When it comes to the Illawarra Brewing Company's Apocalypso IPA, I feel like I’ve written about it quite a few times over the years.
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That’d be because it’s one of my favourite IBC beers. Oh sure, they bring in something new all the time and I like those beers too – but I always come back to this IPA.
It was first released back in 2013 and, if I remember correctly, it was to fill the IPA gap in the brewery’s line-up.
IPAs were becoming huge and not having one was a situation that needed to be rectified.
It’s been tinkered with off and on since then, with both the bitterness and alcohol count gradually increasing.
For instance, it started out as a 5.7 per cent beer back in 2013 and this latest version clocks in at 7 per cent.
Also, the name came from the inclusion of Calypso hops but, given the inconsistent availability of hop varieties (they are an agricultural product, remember), I’m sure there are times Calypso hasn’t been able to be included.
There’s been another key change this time around too – Apocalypso is the latest beer to join the IBC’s packaging range.
While most of the range have been canned, the Apocalypso comes in a 640ml bottle.
Despite all these changes, Apocalypso still remains a solid, balanced beer.
It starts with pineapple and pine aromas and then, when you take a sip, you get those pine characters upfront.
From the mid-palate to the back-end there’s an impressive bitterness but one that never overbalances things to make this a bitter monster.
Finally, a word of caution – with that alcohol count, a bottle of Apocalypso can pack a bit of a bunch.
So maybe share it with someone – or, if you’re like me and you can’t do that and want to keep it all to yourself, then drink it slowly.
Glen Humphries is the 2016 AIBA Australian Beer Writer of the Year and author of The Slab.