We're told Hargreaves Hill's Pursuit Of Hoppiness series will be making something of a change in direction when No.5 rolls around. Before that happens, No.4 continues to plough the furrow of its predecessors and does so in a manner I reckon is the most enjoyable of the quartet to date.
Tagged a "Double Dry-Hopped Tropical IPA", it's brewed with Mosaic, Galaxy, Azacca and Amarillo, split evenly across each addition. And, while the rate of hopping is down significantly from some of the other Pursuit Of Hoppiness releases, it appears to be a case of "it's not what you've got, it's how you use it" as their impact is writ large, from the opaque appearance to the dense, slightly sweet tropical fruit aroma.
Initially, it's texturally full and soft across the palate, leaving behind flavours reminiscent of fruit and whipped cream after they've been through a blender, yet the finish is surprisingly dry – quenchingly so, as if sucking the moisture from your mouth – with a streak of oily bitterness rocking up late to the party.
James Smith
Published February 3, 2020 2020-02-03 00:00:00