The fillums

Three movie-themed offerings from YellowBelly today, all variations on IPA.

Underdog was pouring the draught-only special Hazing Saddles: a take on the New England style, of course. It's an orangey beige colour and stars a pineapple sweetness as the lead performer, supported by a cast of yeast-derived spices, including white pepper, nutmeg and paprika. That sharpness comes to dominate the fruit by the end of the show. It's not the most thrilling of IPAs, and should probably have more going on to justify the 6.8% ABV, but it gets the basics broadly right.

Appropriating Will Ferrell's comedy stylings, Tin Can of Emotion is a copper-coloured double IPA of 10.1% ABV, hopped with six American hop varieties plus Hüll Melon. It smells heady, all ripe summer berries and warm caramel. While it's thick, to the point of creamy, the flavour isn't primarily sweet. Instead there's a serious kick of savoury, salty, sweaty bitterness: a metallic twang finishing on intense green spinach and cabbage. The smooth texture prevents this from getting difficult while the big blousy malt is held in check too. The lack of punchy citrus lends it a barley wine feel, which isn't a criticism, just something that marks it out from most new-released double IPAs. It's classy and retro, which fits the brand quite unironically.

For subscribers to the brewery's beer club they brewed another modern hazy one called Everlasting Hopstopper which I got to try at the club barbecue a couple of weeks ago. The unconventional thing here is that even though it's going for a New England style, with lots of late hops, they also barrel aged it, but only for a couple of weeks. I was left confused by the result. It's sweet and creamy with a whack of garlic but also a large portion of vanilla. That's par for the course with NE IPA, though brewer Declan claims that the vanilla isn't because of the suspended bits, but from the barrel. I'm not in a position to argue, but still: hmmmm. Overall this is a little heavy, despite the very modest 4.6% ABV, but enjoyable drinking. The barrel got completely emptied so I doubt anyone there on the day had much of a problem with it.

No surprise from these that the throwback one is my preference. The old films are the best.

There was another new beer on the go at the barbecue. It's not specifically cinematic though Yellow Belly has the look of a baddie from Big Trouble in Little China on the badge. High Voltage is described as an "extra strong bitter" and is 6.7% ABV. The dark amber colour goes hand-in-hand with a heavy texture and caramel malt base. On top of this is a thick seam of somewhat astringent tannic bitterness and then some lighter and sweeter coconut, leading to an authentically English metallic tang on the end. It's fun and complex, though I'm not sure I'd have got the same value from more than a half pint at a time.

Thanks to all the YellowBelly crew for a great day out at the brewery, and for keeping this blog in content for one more day.