BEERFARM BOONTA NEIPA
Paddle Pops and pints! What I love about them both is how they bring us together. As is the case for this cracking craft.
Origin – Margaret River. Western Australia
ABV- 6%
Size- 375mL can
Style- NEIPA
'All right stop. Collaborate and listen’. Famous words from the world of rap. Somewhat ironically, Vanilla Ice stole the bass line for his one-hit-wonder from Under Pressure – a song that came about, as a result of possibly the best musical collaboration of all time between Queen and David Bowie …taking its place right behind Lil Nas X and Billy Ray's collaboration on Old Town Road!
It isn't just the music world that loves a good collaboration. The fashion industry, never one to be outdone, is also rife with collabs. When Nike partnered with Louis Vuitton to produce ten pairs of sneakers that sold for USD 4000 a throw, NYC's A-listers were lined up around the block. Even the ice cream world has jumped on the trend, with Artisan gelato connoisseurs Gelato Messina coming together with Peters Drumstick to tempt our taste buds with some frozen delicacies. While brewery collaborations have been going on for decades, in recent times, they seem to be in vogue more than a cold NEIPA.
Australia's most notable craft collaboration has likely been the unlikely partnership between Young Henry’s and The Foo Fighters, producing a hazy lager called Foo Town which was sold during the band's tour down under. While some collaborations are commercial arrangements and others PR grabs, when Beerfarm founders Ian Atkins and George Scott joined forces with 22-year-old Daniel Bradshaw, the owner of Perth’s newest streetwear collective, StreetX, it was all about value alignment. With the motto 'Established for the Future', the Beerfarmers, including head brewer Josh Thomas were just as much about supporting local entrepreneurial youth and future thinkers as putting together a cracking ale. That said, they've also done an impressive job at the latter with this Boonta (west coast lingo for 'massive') NEIPA. Loaded with a hop-cocktail of El Dorado, Citra, Sorachi Ace and Magnum, it’s a bespoke IPA with a big, punchy hop aroma, juicy fruit flavours, and a remarkable low bitterness. The light, hazy aesthetic is as enticing on the eye as it is on the palate, while the lighter body and smooth mouthfeel round out what's a wonderfully fresh and fruity collaboration in a can.
If the Beerfarmers team-ups continue to turn out this incredible, forget 'taking the horse to the old town road', they'll all be 'riding down Rodeo in a Maserati sports car!'