Hairyman Brewery IXPA

Hairyman’s IXPA is an approachable pale ale that balances malt character with citrus hops.

Hairyman’s IXPA was the brewery’s 9th creation, hence the name. On the can it even spells out “NINE IXPA”.

IXPA pours a deep golden colour bordering on amber. There’s an off white head that billows upwards before descending back down the glass.

It possesses prominent malt flavours which seems to be a characteristic of many Hairyman beers. They’re not afraid of using a fair amount of grain in their recipes. It’s a refreshing change to the current norm but something that maybe isn’t quite in synch with current trends and demands for light and hop-forward beers.

Flapjack & Orange Marmalade

That said, this beer is balanced and clean. Aside from the toffee and flapjack flavours from the malt there’s a strong orange pith flavour which enhances the bitterness that lingers through the mid-palate and long after the finish.

This orange pith flavour evolves into sticky orange marmalade. It’s rich and bittersweet. The hops used to deliver this are Cascade and Pacifica but the strong bitter orange flavour is most likely from the Cascade.

The beer finishes quite dry but there are lingering flavours that are reminiscent of English ale yeast. Perhaps it’s the malt character that gives that impression but there are certainly dark fruit notes towards the end of the beer.

I, XPA

IXPA weighs in at 5.2% ABV which is about right for this type of beer. It’s pretty much a pale ale but maybe a little bit more full on in terms of flavour, earning it the XPA label.

It would go deliciously with a lamb and rosemary pie with shortcrust pastry. Obviously, it would need to be served with thick cut chips and a rich gravy.

Have you tried Hairyman IXPA? Leave a comment and share your thoughts on slightly malty pale ales and XPAs like this.