Artzi Moladati ➯ A New England IPA from Chalutz Chadash

Artzi Moladati, a New England IPA
from the Chalutz Chadash Brewery:
Like all IPAs, it should be drunk 
as fresh as possible. 

The second "Protest Beer" I drank from the Chalutz Chadash ("New Pioneer") Brewery in Beersheva is named Artzi Moladati ("My Country, My Homeland").  It's called a New England IPA, leading the drinker to expect a very cloudy appearance, powerful fruity hop aromas and flavors without much bitterness, and a creamy or "juicy" mouthfeel.        

(You can read about the first "Protest Beer" I drank, Bira v'Am Ha'aretz, and what these beers are protesting, by clicking here.) 

Here again, Chalutz Chadash owner and brewmaster Gilad Ne-Eman uses the label to impart some of his philosophy:  "A generation comes and a generation goes . . . and there is nothing new under the sun.  London doesn't wait for me, and neither does Tel Aviv."

In the lower corner of the label, it says, "Sarah was here," referring to Gilad's great-grandmother Sarah Glickleich, an educator and leading figure of the Jewish community in Israel before statehood.  The beer was made at the Sheeta Brewery in Arad.

All well and good, but what about the beer inside the bottle?  

From New England has come a
beer style which should be 
very hazy, full of fruity hop 
aromas and flavors, not very bitter,
with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel.  

The appearance has the promise of a NEIPA: A very murky, almost opaque orange to beige color with a frothy head.  Gilad had warned us that the original color of this NEIPA was quite light, but due to the oxygenation of the hop oils, it had darkened.   

The aromas, too, might have been affected by the beer being less than completely fresh when I drank it.  The were scents of pine, perfume and citrus (grapefruit), but not very powerful.  The taste was very bitter (also not within the style guidelines), with indistinct flavors of citrus, herbal and onion.  Alcohol by volume is 5.9%, and it makes itself noticed.  The finish is long and bitter.  

All IPAs should be drunk as fresh as possible, due to the rapid deterioration of the delicate hop oils which give the beer its aroma and flavor.  I think in this case I got on the train too late to fully enjoy all that Artzi Moladati had to offer.