To be heavy handed means to be forceful or somewhat rough. Alternatively, in the cooking sense, it means to add more than is required, resulting in, say, a rather salty or spicy meal. When it comes to Fox Hat’s Heavy Handed XPA, the name is a reference to the extra hops that have made their way into the beer. That said, with the beer designed to sit at the front of the queue for Fox Hat’s core range at just 5.2 percent ABV, it's a case of being a little more forceful without taking the beer out of session territory.
A light straw to golden colour in the glass, with a white head sitting atop, those hops were added late in the brewing process, creating an aroma full of citrus notes, orange marmalade, a touch of resin, and even some spice, accompanied by bready malts. There's a smidgen of sweetness early on, followed by citrus and a little grassiness on the palate in what's a relatively light-bodied, easy-drinking addition to the Fox Hat lineup.
Matt King
Published June 27, 2019 2019-06-27 00:00:00