New England India Pale Ales (NEIPA) are traditionally very juicy with tropical and citrus fruit on the palate and with a rich gold but hazy colour. They are not to be drunk in vast quantities but to be savored because of their complex tastes and fullness.
Richmond Hill Brewing Company (RHBC) have just produced a Vanilla NEIPA which they have called OCTO X Ale.
Niall Cook, the master brewer at RHBC certainly knows his trade and I always look forward to tasting his new wares. Thus on a lazy Good Friday afternoon my girlfriend I sampled the OCTO X Ale in accompaniment with a cheese platter.
I am pleased to report that the OCTO X Ale is delicious. Each mouthful was zesty and fruity and, although the vanilla was well disguised initially it came through strongly in the finish. It was a perfect complement to our rich cheeses and crispy loaf.
What’s in the OCTO X Ale
There is six percent alcohol by volume and of course vanilla, in this case Madagascar Vanilla Pods. The hops include Citra, Mosaic, Cascade and African Queen and the grain is a mix of wheat and oats. No wonder the taste is complex.
I asked Niall to give us some insight into his brewing process and he said, “This beer is closely related to our Coastal Cult but made to accentuate the juiciness of a NEIPA a little more. We purposefully kept the bitterness low.”
Niall added, “We also tweaked the water content by adding more chloride to accentuate the malty full bodied flavor. The vanilla is important because it increases mouth feel and gives it a fruit ice cream vibe.”
Label by Rai
As is the tradition at RHBC the labels are usually works of art in their own right.
“A few years ago I was on holiday in Bali and came across a local artist by the name of Rai. I was intrigued by his abstract art as it entangles the passer-by. I really liked his octopus and asked him if he would do a design for a beer label,” says Niall.
You can checkout Rai’s artwork here.
OCTO X Ale may be ordered online here or from the RHBC Taproom off Alabaster Street, Baakens Valley, Gqeberha.
