這裡分享一款非常、非常沉穩傑出的單一品種酒花+跨文化交流的『自由式』IPA~~ 很久很久沒有這種覺得沒甚麼需要多說廢話評論的感覺了... 品酒筆記如下，供參考。

The Kernel, India Pale Ale (Columbus), 7.2%abv. (American IPA)

Purchased at the Kernel Brewery in London recently; bottle-conditioned in a 330ml brown bottle, bottled on 26/03/2013, BB 26/07/2013, served cool in Tripel Karmeliet’s branded stemmed flower bulb-shaped goblet.

4/5 Appearance: pours a murky, dark orangey golden hue, coming with very fine carbonation and a well-lasting 2cm layer of off-white frothy head on the top.

4/5 Smell: smelling a bit like Nelson Sauvin hop variety actually, the fruitiness comes with a pinch of salt, showing notes of preserved citrus, gooseberries, passion fruits, lemony sauvignon blanc, etc.; a very good swirl brings up the underlying sweet floral, almost elderflower-like, aroma and a raw-ish note as of yeastiness, while the uplifting and refreshing hop aroma is underlined by an intensified flow of pale malts. All in all very, very pleasant with a good level of complexity on display.

4/5 Taste: healthily carbonated, the foretaste is soothingly gristy malty with a wonderful acidic floral and citric-rich fruity edge, followed by a deep-cutting undercurrent of very tangy and chewy bitterness impacting the rear of the tongue. The aftertaste and palate is dry, tannic, resinous at the same time, with a wee touch of mango-ish undertone lingering in the long finish.

4/5 Mouthfeel & 4.5/5 Overall: the mouthfeel remains refreshing due to the healthy feed of carbonation, the body is medium according to the alc. content, and the flavour balance clearly gears towards the hop side, presenting a slightly unbalanced profile overall but, well, this is the Kernel’s take on the historical/modern/futuristic free-(beer)-style, “IPA”! It’s everyone’s cup of tea nowadays and anyone’s free to interpret it in one’s unique way, it seems… Anyway, personally I find it very delicious, very bitter, and very aromatic throughout. A very, very good beer.

--Yau (tasted 25/04/2013, notes transcribed 25/05/2013)