Another of the beers that my Dad picked up from Ghostfish Brewing Company via Taylor’s Gluten Free Beer Network (link down below). This is ‘Kick Step’ an IPA brewed in celebration of Washington State hops, where the brewery is based. So this is hopefully going to be a classic West Coast style beer and a little change from the New England IPA heavy reviews I’ve been putting out recently.

Pours a lovely bronze, amber colour that’s fairly clear. A very fresh nose on this one reminding me of orchard fruits and citrus. Stunning hop to this beer that brings forward complex mango and citrus flavours throughout the body. Fantastic carbonation level really pushes those flavours around. In true West Coast style there is a punchy bitterness but one, that I’d argue, is not too overbearing.

A quick note on the can art: Shows a mountaineer climbing. The crisp, freshness in the beer is reflected in the can art.

This is a ridiculously solid West Coast IPA and you would not notice that it is in fact 100% gluten free. They’ve used malted and brown rice as a substitute but at the end of the day it’s what you do with those hops – and they’ve done a great job. Complex and fruity, with that crisp biting bitterness adding a really nice kick at the end. I am quickly seeing why my Dad enjoyed his time in Seattle!

Score: 8/10

Thanks for reading! Cheers!

Additional Information:

• Hops: Cascade, Simcoe, Bravo
• Malt: Malted rice, Malted millet, Malted buckwheat
• IBU: 60
• ABV: 5.5%
• Gluten Free: Yes!
• Vegan: Yes!
• Purchase Price: £2.80
• Purchase Location: https://taylorsgfbeers.co.uk/product-category/ghostfish/