Following the success of and acclaim for 2017 limited release James Street Juice, the Beerland Brewing family has stepped back into the highly aromatic but turbid whirlpool of the NEIPA. Never afraid of a good beer pun, Juice Willis borrows from the on screen tough guy, comedian and occasional musician Walter Bruce Willis and potentially opens the door for a third in the series, Juice Harder.
Juice Willis, however, arrives more David Addison than John McClane with a fluffy white head on a suitably opaque orange body. El Dorado, Citra and Galaxy hops create the breakfast juice like aroma and flavour that features orange, mango, pineapple and fresh peach. Flaked oats and London Ale III yeast ensure a lusciously full mouthfeel that’s complemented by low bitterness and just under 6 percent of booze.
During its hazy creation on the new Whitfords Brewing Co kit, brewer Tom Fleay commented: “Juice Willis is fermenting real hard, the blow off is like Armageddon, its krausen is unbreakable and the aroma is so strong that you need a sixth sense to truly appreciate it.” Hmmm...
For all that, the result is a very approachable and enjoyable beer.
Guy Southern
Published February 22, 2018 2018-02-22 00:00:00