Humulus Felida | Noctem Artisans Brasseurs
Score: 88/100 - Very Good
From a 473ml can served cool at 9 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. Canned on 20/10/20 - making this two weeks fresh. I picked up this beer from Brou Ha Ha just over a week ago. My first official Noctem Breview - after having had a few of their IPA's recently, my expectations are set above average.
Appearance (6/6)
The beer pours a hazy pale gold with 3.5cm of moderately dense, frothy, white head which dissipates into a craggy cap within 2+ minutes. Decent lacing and head retention.
Aroma (20/24)
Medium-strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is layered, intriguing, and - of course - hop-forward. Pronounced citrus (lemon + sweet orange) and perfumy cedar take on the lead with milder notes of candied papaya, coconut, and complementary herbs. The dry nose has a light fruity character with moderate grainy-crackery malt. A very interesting combo.
Flavour (35/40)
Strong intensity with sharp-ish balance and pronounced perceived bitterness. The bright palate opens up with citrus (lemon), herbs, and minerals making way for a piquant center where notes of cedar, lemongrass, and herbs are rounded off by low tropical fruit sweetness (papaya + coconut) and a hint of toasted grain. The long finish is strong and sharp-ish with notes of zesty lemon, cedar, herbs, mild coconut oil, and low grainy malt. Fascinating.
Mouthfeel (10/10)
Medium-light body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is crisp and lively with low creaminess, restrained alcohol warming, and an off-dry finish. Very mild astringency with no actual harshness on the palate.
Overall (17/20)
Noctem Artisans Brasseurs' Humulus Felidae is an excellent IPA. Decent appearance with no distinguishable particles in the glass. In order to split hairs, the head could be more dense with better retention - but that's almost trivial. Moving on, the palate fully expresses the unusual, enticing aroma with charming delight! Intriguing layers come together to form a distinctive flavour experience. For example: instead of pine, it's cedar and instead of mango, it's papaya. The herbs are offbeat and topped with coconut. A surprisingly light, clean mouthfeel contributes to a relatively high drinkability. I dig this. Humulus Felidae is a unique, well-executed IPA well worth picking up if you see it. Make sure it's fresh, however. Thus far, I've been impressed by Noctem and I'm looking forward to having more of their beers. Lot's of hops for me lately, so let's hit a stout in our next breview.