Aether Brewing is an independent brewery in Northgate, Brisbane, and this English IPA is a deliberate step back from modern hop overload towards the malt driven, yeast led character of the original style.
It pours deep copper red beneath a soft off white head. Rich caramel, toffee and biscuit malt come forward first, followed by subtle orange marmalade and soft stone fruit esters drawn from the River Trent yeast, used here in a collaboration with Mogwai Labs.
On the palate, layers of caramel and toasted biscuit roll through the front while a smooth bitterness from traditional English hops keeps everything in check. Fresh Fuggle brings a gentle herbal edge, and light citrus and stone fruit lift the finish, which lands clean and structured with a lingering bitterness.