Polly’s Looking For Changes IPA, Is It Any Good

Looking For Changes IPA is an Earl Grey India Pale Ale from Polly’s Brew Co in Mold, North Wales. A beer infused with tea, interesting, but is it any good?

Earl Grey tea is quite distinctive in flavour being a little floral and hints of citrus. So on paper at least it should compliment an IPA nicely, lets find out.

Looking for changes IPA is a little cracker of a beer. It pours a hazy straw gold with a one finger fluffy white top. On the nose you get those hoppy citrus and floral notes with a little damp earthy herbal hint. The taste is hop forward with plenty of tropical citrus fruits, a little herb and spice are all engulfed in a well balanced bitterness that satisfies the pallet. It gets a rate my beer score of 4.6 out of 5.0.

It is almost a subtle IPA, but everything is there working in perfect harmony, it’s a clever beer.

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Polly’s Brew Co

Polly’s Brew Co was established in 2018 by Sean Wheldon, but under a slightly different name. In 2016 Sean’s brewery was Black Brooke Beer Co, a one man cask brewery.

However in 2017 Sean winds the brewery down and comes back the following year with Loka Polly. A brewery born with a vision of brewing pale and hoppy beers.

The beers produced became popular quickly and were in high demand. Winning local awards and shipping to France in less than a year of launch.

In 2019 the brewery was growing in popularity as well as reputation, things are going great. However in April 2019 Spendrups Bryggeri AB a Swedish brewery decided the Loka part of the name would have to go. They have a soft drinks brand of the same name.

So Polly’s Brew Co is born and apart from a near on shut down when lockdown hit the world. The brewery has gone from strength to strength and produces an amazing amount of different style beers.

Read more about Polly’s Brew Co and their brewing journey.

Looking For Changes IPA

The Earl Grey IPA sits in a standard silver 440ml can, the label is an image of the distinctive earl grey leaf. The Polly logo sits centre stage with the beers name Looking For Changes below it.

It is not a jump out at you looking can, the earl grey leaf makes it a little dark in appearance. However the Polly beer drop logo and the clear title pull you in.

This beer weighs in at a powerful 6.5% ABV, so not one for session. No more messing, it’s time to crack this can of tea open.

Drinking Looking For Changes IPA

A slightly aggressive pour and the beer settles to a hazy straw gold with a one finger fluffy white top. On the nose there is the familiar hoppy citrus notes you might expect from a punchy IPA. A little damp earthy aroma sits in the background with a hint of herbal too.

The taste kicks off hoppy with plenty of tropical citrus fruits, mango and orange being prominent on my palate. In the background a little herb and spice show their face, all the while a satisfying bitterness spreads its love.

A well balanced beer coming across a little subtle, but in no way subtle at all. It’s all there, everything you want in a punchy IPA, but delivered quietly.

It’s a beer with style and mystery and it gets a rate my beer score of 4.6 out of 5.0.

M’Lady is of similar mind saying ” A slightly damp herbal smell with citrus notes. A pleasurable beer to drink with an underlying taste I am finding hard to describe. Not unpleasant, but slightly unusual. Lou scores it 4.5 out of 5.0.

Looking For Changes IPA scores well with both myself and Lou, it’s a decent beer.

Polly’s Beer Range

Polly’s Brew Co whilst specialising in juicy pale and IPA’s of which you will find plenty. A core range as well as an Icon range and many other beers to boot.

Not of their main beers they do venture into lager and stout territory as well as hitting out with a sours too.

One thing is for sure there are plenty of beers to try at Polly’s. Here are a few I am in the market for.

Flowermood

Flowermood is a Helles style lager which is brewed with Mittelfruh and Hallertau hops. It is a light golden beer with a bready malt front. Thankfully it promises plenty of bitter snap in a crisp clean refreshing beer.

It weighs in at a high end session strength of 4.8% ABV. Sounds like a clean refreshing lager that will quench the thirstiest beer lover.

It might not be available all year round, but when it is, I’m in.

Anemoia

Anemoia is another special that is not available year round, it is a 6.0 ABV stout. A dark beer with the emphasis on the malt. Roasted barley and dark crystal malts, as well as chocolate and brown malts are used generously.

This gives the beer plenty of roasted coffee and dark chocolate flavours and just the hint of bitterness for balanced.

Sounds like a nice rich stout that I would take for a test drive any day.

Abstracter

Abstracter is a juicy pale ale brewed with no less than seven hops, I know, it’s a hopping mad pale ale. So if you want a pale ale with guts, one that might just blow your head off, then Abstracter might be the one.

Bru-1, Cashmere, Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, Strata and Talus make up the impressive hop bill. It’s a juicy sweet and tropical carnival with a little herbal flair.

This in your face pale ale weighs in right on the edge of session. So if one doesn’t make your mouth suck in while trying to uncross your eyes. Then crack open another if you dare.

Well it’s on my beer wish list.

Final Thoughts

Polly’s then is an exciting brewery producing some vibrant beers. Initially concentrating on pales and IPA’s, which is still their speciality today. They do venture into other beer styles too, producing lagers, stouts and sour beers.

Looking For Change IPA is my first Polly beer (courtesy of my Son, thanks Joe). However it will definitely not be my last, I fully embrace a chance to try more.

If you have had the pleasure of a Polly beer, then do share your thoughts below and let me know your experience.

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