Origin stories. If comic books are to be believed, there needs to be an 'incident' at the beginning of the story that sets someone on the path to heroism.
Think Wolverine's adamantium augmentation, Iron Man's terrorist tinkering and Batman's parents' alleyway assassination.
If this is true of beer, too, then I really don't want to know what happened to the folks at Northern Monk who came up with this.
Brewed as a homage to the origin of the IPA style, with a modern twist in that it's both gluten-free and suitable for vegans. It proves that, in a world of weird and wonderful flavours and innovations, there's nothing wrong with a classic IPA.
Origin: Taste Test
I'm always sceptical of gluten-free beer. Having coeliac's in the family means i'm used to sub-par mimics of great things, but this is a rare instance of something being GF making it better.
It's very crisp, like all good IPAs, but it's also very light. Almost lager-light, with a delicately fruity taste and nose that lends itself to a fragrant aroma.
The fruity-fresh taste is subtle enough that it's a compliment to the beer itself rather than the whole story, adding to the flavour that's very well balanced.
The aftertaste is piney, but again not overpowering which makes it very refreshing and moreish.
Origin: Can Notes
As with most Northern Monk can designs the hooded fella, presumably the Northern Monk himself, takes centre stage.
He's the meet-point of what looks to be a glass-shattering effect which is all designed in shades of various green and white.
It's effective, if not the most innovative. A can that lets the beer do the work which, when the beer is this good, you can get away with.
Buy Origin IPA
You can enjoy this origin story yourself from Honest Brew, where it's just £2.50 for members and £3.09 otherwise.
