Does anyone else see the label on this beer and instantly start googling the Nelson region in New Zealand and dreaming about a holiday in a cabin snuggled up reading a book with a beer and gorging yourself on comfort foods before having a hot bath with a glass or wine or whisky and slowly drifting off to sleep before rousing yourself for another meal? Just me?
Nelson is a gorgeous looking place. And Nelson Valley Hazy IPA ain’t a half-bad looking beer, either. It’s orange like… well, like the inside of an orange. And “hazy” doesn’t quite cut it, as the liquid doesn’t seem to let any light through at all. Again, not unlike an orange. And while it sounds like I’ve developed some kind of new orange obsession, even the foam seems to be tinged with orange. Am I imagining it?!
Huge aromas welcome you to the valley: freshly squeezed orange juice (OK, it’s time to stop fighting it and just embrace my newfound identity as a portokaliphile) with background passionfruit and lychee adding complexity. The first sip gives more of the same, delivered with a soft wheat malt character and easygoing dryness, with the Motueka and Riwaka hops bringing in more layers of their citrus and tropicals as you keep drinking.
While Nelson Sauvin is touted as the star ingredient here, I was surprised to not get as much white grape or white wine character as I often get with that hop variety. But I’m not complaining – there’s plenty of flavour in here.
Including orange.
Mick Wüst
Published June 12, 2024 2024-06-12 00:00:00
