North East Beer Review

I bought this interesting looking beer from Herons at a bargain 69p a can. Brewed in UK by an entrepreneur that has ties and a passion for Brazilian culture. This is called Favela Ipanema and it is just a regular India Pale Ale. I thought for the price, you can’t go wrong with checking it out. So what did I think? To find out I will cover the history of this beer and brewery, as well as the pour, taste and aroma and finally my verdict. Cheers

A fusion of British and Brazilian culture

Favela Cerveja was founded as a private brewery in 2016 in the United Kingdom. According the Scottish Licensed Trade News, Favela was launched by Charles Gay, who had spent many years in Brazil particularly Rio De Janeiro. Favela is inspired by the energy and culture of Brazilian communities such as those located in the Favelas and wanted to channel this culture into the beers. According to brand information and festival listings, Favela positions itself as a lifestyle beer brand defined by a sense of freedom, passion and authenticity, capturing “the taste of Rio” in its offerings. The brewery also highlights that its beers are Brazilian-inspired, organic, gluten-free and vegan-friendly (a significant part of its brand identity).

Favela Cerveja also supports the Favela Foundation which is UK based charity which aims to support grassroots educational projects in Brazil’s Favelas. They work to provide the tools and resources to help members of the community achieve their goals and give them the support they need. To find out more please click here.

Favela Ipanema is a 5% India Pale Ale which is gluten-free and vegan friendly. Ipanema is brewed using organic ingredients and Brazilian hops. The choice of the name “Ipanema” likely draws on the cultural resonance of the famed Rio neighbourhood, known globally for its beach, music (like the classic “The Girl from Ipanema”) and lifestyle.

A typical IPA pour

Favela Ipanema pours a golden to amber colour which is clear in complexion. A small bubbly head forms which left a small amount of lacing down the glass. The carbonation of this beer was moderate but it retained its fizzy nature throughout the session. Overall, this was a light and bright looking IPA pour.

A citrus led taste and aroma

Aroma

When it comes to Favela Ipanema, the aroma is very citrus forward. It opens with a bright citrus note which was very much that of orange and lemon. There was also an earthy edge which was slightly resinous as well as a hint of a floral nature. Theres a malt sweetness present which adds depth. Overall, a typical citrus led IPA aroma.

Taste

On the palate, Favela Ipanema opens again with a citrus flavour such as orange and lemon with a slight hint of tropical fruits although I couldn’t make out what exactly. Mid Palate, the maltiness kicks in which was moderate and biscuit like as well as earthy undertones which were rather mild. The finish was dry with little amount of bitterness. Overall, although this IPA was bright, citrusy and certainly palatable, the malt base and herbal resinous nature you would expect from an IPA was really restrained. Adding little amounts of depth.

Time for my verdict

Right to begin my verdict I believe that Favela Cerveja have a great project going on and I certainly support the work they carry out. The idea of blending Brazilian culture with British drinking culture is a cool idea which I hope they stick with especially supporting a charitable cause. In terms of Ipanema itself, I feel this is an ok beer which had some bright flavours especially when it comes to the citrus notes but I feel the depth of flavour really let this one down. This was still a palatable beer and was still refreshing furthermore, it was totally worth the price paid. So, if you see it in Herons, you can’t really go wrong when picking this one up. Overall, I rate this a 2.75 out of 5. Cheers

Where did I purchase this beer from?

I bought this beer from Herons and it cost 69p.

Thanks for reading this review. If you enjoyed this review, you will love my review of The Garlic Farm Black Garlic Beer.