Easy Answers IPA, Burning Sky

Easy Answers IPA Burning Sky 6%

Yes, folks, it’s another IPA but this one is so good – if a trifle pricy – that it’s my pick of the month.

Burning Sky, based at Firle, East Sussex, was launched in 2013 by Mark Tranter with a 15-barrel plant. Mark was one of the founders of Dark Star – good move, Mark, as Dark Star was bought by Fuller’s and is now owned by Japanese giant Asahi.

As well as conventional beers, Mark has a great love of Belgian ales. He has installed oak foudres for ageing beer and has added a coolship to make spontaneously-fermented beers in the Lambic style.

Easy Answers sounds like a Brit version of American session IPAs except the ABV is high. The hops are all American: Centennial, Chinook and Simcoe. It has a hazy gold colour and a spicy cumin aroma with restrained tropical fruit and honey malt. There’s a fine balance of honey malt, bitter and spicy hops and ripe fruit on the palate followed by a dry, bitter, hoppy and spicy finish balanced by biscuit malt and bittersweet fruit.

£3.60 for a 440ml can: www.burningsky.com/product/easy-answers-2/

Also available from KWM Wines & Spirits and Kwoff.