Sometimes you want to mark a grand achievement with a solid celebration. It could be running around the field with your jersey pulled over your head, inviting your friends over to share the love, or relishing the resounding smack of a perfectly connected high five. Balters IIPA is another one of those triumphant tips of the hat to well-earned success. Bursting with hops, strong in ABV(8.6%) and coming in a tall tin, it is large in every way.

Weve never brewed a beer this big, so it was a test of our capacity, says Balter Head Brewer Scott Hargrave. We had to figure out just how much malt can we get in the mash mixer without it overflowing. We got a tonne in. Its a huge beer, hopped to the shithouse.

Our second ever special release style, the recipe has been refined over the last six months to deliver a strong flavour thats still balanced in its approach.

IIPA can be overbearing because theyre big and boozy and get sweet and sticky, explains Scott. You have much more of everything. So we stripped the malt way back to be essentially pale malt with a sprinkle of wheat and then dissolved as much hops as we could into it. That should give it more drinkability. Still, stop at one and youre good. Maybe thats a challenge to some, but its meant to be a stand alone salute.

A noble beer for a noble thirst, this Imperial IPA is like a tangy fruit salad with extra punch. Clean, hefty hop notes provide substantial palate weight with hints of pineapple, pine and citrus, while the higher alcohol content delivers a delightfully dry, spicy finish. In a tall tin so you can share it with a mate celebrating a royal achievement, or simply soaking up the last shadows of a classic day.