Pine Brewing Ruthless Rattlesnake DWCIPA

Style: Double West Coast IPA
Brewery: Pine Brewing Co
Origin: Halland
Size: 44cl
Alcohol: 8%
Price: 50kr
Systembolaget: 31171

Based in Falkenberg, the company was founded in 2014 and began releasing beer in 2015. Pine Brewing was until recently known as Pine Ridge Brewing but changed their name due to another business already having that name in the USA. They operate a taproom called The Zoo and currently have a yearly capacity of 300,00 litres. They won “Årets Svenska Bryggeri” (Swedish Brewery of the Year) in 2023. This has been hopped with Simcoe, Centennial, Citra and Magnum, with a malt base of Pilsner, Carahell, Carapils, Carared and Munich Malt 1. After years of growth and with a reputation for great beer, it seemed the obvious choice to have the Halland beer representative come from Pine Brewing.

This had a crisp and clear amber colour with medium carbonation and body for the style. Big pine, sap and grapefruit peel notes appeared first in the aroma along with a subtle hint of caramel malt. A big resin note hit first in the taste, with the pine needle and bitter fruit peel just behind. After sipping, the chest was warmed and gave a heat that was never harsh. The aftertaste lingered with the intense hoppy notes leaving the palate dry.

This was a big but extremely well crafted Double West Coast IPA that is a great example of the style. The hops were at the forefront but there was still enough room for the malt to shine. A well balanced and enjoyable beer!