To accompany my Pub Spotlight today I’ve also got a review! I recently signed up to online bottle shop ‘Premier Hop’ and their unique Instagram subscription service. A whole load of beers arrived and the first I’m going for is a collaboration between Cheltenham based DEYA and Premier Hop themselves to celebrate the bottle shop’s second birthday! I’ve heard incredible things about DEYA so I was excited to try ‘Shades On’ a 6.8% IPA.

Visually the beer pours a super hazy gold bullion colour with a snowy white head on top. On the nose you can a massive explosion of tropical smells that it’s like opening a tin of fruit salad. The definition of a soft mouthfeel on this beer. Flavour wise, it’s a grapefruit like hop on the body with a touch peach. The finish is soft and silky with a moreish bitterness that brings you back.

A quick note on the can art: From what I can tell all the art is drawn by Thom Hobson. The characters used and the style is really wonderful and unique. Certainly stands out and is unmistakable.

I’m not only glad that DEYA lived up to the hype with the first beer I’ve tried, I’m glad Premier Hop got a stunning brew to celebrate their birthday. There’s a lot going on with this beer. The hops are used very well to provide a great balance of flavours and aromas that are appetising and tasty. What really sells me however, is how soft the texture of this beer is! It also isn’t overly boozy despite the almost 7% ABV content. A great introduction to DEYA!

Score: 9/10

Thanks for reading! Cheers!

Additional Information:

• Hops: Nelson Sauvin, Rakau, Citra
• Malt: Not Available
• IBU: Not Available
• ABV: 6.8%
• Gluten Free: No
• Vegan: Yes!
• Purchase Location: Premier Hop