North East Beer Review

Donzoko is a brewery with series pedigree in the North East. Based in Ouseburn, just outside of Newcastle City Centre, this brewery aims to create belter beers by blending many different brewing methods and traditions. I have tried many different beers from Donzoko such as the Lumo Train Beer, Weisse Beer, Evergreen and many more. All of which have been really nice and quality driven. So what did I think of Donzoko Edge of Town? To find out I will cover the history of the brewery and the beer, the pour, the taste and aroma and then I will come to my verdict. So I hope you enjoy reading this review. Cheers.

From Germany with love

Donzoko Brewing Company was founded in 2017 by brewer Reece Hugill. Reece had aimed to bring together fermentation traditions from Germany with the modern creativity of UK and US based beers. The name Donzoko comes from the Japanese word meaning rock bottom which could indicate the down to earth nature. The brewery began life in Hartlepool, then spent some time in Edinburgh, and has since settled with a permanent brewery and taproom in Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Donzoko is known for its Northern spin on German style lagers such as the Northern Helles (yet to try) and the Big Foam Rustic lager which is immense. This involves cold fermentation and a crisp and clean character. Donzoko has also explored a wide range of styles such as Wheat beers, IPAs and also many collaborations with breweries such as Fell Brewery. Donzoko aims to combine respect for tradition with modern day craft beer inspired inspiration.

Donzoko Edge of Town is an IPA which I would say is inspired by the West Coast style. Carrying an ABV of 6%, this heavily hopped with Chinook, Columbus and Citra using a variation of whirlpool and dry hopping. This is also vegan friendly and a solid example of a UK based interpretation of an American Ale. This shows Donzoko’s ability to show craftsmanship when it comes to producing hop forward beers.

A golden pour

Donzoko Edge of Town pours a relatively clear, golden colour which is a classic look of a West Coast IPA. A foamy head formed which left a small amount of lacing down the glass. The carbonation is lively with a steady stream of bubbles travelling up the glass. Overall, a typical inviting pour from Donzoko themselves.

A citrus forward taste and aroma

Aroma

On the nose, this has all the hallmarks of a West Coast IPA. This beer commences with a citrus note which is primarily grapefruit and orange. This is backed by a pine and resinous edge which gives it a pleasant and earthy bitterness. A tropical edge appears which is that of passionfruit and mango. This is exactly what you would expect from a West Coast inspired IPA. This is backed by a malty backbone which is bready and non-dominant. Overall, this aroma has a crisp and hoppy edge.

Taste

The taste of this beer is exactly what the aroma teases. This begins with a grapefruit bitterness and followed by a pine and citrus bite. This bitterness is present but not overpowering. A light biscuity malt base appears for a brief moment. The finish of Edge of Town is crisp and dry which encourages another sip. Overall, a hoppy, citrusy and delightfully refreshing IPA.

Time for my verdict

Overall, this a typical high quality drink produced by Donzoko. This West Coast inspired IPA definitely utilises the hops well by ensuring the boxes are ticked on what makes a good IPA. The citrus, tropical and pine additions are brilliantly weighted to provide a clean, bright and fermented IPA. Overall, I rate this a solid 4.5 out of 5. I really enjoyed this.

Where did I purchase this beer?

I bought this beer at Smoke and Sear in Newcastle on a date with my girlfriend. Really nice brunch spot and I highly recommend it.

Thanks for reading my review. If you enjoyed this review you will love my review of Donzoko Propa. Cheers