Author Archives: 2hopheads

2 Halfs ‘De Quad’ Belgian Quadrupel

Rating:

“Behold, our mightiest Belgian style Ale to date: De Quad(rupel). This huge ale pours bronze hazelnut with a creamy head. With ample dark toffee, malt sweetness and brown sugar flavours at the beginning this ale develops with quadruple malts and slight hop bitterness to finish. The De Quad has a relatively light body compared to its mighty alcoholic strength.”

Glassware: Trappist goblet.

Appearance: Gorgeous mahogany pour with a thumb of finely beaded khaki foam perched on top. Excellent retention and a cascading lace flows down the side of the glass.

Aroma: We’ve been pretty impressed with the quality of beers coming out of this brewery. They clearly have a knack for trad European styles and this Quad is no exception. Hitting those rich, super sweet fruit cake and rum & raisin notes while also providing strong yeast esters, candi sugars and toffee/treacle. Other more subtle and complex notes of gingerbread, cola, floral hops, plum jam, spice and dark rye bread.

Flavour: It’s usually here where most non-Belgian breweries falter but to their credit they’ve done quite well. The key is the balance…they’ve managed the ultra rich and sweet malt and layered it quite neatly over the spice and fruity esters, candi sugars and floral hops. Just a lick of booze warmth developing late which helps to set up the very well balanced finish.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, silky, inoffensive, which is a feat considering the 9.3% ABV. Medium body, low-ish Co2. Very impressive.

Overall: These guys are going from strength to strength. This is our 3rd crack at them now and we’ve been more than content with every one of them. Kudos 2 Halfs, keep em comin!

Canyon Brewing ‘Nice One Gary’ Hazy IPA

Rating:

“A heavenly amalgamation of three big hitting American hops, blended with a pale orange malt body. Expect ripe mango and juicy pineapple, all tied together with a hint of bitterness.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Hazy pastel orange pour with pastel yellow edges. Struggles to produce much head, quickly forming a collar with fine spotty lace on the glass.

Aroma: It’s quite bizarre, the aroma isn’t really doing it for us. We say it’s bizarre coz it boasts two of our all-time favourite hop varieties (Citra and Simcoe). The third hop (El Dorado) is also an excellent hop so yeah, we’re a little confused. It is a bit muddled, stewy and seems a little tired. They didn’t have this on tap (only in tinnies) when we visited the brewery so it may well be old.

Flavour: It certainly tastes fresher than it smells…just to make it even more confusing. Getting tangy orange and then a raft of stone fruit like mango, melon and nectarine. Subtle hints of ripe pineapple peeking through as well. The malt profile is standoffish…get a delicate hint of oats and cereal grains, maybe some bread crust. It all falls a bit flat in the finish too. Literally falls off a cliff.

Mouthfeel: The best part of the beer in our opinion. It’s soft and fluffy, well aerated and light on. Mild-medium body and the 6.5% ABV is nowhere to be seen.

Overall: We were hesitant about grabbing this one due to the fact that it wasn’t on tap when we visited. Our guess is they’ve blown through the kegs and are left with their packaged stock which hints at a bit of old age. No dates on the can which makes it harder to know what’s up. Look, not a bad beer but not great either.

Behemoth ‘Something Hoppy’ IPA

Rating:

“Something Hoppy is an India Pale Ale made with Citra, Azacca, and El Dorado hops that meld over a lovely malt cushion. Sometimes all you need is something hoppy and this is the beer for those times. To be fair, most times are those times.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: A clear and bold light amber complexion with a thumb of off-white foam on top. The head gradually peels off and leaves a wet and streaky lace down the glass.

Aroma: First thing that strikes us is the balance. The hops are quite punchy but the malt profile matches them on intensity. Conventional WCIPA-like notes of mixed citrus, oily resins/sap, dank/weedy, pine needle and some tropical fruit i.e mostly pineapple and lychee. Loving the sweet and caramelised malt bill too… gives off those old school IPA vibes.

Flavour: It opens with a wave of hops splashing over the palate. Oily citrus rind, mixed citrus fruits, slightly dank pine and resins, weed and old herbs. Once again the robust caramel malt sweetness oozes through and counters the hops beautifully. Only the mildest bitterness kicks off late in the piece and punctuates on a well rounded finish.

Mouthfeel: Light on but still providing a good consistency and chewiness. The Co2 is flatter than anticipated but it works. Mild-moderate body and the 5.9% ABV slots in nicely.

Overall: One of the other favourites from our recent trip to Queenstown. It’s light and crushable but it has the full flavour and aroma to back it up. Not to mention the near 6% ABV. They crept up on us after a few!

Heyday Beer Co ‘Galactic Grounds’ Dirty Chai Latte Stout

Rating:

“Experience the velvety richness of Galactic Grounds Dirty Chai Latte Stout, a decadent brew with harmonious flavors. Its sweet, creamy texture, reminiscent of a perfectly crafted latte, is infused with robust coffee notes and layers of chai-spiced goodness, elevating the traditional stout to interstellar heights in every sip.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black pour with a billowing three and a bit finger head emerging on top. It holds for a minute but eventually deconstructs and leaves an intricate lace in its wake.

Aroma: Well it’s certainly ticking all the chai spices off. We get a tonne of cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, ginger, cardamom and five spice. Giving off the scents of a good Indian restaurant at the same time. More subtle notes of coffee and cocoa, sweet vanilla, condensed milk/lactose and a deep-seated hint of Angostura bitters. Intense aromas and they’ve managed to balance them all nicely.

Flavour: We love the fact that they haven’t gone absolutely ham on the sweetness. On entry it rolls seamlessly into the chai spices and then the subtle coffee, chocolate and vanilla fills the space around it. The mid palate provides a robust yet well tempered roastiness that draws out more of the coffee and chocolate in the finish. Good length on it too.

Mouthfeel: Rather slick and creamy texture with medium body and low-ish Co2. The 6.9% ABV is well hidden.

Overall: This was a random pick from a bottlo in Queenstown, NZ. We’d never heard of them before and after this we must say we’re pretty impressed. They’re based in Wellington which only reinforces the fact that the South Island is the beating heart of craft beer in NZ. Solid stuff.

Range ‘Cake Eater’ Hazy Double IPA

Rating:

“We’re about to get FREAKY. We’ve gone and traded places with our best buds from Banks to create a Freaky Friday release like no other. We’ve brewed a fresh batch of Banks’ iconic Cake Eater: Citra + Mosaic. This DDH Oat Cream DIPA is absolutely waxed with the freshest Citra, Citra Cryo, Mosaic and Mosaic Cryo we could get our hot little hands on. The baby is punching out immense wafts of a tropical bouquet, huge fresh Citra vibes that come on in waves. Take a sip and you’ll be smacked with red and blue berries, orange sherbet, mango sorbet and a hint of vanilla. All rounded out with an intense fleshy orange and hints of fresh passionfruit. The bitterness is virtually non-existent, just fresh and sticky hop oils. The finish is punchy and expressive yet stupidly smooth and drinkable. FREAKY!”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Off pastel yellow with flecks of orange fused through. It forms a big and loosely packed three finger head which takes ages to recede. An absolute smattering of lace is left on the glass.

Aroma: This is a pretty cool concept from Banks & Range. From what we gather, Banks has lent the recipe to their highly acclaimed Cake Eater to Range for them to brew in their own style. It is very interesting how another brewery (as good as Range are) simply can’t replicate the same quality though. Still a fairly decent aroma – we get tropical fruits, citrus, pine, creamy oats, vanilla and a hint of tangy yeast.

Flavour: The difference between Banks’ and this rendition is getting further and further apart…and unfortunately not in a good way. It’s a bit of a muddled fruit salad upfront. Some tropical and stone fruit mashed together. Almost like baby food. Orange citrus and mixed berries join the mixture. The oats add to the overall creaminess and a hint of vanilla and stewed fruits finishes it off.

Mouthfeel: Super smooth, mildly creamy with fine carbonation. Medium body, and the 8% ABV was extremely well concealed.

Overall: To be honest, as much as it was a great idea, we think Banks should stick to brewing Cake Eater from now on. It wasn’t a terrible beer we suppose. If anything, it demonstrates just how skillful Banks are when it comes to Hazy’s.

Garage Project ‘Single Fruit – Feijoa’ BA Sour

Rating:

“A blend of barrel and foeder aged beers, infused with the finest Opal Star, Kakapo and Pounamu feijoas, sourced directly from Unicorn Farms in the Motueka Valley. Loaded with over 300g/l of fruit, the finished beer has a light yellow green blush, stunning guava and grape like aromatics and a lush tart fruit palate.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Quite a hazy little number this one…pours a bit like cloudy cider. It produced a short fizzy head but it disappeared as quickly as it came. Zero head = zero lacing.

Aroma: Interesting fruit the old feijoa, looks like a cucumber inside but the flavour couldn’t be any further from it. With one of us coming from a culinary background we can tell you that its flavour lands somewhere between a pear and a pineapple depending on its ripeness. Anywho, we’re picking up subtle pear and sour apple alongside white wine vinegar, oak, green grapes, lime juice and a manky funk.

Flavour: Transitions from the aroma nicely with all the same qualities i.e pear, sour apple, white wine vinegar, green grapes etc. Hints at unripened guava along with tart gooseberry and pomelo. The oak character plays less of a role here but is made up for in this kinda musty and sweaty funk. Mild bitterness throughout and then finishes quite dry and acetic.

Mouthfeel: Light and gassy. A lifted Co2 with mild-moderate body. Quite sour too – a pucker rating of 3.5/5 sounds about right. The 5% ABV is nicely positioned.

Overall: While we respect the complexities of such a beer it wasn’t really to our taste. In our opinion it was over-carbonated and a touch too dry. It’s a well-brewed beer though, don’t get us wrong.

Canyon Brewing ‘Vacation’ Hazy Pale Ale

Rating:

“Vacations are best served cold, whether you’re in scorching Central Otago, sandy Whangamatā, sunny Nelson or mountainous Mackenzie Country. A refreshingly approachable yellow hues hazy packed with Citra, Superdelic and Nectaron, all rammed into a dainty 5.2% body.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: First thing we notice is the somewhat light and milky turbid pour. It constructs a rocky two finger head which slowly recedes. A thick blotchy lace clings to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: The hop combo is both brilliant and unique (Strata, Moutere & Nectaron). It displays a strong fruitiness i.e grapefruit, passionfruit, pineapple, but the standout character would have to be the dank and rather weedy notes that lend a distinct resinous and sappy quality. Equally notable scents of Frosty Fruits, peach skin, grain husk and green peppercorn. Excellent depth and character here.

Flavour: Packing in so much for a mere 5.2% Hazy. Upfront it’s dry, dank and weedy. We’re getting something like peppercorn or even jalapeno which is quite unusual, but impressive all the same. It has a decent bitterness cutting through it too….comes in early and reaches well past the mid and only begins to taper off as it finishes with hints of grapefruit rind and cannabis.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and fluffy initially then more dry and bitter in the swallow. Mild-medium body, finely carbed. The 5.2% ABV is bang on for what it is.

Overall: We recently came back from Queenstown, NZ and we can say without a doubt that this brewery and their beers were a highlight of the trip. This Hazy was the clear standout of their core lineup as well – packing in so much aroma and flavour. Superb.

Banks ‘Pastryball’ Imperial Pastry Stout

Rating:

“PASTRYBALL pays homage to one of the most underated & miss understood whiskeys of our time. The almighty Fireball. The perfect sipper of a big beer or if you are feeling adventurous an epic Boilermaker when paired with a nip of Fireball which we suggest best consumed on the rocks & savoured.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a thumb of finely beaded brown foam nestled in on top. Good retention and an intricate lace is woven down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: One of us is an avid Fireball lover so this was an instant purchase. The fact that Banks took on this task makes it even more appealing. Ok, the first whiff is good…getting strong cinnamon, biscoff, gingerbread, vanilla, milk chocolate and other spices like nutmeg and star anise. More subtle hints of banana runts, roasted jalapeno and licorice. Some serious depth to this.

Flavour: We’ve been waiting for well over a week to try this and in the end the flavour profile misses the mark. Such a shame as it was shaping up to be epic. It’s pretty darn smooth for its size so it ain’t all bad. It’s just lacking intensity and depth which is unfortunate as the aroma had both in spades. Cinnamon, biscoff, vanilla and some heat from the booze in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body with a kinda oily texture. Low-ish Co2. The 12% ABV was well behaved for its size.

Overall: It was a bit of a let down in the end which we’re proper spewing about. The flavour profile was the culprit…it just didn’t come together as we’d hoped. Oh well, we’re off to spike the remainder in our glasses with real Fireball.

Sunday Road Cali IPA

Rating:

“Bright IPA generously loaded with Idaho 7 Cryo, HBC 1019 and Cascade hops, giving a big juicy aroma and balanced bitterness over a light malt base.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Bright and bold light amber pour with a fizzy white head forming on top. It steadily breaks apart and leaves random patches of lace as it ebbs.

Aroma: Sunday Rd is one of the best when it comes to the West Coast style. We still think ‘6ft and offshore’ is one of the best Aussie interpretations of a WCIPA and this Cali IPA shows similar hallmarks – sweet and tropical and filled out with a soft caramel malt base. Slightly jammy citrus, herbal spice, orange rind and a clean pine scent. Brilliant aroma.

Flavour: We love it when awesome aromas transition into awesome flavour profiles. All the best traits of the aroma i.e the tropical fruit, sweet orange, herbal spice and citrus rind, are impeccably balanced by the caramel malt sweetness. A delicate bitterness enters the fray around the mid palate and rolls into a relatively clean, slightly bitter and well rounded finish.

Mouthfeel: Pretty much perfect. Smooth, mildly dry with good grip in the swallow. Co2 is lower than anticipated and the 6.6% ABV is masterfully concealed.

Overall: Superb. Literally cannot fault it. The Co2 being a tad flatter than expected could be our only criticism but to be honest we don’t mind how it is. Makes it all the more easier to throw back. Sensational.

White Bay ‘Afters’ Coffee Stout w Cacao & Dates

Rating:

“The next instalment of our favourite adjunct laden stout. this year’s rendition has been fermented cold with our house lager yeast and has been conditioned on mountains on toasted hazelnut and coconut. Dolce Noir exudes richness, it’s time to stop living down there and start living up here.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: As black as midnight with a huge three and a bit finger head. It takes an age to recede and leaves big, blotchy patches of lace on the glass.

Aroma: Unsurprisingly the coffee is pretty direct. Hints of cocoa and chocolate in support and the dates at this stage are MIA. The base Stout provides an excellent roasted malt profile which takes on a hint of ash, molasses and licorice at times. The dates start to come through as it settles and brings a hint of dark fruit with them i.e raisin, blackberry and blood plum.

Flavour: Good progression on it. It opens with dark fruits which reach well into the mid. The coffee also slots in early and adds to that impressive progression we mentioned. It hits a fairly intense roasted note midway which brings those ashy/smoky flavours before it rounds out on a roasty yet sweet and chocolatey finish. Excellent length too.

Mouthfeel: Just a tad too lean for our liking. Medium body, low-ish Co2. For a Stout weighing in at 6.7% ABV it should be thick and viscous.

Overall: Aromas and flavours were great, good depth and complexity. Just the body and general texture of it fell short in our opinion. All in all a fairly decent pastry Stout.

Stoic Amber Ale (Re-review)

Rating:

“A malt focused, heavy-bodied Amber Ale with a hint of sweet caramel and notes of toffee.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Gorgeous ruby red with deep amber hues on the edges. It forms a thumb of tightly held foam which weaves a healthy lace down the glass.

Aroma: This is our 2nd review of this beer as we’ve been told that there are two new brewers from NZ and that their beers have improved tenfold. First whiffs are impressive and support the intel. Now we get a beautiful toffee sweetness melded into a notable toasty malt profile which was missing the first time around. Excellent depth to it. Vast improvements on the original beer already.

Flavour: It’s at this moment that we believe every word we’ve been told. The difference in quality is unequivocally better than the first time we tried it. The toffee sweetness is rich yet well offset by a heavily toasted malt bill. We get treacle, butterscotch, a hint of maple but also the hops provide a distinct bitterness and earthy/spicy flavour that provides a crucial balance in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Chewy and somewhat sticky texture. Co2 is kept a bit lower and the medium body is right on the money for this style. So is the 5.3% ABV.

Overall: What a difference a new head brewer makes. This beer has gone from a 6/10 to an easy 9/10. It just oozes excellence, balance and intense flavours. This is more like it!

Bridge Road Grapefruit IPA

Rating:

“A bright, punchy number; fresh grapefruit makes for an uplifting aroma, while a juicy, tropical hop bill melds seamlessly with a zesty, bitter finish.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Mildly hazy golden-orange pour with a finger of finely beaded foam atop. Pretty decent retention considering the lack of head. Laced well.

Aroma: Ooft! The fruity notes jump out of the glass. The grapefruit component is intense and the backup it receives is equal to the task. The grapefruit is sweet but also tart which tells us they’ve used the ruby variety. The strong oily citrus in support really emphasizes it all too. Tangy orange, watermelon, passionfruit and some stone fruit also. Diggin it.

Flavour: We love that the grapefruit is so direct but not overwhelming. The tangy orange and oily citrus backs it all up nicely. There’s even a hint of rind in here as well. Not much in the way of other fruits but we pick up some pine needle and resinous notes a bit later on in the piece. Quite a nice bitter finish with lingering citrus acidity on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Fairly smooth initially then a bit drier and bitter in the swallow. Medium body, finely carbed. The 7% ABV was well concealed.

Overall: A solid grapefruit IPA with big aromas and flavours. The only negative in our opinion was that it got a little too much by the end – it became difficult to polish off. Probably a good one to share. Other than that it was pretty tasty.

Mountain Culture ‘APL’ Aussie Pale Lager

Rating:

“Brewed in the Mountains, easy to drink everywhere. Using pure Blue Mountains water and hand-selected Australian ingredients for the ultimate crisp, smooth and refreshing lager.”

Glassware: Footed tulip.

Appearance: Bright, slightly pale golden pour with a big and frothy three finger head perched on top. Good retention and healthy lacing as we hook in.

Aroma: Smells incredibly crisp and fresh. Packaged on 18/7/24 so it’s literally only a few weeks old. Getting quite a notable corn/maize quality from it. Strong Mexi Lager vibes! Boiled veg, peppery spice, earthy and floral hop profile. Fairly starchy as well – raw potato, parsnip etc. A subtle hint of sulfur showing its freshness. Really nice.

Flavour: Again, giving off pretty strong Cerveza vibes with its distinct corn/DMS and maize accents. Vegetal, earthy/spicy, florals and soft sulfuric notes also come through. A moderate bitterness midway, balanced by a semi sweet malt bill which leads into a crisp and well rounded finish.

Mouthfeel: Light on, clean and dry. Mild-moderate body and Co2. The 4% ABV is quite low but this and the 355ml format allows the brewery to hit that 1 standard drink mark.

Overall: It’s not going to make anyone drop their dacks for another one but it does its job. It’s ultra crushable and full flavoured. Literally neck oil. Not bad.

Six String ‘Harvest Moon’ BA Imperial Stout

Rating:

“A barrel aged stout brewed in 2023 and aged in Ex Sherry and muscat barrels for 9 months while waiting for the cooler weather and the local pecan harvest season. Caramel, toffee, pecan and oak intertwining with bitter chocolate, subtle vanilla, and hints of dark fruits and blackcurrant.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Solid black with a short and finely beaded head emerging on top. It quickly retreats to the rim and struggles to produce any lacing of note.

Aroma: First whiffs are extremely sweet and point immediately to the Muscat barrels. It really gives off those strong Port/Fortified Wine qualities. The Sherry barrels are a lot less defined but its classic nuttiness and dried fruit notes do come through. The pecans are also quite shy but they do reinforce the nutty scents already coming from the Sherry. It’s the base Stout that appears a bit weak though.

Flavour: And unfortunately we’re spot on. The Muscat and Sherry barrels provide nice woody tones along with dark fruits, caramel, fruit and nut chocolate and pecan but the base Stout doesn’t have enough bottom end to carry it all. The booze has a bit of a burn to it as well. There is literally nothing here in terms of a Stout, as it finishes with the same pleasant Sherry and Muscat flavours as the beginning.

Mouthfeel: Nice and dense, sticky texture. Medium-full body. Low Co2 and the 8.8% ABV shows through a bit too much.

Overall: Pretty underwhelming to be honest. We thought the triple dark red IPA was amazing, so this had potential to be as well. How wrong we were.

Stone & Wood ’23 BA Stone Beer’ BA Imperial Porter

Rating:

“For well over a decade now, you’ve been able to set your calendar by Stone & Wood’s Stone Beer, both the brew day on which the fire-heated volcanic rocks are lowered into the beer as part of the brewing process and the festival that heralds its arrival a few weeks later. It’s also a beer that comes in two parts these days: the widespread release of each year’s Stone Beer and a far more limited release of the portion of previous year’s beer that’s spent an age in oak before being packaged into vessels with a medieval feel that you have to believe would prove handy companions on the battlefield if you dropped your flail.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Pitch black and capped off by a short light brown head which gradually peels off. A beautiful cascading lace drapes down the glass as we imbibe.

Aroma: Wow this is notably different from the original ’23 vintage Stone Beer. Displaying a somewhat Rum-like sweetness. We can’t be sure as it also hints at Port/fortified wine as well. Rich Porter notes meet the alluring sweetness and oak to produce a very fine aroma though.

Flavour: Apparently this is 11.9%! The booze is extremely well hidden. Upfront it’s a fusion of toasty oak, lightly charred malt, dark chocolate and Port. Starting to get some green Whiskey notes now. Might as well throw another potential spirit in the mix. It hits a really rich crescendo midway…molasses and warming booze then soften into a caramelised, oaky and mildly roasted finish that goes for days.

Mouthfeel: Dense and chewy. Coats the whole palate nicely. Medium-full body, low-ish Co2 and the 11.9% ABV is well behaved.

Overall: We liked it. The sweetness from the barrels gets a little overwhelming by the finish but primarily it was a tasty and well-structured beer.

10 Toes ‘Bring Back The Rye’ American Rye Amber Ale

Rating:

“It’s a beautiful combination of US hops with crystal and rye malt, resulting in a full bodied amber ale with subtle rye spice, gentle caramel sweetness and moderate bitterness with hints of pine and citrus.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Slightly hazy deep amber centre with burnished orange edges. It constructs a huge three and a half finger head which takes an age to recede. The lacing makes a proper mess of the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Picking up the rye malts instantly…with its dry and spicy pepper-esque characters. It amazes us how underrated and underutilized this grain is as it puts a very unique spin on a beer. Anywho, the base malts provide a healthy dose of caramels, toffee and toast while the hops come in with another layer of fleshy stone fruit, orange citrus and sappy resins. Good overall depth to the aroma.

Flavour: Interesting, as it begins rather meek and mild but it slowly intensifies. Upfront is a light, somewhat juicy mix of orange citrus and unripened stone fruits. The rye blends itself through rather well but it’s not until the mid palate where the lightly roasted elements and the caramel/toffee sweetness counters and sets up for a fairly complex yet pleasant finish.

Mouthfeel: A tad too light for us. Kinda slick, mild-moderate body. Low-ish Co2 and the 5% is neither here nor there.

Overall: We like this brewery, we’ve been there on a couple of occasions and it heaves. This release though, just a little pedestrian at times but essentially a decent drop.

Jindabyne Brewing ‘Tipsy Monk’ Belgian Blond

Rating:

“Part of our Belgian series. The Tipsy Monk is brewed in the style of a Single Trappist ale. Saaz hops give it some herbaceous hop flavour with fruity and spicy flavours coming from the yeast. Big enough to get some character but not too strong that you can’t enjoy a few in a session. Don’t forget to let it warm a little.”

Glassware: Jindy Brewing-branded tulip.

Appearance: Bold amber with 100% clarity. It forms a light and fluffy two finger head which retains well. Healthy lacing as we go.

Aroma: They’ve absolutely nailed the yeast profile. It has that super conventional fruit and spice character i.e banana, pear drop, clove, pepper, aniseed etc. The floral aromas are further reinforced by the Saaz hops which provide a beautiful array of white flowers, coriander powder and honeysuckle. A flutter of orange blossom is also coming through. A nice semi-sweet honey malt at the base. Very nice.

Flavour: Follows on from the nose with its classic set up of fruity and spicy yeast esters and herbal/floral hops. Getting a slight hint of lemon/candy plus a much more robust earthiness…especially around the mid palate for the latter. It pairs up with a delicate bitterness and gently rolls into the dry, spicy and floral finish. Good duration on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Gassy, creamy texture. Medium body with a good consistency. Slightly lifted Co2 and the 5.5% ABV, although low for a traditional Blond, is nicely positioned.

Overall: This style is right in Jindy’s wheelhouse. Clean, easy drinking, traditional European beer. Absolutely bang on target for the style.

Parish X Great Notion ‘BA Swamp Stacks’ BA Imperial Stout

Rating:

“Swamp Stacks is a mashup of our Shades and Great Notion’s Stacks series. This Imperial stout is brewed with brown sugar and an array of specialty roasted malts, creating a warm, decadent final product. With post-fermentation additions of maple, marshmallows, graham crackers, and toasted coconut flakes, Swamp Stacks exudes waves of maple coconut chocolate squares and boozy brown butter blondies.⁣”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Sheesh! Pours like engine oil with next to zero head formation. We gave it a rigorous swirl and that only managed a fine collar which disappears instantly. Looks ominous.

Aroma: We can smell it as it sits idle on the table. Without even picking up the glass we get strong wafts of coconut, vanilla, white marshmallow and maple. Under the nostrils those heavenly scents are amplified and further reinforced with sweet Bourbon/oak, cold pressed coffee, Malibu rum, milk chocolate, brown sugar and caramel milkshake. We haven’t been rocked by an Impy Stout like this for ages.

Flavour: Pow! We feel the sugar rush hit us immediately. Or maybe it’s the 13% ABV but either way, the sweetness is off the charts! What makes this so incredible is that even though this could give a diabetic their daily sugar intake, it’s perfectly balanced by the rich malt base, Bourbon, oak, coffee and maple wood. The other incredible thing is that the intensity of it all carries through from the start all the way to the finish.

Mouthfeel: Proper beer soup. Literally, you could ladle this into your mouth with a spoon. Almost flat and the 13% ABV is well concealed.

Overall: Haven’t had anything like this for a while. It’s just straight up thick, palate-wrecking Impy Stout with truck loads of sugar. Sensory overload but we love it. In small doses of course!

Jindabyne Brewing ‘The Reverend’ Belgian Brown Ale

Rating:

“Our Brown Ale has been popular over the years so we thought we would do it again. However, this time we would change the yeast up. This was seen as a sin by many until we asked the reverend for forgiveness. It looks dark but drinks light with rich malty flavours shining through.”

Glassware: Jindy Brewing-branded tulip.

Appearance: Deep amber with light ruby hues. Good clarity. Notches up a frothy two finger head and leaves a tonne of lace behind.

Aroma: Very interesting profile. There’s quite a strong charred malt/burnt toast character which is beautifully offset by the sweet, nutty and caramel qualities. It’s also giving off a subtle touch of coffee grounds, peppery spice, toasted marshmallow, burnt candi sugar and banana bread crusts. This is a very pleasant surprise.

Flavour: It’s a unique taste. All that roasted malt/burnt toast/toasted marshmallow has carried through and initiates it all. The hallmark Brown Ale sweetness i.e nutty, toffee/caramel malt takes the baton cleanly and powers through the mid. Soft peppery spice, candi sugar and coffee grounds develop late and draw out nicely in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Kinda dry, gassy, medium bodied. Coats the palate nicely. Slightly lifted Co2 and the 5.5% ABV slots in perfectly.

Overall: We’ve gotta admit this was so unexpected. We’ve had their standard Brown Ale many times before but even with the Belgian spin on it aside, the roasty/charred elements, the coffee, spice and the slightly burnt candi sugar make for a truly unique and delicious beer. Superb.

2 Halfs ‘Atlantico’ Mexican Lager

Rating:

“Atlantico is the breweries second dip into the Gulf of Mexico. This time round we’ve upped the amount of corn and it truly shows itself in this beer. Atlantico is light in colour but huge on el sabor (flavour in Spanish). This lager has a whopping 25% corn mix which imparts sweet flavours upfront, is extremely smooth and finishes with sweet dry notes.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Bold golden-yellow pour with a finger of white foam atop. The head slowly peels off and forms a collar. Reasonable lacing in its wake.

Aroma: Displaying strong wafts of corn and other starchy vegetables like taro and raw sweet potato. Little flutters of fresh coriander and parsley along with subtle citrus notes here and there as well. Getting the grainy and slightly biscuity cereal malt base…corn flakes and rolled oats coming through the most. Not a bad aroma at all.

Flavour: The corn/maize flavours are even more pronounced here. The beer description states that 25% of the grain bill is corn and we’re tasting every bit of it. Still, with that said, it manages to keep well balanced and offers crisp cereal malts and a subtle citrus and herbal hop profile. Just the right amount of bitterness through the middle and a clean finish to punctuate.

Mouthfeel: Light on, crisp, refreshing. Lightly sparkling Co2. Mild-moderate body and the 4.8% ABV is spot on for the style.

Overall: A really well structured Mexi Lager. It’s not really the right time of year for one but it was still highly enjoyable on this unseasonably warm Sydney winter arvo. Solid.