Bluebell Freezes Over

Out in west Dublin, Whiplash is the brewery with the esoteric song references in its beer names, the high-end arty labels, the bespoke brewhouse and the sparkling international reputation. There's also Third Barrel who make nice beer for the likes of me.

A pair today, referencing a Fibber's jukebox favourite from my pissing-off-metallers phase. First of the set is called Some Dance To Remember.

Now. I did a Twitter poll a while back on the beer style "extra pale ale". It turned out most people but me knew this means pale ale but paler: the bright yellow of witbier or unfiltered lager. But this is an extra pale ale, and it's every bit as orange as the regular sort, so have another think about that, most people but me. Nelson and Strata will be your hops today, and there's the flinty diesel in the aroma, with something a little softer and more tropical behind it. I expected more drama than I got from what is quite an easy-going, yet not bland, 4.8% ABV pale ale. The different aspects are there: the minerals, the pith and the pulp, but they elide seamlessly together. The result can't really be picked apart, but it's very tasty. Like Monday's Day Drinkin, this deserves to be an on-tap regular core beer, rather than the weak half of a one-night-only double act.

Some Dance To Forget is a triple IPA and this time it's Mosaic and Idaho 7 for hops. The body is a dense and dark orange colour, with an aroma of non-specific ripe and funky tropical fruit. On tasting that comes into focus as tinned peaches, lychee, pineapple and a big ole whack of booze. It's the clean blue-flame heat that good 10% ABV TIPAs (of which this is one) do uniquely well. There's a certain dry bitterness in the finish, chalky and mineral rather than spritzy, which helps offset the sweet side and ensure this powerhouse doesn't turn cloying. Overall, it's a happy sort of bruiser, getting great value out of both the tropical hops and the high gravity to create something that's fun to sip and shouldn't be taken seriously.

Perhaps the same can be said of the work of Messrs Felder, Frey, Henley etc. Relax, enjoy, and don't think about it too hard.