9 February 2019

Papa Passionfruit Beer (@edenriverbrewcoGloucester Service Station) By @SpectreUK


We're well into the love month of February with Valentine's Day just around the corner during next week. Most people have or want that special someone in their life, whether it's in a long term relationship, marriage or otherwise, and of course we should always appreciate them not just during this month, but all the time of course. However, February is in fact a loved up month without a doubt. Having said that I always get pretty crazy during the Spring months, but that's another story!

If you're not in a long term relationship, or a bit of the naughty kind (not that I'd encourage that sort of thing, of course, but each to their own) you may meet someone new in any place, for instance whether it's a work or college crush, a quick fumble in a night club, or even that sexy someone at your local gym during the January / February crush (a quick and healthy get fit tip). You never know when that special spark is going to electrify your desires and you meet someone you wish you'd known for years. This is the month… the week in fact… to say "Hello, my name is…" and take it from there. You never know where it's going to take you. Don't do what I used to do when I was a kid and moodily stare longingly at your crush across the other side of the room like someone out of Twilight, it'll more than likely freak them out and result in a restraining order.

You may like to treat them to a drink… "Ah!" You say, "he's finally getting to the point!" This Papa Passionfruit from the Eden River Brew Company could be the one for both of you. I say that, because the last passionfruit beer I tried was so sour it stripped all the hairs off my chest! This 5.9% volume India Pale Ale with passionfruit, as well American Amarillo, Summit and El Dorado Hops could be the key. If not, you can always hum the Tony Christie Amarillo song and stare longingly at your El Dorado crush over the other side of the room.

Another reason I chose this beer today is the crazy design on the can. It reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend at the gym yesterday about my heady art college days. This design was produced by a student at the University of Cumbria, presumably after he'd drank several cans of this Papa Passionfruit!

On opening the can there was a surprisingly refreshing herbal and citrus hoppy smell, with a touch of passionfruit at the back of the aroma. On pouring this pretty fizzy Papa Passionfruit has a shine like solid gold. It's beautiful to behold in my pint glass, I can tell you. The passionfruit smell at the back of the aroma really comes into its own in the initial flavour right the way through almost into the aftertaste. There is passionfruit and a bitter citrus hops flavour to begin with, then comes sweetness from the barley and pale malt, followed by more fruitier passionfruit flavours mixed unsparingly with herbal hops, but then there's this "what was that?" at the end of the flavour that took me joltingly into the aftertaste. I can't describe it really. Its a little like eating the whole passionfruit and then noticing a little peel at the end. It's like a bitter aftershock that made me want to drink some more just to get over the flavour.

Hmm… not sure about the end result of this Papa Passionfruit, but the fun is often in the tasting. After half the pint the sheer strength of the beer made me not really care about the weird flavour jolt anyway!

Happy Valentine's and don't forget to seize the day! ;-)


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