Wow there’s a lot of flavour in this transatlantic beer. It’s been dry-hopped three separate times, and, on first sip, it’s a full on West Coast IPA – loads of hop aromas of citrus, resin and grapefruit, but they are curbed by a malty sweetness that is reminiscent of caramel cake. A firm bitterness lingers long and clean. You won’t need two of these to see why it has back-to-back wins at the Great American Beer Festival, but you’ll want them.

US brewery Rogue have started their own ‘Rogue Farms’ where they grow, among much other produce, hops and malts. Four of the hop varietals, grown by Rogue, go into this beer (nice touch with the 4.44% ABV too) making it a sessionable IPA, an earthy relaxed beer without any of the hefty tropical tastes that often overpowers a West Coast IPA – this is a grounded beer. Brewmaster John Maier described it as the entire Rogue experience in a bottle.

Dutch brewery Kees are fairly new to Beer Hawk and they caught our attention with their richly fl avoured, globle-trotting beers, with some serious twists. Kees Farmhouse IPA is no exception. It’s an intensely hopped IPA with a classic saison funk. It’s dry and eff ervescent. The pithy orange and juicy tropical fruit fl avours are joined by savoury notes of freshly baked bread and a strong herbal bitterness which lingers on the palate.