PARISH «DDH Ghost in the machine» (8,5%) 5/6

 

What is this new greatness? Looking absolutely stunning, delicious thick and hazy yellow, pouring a creamy beautiful head on top, this might just be a gamechanger of a NEIPA… From Louisiana? I’m excited- big time!

Let’s head from the great looks to the taste then. Mouthfeel: medium to light-bodied. It starts off deeper and a little sweet, with the copious amounts of hoppyness lingering in the back. But beware, quite mind-blowing it is. Lots of the citra I like in here, providing some real fruity Power to this hopsoup. I’m currently drinking it a bit closer to room tempered than I tend to like this kinda style. Still, it is amazingly smooth, and with a slight special NOLA twist to it. Great stuff fo’sho!

KRECHER «Phantom Resonator» (5/6)

new star on the relatively new Norwegian craft beer-radar, the excitement is great in this one. Created by the former founder & integral parts of already well-established Cervisiam, new born star Krecher picks up the thread and furthermore explores interesting paths/trends in the current beer scene. The particularly cool thing is that a great deal of passion is noticeably present in their first series of (high quality) beers, leaving no doubt that this is beer made by beer geeks themselves.

When it comes to the beer at hand’s impressions, it is mention-worthy to point out superbly deep yellow colour, pouring a subtle head and leaving creamy edges. So what about nose? Notes of citrus, pineapple and forest comes to mind. Lets put it to the test of taste then: Nicely carbonated and mild gentle lacto-sweet passage. Refreshing and rich. Copious levels of hops, providing both generous levels of fruityness, as well as smooth’n suitable bitter twist @ the end. F**king great to see this kind of beer coming out up here on Norwegian shores! Congrats, and welcome-you-is. Your sincerly, Yoda(rchaon).

 

Photo: M.K. Burheim

OTHER HALF «Level 2: Broccoli kong vs broc.squash» (8%) 4/6

Been looking forward to trying this. A part of the funny gaming-concept «Green city», a series of beers that Other half has launched, this one comes in funny packaging w/box set. What we’ve got at hand today is the funny-named lvl. 2 installment.

Looking as you’d want a hop-juice to do, this is pouring a great creamy layer on top of the yellow sea in the glass. Nose reveals massive fruityness, pineapple & citric fruits in play. Elegantly hopped. Fruityness is furthermore altered in the actual taste, all the while fronted by a stingy hopflirt underneath. There’s also a foresty, earthy (perhaps lightly nutty?) touch to it.

Superb degree of bubbles gives the presentation on the palate a fresh and still smooth impression of this medium bodies Triple IPA. Coated smoothly with interesting twists & turns, it’s definetely a smooth beer. Rounds off with an ever-increasing bitterness, fading slowly.

Photo: M.K. Burheim

 

HAAND “Big fat cat” (6,7%) 4/6

With a fancy can like this featuring a cat (Little chubby cutie) on the label, this seems promising for a cat lover and beer geek. The kind of beer that has potential outside it’s current boundaries, even for many that are not yet won over in the beer scene. So this hazy juicy neipa from Haand… some thing that they have not done before I believe? Clocking on a 6.7 ABV, I’m excited to try this. The color is beautifully hazy yellow and it’s pours a great head on top. As far as nose and aromas goes, we find here pineapple, citrus/orange, summery that sends associations to a varm summer beach. Now, let’s try it!

Light carbonization, easy notes of both fruit and earth, great subtle hoppyness. Lightly creamy, nice body (giving the impression of being lightly thin at the same time. Great balance between hops and sweetness in this one. Oh yeah it’s fresh, and it places Haand on the NEIPA-map like never before.

Photo: M. K. Burheim

WESTUM “14 haze later” (7.7%) 5/6

 

 

 

After a good 14 days (and then some), the bearded gent Westum himself, decided to “celebrate”… Or shall we say, mark that day and occation. With the entire world being quarantened up, I suppose it would be a great time to brew a beer, keeping several imprisoned souls happy. The time has come to finally taste it…

Presented in a highly stylish can with fitting label concept, the beers actual colour is light yellow, pouring small head. Hazy and murky indeed. Nose is highly priomising, with light citrusy elements such as lemony hints, pineapple and deep down, tempting distinguishable orange. One will hold back no more.

Perfectly carbonated, light appearance with remarkable bitterness that stings for a good while. As for taste elements, it’s overall hoppy, more so emphazizing bitterness than the more typhical-in-haze, fruityness that defuses the “hop-attack”, enhances by pine needles. It’s still containing those fruity elements in a developed scale, with crescendo in the aftertaste, blending orange and bitter hops perfectly. Stunning. I for one, will not complain as long as beverages like this in my hand now, is within reach.

 

 

 

Photo: M. K. Burheim

TREE HOUSE «Summer» (8,1%) 5/6

In all fairness: Having just been through “Triple Nelson Daydream” from Other Half, which was a very very good beer, expectations could’ve been lower, mildly put (almost unfair to not mention: I’d give it the same rating as this one… but already consumed).

Word on the street is huge. Having been around a couple of them now (and then some), I am awakened by the incredibly fruity nose here. It’s indeed summery. Peach, mango and mandarines… and moreover, vanilla comes to mind. The presence is stunningly beautiful like a good hazy NEIPA should be, the head is creamy and depth colour-wise. Enough chit chat- what does it taste like, this thing?

First associations is freshness. There’s good carbonation going on, vibrant but subtle fruity, hoppy notes. But midway a sweet layer, but what really makes this one strong is that clean, bitter sting before rounding off with a fruity end. Slowly fading into nothingness, after a lengthy aftertaste. There’s very little to improve here, that’s for sure.

Very f’ing good.

 

Photo: (*TheEvenMoreDelicious) M.K. Burheim