Bright Tank’s playful limited release schedule has circled back from the recent Lemon Myrtle Saison and Cacao Porter to their take on the modern Australian pale ale, the XPA. Although not a technically recognised style, XPAs own a space where sessionablity meets New World hops, often with a lighter malt base.
As Bright Tank’s head brewer Justin Bishop says: “The XPA does everything you’d expect from the style. There’s a light malt profile with plenty of hop character. It’s designed to be crushable.”
Pouring with a slight haze, Cashmere hops offer limey citrus notes, which Denali rounds with tropical characters. XPA’s clean length ebbs with enough lingering bitterness to draw the drinker back in, and at a reasonably moderate 5.5 percent ABV, there’s a good chance you'll be back for another glass, or two.?
Being big hip hop fans at the brewery, Justin notes the beer was also designed as a liquid paean to the late rapper DMX.
“We were originally going to do it as a tribute to the late DMX," he says, "and call it XPA GON’ GIVE IT TO YA!”
Guy Southern
Published August 12, 2021 2021-08-12 00:00:00
