Be Kind Rewind DDH IPA by Mountain Culture Beer Co

This week’s beer comes from the Blue Mountains and Katoomba’s Mountain Culture Beer Co.  It’s a mouthful of punchy hoppy haze called Be Kind Rewind DDH IPA.

My first introduction to Mountain Culture was a sample pack of their beers a good mate of mine got me for my birthday this year.  The beers were all damn good and the Double Red IPA has made the blog previously.  So when work took me to the Blue Mountains this past week, I made sure to squeeze a stop at Mountain Culture into the schedule.  As it was midweek, the taproom was unfortunately not open.  But they had a fridge full of some of their harder to find offerings, and I took full advantage.

A bit of cursory research (i.e. reading the back of the can) shed some light on the slightly odd beer name.  Apparently, it’s a bit of an homage to the fact that, in a previous life, Mountain Culture’s current home was one of Australia’s last Civic Video locations.  I do love a good backstory.

Be Kind Rewind pours out as a hazy golden glass of awesome.  Just from appearances, you might expect a swig of huge juiciness.  While there is definitely some solid juicy flavour there, it’s not as strong as you might anticipate from the cloudiness.  My favourite part of this beer (and if I’m being honest, any beer) is the hoppy bite.  It’s by no means overpowering, but it is a very solid kick the perfectly complements the juiciness.  It reminds me of La Boca from Urbanaut and Freedom Units from Hawkers.  All three are hazy, but on the hoppy side of hazy.  Bottom line is that Be Kind Rewind is just a delicious beer.  If you like a hazy or an IPA you are going to like Be Kind Rewind.

Mountain Culture are doing some excellent things up in Katoomba.  I’m seriously looking forward to the opportunity to visit when the tasting room is open so I can have a crack at their entire range.