Melbourne’s latest 2021 lockdown might be looking a little too similar to 2020’s but, fortunately, Hop Nation have released two distractions, with one in the shape of a new hazy IPA and the other a returning beer from life before COVID.
The aptly named Better Distractions was originally brewed for Akasha Brewing’s IPA Invitational, which was scheduled for August 7 but has been postponed due to, well, you know why. Given the success the brewery has found with their core range J Juice and many other hazy releases, Hop Nation decided to brew to their strengths and created a hazy IPA for the event. Using El Dorado, Cryo Simcoe, Galaxy and Sabro, it’s a collection of punchy hops at play, which provide mango that’s a little tart (imagine biting one nearer the seed, rather than the outer flesh), rockmelon, passionfruit and stone fruit, and while there’s a little sweetness in there, there’s also a bitter distraction (I’ll see myself out...) in the shape of actual bitterness.
Jawbone is a saltbush and oyster stout first brewed by Hop Nation in 2019 and it returns with a few tweaks to a recipe that's still built around foraged saltbush, seawater and oyster shells from the brewery’s former Footscray neighbours at Tim & Terry’s, who have moved further west to Sunshine. If those additions aren’t enough, you’ve also got Willamette, Ahtanum and Loral hops, which all seem to provide an underlying earthy quality. Alongside it, there's a line of saltiness that runs across the beer that's at once both subtle and omnipresent, plus an extra level of brine that creates a counter to Jawbone's rich chocolate and roasted notes.
Will Ziebell
Published August 17, 2021 2021-08-17 00:00:00
