Blurred line

A selection of cans from Belfast's Boundary today, prompted by the realisation I had never had their flagship APA before. It's an unfashionable amber colour which, combined with the loose-bubbled head and 3.5% ABV had me thinking of brown bitter ahead of anything American. The aroma is a sour citrus note which wasn't very compelling. Its flavour follows through on this: an almost vinegar tang, on a very thin base with only the faintest prickle of carbonation to lift it. A second mouthful brought flavours of soft biscuits and sick. I couldn't say for sure if this is as the brewer intended but as you may have guessed I didn't enjoy it. There's the potential for something light, zesty and refreshing, however that's not what gets delivered.

I sought relief in another pale ale, this one 4.3% ABV and hopped with lots of lovely Hüll Melon, Vic Secret and Mosaic; murky as you like with virtually no head. The Pain That Causes New Pain smells quite tropical, with a sweet creamy quality too, like a lassi. Completing the hazy-hoppy picture, there's a buzz of garlic oil in both the foretaste and the finish. It's not offensive, just an amusing cliché. The middle, however, is deliciously juicy, offering succulent mango and zesty kumquat. There's a lot of complexity in here given the strength, and it performs as well as many a stronger hazy IPA. Even better, it avoids the common pitfalls, with its lack of dreg taste almost as refreshing as the beer itself. My faith in Boundary is thoroughly restored.

Keep the hop train rolling and crank up the ABV. Full Nelson isn't all Nelson, there's Cascade too, but it is a very full 6.2% ABV. The appearance is a thick orange emulsion and there's an unfortunate savoury caraway/sesame aroma. It's still there to an extent in the flavour, but not to an offensive level. There's a lot of booze heat, leaning towards diesel or kerosene, plus an Ovaltine malt thickness. Instant hop fun is not on offer. I think that's Nelson Sauvin bringing the fossil fuels, and there's a certain concentrated white grape effect, more like Tokaji than a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The finish brings the caraway back, for old time's sake. I like the hefty beefiness of this beer, and the smooth texture that goes with. I had hoped for hop fireworks, though, and it doesn't compare with the previous one on that. What happened, Nelson? You used to be cool.

A black IPA is always impossible to resist, and Boundary's is called Black Is The Colour. Black isn't really the colour, though, it's more a deep chocolatey brown. The aroma mixes grass and veg with tarry roast, in the proper BIPA way. The texture is smooth like a stout, almost creamy, making good use of the full 7% ABV. That does mute the hops a little, I think. There's a tangy resin quality but no sharpness, no proper bitter kick. Behind the green-tasting oils, the dark malt brings calming silky chocolate and Tia Maria liqueur. It's classier than most of these sorts, caressing the palate rather than punching it. I took almost half the glass to come to terms with it but was on board by the end. One might like to label this as a hopped-up export stout instead of a black IPA, but what's not to like about that?

Not one but two imperial stouts to finish on. The first is Gift, 8.7% ABV and a pure obsidian black with a nicotine-stain head. This can was two months away from expiry, which is rarely an issue for beers of this nature, but... from the aroma and the flavour here I get the hallmarks of autolysis: beefy Bovril and Marmite. Beyond this the flavour delivers a heady mix of dark chocolate, cherry liqueur and coffee essence. It's hotter than the strength might suggest. A tang of Balsamic is the final flourish. I had been hoping for something mellow and relaxing but this one kept me on edge the whole way through. Its flaws made it impossible to enjoy.

Filthy Animal is a year younger, a tiny bit lighter, and brewed with chilli. Well, depending on whether you believe the description, or the ingredients listing where chilli isn't mentioned. It's as dark and dense looking as the previous one and the aroma is sweet with a hint of coffee, like an affogato. Espresso forms the centrepiece of the flavour, and there's a light smokiness too. You have to wait for the finish to get a gentle twist of chilli pepper. The texture is just heavy enough to be satisfying, and while it's on the sweet side it doesn't get cloying, or hot. Very nicely done, overall.

The conclusion? Not every Boundary beer is perfect, but when they get it right they really do nail it.