Full Circle Brew Co Hotter than the hobs of hell New England IPA is a beer I saw advertised on Full Circle Instagram page and I was instantly caught by the can design. How bloody cool is it. Also, being an New England IPA this was also an added bonus. Full Circle is brewery I have long admired as it has very familiar roots to myself and I have rarely had a bad beer. During the course of this review, I will cover the history, the pour, the taste and aroma and finally my verdict on this cool af beer.
From Durham to Newcastle
Full Circle Brew Co was founded in 2019 by Ben Cleary. Ben came from the family that is responsible for Lanchester Wines and the family has a history in beer industry by running numerous pubs. Before Full Circle, Ben ran the Pip Stop in Maiden Law, Co Durham which was an alcohol retailer. Interestingly enough I had visited this place numerous times as I went to pick up continental beer options such as Quilmes, Alhambra and Hofbräu Dunkel. As a former resident of Stanley, I certainly knew the influence that the family had on the local area in terms of employment and the community. The name Full Circle is meant to represent the idea of the family returning to its roots.
The brewery itself is located in Hoults Yard, Newcastle and currently use then old railway building to house a 3,000l brewing kit. Full Circle has a major focus on sustainability such as using a Nitrogen generator to reduce C02 usage by 83% and aim to reuse spent grain and yeast in many ways such as feed or briquettes. As of 2025, they now produce 10,000hl of beer per year and employ 22 staff.
The head brewer of Full Circle is Alex Redpath, who was educated at the Sunderland based Brewlabs which famous worldwide for its teachings in the art of brewing. I have visited their taproom before and I definitely recommend. Their philosophy centres on ‘full bodied, full-flavoured beers’. Over the years, they have invested in quality control, yeast management and efficiency whilst also engaging in community projects such as charitable and sustainability- focused campaigns.
In terms of the New England IPA, Hotter than the hobs of hell is an interesting beer which has been added to Full Circle’s seasonal lineup. Carrying an ABV 6.9%, it certainly packs a punch. This vegan-friendly NEIPA is hopped with Centennial, Galaxy and Vic Secret, all originating from Australia.
Now onto the pour
When it comes to the pour of the wonderful looking NEIPA, you can see the hazy and opaque nature of the beer, that almost looks like orange juice with its glowing pale yellow to orange colour. The appearance of a strong head forms with is light and fluffy with silky feel from the oats used in the brewing process. An overall, very inviting beer.
An aromatic taste and aroma
When it comes to the aromatics, an immediate aroma of grapefruit, tangerine and pineapple comes through. This accompanied by a layer of passionfruit and peach. Towards the end of the aromatic experience, an earthy and piney smell dominates which may be from the galaxy hops. Overall, a very strong and juicy aroma.
When it comes to the taste, this is pretty much the same as the aroma but a lot more intense. A mixture of tropical fruit and citrus dominate with an earthy flavour to finish off. When it comes to mouthfeel this was very smooth and soft which is from the oats. This has a gentle carbonation along with a pleasant bitterness. Overall, it’s a very well balanced and juicy drink.
Time for my verdict
To conclude this review, this beer is hopped with a trio of Aussie hops and ticks most of the boxes for a New England IPA. In terms of aroma, this was very aromatic and pronounced in juicy and earthy toned. When it comes to the taste, this is pretty similar. Although, this was a pretty good beer, this is not one of my favourites. The earthy taste got kind of dominant as you drunk it but luckily, the juicy overtones pull it all together. And again how bloody cool is that can design !!!!!!!!! Overall, I feel this deserves a solid 4 out of 5.
Where did I Purchase this beer?
I bought this beer as part of a mini haul from Enjoy! in Morpeth. This is a proper gem of an alcohol store and has plenty of local north eastern gems in it. This cost £5.50 for the can
If you enjoyed reading this review, you would love my review of Full Circle Brew Co Wacky Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man. Feel free to check out the rest of my page. Cheers for reading.
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