Fresh, bro

Assuming a full year on the best-before, my can of Ominous was five days out of the O Brother packing line when I opened it. It's an IPA, brewed with Citra and Ekuanot, to 6.9% ABV, and hazy as the day is long, as is the brewery's wont. On pouring I was impressed by the tall dome of fine froth on top, though remain unsure whether that's intrinsic to the beer or because I opened it very shortly after biking it home. The freshness is very apparent from the aroma, to the point of seeming too fresh, quite frankly. It smells of leaves and damp, mushed vegetation, though with a tangy fruit sourness as well. That becomes more of a bitterness on tasting: there's a mix here of hard, waxy bitterness fronted with candied orange peel. The texture is thick, which accentuates both sides of the flavour. Overall, I found it... interesting. While I appreciated the intensity, and loved the punchy Citra bittering, I couldn't help feeling that it would be better with some polish: allowed to drop bright and mellow a little. Maybe I should come back to it in a few months if there's any still around.

After dousing my palate in that hop napalm, the only thing for it was to open Flourish double IPA, also less than a week in the can. Despite its youth, it was much clearer and a pale gold, almost resembling an unfiltered lager. There's a savoury note in the aroma, which was a little surprising from the normally quite fruitsome El Dorado, Strata and Idaho 7. I'm happy to report it wasn't full of garlic to taste. The flavour is actually quite calm and restrained, for an 8.3% ABV beast: bittersweet marmalade, and a warming honey effect with floral perfume. The clean burn of the alcohol reminds me more of triple IPA than double -- it's refined, not sticky. This wasn't what I was expecting, and while I would have liked more flavour it makes for a pleasant sipper. This one does not require further maturation, however. I fear it could disintegrate into boozy blandness if left for any amount of time. Couldn't we all?

No stunning revelations for me here, but clear signs of a brewery that takes IPA very seriously and is determined to brew it to the highest international standard.