Starr Hill Shade
This is the thing with the beer world. It moves quickly. In the short time that I have taken a bit of a step back from blogging and reviewing as actively as I used to, there is now a new IPA “style” hitting shelves. Starr Hill has their take on the Kveik IPA with Shade, a 7% ABV brew that utilized the trendy Norwegian yeast strain.
In addition to the Hornindal yeast, Shade also employs a fairly healthy amount of Citra, Mosaic and El Dorado hop varieties. The result is a beer that is aromatically enticing with a welcome blend of tangerine, peppery yeast and soft mango notes to go along with a catty edge and gentle funkiness.
Those same traits also appear in the flavor profile, though the fruit isn’t quite as pronounced — which I personally prefer. The yeast comes out a bit more with a uniqueness that is hard to describe. Sure, there’s a bit of rustic nature and funkiness similar to a saison or farmhouse strain, but it’s not quite the same. A gentle peppery tingle and dryness persists long after the soft fruit blend as faded.
I thoroughly enjoyed Starr Hill’s Shade. It carried a solid IPA flavor profile on the backbone of that uniquely wonderful yeast. The earthy nature, soft funk and dryness suited the beer well. This is definitely one to check out if you’re looking for an IPA that’s a bit different than all the rest.
This is a review of a promotional sample.