Nelson Bays Bengal Bitter

Brewed by Nelson Bays Brewery
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Tahunanui, New Zealand

Bottle. Pours a dark amber with a thick off-white head. Very malt-forward aroma, toasty and biscuity. Sweet toasty caramel malt is the dominant player here, not much in the way of aromatics—mostly earthy and slightly vegetal, but lots of bittering hops in the finish. Not a bad stab at the English style IPA, but a tad unbalanced.

Bottle, pours a dark gingerish amber witha white frothy head. Some caramal in the understated malty aroma. A flavourless malty palate, with only a slight bitterness in the swallow. Where’s the hops. It’s not bad, but there is nothing there to really rate either.

(Bottle 33 cl) Hazy, amber golden with a small, rough, off-white head. Aroma of citrus and a little caramel. Medium body with a lightly sweet caramel base, a little peach and citrus and a vague bitterness. This has some potential if only the brewery dared to tune up the hops a little. 200208

Tasted in New Zealand. Dark amber and a little hazy look. Short head. Fruity taste. Good bitter hops in the aftertaste.

330 ml bottle. Slightly cloudy copper colouring. Perhaps malt more dominant than hops. Perhaps lighten the grain bill - op bitterness apparent but could be more dominant. Unfortunately a touch too much diacatyl. Would like to re-rate.

Bottled. Dark reddish amber, rich dense head. Rich grapefruity hop aroma. Medium sweet with near full body and chewy mouthfeel. Dominated by hops, but not in the American way. Here the aromas are more restrained and complex and the bitterness might not reach higher than 25-30 IBU, allowing caramel malt and honey melon to shine through. A good showpiece of the rich beer scene in Nelson.

Looks like beer, taste, smells and looks like soap. The worst beer I have ever had rerated 27 AUG 06 Dark amber in colur with thick cream.Mild malty hop aroma. Balance of hops and malt to leave mild bitter taste. Hint of honey in mouh feel. Much better than last batch