For the Love of IPA!

Today I found myself craving a good IPA so ventured to my favourite bottle shop. In my home town of Mordialloc, there's a little bottle shop called Mordialloc Cellar Door which stocks an amazing selection of wine and craft beer. Most of the beers are from local breweries which is excellent. It means that if I don't have time to go to a brewery, I can swing past the shop and grab a local brew. And the staff and owner try everything that comes through their door, so can offer you real advice about what they have in stock.

Mr Banks Brewing Co. While there today I discovered a couple of beers that had just been added to their selection. These were beers from a brewery called Mr Banks Brewing Co. I'd never heard of this brewery before, so was incredibly surprised to discover that the brewery is located in Seaford, Victoria, which is a suburb only a few minutes south from Mordialloc. The team at Mr Banks have been brewing since 2016, so they're relatively new to the craft beer scene. But they already have a decent range of beers on offer which is excellent to see. My bottle shop stocks two IPAs from this brewery, so since I hadn't tried them before I grabbed both.

Mr Banks India Pale Ale

The first of the two was a nice and simple IPA. The beer pours a bright amber colour with a mild haze. It pours with a bright granular head and I was immediately hit with aromas of tropical fruits. On the palate the beer has a moderately high level of carbonation, a dry mouthfeel and the fruits follow through along with a good level of hops intensity and bitterness.

This was a good and refreshing IPA. It met all the usual expectations that come with an IPA from a small craft brewer. The is a great beer, but comes with no surprises. So if you're looking for a good quality IPA then this is the perfect beer for you, just don't expect any surprises.

Wheeze the Juice

Wheeze the Juice is a New England IPA. The brewers state that it is a hazy IPA, and it's definitely that. The beer pours with a large, white head that lingers only for a short while.

The aroma is of sweet fruits and slightly milder than the previous IPA. The carbonation is also less intense, but well balanced. On the palate the fruit flavours follow through and you'll be surprised at the intensity of the bitterness. This bitterness slightly overpowers the flavours of hops however not in a bad way. The bitterness and fruit flavours lingers on your palate long after your sip, which is pleasant and refreshing. I could quite easily sip on this beer all night. It's an excellent beer and disappeared all too quickly.

Overall Assessment Overall, I am very pleased to have discovered yet another craft brewery that is so close to my home. And even more pleased to find that they make two IPAs that are well worth drinking.

If I were to choose between the two I would probably go with the Mr Banks IPA. This IPA is everything you want in an IPA and was highly enjoyable. I think I'll have to find some time to head down to this brewery in the coming weeks. They have a stout and some darker beers that look very interesting. Keep an eye out for a review from this brewery in the very near future.

The Beer Data Beer | Type | Origin | ABV | Rating -------|--------|---------|-------|------------ Mr Banks IPA | IPA | Seaford, Vic | 6.4% | 4.2 Wheeze the Juice | NEIPA | Seaford, Vic | 6.1% | 4.0 _{All ratings are out of 5}

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