Author Archives: 2hopheads

Beachwood X Sierra Nevada ‘Fortune Favours The Funk’ BA Lambic

Rating:

“The first of our Lambic-inspired ales and a collaboration with our good friends at Sierra Nevada. Fortune Favors The Funk is an Ale fermented and aged in oak barrels and dry hopped with ex-598 hops.” 

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Uncaged, uncorked and presenting a deep golden-yellow to bronze-ish colour. It manages a wispy overlay which quickly forms a collar. Laced well considering the lack of head/retention.

Aroma: Hitting those conventional Belgian lambic characteristics nicely. Sour apple, sour grapes, lime zest, kinda nutty/almond-esque, distinct yet mellow lacto sourness, sweaty funk, apple cider vinegar and freshly sliced pear. The oak barrels display a lovely toasted wood and subtle vanilla aspect. Hints at a bit of sauna room as well. It’s all coming together nicely.

Flavour: Quite dry and musty. The oak barrels clearly putting more of a stamp on the flavour profile. Acetic citrus fruits like yellow grapefruit, sour grapes and green apple. Apple cider vinegar, fresh herbs such as coriander and lemongrass. Warm baking spices, peppercorn etc tailing in late. We feel, although it’s good, it needs a bit of malt sweetness to balance out the dry, sharp and acidic flavours.

Mouthfeel: Dry, crisp, light on. It’s a 2019 vintage so the 7 years its had in the cellar has softened the Co2. Light-moderate body and an at times noticeable 6.4% ABV.

Overall: We’d like to know how much of a hand Sierra Nevada had in this beer as there’s little info on that. As a whole it was a decent lambic. No where near as streamlined as its Belgian counterparts but good enough to enjoy.

Garage Project ‘Black Denim’ Dessert Stout

Rating:

“It’s the perfect fit. Black Denim Imperial Stout, brewed with seven malts including oats, wheat, chocolate, crystal and a delicate touch of manuka smoke, infused with maple syrup and toasted pecans. Rich, dark and decadently delicious mix of caramel malt and maple sweetness, with delicate nut and balanced roast. Time to pop that top button.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: A tad lighter than we’d hoped – mostly black with some light punching through at the base of the glass. It forms a finger of dark tan head which gradually peels off. Laced well.

Aroma: We were bracing for a gorgeous hit of maple and pecan but instead we’re met with a wall of smoke. That certainly isn’t a bad thing! After a few more whiffs that heavenly maple sweetness starts to come through. Then the nutty and buttery pecans, caramalts, and soft oats. Infused through all of that is added notes of chocolate, burnt toast, charred wood and tobacco. Impressive considering the lighter colour.

Flavour: We can’t help but be reminded of one of GP’s best ever stouts here – Fix & Fogg’s Smoke & Fire. That was a habanero, peanut butter and manuka-smoked impy stout and this shows similar traits. The manuka smoke and the maple sweetness equals the peanut butter of Fix & Fogg. The only letdown is the comparison between the chilli and the toasted pecans. Wood smoke and gentle maple sweetness upfront. Almost undetectable pecans, dark chocolate, mild ash and oatmeal to finish.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, silky, a tad bulbous. Medium body and low-ish Co2. The 8% ABV is well buried.

Overall: Not quite on the level we’d hoped for and unfortunately, in the end, nowhere near on the level of Smoke & Fire. It’s decent but hardly memorable.

Allagash ‘Ganache’ Sour Dark Ale w Raspberries

Rating:

“The liquid equivalent of biting into a raspberry-filled dark chocolate cake. Aromas suggesting mixed berry and roasty cocoa meld with flavor notes of tart raspberry, cherry, and subtle coffee. Even without the addition of chocolate, Ganache gains its cocoa notes from a robust grain bill featuring Special B, caramel malt, raw wheat, oats, our 2-row base malt, Midnight wheat, and black malt. This dark burgundy-colored beer is fermented in stainless with both our house yeast and Brettanomyces claussenii before aging on fresh, local raspberries. No utensils necessary.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Darker pour than we’d expected actually…mostly black with a smidge of light cutting through at the base of the glass. Only a wispy overlay which quickly forms a thin ring. Hardly any lacing on the glass.

Aroma: One style we very rarely review are sour dark ales. Very few Aussie breweries try their hand at it which is a shame. Due to its technical nature no doubt. Anywho, it’s an alluring aroma. The use of brettanomyces is immediately apparent with its funked up brand of horse blanket, musty barnyard and red wine vinegar. Heady notes of jammy raspberry, plum and nectarine. Very delicate chocolate, toast and wood. Wow.

Flavour: Very complex. This bad boy was bottled in 2018 so the 8 years its had resting almost hasn’t had any effect on mellowing out the sharp sourness. Red wine vinegar, sour raspberries and cherry initiate. Then the delicate roasted malts, chocolate and burnt toast begin to open up. Quite funky, musty/barnyard through the mid leading to a mildly toasty, nutty and fruity finish.

Mouthfeel: The age of the beer has softened the Co2 but it’s still quite lively. Sharp-ish, light-medium body. Really well concealed 7.5% ABV.

Overall: Impressive drop. The fact it was 8 years cellared makes it even more appealing. Intricate and intriguing to say the least.

Leroy Breweries ‘Kapittel Watou’ Tripel

Rating:

“You can drink these artisan high-fermentation abbey beers, which mature during their secondary fermentation in the bottle, at any time of the year. Open a Kapittel Blond for a summer barbecue and enjoy a Kapittel Winter over a meat fondue.”

Glassware: Trappist goblet.

Appearance: Slightly hazy honey-golden complexion. Lots of active Co2 streaming up to support the fizzy two and a bit finger head. Good retention and an absolute mess of lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Gorgeous wafts of sweet candi sugars and ripe mandarin lifting off. Candied orchard fruits mixing with the estery apple/pear, subtle hints of fairy floss, pot pourri-like florals, angostura bitters, banana runts, coriander and clove. Rich and brawny malt profile filling it all out too – honey, bread/crusts, some hay and straw. Exceptional aroma. Purely conventional Belgian tripel.

Flavour: It comes on a little slow but once it does the malts envelop the palate with rich honey and mild caramel, bread crusts and hay. The herbaceous hops provide a hint of bitterness and the estery yeast provides its hallmark spice, orchard fruits and candied banana. We’re getting a flutter of lemon zest and mandarin through the mid then into a relatively dry, spicy and herbal finish.

Mouthfeel: Smooth AF. Kinda creamy with a slightly lifted Co2. Medium bodied. The 9% ABV was extremely well hidden.

Overall: We’ve been eyeing this brewery off for some time now. We were unsure whether it’s a collaboration of Belgian breweries or singular. Turns out it is a singular brewery and they’ve been in operation for over 400 years. Cheers to that and cheers to this high quality tripel!

Bridge Road ‘B2 Bomber – Mach 16’ Imperial Belgian Black IPA

Rating:

“Brewed annually since our 5th birthday, B2 Bomber Mach 16.0 celebrates 21 years of Bridge Road Brewers. This year’s iteration takes our legendary Belgian-inspired ale and pushes it into the stratosphere. Layers of rich, speciality malts, expressive yeasts and punchy hops, work in harmony to create a complex yet moreish Black Belgian Imperial IPA.”

Glassware: Tulip.

Appearance: Impenetrable black pour with a fizzy three finger head. It takes ions to reduce but as it does it leaves a smattering of lace on the glass.

Aroma: Pow! And this right here is why we’ve never missed a B2 bomber release since Mach 5. Even though it’s near $50 a bottle now. That outstanding balance between the dark roasty malts and fresh, green and piney hops sets the standard in Aus. Then laid over all of it is the subtle yet crucial Belgian yeast profile which provides a peppery/spicy, ester-driven fruitiness which completes the aroma.

Flavour: It’s only now that the 11.5% ABV comes into play. It’s so well integrated into the beer as a whole that it plays more of a support role if anything. The hops do most of the talking upfront but the dark, roasty malts immediately even the keel. It’s like a see-sawing motion from there…piney, citrusy and mixed fruits then roasted malt, dark chocolate and bittersweet espresso. Rinse, repeat until it eventually finishes with good length in the tail.

Mouthfeel: Kinda snappy and crisp but with good grip and weight still behind it. Lively Co2, medium-full body. The 11.5% ABV is really well concealed.

Overall: Slightly less Belgian and a lot more black IPA for this 2026 release. The crazy hop bill also boosts the IPA side of things further. Another impressive addition to this series.

Bacchus X Harvey’s ‘Lewes Castle’ Brown Ale

Rating:

“Brewed with the kind and generous assistance of Southern England’s most famous brewery “Harvey’s Brewery”. Brewed with roasted malt and dark sugars, it has a sweet, malty palate and a bittersweet finish derived from Fuggle and Progress aroma hops. There is a lush fullness, offset by a hint of burnt sugars. Awarded “World’s Best Brown Ale” & “World’s Best Dark Ale”.

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Dark brown pour with deep ruby red edges. It only manages a wispy overlay which quickly disappears. Zero head = zero lacing.

Aroma: Very obscure and withdrawn. It’s difficult to get anything substantial off it to be honest. We read in the brewers ramblings that it’s full of “roasted malt and dark sugars with fuggles and progress hops”. With that sentence alone we should be copping a nose-full of traditional English brown ale goodness but all we can pick up are notes of dark, nutty malt and something kinda woody.

Flavour: We’re not sure what’s happening here. If this is traditional brown ale then we need to erase over 15 years of what we thought brown ale was and start again. What we’re mostly getting is watered down roasted malts, earthy hops and bitterness. We’re having somewhat of a light bulb moment right now as we scroll through every brown ale review we’ve done since inception and noticed that we’ve scored all the trad English brown ales poorly 😳

Mouthfeel: Watery. Light-moderate body with flat-ish Co2. The 4.8% ABV is neither here nor there.

Overall: Well, we can now honestly say that we much prefer nu-skool brown ale. We’re sure there’s nothing wrong with this brew…we’ve only just realised now that trad English brown ales suck.

Weltenburger Kloster Maibock

Rating:

“Joie de vivre meets beer enjoyment and Bavarian tradition! The Pale Maibock: strong, malty with a unique hop character.”

Glassware: Stein.

Appearance: Honey-golden complexion with a dense thumb of head perched on top. Good retention and a healthy lace deposit on the glass.

Aroma: A bit sweeter than we’d anticipated. Pretty hefty notes of caramel, honey and brioche gets us underway. The spicy and grassy hops do a sterling job of levelling the malts out though. Starting to get more from the hops as it all settles…herbals, fruits like apple and pear, some earthiness. Light florals creeping in. Quite rich overall but it still displays the base lager notes nicely.

Flavour: Starts off exactly like the nose – very malty-sweet brioche and or Hawaiian rolls, caramel, subtle honey on the flank. The hops providing soft grassy and spicy accents, light herbs and earth. A prickly bitterness kicks in around the mid but it’s gradually snuffed out by the malt sweetness. Then it all punctuates on a fairly smooth, slightly dry and grassy finish.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and well-rounded. Mild-medium body. Light effervescence to the Co2 and the 6.5% ABV is well behaved.

Overall: It’s been about 4 years since we’ve got amongst anything from Weltenburger. Their Asam bock was absolutely superb but this iteration not so much. We found it a tad cloying and it was a bit too bitter for the style.

Bacchus X Harvey’s ‘Sussex Best’ Bitter

Rating:

“Brewed with the kind and generous assistance of Southern England’s most famous brewery “Harvey’s Brewery”. A superbly balanced bitter with prominent hop character. Using a blend of four local hops, water filtered through the Sussex Downs over 30 years and Harvey’s unique 60 year old yeast strain, Harvey’s Best Bitter is the embodiment of Sussex. Awarded GBBF Champion Best Bitter of Britain 2 years running.” 

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Bright amber with full transparency. You could literally read the newspaper through the beer. It builds a finger of off-white head which quickly forms a collar. A wet lace is dragged down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: We absolutely adore a good English bitter but sadly most Aussie breweries can’t grasp the concept. One of a small handful who does though, is our old mate Ross. His pommy roots are certainly advantageous but we won’t hold that against him! Smells on point. Well balanced. Nice and chewy malt bill… caramel, toast, nutty and buttery then the hops cut through with earthy, herbal, mildly citrusy and woody precision. Diggin’ it.

Flavour: Again, the balance holds the key here. It kicks off with chewy caramel and light toast before the earthy, woody and herbal hops pull the malts into line. That hallmark marmalade on toast quality comes through as a delicate bitterness creeps in late in the mid. It all rolls effortlessly into a smooth, slightly dry and herbal finish that lingers.

Mouthfeel: Super smooth and silky. Low-ish Co2 and it holds a good medium body for such a modest ABV (4%).

Overall: There’s a really cool concept behind this mini-series. Harvey’s Brewery (one of southern England’s most revered) send their ingredients over and allow Ross & crew to brew their own version of a select few of their beers. Which he does with finesse and excellence. Solid interpretation.

Allagash ‘Saison Gratis’ Saison

Rating:

“Saison Gratis roams our entire brewery on its way to bottles. After brewing, it heads to our coolship, a large rectangular pan, where hopping occurs while the wort cools. It then lingers with a saison yeast strain while open fermenting in one of our foudres. Finally, it settles down in bottles, where it is refermented with Brettanomyces. Fully rested and ready to drink, fruit notes of orange, pineapple, and clove complement the beer’s tartness and hops.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: There’s always something distinguished about popping a cork on a beer bottle. You just know the contents are gonna be good. Hazy pastel golden-orange pour with a super fizzy head that rapidly disappears. Zero head = Zero lacing.

Aroma: Smells mighty funky for a saison. The brewers put the beer through their coolship followed by an open-fermentation on their house saison yeast strain. Then it’s refermented in bottle with brettanomyces (which is what gives this saison its funky and barnyard notes). Very pleasant fruit accents… pineapple, mango, tangy orange and apricot. The yeast strain offers clove, angostura bitters and a hint of band-aid.

Flavour: Out palates are pulling us in about 1000 different directions. We literally don’t know where to start! It’s quite a fruity number and we dig it coz it’s nicely integrated into the spicy and tangy yeast and then further accentuated by the tart sourness and barnyard funk. There’s no barrel contact here but we still get a flutter of wood as it finishes fruity, spicy, funky and tart. Wowzers.

Mouthfeel: The 6 years its had in the cellar has softened the Co2 a little but it still has a lively effervescence. Mild-medium body and a well buried 7.2% ABV.

Overall: Really complex and craft beer boss level saison. It’s amazing how intricate yet ridiculously drinkable it is though. Man, we wish we had another few of these in the cellar 😏

Common People ‘Moonless Midnight’ Stout

Rating:

“As dark as a Moonless Midnight. Back in the day on the new moon and before the lighthouse was constructed, sailors braved pitch black conditions rounding Cape Byron. For over 120 years now, the shining light has guided ships safely past the treacherous rocks of the Byron Bay coastline. Moonless Midnight is also the perfect way to describe the darkness of our Core Range stout. Exhibiting notes of coffee, cacao and a hint of tobacco, it leads to a full-bodied sweetness balanced with a roasted malt flavour, finishing with a smooth bitterness. It may take you back to the time when the cape was dark and dangerous, or it might just feel like a nice big hug in a can.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Mostly impenetrable black pour with only a skerrick of light punching through at the base of the glass. It forms a thick two finger head which takes an age to reduce. Excellent lacing as it ebbs.

Aroma: It’s a little shy to begin with. We find this happens a lot with core range Aussie stouts (with the exception of a small few). Although it is starting to fill out as it warms. Lightly charred malt, mild smoky notes, coffee, tobacco, chocolate, earthy hops and a soft mettalic accent. Juuuust the slightest hint of vanilla and lactose creeping in. Nice set of aromas…we just wish they’d dial up the intensity.

Flavour: We’ll admit it, there’s a notable step up here. It’s in part flavour intensity but more the density of the beer as a whole. It’s really viscous and that allows the charred malt characters to flourish. The spiciness, the bittersweet coffee and chocolate, the earthy tobacco and hops…all of it is heightened due to this dense texture. Well drawn out finish of coffee, light smoke and burnt toast.

Mouthfeel: As we pointed out already, the texture is impressively dense and low in Co2. Full bodied and the 5.8% ABV punches well above its weight.

Overall: Our first crack at this northern NSW brewery. We were a tad apprehensive initially but it got better and better as we went on. Very decent core range stout.

Allagash ‘World On A String’ BA Amber Ale

Rating:

“The tip of the top, the cream of the crop, you’ve got World on a String. This beer was inspired by a classic cocktail: the Old Fashioned. We brew an amber ale with orange peel and age it in bourbon barrels. A hint of citrus, a whiff of bourbon, a touch of spice, and you’ve got memories that’ll last until the day after forever.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Somewhat rustic burnished orange to amber complexion. Watch your pour on this one as there’s a lot of sediment in the bottle. It manages a wispy overlay which peels back to a collar. Average lace work.

Aroma: We don’t even need to swirl the glass to get a nose-full of sweet caramelised malts, maple syrup, flambeed orange, orange rind, carrot cake, golden raisins and toffee apple. The bourbon oak plays a big role in rounding it all out too…mildly sweet and spicy, vanilla, sauna room and dark fruits. Literally an old fashioned but even better as it’s in the form of beer!

Flavour: Super rich and complex. Just as we’d anticipated. It certainly isn’t as sweet and fruity as the aroma. It’s taking on more of its cocktail nature with slightly warming booze, mildly acetic bitterness from the orange peel and a good hit of bourbon and oak. There is a caramel and toffee richness down deep and it adds more depth to the multilayered and complex finish.

Mouthfeel: Quite full, sticky, gelatinous. The Co2 is kept low-ish and the 9.5% ABV is well behaved for its size.

Overall: This was another one of the lucky picks we got from Carwyn’s recent deal with the US importer. It was bottled in 2020 so the 6 years aging has mellowed it a little but it’s kept all of its flavour and character. Very unique offering.

Devilbend X The Mill ‘120 Day’ Pilsner

Rating:

“Crisp, clean and beautifully refined. This traditional German Pilsner is the result of patience and precision. Lagered for 120 days and brewed in collaboration with The Mill Brewery.”

Glassware: Footed flute.

Appearance: Brilliantly clear straw-golden pour capped off by a finger of finely beaded white head. It slowly breaks apart and forms a halo. Scarce lacing as we go.

Aroma: Smells like a proper conventional pilsner. That’s what 120 days of lagering will do! Ultra clean, crisp and refreshing notes of grassy hops, hay, light florals, water crackers, subtle creamed corn and honey. A delicate spiciness developing as it comes up to room temperature. Not much else to say about it really. It’s just a simple yet superb pilsner aroma.

Flavour: As expected, the conventional approach transfers over to the palate. Exquisitely balanced between the grassy and slightly herbal spicy hops and the clean malt bill of rice/water crackers, grains, hay and a hint of mild honey sweetness. A delicate line of bitterness through it all as it finishes nice and neat with decent carry on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean AF. Light on. Mild-moderate body. There’s a lovely effervescence to the Co2 and the 5% ABV is spot on for the style.

Overall: We’ve now notched up 5 reviews for Devilbend. They’ve stacked up pretty darn quickly too! But this is actually our first crack at The Mill. Considering the finesse and quality of this pils we might have to give them a run. Impressive interpretation of this Euro classic.

Devilbend Coffee Brown Ale

Rating:

“Rich, roasty and quietly indulgent. This American Brown Ale is layered with smooth coffee from our friends at ​Red​ Hill Roast and a touch of lactose for a silky finish.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Deep brown pour with some light cutting through at the base of the glass. It forms a thumb of cappuccino head which slowly peels off. Laced well as it subsides.

Aroma: Loving the heady coffee notes lifting off. It has that super savoury cold pressed vibe to it which is very appealing. The coffee also entertains a hint of creamy vanilla and lactose that balance out the natural bittersweet roasty-ness. Decent brown ale base behind it too…toasty, nutty, chocolatey. Some caramel and toffee sweetness. Earthy hops playing a vital role as well. Diggin’ it.

Flavour: Like the aroma, the cold pressed coffee provides a distinct nutty sweetness along with milder notes of burnt toast and dark chocolate. Again, the creamy vanilla and lactose provide that milkiness which is crucial to the overall balance. A gentle earthy hop underlines the mid palate while it all rolls seamlessly into a nutty, toasty and slightly dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, chewy, a tad creamy. Medium body and finely carbed. The 5% ABV slots in nicely.

Overall: This is now our 4th review of Devilbend’s beers and we must say, not only did they stack up quickly, they’ve all been on point too. Keep em coming lads!

Allagash ‘Little Sal’ BA Sour Red Ale w Blueberries

Rating:

“Few things are more synonymous with Maine than blueberries. After years of making wild beers without ever using Maine’s state fruit, a tiny farm in Windham, Maine, asked us to try a beer with their blueberries. The beer tasted so good that we asked to use their entire crop.To make Little Sal, we add wild lowbush blueberries to a barrel-aged sour red ale. The resulting beer is dark violet in color, with earthy aromas of blueberry and oak. Its flavor is juicy, tart, and unmistakably blueberry: a true taste of Maine.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Uncaged, uncorked and presenting a light redish-brown with a finger of fizzy head over the top. Rapid reduction, settling to a collar with minimal lace work on the glass.

Aroma: We were lucky enough to bag one of these as Carwyn Cellars have fortuitously connected with a US distributor who’s massively overstocked on a bunch of rare barrel aged American beauties. For this expression the blueberries are the main event. Offering their tart and juicy sweetness to a lacto-heavy sour red ale. Gorgeous layers of oak, barnyard funk, tannic red berries, red wine vinegar, sour grapes and sour cherry.

Flavour: This is a 2019 vintage so the 7 years it’s had laying down has had a significant effect on mellowing out the sharp lacto sourness that it would’ve once had. There is a short cameo of funk and sourness upfront but it tapers off into rich oak and juicy blueberry notes, subtle wine tannin, earthy farmyard, hay/wheat and sour red grape juice to finish. Nicely drawn out on the back palate too.

Mouthfeel: Light on, not overly sharp or astringent as these types of sours can be. Light-moderate body, the Co2 has dropped out a bit from age and the 6% ABV is neatly tucked away.

Overall: Well, it’s not every day that we get to sink a 7yo sour by Allagash. Kudos Carwyn cellars! We soaked up every sip of this complex and delicious little number. Impressive stuff.

Allday X Evil Twin ‘Even More Daylight Jesus’ Imperial Stout

Rating:

“When the opportunity came to brew with Evil Twin Brewing NYC , there was only one answer — go BIG. Inspired by their legendary Even More Jesus lineage, Even More Daylight Jesus is our take on excess. A monstrous 12% Imperial Stout loaded with coconut and vanilla, delivering huge body, thick texture and layer after layer of rich dessert character. Toasted coconut. Silky vanilla. Dark chocolate. Roasted malt. Pure decadence. Collaborating with Evil Twin is a genuine bucket-list moment for us and one we don’t take lightly. This is the kind of brewery that helped shape modern beer culture worldwide. So we turned everything up. Bigger. Richer. Darker.” 

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Looks ominous. Pitch black with a fizzy three finger dark brown head which gradually reduced to a collar. Not a whole lot of lace left behind though.

Aroma: This was one of those uncertain purchases coz on one hand we’ve got Evil Twin – a highly respected American brewery who birthed the popular ‘Even More Jesus’ variant. On the other is Allday Brewing, which seems to be an offshoot of Forward Hops (a distribution company). First thoughts are a tad underwhelming. The toasted coconut is the most prominent, followed by a fairly rich stout base of bittersweet espresso, dark chocolate, burnt cookies and vanilla.

Flavour: Slightly delayed onset but once it kicks into gear we get a mouthful of toasted coconut, burnt vanilla, burnt toast, warming alcohol, dark chocolate and treacle. There’s good carry through the mid where the creamy vanilla plays a crucial role in quelling the big roasted notes. The vanilla drops off and in turn it all finishes with seriously rich and bitter dark chocolate and espresso that lingers.

Mouthfeel: Thiccc. Almost oily but the bitterness gives it a bit of lift. Full bodied. The 12% ABV is a tad too noticeable at times.

Overall: Not crazy on it but it does offer some good characteristics here and there. The toasted coconut and the brawny base stout would be the most notable. Not bad.

Brasserie Lefebvre ‘Barbar Bok’ Belgian Dark Ale

Rating:

“Barbãr Bok is a solid and expressive beer that offers similar characteristics to Barbãr, enhanced by malty, chocolate notes that are especially appreciated in winter.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Pours redish-brown with deep amber edges. It forms a rocky three finger head which slowly collapses. A smattering of lace is left in its wake.

Aroma: We’ve done a little bit of research on this one and from it we’ve seen this classed as a bock, a brown ale, a Belgian dark ale and a Belgian strong ale. The only classification it hasn’t been given yet is a dubbel! What is for certain is that it’s nothing short of a malt bomb. Very malty-sweet with honey, toffee, caramel, subtle maple and dark fruits like raisin, fig and blackberry. Notable yeast ester, mixed spice and a dank earthiness.

Flavour: If we were blindfolded our first guess at this would be a Belgian brown ale. There’s a distinct toasty/nutty malt base which screams brown ale. From there though, the yeast esters, honey and dark fruits send it Belgian-wards with a bunch of nuanced flavours like cola, fruit cake, musk and banana bread adding to the mix. It finishes rather toasty, malty-sweet and yeasty and it sits on the back end for days.

Mouthfeel: Kinda bulbous, light-feeling, fizzy. Slightly lifted Co2, medium bodied. The 8.5% ABV is extremely well concealed.

Overall: Quite a complex number and one that doesn’t really make a lot of sense at times. It’s a decent drop…we just don’t really get what it is and where it’s going.

Banks ‘Citra Feels’ DDH Oat Cream IPA

Rating:

“Our first Feels of 2026 pours an opaque, glowing orange haze and is bursting with pure Citra hop intensity. On the palate, vibrant waves of sweet mango, passionfruit, and fleshy”¦

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Exactly what we want an oat cream IPA to look like; proper turbid pastel orange to yellow with a thumb of frothy white head perched on top. Gradual reduction and healthy lace deposits as it ebbs.

Aroma: This one definitely goes straight into the “we can’t believe we haven’t reviewed this” pile. Outrageous! The nose is absolutely fricken divine. Sweet and juicy fruits overlaid with tonnes of smooth and creamy oats and lactose. Citra clearly shines (obviously) with its super oily rind, ruby grapefruit, lime/lemon, pineapple, mango and orange. Hints of pine, lemongrass and shallot also coming through.

Flavour: Tastes fresh AF which is ideal. Wave after wave of tropical fruits, mixed citrus, pine, herbals and even a slightly dank character. All of that wrapped up in a delicious, smooth and creamy oat base. Hardly a hint of bitterness too…only in the supremely smooth and creamy finish is there just the slightest dryness at the back of the tonsils.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, pillowy, smooth as silk. Very finely carbed, medium body. The 8% ABV is completely hidden. Incredible.

Overall: It blows our minds that we hadn’t reviewed this yet. We’ve just realised that we haven’t reviewed anything else (except for Motueka) in the whole ‘feels’ series. What are we even doing?!

König Brauerei Pilsener

Rating:

“Life’s big events and everyday moments of refreshment are all the more enjoyable with König Pilsener. Germany’s first premium pilsener beer owes its exceptional taste to its high-quality production process. The brand has played a leading role in the German beer market since the 1960s, and is now exported to more than 40 countries worldwide.”

Glassware: Half Stein.

Appearance: Crystal clear bright golden complexion with a big and fluffy three finger head. It’s retained well and weaves a fine lace down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: European pilsener personified! Brewed to the Reinheitsgebot too so you could have 10 of these and not be hungover (we feel that statement should come with some type of health warning). Crisp and clean as a whistle. The balance is exquisite – Noble hop spice, florals and herbs against a backdrop of water crackers, steamed rice and cereal grains. Just the slightest hint of DMS but that’s 100% fine in a pilsener. Superb.

Flavour: Quite similar to Weihenstephaner pils with its slightly sweeter malt profile. It’s interesting as we didn’t pick up much honey-like sweetness on the nose. There’s also a notable black pepper spiciness amongst more Noble hop notes of grass/hay, earthy herbals and florals. A mildly assertive bitterness forms late then delivers a dry, slightly bitter and grassy finish which lingers.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean and uber refreshing. As anticipated for the style. Light-moderate body, perfectly carbed. The 4.9% ABV is bang on.

Overall: It’s a damn fine pilsener. Up there with the likes of Radeberger, Warsteiner and Jacobinus. Juuuust missing the last bit of finesse that breweries like Jever and Flensburger possess.

Du Cane ‘Mountain To Mountain’ Stout

Rating:

“Export stout with a high proportion of oats. Full bodied, dark roast, light smoked malt, dark chocolate (think 90% Lindt).”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black pour with a finger of brown head nestled in on top. Steady reduction but minimal lacing on the glass.

Aroma: We’re picking up a distinct smokiness right off the bat. It then morphs nicely into more of a charred wood/campfire quality then into rich molasses, cigar skins and dried tobacco. There are also significant amounts of dark chocolate and spice with more nuanced espresso, licorice, musk and earthiness. It’s damn impressive for a modest 5.8% stout.

Flavour: It packs some serious heat for its size. Everything we listed in the aroma transfers over – the smokiness/campfire, the cigars, dark chocolate and licorice. The bittersweet molasses and espresso develop later in the piece. The charred malt and bitterness continually ascend as it all hits a crescendo then gradually deconstructs into a long and drawn out roasty finish.

Mouthfeel: Fairly dense and muscly. Co2 is kept low but the slightly lifted IBU makes it feel higher. Medium-full body and a 5.8% ABV that punches well above its weight.

Overall: That concludes our little journey into Du Cane’s range. We must say we’ve been impressed by the quality of all 5 of them. This stout in particular is a brilliant drop for its size. An excellent way to finish it all off.

Modus ‘Brewer Series #5’ American Brown Ale

Rating:

“Meet the fifth instalment of our Brewer Series: an American Brown Ale that’s rich, smooth and full of character without losing drinkability. Born from the US craft beer movement, this style takes traditional English brown ales and dials up the hops – bringing subtle citrus and pine notes into layers of toasted nuts, caramel and dark chocolate malt.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Chestnut brown with mahogany hues. It forms a three finger head which takes ions to recede. Thick, blotchy lace trails cling to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Smells magnificent. Really impressive depth to the malts. Down deep is this light roasted quality which we love in brown ales. Backing up are heady wafts of burnt toast, toffee, treacle, cocoa and wood shavings. The American aspect is represented darn well also… displaying oily citrus/rind, pine needle and herbal spice. An underlying earthiness to it all as well.

Flavour: Doesn’t possess the depth and richness it had on the aroma unfortunately. Alas, it still offers a hearty mix of toast, chocolate, cocoa and caramel that is nicely cut through by the citrusy, piney and earthy hops. As expected, the Citra, Centennial and Simcoe hops provide a nice line of bitterness that carries it all into a dry, toasty finish with lingering pine and nuttiness on the rear.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and silky then slightly drier post-swallow. Modest Co2, medium body and a neat little 5% ABV.

Overall: Jeez it’s been a long time between drinks for us and Modus. 6 years to be exact. This American brown ale is the perfect reminder as to why they were one of our top 5 Aussie breweries at one stage. Solid offering.