He'Brew Genesis Dry Hopped Session Ale

Got to say, it's a good name right off the bat - you know just what you're in for with this one.

And who doesn't like a dry hopped session ale? The racking does wonders for a lot of beers, producing that hop character we all love without the potential of alienating newcomers with monstrous IBUs.

This delivers a nice amber body with a sedate but nonconfronting aroma. It's good looking and would easily fit in atop a hardwood counter outside on a summer's day.

Taste is what matters in the end though so it's pleasing to confirm this one hits the mark there too. It's quite malty for a hopforward beer, delivering a bit of biscuity caramel in there in line with the hue it's got going on. The effect is kind of like a hoppy Australian ESB or similar and it's certainly a combination that works to produce a beer that's interesting and non-fatiguing: in other words, exactly what they seem to have been going for.

Nothing revolutionary here but a solid concept well executed. Good stuff. 7.5

He'Brew Hop Manna IPA

A bottle with presence, and the by-now almost common promise of hops - but just 6.8% and 65IBU.

I like the label design / presentation from these guys - it's strong, and distinct. Pleasingly, the beer itself delivers on that front too in terms of appearance and presentation - great nose, likely the product of a strong dry hopping regime consisting of centennial, cascade and citra as prominently displayed on label space A1.

From the first sip this is genuinely tasty stuff - not the overwhelming IPA that's become almost the norm in America, but a more balanced suite of flavours including a number of peppery spicy notes in the middle. When you're at this midstage it's almost leaning one almost toward hoppy APA territory, but then a lovely late wash of hops push it pleasingly into IPA territory.

Yum.. this is a truly well balanced brew, really compelling stuff all around. It's not berserk by any means but well judged clearly to style.. shows a great understanding of beer and brewing ability. There's a plethora of hop additions here and a really nicely tipped malt platform that leaves me thinking 'nah this doesn't actually need to be bigger' while still providing a solid body that doesn't overwhelm the starring hops.

For what it's trying to do - ie not just "MOAR OF EVERYTHING" - this is a purposeful, deliberate beer that is just a massive success, and there's not a lot I'd improve. Very impressive indeed. 9.0

HeBrew Messiah Bold

These guys are pretty tied to the whole Jewish beers shtick, with much punning and merriness throughout the labeling.

Lucky for us they also make pretty good beer, as evidenced by their first effort.

This is labeled as bold but it is in many ways a very pleasant and easygoing beer. It pours quite dark with a thin tan layer of foam and produces a gentle nose of dark roast and predominately sweet caramel.

Taste-wise it's not as sweet as you've come to fear and in fact quite a light mouthfeel. Roast light coffee is the primary driver before it ends with a similarly light nutty finish. I feel like it vaguely, just vaguely, references its big brother somewhere in there.

It's pretty good and very drinkable this - just lacking some of the depth or breadth of flavour that you might expect from a 'bold' brown ale. I expect it's pretty sessionable too but if you're after a lounging contemplative flavoursome brown, look elsewhere. 6.5

HeBrew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A.

Garrgh I hate the name. And the bottle, both its design and the way it's upside down.

Still, this came with a recommendation and it was filled high in the bottle.

Rye and malt dominate the start but it ramps up nicely into a fair whack of hop presence here too. There's a bit of alcohol there as would be expected from the 10% ABV but it's not badly hidden by any stretch, the bitterness and development of the beer mean it's a companion, not a foe.

I quite enjoyed the stroll through this beer, given the strength of it. A much better option than the Spartacus. 7.5 .. nearly 8.0 ..