some grassiness on the nose, and a lingering citrus rind fruitiness gives the finish a leaner edge than the upfront softness might have you expecting.
We're off to Brazil next for Maracujá: a caipirinha-inspired sour brewed with passionfruit and lime. It feels like there are other fruits at play too – I'd have sworn there was some fleshy mango in there, and not just due to its brekkie juice appearance – while the lime addition adds a lovely zesty finish. A party on the beach in each can.
Our final stop is in New Zealand for a double helping. Light Pillars is a pretty faithful take on the NZ pilsner style, eschewing the ubiquitous newer varieties, Nectaron and Superdelic, for a pair of classics: Motueka and Riwaka. It looks delightful, glowing ingot gold as if it’s hooked up to a power source. Juicy lime and mandarin are to the fore, with some tropical juice and a little grassiness in support, while well-judged carbonation and moderate bitterness enhance the speed at which it'll disappear.
For On Middle Earth, those aforementioned newer hop varieties are paired with Nelson Sauvin in a hazy IPA. In the glass, it appears to have gone past hazy, through cloudy, and into milky in terms of appearance, with the attendent fluffiness balanced by a little more grippiness than is often found in such beers. When it comes to aromas and flavours, well, this is one international vacation that's ending with pure tropical vibes.
James Smith
Published January 29, 2024 2024-01-29 00:00:00
