Tuatara Double Trouble

For maximum enjoyment please put on your dichromic 3D glasses now.

Isn't that a beaut glass! Zed gave it to me for Christmas.

I have lusted after this beer for so long and I am not disappointed. Some people might say "Never meet your heroes/idols" It just spoils the illusion. You discover they are just human, flawed jaded and impatient. But thats people. ALWAYs drink your aspirational beers. ALWAYS!

This sat in my fridge for FIVE days before I opened it. Just what justified the breaching of this idolised beer? First day back at work of course. Nothing to do all day and I didn't even get let go early. Bah! Its a shocking 4.6 standard drinks per bottle. So work tomorrow may be considerably more interesting.

As soon as the cap popped off I knew I was going to be a happy girl, immediate pine notes were wafting through the air. I love pine in an IPA. There's also hints of tropical fruit, like a slightly green mango. Something resinous is slightly stinging the nostrils, its extremely stimulating. And there's a sweetness, is it hop aroma? Passionfruit? Or caramel malt notes shining through. Perhaps the alcohol? At a whopping 9% its packing a spicy sweet punch on the nose.

On the pour, the colour is certainly more impressive than the head. Its a very beautiful glowing copper/amber/gold, Yes all three of those things mashed together in a beautiful hue.

The first sip has hints of anxiety. I want this beer to be good. I want the aroma to match the flavour. I want so much! The first mouthful bounces around the tongue, zinging, coating the roof of my mouth  and hitting all the tastebuds. Its a confusing mash of so many flavours. I love the intensity and interestingly its not as perceptively bitter as the label suggests (167 IBU). The malts have been chosen carefully to blend so well and give the alcohol required to accommodate all these hops.There's definite grapefruit and pine flavours, and lots of little bits of everything else. Eventually the malts are overwhelmed by the oily hops, the more you drink the more bitterness shines through. This bottle is so intense of flavour it can last you well. Definitely something to savour.

Its a beautiful beer, challenging for the average player but worth a purchase for any hop fan. I will be buying this again!

Here's another shot, just because.