The US Brewers Association recently recognized New Zealand Pale Ale as a new beer style, but I had never come across anything labeled as such in Madrid. Sure, it doesn't have to be made in New Zealand, like NEIPA it's just the name of the style, not a denomination of origin. Still, it was with surprise and delight I found one, the last one in stock it seems, standing proudly on the shelf at La Buena Pinta. It's an Irish beer it turns out, from O Brother Brewing, so at least we know it's a product of people who have reverence for their beer. Let's give hOptical a whirl.
Very foamy, maybe excessively so, but with a pleasing piny scent. It's pretty cloudy, sort of a rusty gold. Sticking your nose closer gives you a whiff of mandarins and touch of sourness, but a pickly kind of sour more than a fruity kind. The first impression is definitely tropical. The flavor is juicy, with hints of citrus, mango, and perhaps cucumber, so an undeniable summer drink. There's some underlying vinegar there too, which gives the beer a bite, but doesn't really seem out of place with such light and fresh flavors. Another point in its favor as a refreshing beverage on a scorching day is its lack of aftertaste or heavy feel. It is extremely light in the mouth and when you swallow it's just gone. Like a summer breeze, which you might wish would stick around just a little while longer.
Price: €5.50
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