Wayward Red IPA

Wayward Red IPA is a hoppy red ale. It’s the rebranded and updated version of Charmer.

Wayward’s Charmer was one of the brewery’s original and most loved beers. It was a readily available and locally produced beer that packed in an enormous amount of flavour into a relatively low price point. It had become something of a Sydney stalwart.

Wayward Brewing Co. rebranded in late 2018, launching a new core range in newly designed cans. They brought a Pilsner and Everyday Ale into the new lineup and rebranded Sourpuss as Raspberry Berliner Weisse. Oatis was soon renamed India Pale Ale, and Charmer has now received similar treatment with a snazzy new can and a much simpler and straightforward name.

Like A Charmer

Like with Charmer, Wayward’s Red IPA pours a beautiful ruby colour.

The base of this beer is deliciously malty. It packs in caramel-toffee like flavours, with a light malted milk sweetness and subtle undertones of peppery spice.

Despite, or possible because of this malt base, the hops are able to sing. It packs in Amarillo, Simcoe and Galaxy hops. Bracing grapefruit, mouth-watering passionfruit, and a fresh piney green-ness are all combined into a complex and exciting palate.

The hops initially hit you on the nose but carry through. First there’s a squeeze of pink grapefruit, then sweet dessert-like passionfruit before a drying bitterness, lingering pine needles and a organic sappy sensation.

It finishes nice and clean and dry. The malt flavours and bitterness combine and dance on the tongue providing a wonderfully lengthy aftertaste that entices you back for another sip.

A New Beer For 2019

This beer has changed quite a bit from the older iterations of Charmer. It’s higher in alcohol now, clocking in at 6.5% making it more IPA than red ale. The hops are different and the bitterness has also been dialled up a notch. It could still be paired with food but perhaps the range of complementary pairings has been limited by the increased bitterness.

That said, this new version of the beer retains incredible balance. It’s going to be one that wins a lot of fans. It’s not so much a replacement for Charmer but carries the baton into 2019 for a beer that was well loved but now retired.

If you like this try Akasha’s Fire Within Amber Ale, Modus Operandi’s Former Tenant, or Philter’s Red Session Ale.

Have you tried Wayward’s Red IPA? Do you think it’s changed much from the original Charmer? Leave a comment and share your thoughts on the beer.