Pretty Things/Naparbier There’s No Place Like There

While many breweries focus their collaborations efforts locally, Somerville, MA-based Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project will brew beers with like-minded allies from around the world. Their most recent partnership is with Naparbier, a brewery based near Pamplona, Spain. Pretty Things brews mostly European style beers, while Naparbier brews mostly popular American styles, which presents the type of interesting dichotomy that can fuel a successful association. Their collaboration is called There’s No Place Like There, a bold American style double IPA. The beer was brewed with a variety of pale malts and then loaded with Citra, Chinook, Comet and El Dorado hops. It is available on draft and in 22 oz. bottle for a limited time, once it’s gone it’s gone. This is actually the most frustrating thing about collaboration beers, if you find one you love it probably won’t be around for long. I still miss the Pretty Things/Boulevard Stingo, a very unique beer that I only got to drink 2-3 times before the batch was done.

Pretty Things/Naparbier There’s No Place Like There pours a bright tangerine, hazy with a minimal off-white head. The smell is a huge dose of American hops, but more woodsy/earthy than citrusy/fruity on the nose. The taste also starts with the hops, some pine, earth and grass followed by a little lemon and orange. The hops also add some tongue-numbing bitterness. I mean that in a good way, you want a double IPA to assault your senses a little. The malt is present, enough to add a little balance to the beer, but way more muted than you normally find in a Pretty Things beer. There’s No Place Like There packs some punch at 9.5% ABV, but you don’t get much alcohol in the flavor. The combination of the booze and a full body makes this more of a sipper, but it goes down pretty smooth with a delicious bitter finish. This beer is ridiculously good, just what I look for in a double IPA. I recommend grabbing a bottle if you can still find it, I don’t imagine it will last for much longer! Hoppy Boston score: 4.75/5.

Previous Pretty Things Reviews:

Pretty Things Grampus, Pretty Things Barbapapa, Pretty Things Meadowlark, Pretty Things/Yeastie Boys Our Turn, Your Turn.