Author Archives: 2hopheads

Bass Point ‘Bushrangers Bay’ Dark Lager

Rating:

“Dear Will, when we made this beer it brought back memories of our Melbourne days, enjoying a few beers and more than a few laughs. You’ve gotta try this one, it has all those amazing roasty dark notes and goes down a treat.”

Glassware: Half Stein.

Appearance: Cola-like pour with a thumb of lightly tanned foam perched on top. Good head retention but lacking a little in the lace department.

Aroma: Pretty well layered. There’s a nice dose of roasted malt which provides the usual coffee and cocoa, a dark fruit sweetness with its plum and golden raisin and then a much more subtle veneer of spicy and earthy hops. All within their own right are lovely to take in, but as a collective it creates what is an impressive aroma.

Flavour: It seems to fuss about while not offering anything for a fleeting moment but then the roasted malts kick into gear with coffee, raw cacao and carob. This little trio then passes the baton on to a rather earthy and woody note. It really dries out late in the piece and finishes on a nice roast that draws out well.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, dry and palate-friendly yet still holding a medium body and a sensible 5% ABV.

Overall: A highly underrated style the old Dark Lager. When they’re done well, like this one is, they can literally be drunk any time of the year due its versatility. Solid.

Madocke ‘Framboos’ Raspberry Witbier

Rating:

“Packed with raspberry flavours, this fruited witbier is as delicious as it is unique. It will delight you with its beautiful body, wonderful aroma and slight tartness. A beer, passionately designed for that perfect day.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Light pinkish hue, turning more of a pinkish-orange on the edges. Quite a creamy/hazy aspect. It forms two fingers of frothy white head which forms a thick collar. Reasonable lacing as we go.

Aroma: Dominant yet well tempered raspberry notes meeting the olfactory’s initially. Could say a touch of strawberries and cream also. Certainly a heady vanilla accent, some natural tartness from the fruit, a defined minerality and raw oats in support. We’re kinda picking up more obscure wheat grains and orange peel as it settles. It all comes together rather nicely.

Flavour: It’s all about the raspberries on entry. It’s very dry though, feels (and tastes) like a heavy handed use of oats in the malt bill. The raspberry slowly tapers off and a very faint hint of whipped cream and cereal grain bridges the mid. One last little cameo of raspberry before it punctuates on a mildly creamy and grainy finish.

Mouthfeel: Fairly light on, creamy, mineraly. A little on the dry side. There’s a lovely effervescence to it and the 5.1% ABV is about right for the style.

Overall: Not what we were expecting. We were hoping for more of a framboise but hey, in the end it was a half decent drop.

Greene King ‘Abbot Ale’ ESB

Rating:

“Warming, malty and fruity. Pale and amber malts contribute to a mouth-filling and satisfying Horlicks and biscuity maltiness. Challenger and First Gold give a base note of herbal hop and Fuggles as a late hop contributes the main fragrant fruity and floral and spicy notes. Fermented slowly to give just enough fruity esters Abbot Ale provides a complex, satisfying and warming experience.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: It pours a very attractive deep amber with full transparency. Not much in the way of head formation and the story is much the same with its lacing.

Aroma: Super sweet, but like all well brewed English ESB’s it’s perfectly balanced by a woody and earthy hop profile. Deep seated notes of caramel and toffee apple, marmalade, buttery biscuits and slightly nutty malt fill it all out beautifully. It has a certain residual sweetness to it which gives off an obscure Barleywine quality as well.

Flavour: Oh man there’s nothing like a traditional ESB in the middle of Spring – rich and sweet malts behind a veil of English hops. It strikes the perfect balance between malty sweet butterscotch, raisins and caramel with woody, floral and spicy hops. Gentle toasty notes and subtle fruit developing late in the piece. Nice, dry and earthy finish to round it all out.

Mouthfeel: Slick, chewy and gelatinous. Medium body. The 5% ABV is spot on.

Overall: One of the best ESB’s we’ve had for a while. Very impressive.

Slow Lane ‘Stanger Danger’ Kolsch

Rating:

“Kolsch is a light, dry and hoppy ale originating from the German city of Cologne. A true Kolsch is required to be brewed according to rules within the Kolsch Konvention. These rules include that it’s brewed within 50km of Cologne, filtered and served in a 200mL cylindrical glass called a Stange. This is our version brewed 16,575km from Cologne, unfiltered and more than likely not served in a Stange.”

Glassware: Tumbler.

Appearance: It would have poured a gorgeous clear and bright golden colour if not for all of the suspended sediment. It forms a short white head which settles at the rim. Minimal lace as we go.

Aroma: Honestly it’s unlike any Kölsch we’ve had before. The classic florals and spicy hop profile synonymous with old world German beers are here but it has a distinct fruity tartness to it that almost comes off as sour. Very delicate honey and umami rice crackers here and there, some light cereal grains. Very unique…we’re still on the fence though.

Flavour: That tart/sourness on the aroma has all but disappeared. Now we’re tasting the true conventional Kölsch qualities of white bread crusts, spice, light florals, soft honey sweetness and savoury rice crackers. Getting a hint of raw almond/hazelnut and herbals through the mid leading into a clean and dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, dry and light on. Perfectly carbed and the 5% ABV is right on the money.

Overall: It’s like we went through the 5 stages of denial in one review! We went from dislike to serious dislike then to thinking it was OK and now we’re digging it haha. Respect.

Deeds ‘Empty Man’ BA Imperial Stout

Rating:

“Nestled in the darkest part of the cave, you can finally rest. Here the fingers of the icy winds could not pick apart your clothes and race over your bare skin. You hear a strange whistling and almost in a trance you step forward. There is a presence in the cave that beckons, it tugs at your sanity.  As the uncontrollable shivering starts, you kick a bottle out of its hiding place. Was that there before? The bottle rolled about and came to a rest against your feet. The bottle’s label gives away no secrets. You crack the top off the bottle and inhale.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pours like engine oil. Blacker than midnight with a short brown head which fades rather quickly. It forms a collar with spotty lace as it ebbs.

Aroma: So, this purchase was solely on the fact that Deeds’ BA Stouts are the best in the country. Fun fact: both of us dislike jaffa (orange-flavoured chocolate) so this should be fun 😆. And straight out of the blocks is a huge jaffa scent. It has this Cointreau-like note which is actually quite pleasant. Unfortunately the jaffa totally drowns out the Bourbon/oak and base Stout aromas.

Flavour: We were sincerely hoping that the orange component was toned down here but much to our dismay, it isn’t. The orange-infused chocolate flavours are pretty overcooked…we can’t taste much of the Bourbon, oak or the base Stout until later on in the piece when a hint of Bourbon spice and caramel come through and assist the jaffa-laden finish.

Mouthfeel: Thick and viscous but with a nice oiliness to smoothen it out. Low-ish Co2, full body. The 13.4% ABV is pretty well behaved for its size.

Overall: Not for us. We admitted we don’t like jaffa but that aside, we feel it was unbalanced and it drowned out the Bourbon and base Stout qualities. One for the jaffa lovers.

Bells Beach ‘Bird Rock’ Brown Ale

Rating:

“Birdrock, not only an awesome right hander, but the place where the idea for Bells Beach Brewing was conceived. This silky smooth coffee brown ale is the perfect combination of malty richness, coffee from our local roaster Mikro and classic British hops.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Deep ruby red pour with good clarity. Too light for a Brown Ale in our opinion. It forms a finger of rocky tan head which gradually reduces to a fine film. A wet but intricate lace decorates the glass as we imbibe.

Aroma: Typical Brown Ale characteristics upfront – lightly roasted malts, nutty chocolate, toast, coffee and woody/earthy hops. Not a whole lot else happening to be honest. It’s not like that’s a bad thing at all, especially as the limited aromas on offer still provide a nice robust combination for the olfactory’s.

Flavour: Hhhmmm we were a little apprehensive coz typically a weak aroma is followed by a weak flavour profile. The shame is that the beer is, by description, a coffee Brown Ale but the coffee aspect is far too shy. All we get is slightly sweet, nutty caramel initially then a somewhat diluted mix of coffee, chocolate and woody hops into a short dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Not too bad actually. A little rigid but it holds a decent body with smooth texture. The co2 is about where we like it for the style.

Overall: This was actually our 2nd crack at this Victorian brewery. We remember picking up their IPA while on a beer tour through South West Victoria/Geelong back in 2016 (or ’17. Memory is starting to fade 😬). This Brown is pretty middle of the road. It’s lacking in certain areas and really isn’t doing anything for us.

Madocke ‘Nobel’ Belgian Strong Ale

Rating:

“Nobel, a Strong Ale which strikes the perfect balance between strength and sweetness with its golden colour, crisp fruity taste and well carbonated body.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Hazy light golden pour with three fingers of fluffy white head perched on top. Excellent retention and plenty of thick sudsy lace clinging to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: She’s nice and complex. Layers of semi-rich malt sweetness filled out by soft fruity and spicy yeast esters. Candied lemon, honey and guava mingle with the spicy accents of coriander, lemon pepper and curry leaf. There’s just the slightest hint of barnyard and orchard fruits creeping through as well. Very solid aroma.

Flavour: Again, quite a complex number with a higher carbonation and dryness than anticipated. Slightly tart lemon, estery spice and honey on entry then slowly approaching orchard fruits and earthy herbals through the mid. This little combo continues on and then lays down for a relatively dry and fruity finish with some spicy notes drawing out.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, effervescent and fluffy. Light-moderate body with a very well disguised 8.5% ABV.

Overall: It takes more than just passion and skill to brew only traditional Belgian beers in a market with a much higher demand for hoppy, hazy and sweeter styles. We’ve got a lot more respect for breweries like this who stick to their convictions and don’t give in to the hype. Keep em comin’.

Durham ‘Dark Angel’ Stout

Rating:

“Drinks much bigger than 4.3%. A robust and full-bodied stout with coffee roast bitterness and rich caramel notes. Seven different grains including oats create a complex malt body. This is balanced by good old English hops.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Matte black and topped off with a short tan head which gradually peels off. It eventually forms a collar with rings marking each sip on its way down.

Aroma: The description states that it drinks much bigger than 4.3%. We’d also add that the aroma punches way higher than 4.3% as well! Off the bat it’s big and roasty. It’s chock-full of rich molasses and licorice then backed up by heady roasted coffee, marzipan, wafer biscuits and toffee. Lovely addition of old world English hops give it the extra earthy and spicy characters.

Flavour: This is super impressive considering its size. Brawny roasted malts are throwing out all the big dark chocolate, coffee, molasses and ashy notes while the lighter biscuity and toffee flavours provide the balance. Soft grainy oats and marzipan also adding to the depth. It rounds off on a light roast and a dry wafer-like note. Good length on it too.

Mouthfeel: It holds a good weight for 4.3% ABV. What it sometimes lacks in body is made up in bitterness. Perfectly balanced.

Overall: We weren’t too sure what to expect from this but going off our previous reviews this brewery rarely disappoints. Seriously impressive for what is technically a session Stout.

Madocke Belgian Blonde

Rating:

“Both refreshing and smooth, boasting a rounded flavour with medium bitterness and subtle fruity notes.”

Glassware: Trappist chalice.

Appearance: Bold amber with an orange tint. It has a slight haziness and a thumb of creamy white foam atop. Good retention and healthy lace trailing it down.

Aroma: Dead set this smells as good as any Belgian Blonde you’d get from the likes of Duvel, Chimay etc. It’s packed with conventional Belgian yeast esters i.e banana runts, orchard fruits and bubblegum then further bolstered by tangy orange citrus, clove/peppery spice, fresh herbs like coriander and ground aniseed. Maybe just the mildest touch of ginger as well. Very impressive.

Flavour: Follows the nose with its magnificent and classic marriage of Belgian yeast esters, citrus fruits and herbal spice. Tasting a very delicate honey malt sweetness woven through the candied banana, clove, coriander and dried floral notes which develop a bit later in the piece. It all shifts into a fairly dry, clean and herbaceous finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, refreshing and dry. Co2 is a little under its more traditional Belgian counterparts though. The 5.2% ABV is on point and the body is mild-moderate.

Overall: We’re hooked on these guys at the moment. Their Belgian-only ethos, the high quality of their range, the simple yet effective branding. They seem to be the complete package!

Westside Ale Works German Kölsch

Rating:

“A traditional German Kolsch ale brewed in accordance with the Reinheitsgebot. With an American twist of a little rye malt and pairing of American hops alongside German Noble hops. A clean dry finish ready to be your new favourite.”

Glassware: Tumbler.

Appearance: Pale golden pour with a mild hop haze. It forms a short fizzy head which breaks up fairly quickly. Scarce lace work on the glass as we go.

Aroma: It certainly comes off as a traditional Kölsch – nice and crisp, a semi sweet biscuity/honey malt profile and rounded out with old world grassy and herbal hops. Just the slightest hint of yeast esters poking through too…light banana and spice, maybe the faintest touch of bubblegum. Pretty decent aroma. Diggin it.

Flavour: Drinks pretty well. It’s refreshing but it also provides a good amount of body. It’s displaying more of an earthy note here with the grassy and herbal hops in support. The addition of rye is very subtle and comes through as more estery than anything as it punctuates with an earthy dryness which drags out nicely.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, fairly clean and dry. Mild-medium body with a well positioned 5% ABV.

Overall: Not a bad crack at this German classic. The description (which could’ve been articulated better by a 5th grader) says there are American hops used but we get absolutely zilch. It’s just a straight up and down traditional Kölsch that’s super approachable.

Lost Palms ‘Second Rodeo’ Imperial Affogato Stout

Rating:

“We’ve been there. We’ve done that. This is not our first rodeo… It’s our Second! Rich, dark & roasted malts play well with flavours of coffee & vanilla ice cream. You’ll find light notes of almond biscotti which round out the experience. Yee-all the way-Haw.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: It pours an opaque black with two fingers of loosely held brown foam forming on top. The head slowly recedes but doesn’t offer much in the way of lacing.

Aroma: We’ve been on the hunt for a good quality Affogato Stout for something like 5 years now. We’ve tasted 4 or 5 attempts from different breweries and not even one can come close to the true flavour profile of an Affogato. Here’s hoping that ends now. It has a nice and solid Stout base – chocolate, very mild coffee, vanilla and treacle. Hints of marshmallow, cherry and marzipan. Not sold yet.

Flavour: Well, it’s not a full strike out as it’s still a decent pastry stout. God dammit how hard is it to emulate coffee, vanilla ice cream and nutty liqueur?! Upfront it’s slightly bitter yet reminiscent of coffee and marshmallow. There’s a very very subtle almond accent as it shifts into the roasted mid. We must hand it to them coz the finish and back palate is mildly sweet and heavily roasted and draws out nicely.

Mouthfeel: Slick and oily, medium-full body and low-ish Co2. The 9% ABV was very well hidden.

Overall: Well, the search continues. Although this was a half decent beer it still misses the mark on what an Affogato, in our opinion, actually tastes like. We won’t give up!

Bridge Road X Firestone Walker ‘Dark Harvest’ Black IPA

Rating:

“2023’s Dark Harvest was designed together with Matt Brynildson, Brewmaster at Firestone Walker, a legend of the US craft beer industry, renowned for his extensive knowledge of and passion for all things hops. Dark Harvest takes influence from FW’s ‘Wookie Jack’ with the inclusion of rye to create a broader malt bill as well as the soft chocolate malts seen in previous editions. An unmissable ale. A complex and beguiling IPA underpinned by a shared passion for the unique and fleeting nature of its key ingredient.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Uber dark brown with a thumb of finely beaded tan head perched on top. Excellent retention and lace work as it subsides.

Aroma: Heady wafts of sweet stonefruit and lightly charred malts emanate from the glass, which we are yet to pick up still. Under the nostrils those two aforementioned aromas are magnified by 100 and then further supported by waves of mixed citrus, cocoa, mocha, peppery spice, cereal grains and ash. Maybe a very fleeting hint of Jaffa and pine needles as well.

Flavour: Man, the progression is next level. It starts off with an almost creamy chocolate malt note which is slowly but surely overlapped by a burgeoning roast and hop bitterness. It hits a crescendo around the mid-palate where the hops throw up everything from pine, mixed citrus, unripened stonefruit and herbal spice. It then settles in for a long finish of roasted malt, hop bitterness and pine.

Mouthfeel: Fairly smooth, a little dry and creamy. Drying out further in the swallow. Medium body, finely carbed. The 6.6% ABV is well concealed.

Overall: An impressive black IPA and an equally impressive partner for this collab. Firestone Walker are on of our all time favourite American breweries so big ups to whoever made that happen. Solid offering.

Bottle Logic ‘Perfectly Preserved’ Fruited Berliner Weiss

Rating:

“Tart Wheat ale brewed and conditioned with hundreds of pounds of nectarines & white + yellow peaches.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Clear golden pour and a fast-fading white head. It forms a fine collar with next to no lace work on the glass.

Aroma: Very dominant peach coming off initially. It has a strong floral scent behind it too. Heady nectarine, unripened pineapple and lychee also coming through. Somewhat of a spring floral bouquet and a touch of bush honey to make it that little bit more interesting. Maybe some wheat grains off in the distance but honestly it’s hard to get far past the extreme peach and nectarine.

Flavour: This is turning out to be miles from what we were anticipating. We were ignorantly expecting a soured-up, stonefruit-based beauty and we’ve ended up with an overly floral, sweet peachy mess with little acidity and structure. The peach and nectarine pretty much drown out any other flavour and the floral aspect only further widens the imbalance. It does dry up a bit and corrects itself late in the piece but the damage is done by then.

Mouthfeel: Nice and crisp, tart and refreshing. Perfectly carbed, mild-moderate body. Can’t fault the texture at all.

Overall: This is a rare strike out for BL. They are human after all! It’s just a little incongruous but we’ve already forgiven them 😁

Riegele ‘Dulcis 12’ Belgian Strong Ale

Rating:

“The harmonious taste of Dulcis 12 arises from the light sweetness of honey and a 12-month second fermentation process with Trappist yeast.”

Glassware: Half Stein.

Appearance: Kinda hazy golden amber pour with a wispy white overlay. The head disappears rather quickly and produces little lacing. Quite a fair bit of suspended sediment as well.

Aroma: It’s extremely sweet but as any good and well respected German brewery will do…they’ve balanced it impeccably. Rich notes of honey, lilac and boiled candy lift out of the glass. Following closely behind are distinctly yeasty notes of banana liqueur, clove and stewed apple/pear. Light caramel sweetness, overripe orange and black pepper add to and further fill out this impressive aroma.

Flavour: Oh wow! It’s like a lovechild between a Belgian Tripel and a Weizenbock. It’s jam-packed with spicy phenols and honey but then it’s layered with a tonne of other flavours like boiled candy, caramelised orchard fruits, honeysuckle, oriental spice and ripe orange citrus. The finish is pretty much an extension of the rest of the beer. With good length as well.

Mouthfeel: Unbelievably smooth for its size (11% ABV). Kinda sticky, chewy texture, perfectly carbed. Medium body.

Overall: A very interesting beer. Super sweet yet spicy and fruity. Belgian yet still somewhat German. All in all it’s a very respectable drop.

Madocke Witbier

Rating:

“Hazy white beer with a full refreshing taste. Intensely aromatic with lots of lemon and spicy characters.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Slightly hazy, pale light yellow pour with high Co2 activity and a thumb of fizzy white head capping it off. Retention is pretty good, webbed lacing clinging to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: We actually had to delve back into our websites history to find out the last time we reviewed a Witbier. It was Dogfish Head’s “Namaste” back in 2016! So it’s fair to say we’re not the biggest fans of the style haha. Anywho, let’s crack on. Conventional type of aroma. Spearheaded by the spicy phenols, fresh citrus/rind and vanilla. Some mild pepper and herbal notes, maybe a subtle doughy malt profile also.

Flavour: It’s very delicate..like the nose it’s phenolic, spicy and a little citrusy with a suggestion of vanilla developing in the mid-palate. It’s notably clean and refreshing, promoted by the gentle bitterness. Light herbals, oats and bready malts then lead in to a bone dry finish with ultra-fine yeast phenols and lemon on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Nice and crisp, light on and effervescent. Mild-moderate body and the 4.5% ABV is spot on.

Overall: Our first entry for this Gold Coast brewery. We’ve actually had an eye on them for a while but never took the next step. We’re not really blown away by this one but we have high hopes for the rest of the range.

Trillium X Garage Project Soufflè Imperial Stout

Rating:

“Home & Away, a series of rebrews bringing some of our funnest overseas collaborations back to the Garage. For this release we turn to the dark side with South Pacific Soufflé Stout, first brewed with Boston’s beer bosses, Trillium. Brewed with Tongan vanilla pods, cacao nibs and Timor-Leste grown coffee beans from Wellington’s own Flight Coffee, this huge dessert stout pours an opaque jet black with luscious layers of vanilla gelato, burnt marshmallow, chewy dried fruits and mocha latté. Bringing home the goodness.” 

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Solid black pour with a thumb of brown head assembling on top. It retains relatively well and leaves wet patchy lacing on the glass.

Aroma: We’ve been eagerly awaiting this for weeks now. Sometimes the pent up excitement can be detrimental but not with a GP X Trillium collab…you could almost bet your house on it being amazing. Coming off are big roasty notes backed up by melted chocolate, spicy vanilla and cocoa. The coffee is also quite succinct. Hints of toasted marshmallow, roasted almonds and rum-soaked raisin. Hot damn!

Flavour: Wow, it’s multi-layered and super complex. The evolution of it is insane…it’s morphed like 4 or 5 times already. Wow! Upfront it’s rich and sweet but also kinda tart, like blueberry and blood plum. The chocolate is fudgey and melted, the coffee is mocha-forward and the vanilla is spicy. There’s quite an aggressive roasted quality that carries all the way into the finish which provides chocolate powder, raw cacao and ash for days.

Mouthfeel: Dense and muscly yet surprisingly elegant. The Co2 is slightly higher for the style and the 12.4% ABV comes in and out.

Overall: Two heavyweights from each side of the earth collaborate on another absolutely cracking beer. How original! Nah, in all honesty this was superb. How we wish Trillium were more readily available here in Australia. We’d be broke but it’d be worth it.

Sailors Grave ‘Leviathan’ Kölsch

Rating:

“A modern twist on a classic favourite. Lean, clean malt profile with aromas of bread crust, mountain wildflower and hay. hopped with Saaz and Motueka.”

Glassware: Tumbler.

Appearance: Light pale golden pour with a finger of white foam capping it off. The head gradually peels off and a healthy lace trails it down.

Aroma: Digging the crisp and super clean nature of it. On the surface it gives every indication that it’s a traditional Kölsch with the floral, herbaceous and earthy notes it’s suggesting. It’s not until we dig our noses in deep that we find subtle hints of citrus peel and zesty lime. The malt bill is incredibly clean and bready. Good vibes.

Flavour: The crisp and clean nature of the beer carries over nicely. Neatly trimmed Noble hop notes of earthy herbs, mildew and soft florals mingle with the dry, crusty malts and the result is this uber-sessional neck oil with impeccable balance and simplicity. The finish is perfectly rounded and it draws out nicely on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Clean, crisp and delicate. There’s a lovely effervescence which lifts it up. Light-moderate body and the 5% ABV is right on the money.

Overall: We must admit we’re not typically swayed by this mob but they’ve absolutely nailed this. It’s like the perfect BBQ beer…ultra crushable but full flavoured. Kudos, Sailors Grave!

Bottle Logic ‘Crust To Core’ BA Imperial Stout

Rating:

“Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout collaboration with our brothers-in-adjuncts, Equilibrium Brewery. This liquid erupted from a combination of Heaven Hill, Elijah Craig, and Old Fitzgerald barrels at a molten 15.5% ABV with a gooey chocolate-brownie character that we finished with a crater-full of cacao nibs and a 300lb peanut butter treatment for a beautifully balanced, bottled Peanut Butter Brownie.” 

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black with a thumb of dark brown foam that vanishes as quickly as it assembles. Leaving nothing but a dark boozy abyss to look down in to.

Aroma: Smells incredible. Should we expect anything less from the Stasis Project though?! There’s traits of real peanut but also plenty of peanut butter emanating as well. As it settles it starts to release the hounds…raw cacao, Belgian chocolate, fudge, treacle and a faint yet noticeable Bourbon spice and oak profile. They’ve somehow even managed to get that slightly burnt crusty scent we get on really well made brownies as well. Oooft!

Flavour: Wow it gets really hostile here. Most likely from the 15.5% ABV but the Bourbon punches through harder and the chocolate goes from milky, fudgey and nutty to rich and dark. There’s also a more strident roast to it… probably more of a charred/ash quality actually. Yet, in typical BL fashion, they still present a mildly sweet, nutty, chocolatey, Bourbon-filled finish that goes for days.

Mouthfeel: Thick, full bodied and soupy. Low Co2 and a fairly well behaved ABV considering its size.

Overall: We’re running out of adulations to give to BL. These guys are just on another level.

Smog City ‘ Cuddlebug’ Fruited Sour

Rating:

“Bursting with intense aromas of apricot, peach and a hint of passion fruit, this super fruity sour beer is ripe for the summer. The strong yet balanced acidity plays off of the fruit and makes you wanna cuddle up to another glass.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Pale gold to yellow with a faint orange tint. Minimal head formation, anything that did manifest fell away almost immediately. Very little lace work as we go.

Aroma: Smells fantastic. What is it about fruits like peach, apricot and nectarine that work so damn well with sours? We think the flavour fusion of floral sweetness and succulent bright acidity with the sour, citric and vinegary notes are simply made for each other. Gorgeous hints of sour grapes, lemon juice, rockmelon, white vinegar and a whisper of oak. Superb.

Flavour: It’s been a while since we’ve had a proper sour. We must admit the intensity of the sourness tapers off after another sip or two and then it’s all about the delicious stonefruits. We’re getting the passionfruit but not the uber sweet and nectary type…more the tart-sweet Panama variety. Really subtle white vinegar, fresh lemon juice and an earthy, woody finish which lingers.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, slightly acidic with a lifted Co2. Light-moderate body and the 4.5% ABV was surprisingly low for how much flavour it packs.

Overall: A very clever and delicious counter to Snugglebug. We didn’t even know they released this alongside it! Like, a year after the fact! Both are impressive sours in their own right.

Baron’s Black Wattleseed Ale

Rating:

“The resulting beer delivers a wealth of flavour that you can’t deny. This multi-award winning wattle seed ale has a rich flavour base of caramel with a hint of chocolate. The smooth malt flavours are lightly hopped and then infused with roasted wattle seed, bringing a unique and authentic Australian flavour. The result is an outstanding ale that boasts a smooth taste profile balancing its robust character, an ultimately rewarding yet distinctive beer.”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: Pours a lovely burnished amber colour with a wispy tan overlay. The head reduces quickly and forms a collar with scarce spotty lacing on the glass.

Aroma: This is a re-post as we first reviewed this beer way back in early 2013. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw that it had been re-released in a can. Not much seems to have changed either which is excellent. It still provides a conventional Amber Ale base – nutty malts, caramel/toffee, butterscotch and fleeting hints of maple. The wattleseed is very delicate but does yield a bit of roast and mild smoky notes.

Flavour: Man, that’s as good as we remember it being when we first tried it about 20 years ago. Delicious caramel and nutty malts flowing through then that soft roasty element from the wattleseed adding a bit of smoke and char on the edges. The hops do a magnificent job of drying it out and countering the malt sweetness as well. Nice and nutty finish with the hops providing the balance.

Mouthfeel: Slick, chewy and gelatinous. Medium body and the 5.2% ABV is bang on for the style.

Overall: Wow what a blast from the past! Was not expecting to walk into the bottlo and see this on the shelves. The best thing is that it’s practically unchanged from the recipe decades ago. Nostalgia at its finest.