Murrays Big Wednesday IPA tapped in Darlo today

Being a Wednesday, we thought it was a good idea to tap Murray's Brewing's new seasonal - Big Wednesday IPA. Apologies for St Kilda fans!

Here's the vital statistics beind the beer:

Murray’s Big Wednesday Summer IPA’s vital statistics are that it is 6.1% ABV with an original gravity of 1061.

It is a different kind of IPA to our Icon 2IPA – it is 1.5% lighter in alcohol, and it is a bit paler in colour – a ‘summer’ IPA. It uses a lot less of the richer caramel flavours from Crystal malt than the Icon in its malt bill. It is also unusual in that I used no standard bittering hop addition at all in the brewing process – all the ‘bitterness’ in the beer is coming from the aggressive hop flavour from the late hop additions rather than traditionally ‘measurable’ bitterness from earlier additions to the boil.

There is an aggressive hop flavour balanced by a biscuity malt character from the blend of British and German malts. The aroma is an aggressive blend of citrus and spice – almost passionfruit character and the finish is relatively dry for a beer of this ABV.

For all this hop flavour the beer just maintains its balance and has great drinkability.

And here is Shawn (Head Brewers) notes;

Basically it is a bit of fun for me – small batch brewing, draught only. As it says below it is meant as a different kind of Ipa – different to both our Icon double Ipa and many other available Ipas. It is pushing hop flavour and aroma and using the ‘perceived’ bitterness that comes from big late hop additions to the boil, rather than the big back palate bitterness more usually associated with the IPA style from the earlier boil additions. It is also using fresh whole hop flowers/cones as well as pellets throughout the mash, lauter, boil and dry hopped into the fermenter. It is inspired more by the US Ipa styles than the British but there is nothing from the US in the brew – British and German Malts, British yeast and a blend of fresh Pacifica, Motueka and Riwaka from NZ. If people are looking for big mouth puckering bitterness this isn’t the beer for them.

It is all about the fresh hop flavour and aroma – something it has lots of! A Summer IPA, and something a little bit different.