TDH Nectaron x Nelson x Enigma x Vic Secret DIPA

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Beer Name: TDH Nectaron x Nelson x Enigma x Vic Secret DIPA
Brewery: Ārpus Brewing Co. x The Piggy Brewing Company
Beer Style: Double IPA, Triple Dry-Hopped
Alcohol: 8%
Taste notes: Stonefruit, tropical citrus, passionfruit, vinous white grape, berry compote, subtle pine resin
Serving: Can
Serving Size: 440ml (14.9 fl. oz.)

The can sat on the table with a kind of smug confidence, as though the list of hops on the label was enough of a resume to demand our attention. Nectaron, Nelson Sauvin, Enigma, Vic Secret, a lineup that reads less like a recipe and more like the guest list of a trans-Tasman hop summit. And if that wasn’t enough, the “TDH” prefix announced itself like a headline band: triple dry-hopped, no less, as if two additions of aromatics weren’t quite ambitious enough. A collaboration between Ārpus Brewing Co. from Latvia and The Piggy Brewing Company of France.

The four of us gathered in a calm setting, away from clamor or background noise. No pub rattle, no festival clink of plastic cups, just a living room with enough quiet to let the beer itself be the evening’s speaker. We shared the experience, glasses in hand, each pour slow and careful, a small ritual in itself around these parts of the wood by now. The first glasses showed a soft pineapple haze, pale but inviting, while the final dregs, heavy with sediment, added a faint orange tinge.

Head formation was minimal, almost shy. A brief, frothy crown rose and collapsed into a thin film, leaving little lacing to chart the journey down the glass. The carbonation spoke in a more modest register, forming delicate strings of small, dispersed bubbles in a viscous soup. One could argue it was underwhelming on a purely visual level, but if the eye was slightly disappointed, we found the nose was quickly compensated.

The first aromatic wave was a blend of yellow stone fruit and tropical suggestion, like peach slices soaking in mango juice, with a faint hum of wine in the background. That vinous quality, undoubtedly in the white wine region, seemed to channel Nelson Sauvin’s grape-derived character. As the beer settled in our glasses some stone fruit pulled into focus: think apricot, nectarine, a peach fuzz sweetness riding higher than the winey undertone. A resinous echo lurked at the edges, Vic Secret’s pine-like character perhaps, but never enough to turn the whole ensemble green and herbal. The volatility was good, the aromatics spreading confidently through the air.

First sips were cautious, a collective lean forward into the unknown. The palate answered with density, a creamy mid-body that carried decent fruit-forward flavors without collapsing into syrup. The hop creaminess was palpable, a certain texture that triple dry hopping often threatens to overwhelm, but here kept in line by careful balancing. It was fruit-heavy, yes, but not cloying; the bitterness played the role of a grounding bassline. Wine-like characters circled back again, perhaps a handshake between Nelson and Enigma, adding a complexity that tilted the beer toward something almost vinous without abandoning its DIPA roots. It’s a really complex and complementary way of presenting alot of New Zealand hops, even for folks not crazy about the wine characters, to envelope the beer in tropicals and berries.

Our expectations before that first sip were both high and wary. High, because the hop roster practically tells you from the get-go that this is an intense ride. Wary, because so many modern double hazies (not to talk about triple dry-hopped) stumble in the same places: too much fruit sweetness without acidity; too much hop burn that overwhelms the tongue; a texture so thick it stops resembling beer altogether. What we found instead, and pleasantly we might add, was a beer already negotiating those pitfalls with poise. It had fruit intensity without syrup, bitterness without harshness, and creaminess without excess weight. Already in the first half, it was staking a claim of competence.

At cooler temperatures, the initial impression was sharply tropical. Nectaron’s calling card, pineapple, passionfruit, citrus zest, set the tone, bright and almost sparkling, despite the modest carbonation. Nelson Sauvin carried through with a vinous brushstroke, with hints of grape skin, while Enigma’s berry character, leaning towards raspberry, added a rounder sweetness at the mid-palate. Vic Secret did its work more quietly, a subtle resin, a wisp of pine, never punching forward but keeping the fruit in check. The combination created a dynamic arc: tropical highs, berry mids, piney lows, all framed by a creamy texture. The chosen hops definitely present a deliberate choice to go tropical and sweet with that characteristic vinous profile that New Zealand hops present so well; just balancing that sweetness and initial punch with the herbal and pine notes that constitute Vic Secret. 

The sediment at the bottom of the can proved its worth when introduced into the final pours. Where the early glasses leaned lighter, almost spritzy for a DIPA, the addition of the retained sediment added body. The yeast matter thickened the mouthfeel, lending cream and heft without bringing unwelcome flavours. There was no yeast bite or off flavours, no breadiness, just a shift in texture that seemed to underline the beer’s already creaminess. It’s a trick that few beers manage without veering muddy and unbalanced, but here it was handled gracefully.

Technically, the beer demonstrates a deep understanding of hop interplay. Nectaron, the relative newcomer from New Zealand, is known for vivid tropical-citrus character, and that shone brightly, setting the top register. Nelson Sauvin’s classic white wine notes connected neatly, bridging into Enigma’s berry-rich palette. Enigma itself is often divisive in our tastings,  especially because some brewers over-amplify its berry profile into near-jammy territory, but here it felt woven and restrained, so well done in that regard. Vic Secret, often typecast as resin-forward and herbal, instead played a supporting role here: a grounding bass note of pine. Together, the quartet produced a flavour that was layered but not unreadable.

Of course, we all have our own ideals that we want IPAs to move towards. Foam retention was nearly absent, robbing the beer of some aromatic lift and visual appeal. The low head also underscored the modest carbonation, which was acceptable but not as lively as one might wish in a DIPA intended to showcase precious and fleeting aromatics. Over time, the beer’s structure softened a touch too much, just sort of wavering into that too-creamy territory, and the finish losing some of its initial snap. The bitterness, while finely tuned, we thought was underpowered and not present enough in the glass to warrant that massive sweetness. For those who prefer DIPAs that finish sharp and cleansing, this one lands more indulgent than bracing.

That score places it comfortably in the upper echelon of DIPAs, though not at the untouchable heights reserved for cultish releases. None of us around the table shared the sentiment that this was an “above 4 beer”, but we are not far off, and this should not stop you from trying it – especially if you like your DIPAs and hazies leaning towards the milkshake side of things. 

By the end, we were unanimous in our verdict: a respectful nod at 3.50 out of 5. That score reflects balance and a well-made beer. And the TDH Nectaron x Nelson x Enigma x Vic Secret DIPA should have praise for its construction, critique for its soft spots, and acknowledgement that while it impressed, it did not astonish. It is a beer we would recommend, perhaps even revisit, but not one we would place on the pedestal of genre-defining DIPAs.

In the final sip, what lingered was less the memory of shortcomings but instead of thoughtful execution: a creamy stonefruit-tropical haze with enough vinous intrigue to stand out, and enough restraint to stay drinkable. In an era of over-hyped hazies that all taste the same, that in itself is a commendation.

Rating: 3.50 / 5