Squirt Gun Juicy IPA - Real Ale Brewing Review
It feels good to be back under the Hill Country oak trees with Real Ale’s Squirt Gun Juicy IPA. But what is hiding in this juicy IPA? What makes it so special amongst all others? Well, let me tell you.
This frothy brew is an Australian-style IPA filled with Southern Hemisphere hops and fermented with a yeast known for its high-temp tolerance and ester (fruit flavors) productions. And it slides in right down the pipe at the perfect 6.0% ABV and 40 IBUs.
This IPA raises a lot of intrigue with the thought of Galaxy, Vic Secret, and Enigma hops, among others, grown in the Australian soil. Many of these fantastic, coveted, and fruity hop varieties make their way into a lot of our juicy IPAs nowadays, so let’s see which ones we can taste in this Texas brew.
First Impressions:
On the Eyes-- It pours a hazy orange with a dense cream-colored head formation that maintains all the way down the glass with some seductive lacing.
On the Nose-- Very fruity, likely from the ester producing yeast and the hop varieties. I get a fermented almost wine-like aroma which makes me instantly think of Enigma hops, which are an Australian hop similar to Nelson Sauvin out of New Zealand in that they produce grape/wine aromas and flavors. I also get some lighter peach aromas which make me think of Galaxy hops. Either way, it is very light and inviting, and the strong head does a nice job of maintaining that constant wave of aroma.
On the Palate-- Right out of the gate I get a nice rush of sweet fruit, which is followed by a bit of peach and some grape/wine flavors. It has a dry finish that is a great set up for the next blast of fruit. It also has some herbally and spicy flavors that give it some kick. It’s light on citrus to me. It has a smooth mouthfeel and a complexity of tropical flavor to please any drinker in South Texas or Australia alike.
Verdict
This Juicy IPA has a great concept and some even better flavors to back it up. I appreciate the effort Real Ale put into Squirt Gun. I would say it certainly has some punchy Galaxy hops and Enigma hops to add a wine-like flavor. It’s a pleasant drink and I’ll have to go back for another six-pack to discover more in the diverse array of flavors. Check out Real Ale out of Blanco, Texas, if you have the chance. They have something for all.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew