The Kernel India Pale Ale Simcoe, 7% abv
So I had this dream. I was wandering through a meadow, tall grass and wildflowers swaying with the gentle breeze, distant songbirds gettin’ their groove on, kitten sized bumblebees bumbling about and tipping a wing in a cheery “ey up”, when suddenly the ground rose. Or rather, sections of the ground rose, and under these clumps of turf were people. Naked but for the old time Hollywood stars tattoos that covered their scrawny bodies, they had grass and wildflowers growing out of their bizarrely flat topped heads. Before I could utter a single expletive I was knocked over by other grass-tops hiding behind me and pinned to the ground, flat on my back. “Whatthefudge!?!” I screeched, as a particularly gangly grass-top with a full chest Marilyn Monroe tattoo lifted a huge Danish long axe above his head and aimed it at mine. “Chill, dude. We jus’ gotta take a few inches offa th’ top o’ your head so we can lay the turf. Then y’ can be like us. Cool, eh?” he drawled. “No you total dick it’s not cool, this is my very favourite head…” As the axe dropped I lamented my poor negotiating skillz before jolting awake with a blood curdling wail and falling out of bed.
I don’t usually remember my dreams but this happened a couple of weeks ago and I’m still a little freaked out by it, so I decided to try a proven remedy, one of the diabolically delicious elixirs from old London town’s mystical hop whispers at The Kernel Brewery. The particular bottle of wonder is an American style IPA chock full of Simcoe hops, sounds good.
The ale poured the colour of realised birthday wishes, the head enthusiastic and displaying remarkable stamina. Aromas of orange, papaya, wind tousled pines, and old things thought lost punch dance their little hearts out. The taste is nothing short of swoon inducing. Tangerines, peel an’ all, lemon zest, dead flowers, woodland after rainfall. The bittersweet balance is evenly split, it’s soft, creamy and effortlessly easy drinking.
The Kernel’s ever changing line of US inspired IPA’s are near legendary amongst the growing ranks of craft beer fans all across Europe, and this one can stand shoulder to shoulder with their other hoptastic triumphs. The fruity yet woodsy nature of the Simcoe hops used exclusively for this beer are masterfully wrangled, the malts are there but subdued, respectfully supporting the headliner without stealing any of the thunder. It’s a fruity, woody, juicy, nightmare bashing triumph of a brew and the finest Simcoe single hop IPA I’ve yet tried. I just wanna drink it ‘til it seeps from my pores. Cheers!
