Category Archives: Flavour of the Month

Bacchus Brewing Co. Peanut Brittle Gose

Rating:

14568223_579330132251136_4321783244005863186_n“Peanut Brittle Gose – 500ml (Alc 4.9%). Gose is an ancient style of soured German Wheat Beer typically brewed with Coriander & Sea Salt. We’ve stayed true to the original recipe but then added our own Peanut Brittle twist. A heady aroma of sweet buttery toffee & roasted peanuts follows through into the taste, where the lactic saltiness of the Gose cuts through & balances the sweetness beautifully. Peoples Choice winner GABS 2016”

Served in an English pint. The appearance offers an attractive crimson hue with a short fizzy head that disappears almost instantly. Needless to say there isn’t a great deal of lace being shed. On the nose we get the expected saltiness initially, kind of hints at sea water at times. It’s not until the beer starts to warm that the super sweet and simply divine aromas of the caramelized peanut brittle begin to take shape. Such an odd mix but the salty notes blend exceptionally well with the moreish and syrupy peanut brittle. The combination of the two result in this indulgent salted caramel ice cream character that is just heaven for the olfactory’s. The texture of the beer is silky smooth but with an interesting salinity that provides a tingling sensation on the tongue and lips while the Co2 gives it a nice lift and adds a crucial effervescence to the overall feel. The front palate sees all the action as this marriage of saltiness and super sweet peanut brittle is brought alive with a spritzy carbonation. The salinity coerces the saliva glands to fill the mouth through the mid as the delicious flavours of peanut brittle and salted caramel endure through the finish and well in to the back end. It’s exactly how we remember it! After revisiting this beer it only serves as a confirmation that it earned the GABS 2016 people’s choice award by right. It’s so damn tasty, crafty and incredibly addictive. Top shelf stuff.

Murray’s Craft Bewing Co. ‘Thunderbolt’ IPA

Rating:

14463228_573152939535522_42143174831914203_n“Murray’s Thunderbolt IPA is our hoppiest IPA yet! Packed full of Columbus, Mosaic and Equinox hops throughout the brewing process, then significantly dry hopped in the fermenter, Thunderbolt has an intense aroma and flavour of citrus, pine and tropical fruit. The firm bitterness is rounded out by the sweetness of caramalts and alcohol. A beer to be enjoyed with care.”

Served in an IPA glass. Thunderbolt pours to an attractive rose complexion with a finger of fluffy khaki foam topping it off. Retention is pretty good as it stubbornly recedes to a fine film and weaves a streaky lace pattern down the walls of the glass. Pow! The intensity of this aroma almost knocked us off our bar stools. It’s seriously dank with wave after wave of these resinous, piney punches that invade the olfactorys. A solid presence of booze (7% ABV) helps it along as juicy tropical notes of mango, pineapple and lychee pair up with the bitterness of grapefruit and the sweetness of passionfruit. Quite sticky too – those candy-like toffee/caramel tones balance out the big and dank fruity hops brilliantly. Wow! Absolutely superb aroma. The mouth feel is dry and a little sharp but that is quickly eased as it transitions in to a nice and smooth swallow. Can’t find an IBU but it is very well disguised. Medium body, good Co2. The front palate showcases an incredible balance between dank, resinous and fruity hops against the backdrop of sweet caramalts. This marriage it creates on the palate is delicious and simply mind blowing. As it progresses the assertive bitterness intensifies, setting off a crescendo of fruity flavours as it all graciously rounds out on to a dry, hoppy and dank finish with excellent duration. Let us finish by saying wow! We can now understand exactly why this IPA took out Australian champion IPA at the 2016 CBIA awards. Kudos, Murray’s your best beer yet!

Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Milk Stout

Rating:

13962482_554288751421941_7952086833282044183_n“Our Peanut Butter Milk Stout is simply irresistible. It’s like dark chocolate Reese’s in a glass! Rolled oats and Lactose add to the creamy body of this beer while heavenly aromas of roasted buttery peanuts and chocolate greet you with every sip. Try this out with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a real treat!”

Served in a snifter glass. Pouring predominantly black with edges of dark brown being revealed when held to the light. A fizzy tan head sitting about a fat finger in height rapidly reduces to a ring with a scarce amount of lace being left behind. There’s one word for this aroma….wow!! She’s unbelievably sweet but the robust presence of roasted malts, chocolate, cocoa and coffee pull it back extremely well. Peanut butter definitely comes through albeit conservatively as wafts of lactose, vanilla, milk sugars, toffee fudge and peanut butter ice cream only just scratch the surface. This is one of those really fun beers that can easily evoke memories of everything from chocolate bars to desserts. There’s no boundaries to this superb aroma. The mouth feel is surprisingly light on and approachable with a super smooth texture. So incredibly drinkable considering the style and rich flavours going on. What we really like is the fact that the flavour has been somewhat reversed as opposed to the nose. Chocolate, roasted malts and toffee bed down on the tongue as peanut butter, vanilla and lactose work off of it. Again, not only balancing but providing that moreish and insanely delicious sweetness that begs for another sip. As it progresses the roasty notes make a return before it’s punctuated by all of the above along with a lingering creamy sweetness that’s dangerously addictive. Amazing. Simply brilliant milk stout here. In a climate where dessert stouts are popular this is a truly memorable offering that will no doubt stand out in our minds. Phenomenal!

Founders Brewing Co. ‘KBS’ BBA Imperial Stout

Rating:

13697299_540860426098107_3917183194027532825_n“What we’ve got here is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Makes your taste buds squeal with delight.”

Served in to a wide rimmed tulip glass. As anyone would expect, this monster pours pitch black with a finger of brown foam forming on top. The short head retains really well and leaves a nice trail of thick, blotchy lace on the glass as we imbibe. The moment you put the beer to your nostrils it’s instant excitement. Rich, voluptuous wafts of dark chocolate, espresso, oak, bourbon, charred malts, chocolate bullets, spice, alcohol and Christmas cake just billow out of the glass. A lovely vanilla sweetness ties in beautifully along with a kind of creamy lactose undertone that takes the edge off the huge roasted notes. Oh…it’s simply indulgence in a glass. So good. The mouth feel is slick, oily and sharp with a developing warmth from the 12.4% ABV. Bitterness is kept low and the body is medium-full. Quite a pronounced bourbon bite on the front palate. Hints of oak work their way through indistinctly as an espresso bitterness begins to open up early midway. As this baby warms she becomes more viscous and complex, really taking on the bourbon and oak firmly as burnt chocolate and a touch of molasses joins the party. A delicious dark fruitiness imparts flavours of alcohol soaked raisin and or prunes before an extremely lengthy finish offers everything from bourbon, oak, chocolate, coffee, licorice and a lingering alcohol warmth on the rear. How does one sum up a beer like this? Well, for starters it’s quite rare so if you’re agile enough to get your hands on one (don’t just buy one) then cherish it, lay one down for a year, as we plan to do, and see how the flavours mature. Remember to leave it out of the fridge for about 20 mins before opening, she gets better as it comes up to room temperature. Character-wise it’s flawless. The only downside is seeing the bottom of the glass as we take our last sip. Just world class stuff.

Knee Deep Brewing Co. ‘Lupulin River’ Imperial IPA

Rating:

13495104_533793403471476_8724553752501201776_n“This Double IPA includes Mosaic and Simcoe hops, South American specialty malt, and tons of tastiness. Looks like liquid gold, smells like a bright tropical fruit pine forest, and tastes like all that and more.”

Served in an IPA glass. Our eyes gaze over a gorgeous Amber body that’s topped off with a healthy two and a half finger crown. The head stubbornly holds up only peeling off a cm or so and retaining a thick blanket that sheds a wall of lace down the glass. As far as looks go this would have to be up there with the best. The aroma is just as exciting – it reminds us of Sierra Nevada’s Hop Hunter with its super clean hop oil aroma. Fresh scents of ruby grapefruit, passion fruit and pine needle are enhanced by tropical lychee, grape and kumquat notes. There’s a lovely floral accent too, a bit like lavender and or sage. Keeping with the character of the aroma the clean malt backing imparts a delicate honey sweetness which leads us to believe pilsner malts were used. Superb. You don’t get much better IPA aromas than this. The mouth feel is smooth as silk with an oily texture. A crisp bitterness and a medium body is further complimented by the perfect amount of carbonation. Just a brilliant progression on the palate. The flavour follows on from the aroma really well, initially we get a marriage of crisp pine needle, citrus and floral hops. A bold grapefruit note underlines it all and continues in to the mid. The snappy bitterness annexes to the grapefruit as tropical fruits and herbal notes lead in to a dry, crisp and ultra clean finish with excellent length on the back. Hot damn! This is one seriously tasty IPA. Everything from the appearance to the back palate is dead set spot on. We literally can’t find a thing wrong with this. It’s flawless.

Epic & Hop Federation ‘House of Nicholas’ ESB

Rating:

13165954_517356888448461_4208350002436230774_n“This amazing tasting Epic/Hop Federation collaboration is a going to be a very popular beer. At a recent tasting 30% of attendees voted Heritage their beer of the night. Heritage has a malty nutty aroma and is golden copper in colour with a rich flavour of nutty, biscuity malt character from the Amber malt. The English grown hops are twined tightly around the malt in a flavour that is subtly herbal and Earthly. Hop flavour comes in very late in the after taste. Keen followers of Epic will love this great beer.”

Served in an English pint. The incredibly clear amber pour is topped off by a short one finger head that collapses to a fine overlay with wavy lace patterns left in its wake. Looks fantastic. Probably one of the most attractive ESB’s we’ve seen. The aroma is nice and rich – chock full of caramel sweetness, toast and nutty malts. There’s a lovely floral hop note that works beautifully in to the sugary honey/maple accents. Maybe some subtle stone fruits too, apricot or peach? Just a hint of earth and/or peat creeping in as well. Wow, gorgeous aroma, so multi layered with every aspect working in harmony. Brilliant. In the mouth it’s smooth and really well rounded, it gives the palate a good old coating. Co2 is moderate and the bitterness mild. It just rolls over the tongue with a super easy swallow – a real pleasure to drink. The combination of sweet and earthy malts initiate the flavour profile. The impeccable balance between sweet, earthy and caramelized is further complimented by a subtle floral hop character flowing through. The mid displays a gentle hop dryness as the earthy malts again drive forward in to a smooth, toasty and slightly nutty finish. Good length. There’s only one thing better than a traditional ESB and that is a new world ESB brewed to perfection. That’s what this beer is. All of the traditional flavours are here but they’re bigger, sweeter and well balanced too. These Kiwi brewers have nailed it. Solid offering.

Moon Dog ‘Jumping the Shark 2015’ BA Imperial Rye Stout

Rating:

12990850_504567809727369_4085741524347524817_n“An 18.4% ABV Rye Imperial Stout that spent four months in rye whisky barrels from Tasmania’s Belgrove Distillery. A stupidly tasty melange of rich dark chocolate, molasses, hazelnuts and boozy rumminess.”

Served in a beer tulip. The pitch black pour generates a finger of tanned foam that gradually retreats and establishes a thin film over the top. Some scarce spots of lacing are left behind as we imbibe. From the first whiff you just know this is going to be an enormous beer. Liqueur-ish scents of port and rum are further intensified by moreish prunes/raisins, fig, molasses and damp wood. Alcohol comes gushing out in abundance as a kind of earthy and or soil-like character comes through. A plethora of undertones including leather, espresso, whiskey, spice, licorice and charred malts only add top this insanely potent stouts complexity. It’s ridiculous! Absolutely brilliant, but ridiculous! Wow, if we didn’t already know the ABV we would not have picked it, that’s for sure. She drinks surprisingly smoothly with an oily texture and a mild Co2 level. Sure, there is a slight burn from the whopping 18.4% alcohol volume but it’s contained and very well buried among the dense and viscous feel. An explosion of flavours are detonated on the palate. Everything from alcohol, charred malt, port, raisin, spice and whiskey come forth. A rich but not overly sweet molasses-like flavour develops as a spicy rye-like dryness creeps in across the mid. A short but intense alcohol burn is introduced as it lands on a rich, malty finish leaving us with that piquant and elegant rear palate that is simply decadent. We’re lost for words right now. This would have to be Moon Dog’s best Jumping the Shark beer. We can not fault it, it’s absolutely divine. If you see this bad boy on the shelves, bag it! You won’t regret it one bit.

Stone Brewing ‘Xocoveza’ Imperial Spiced Stout

Rating:

10400730_489611734556310_4513277488344758539_n“Our chocolaty, winter-spiced mocha stout is back. This insanely delicious take on Mexican hot chocolate is crafted with cocoa, coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. First brewed in 2014 with San Diego homebrewer Chris Banker after his recipe was named the winner of our annual homebrew competition, it quickly became a cross-country sensation as craft beer media and fans cheered for Stone Xocoveza…and clamored for more. We too loved this beer, so of course we caroled ¡Claro que sí! Now gifted with a new name, Stone Xocoveza for the Holidays & the New Year has joined our eminent lineup of special releases. We’re releasing it just in time for that time of the year when the joyous spirit of giving is in the air and good behavior is generously rewarded.”

Served in a snifter glass. The appearance is mat black with absolutely no transparency. A modest two finger head props up before it recedes and establishes a thin overlay that leaves reasonable lacing as it ebbs. Where do we start with this aroma?! The olfactory’s are abuzz trying to isolate the long list of spices against the rich, heavy malts and chocolate. What is detectable are hefty notes of clove, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, aniseed, cocoa, coffee, chocolate, peppers and a slightly left field scent of burnt rubber. Woah! There’s probably half a dozen others in here but we don’t have the nose or the space in this review for them. Incredible. What’s surprising is the mouth feel – it isn’t as heavy as we were expecting. It’s about medium in body with a nice progression down the throat. The 8.1% ABV is also masked very well and this kind of spicy numbness on the tongue has us intrigued. Not just your average imperial stout here, that’s for sure. Similar to the aroma the palate is lit up by a plethora of spice, malts and roasted notes. The heavy spices crescendo early on and as they soften a delicious creamy chocolate maltiness overtakes. The warming booze develops late and leads in to a dry, roasted and ultimately spicy finish with excellent length. We’d almost describe this as a spiced up version of the Founder’s brekky stout but we just can’t bring ourselves to say it. Our only gripe is that the spice does become a little overpowering by the end. That’s it! Everything else is absolutely bang on. Kudos, Stone.

Westveleteren Abdij St. Sixtus 12 (XII) Quadrupel

Rating:

12643001_474641189386698_6566564029964240075_nHere it is ladies and gentlemen! A beer that requires no introduction as the rest of the world has already spoken. For those who don’t understand the hype, this Belgian Quadrupel informally comes with the tag of best beer in the world. These tags don’t come willy nilly either, what with a list of beer blogging sites including Beer Advocate and Ratebeer scoring it a collective 100/100, it should say something. Speaking of tags if price is a problem for you then it may be best to go halves…or even quarters with someone as this Quad comes with a hefty price tag of $65 per bottle! They certainly don’t miss you. Let’s see if the price tag matches the quality shall we?

Served in a snifter glass. Pouring an elegant chestnut hue with a three finger cappuccino crown forming on top. The head peels back slowly but maintains a thick blanket as it ebbs. Laced well. So much happening on the nose. Hallmark aromas of toffee, caramel, fig and banana bread lead out as moreish notes of fruit cake, port, clove and or nutmeg, plum and raisins add extra dimension. We love the subtle crusty bread scent too, almost has that doughy 6am fresh bakery smell to it. Gorgeous! Absolutely divine aroma. In the mouth it’s thick, creamy and silky smooth. Co2 is low and the body is medium-full. A good viscosity here and it still finds a way to effortlessly breeze down the throat. So, so complex on the palate. There’s so many flavours our taste buds have to try and isolate. The broad description includes port, fruit cake and banana bread. The intricate description contains toffee, caramelized pear, prunes, nutmeg/clove/cinnamon, plum, figs, alcohol and candi sugars. All of this on a rich, nutty malt base. Phenomenal. Let’s finish by saying that coming in to this we were of the belief that this will be as good as any other Trappist Quad. Yes, but also a resounding no. Call it the hype factor if you like but this Quad has it all plus the pin point accuracy of every aroma and flavour along the way. Although it’s hard to say which beer is the best in the world, this Quad right here deserves every accolade that’s handed to it. Worth every cent of the $65 price tag. Excellent drop.

Pirate Life Brewing Co Pale Ale

Rating:

12400928_465713300279487_1675828477056791449_n“The ubiquitous Pale Ale. The workhorse of pretty much any modern brewery.
The brief we gave ourselves for our flagship beer was that it should be able to be sent to any bar in San Diego and to stand proudly alongside the many great Pales produced in, and around, the west coast of the US.
The schematic for a West Coast Pale Ale is bucket loads of big US hops, full malty backbone and a characterful yeast. That is what this Pale Ale is all about. Enjoy as fresh as possible.”

Served in a shaker glass. The attractive amber hue is capped off by a short beige head that rapidly peels off to a collar with minimal lace trailing it down. What this American-style pale ale lacks in head retention has certainly been made up in aroma as a burst of tropical fruits and citrus jumps out of the glass and smacks us in the face. Only a small hop bill (Cascade and Mosaic) but the two are high alpha hops and produce immense character. Fruits like grapefruit, passion fruit, pineapple and mango are in abundance but it’s the gorgeous infusion with the sweet caramalt and crystal malts that marry up beautifully to create this superb aroma. Quite spicy too with a touch of that IPA-like woody hop resin creeping through. Brilliant. It only gets better as a full-ish mouth feel enjoys a dry but very well rounded texture. Carbonation levels are spot on and the 5.4% ABV along with the 50 IBU is well contained. Shaping up for an absolute cracker here! Just as we thought….bloody delicious! Upfront the taste buds are treated to a divine synthesis of fruity hops, caramelized malts and spicy/resinous pine. There isn’t any succession of flavour but who needs it when the flavour profile is this solid. It finishes how it begins, with a tonne of fruits, malts and resinous pine along with a lingering bitterness for some duration. Excellent. One of the best pale ales we’ve ever had. Full flavoured, aggressive, hoppy, well balanced and super sessional. It’s got it all. Hats off to this new Australian brewery, definitely bigger things to come from these guys, we’re sure of it.

Prancing Pony Brewery India Red Ale

Rating:

12342293_458919554292195_2970936551414569051_n“This ale is based on ‘American Imperial Double Red Ale’ according to the British Ale Style Guide. With a dark red brownish colour, a firm creamy head and lots of fruity aromas on the nose, this ale has a big, malty body with late bitterness. The Red has been crafted with big dry hop aromas coming through from citrusy and tropical fruity hop varieties. With late lingering bitterness it is in perfect harmony with the fruity hop aromas. This Thoroughbred goes well with Asian and Curry dishes and presents well when matched to blue cheeses and smoked meats.”

Served in an IPA glass. The cloudy copper hue arouses an off-white two finger overlay that steadily reduces to a thin sheet over the top. Some healthy lace trails are left clinging to the glass. The aroma of this beauty is something to behold. Before you even put it to your nose you’ll get a gorgeous waft of candied and juicy tropical fruits. Lychee, pineapple, mango and passion fruit all spring to mind instantly. Adding even more depth and sweetness is the robust caramel malt backing that exudes wafts of sherbet, artificial berries and caramelized sugars. All of this held together by a brilliantly masked but traceable alcoholic scent. Excellent balance. Absolutely superb aroma. In the mouth the 7.9% ABV reveals itself with a slight warming on the tongue. The hefty malt profile smooths it straight out, leaving a really silky and velvety texture on the palate. Once again smooth and brilliantly balanced. Upfront it’s like an explosion of tropical fruits, sweet caramel malts and a gentle alcohol warmth. Almost like a fruity summer cocktail that tantalizes the taste buds. As it progresses through the mid the assertive bitterness (60 IBU) replaces the lapsing alcohol burn. Juicy lychee, pineapple and mango power on through to a heightened hoppy finish, lingering on the back palate nicely. This right here is one of the main reasons why we love craft beer. Absolutely delicious, and a world class India red ale. Simply brilliant….We loved it. If you couldn’t half tell!

Alesmith Brewing Co ‘Old Numbskull’ Barley wine

Rating:

12242994_452541438263340_6573102203122310195_n“A West Coast style barley wine. A huge malt profile and a very aggressive dose of premium domestic hops give Old Numbskull a tantalizing complexity, from the aroma to the aftertaste. Aroma starts with toasty, caramel notes and a pleasant hop character. Colour is deep amber, with tan head and impressive ‘Brussels Lace’ that clings to the sides of the glass.”

Served from a 750ml bottle in to a beer tulip. The somewhat rusty bronze appearance is capped off by a foamy three finger head that casually recedes, settling to a thin overlay with a tonne of spotty lace being shed. This here certainly has the hallmarks of an American barley wine. As our glass sits idle we get intermittent wafts of resiny, piney hops teasing the olfactory’s. Our first big whiff uncovers a plethora of caramelized malts, toffee, dates, fig, cocoa, molasses, hints of vanilla, nuts and ground nutmeg. Absolutely divine! Kind of reminds us of a rich, alcoholic, liquid sticky date pudding in a glass. Magnificent aroma we just can’t get enough of it. Once we get past the brilliant nose the next thing to indulge in is the amazingly smooth texture in the mouth. Nice and full with a developing warmth from the 11%ABV. Highly palatable for a beer of its size. The palate opens with a light toasted malt character that’s balanced by a hint of Cointreau, sweet, dark fruits and a good warming from the ABV in the background. A rich toffee sweetness binds the mid as the alcohol burn crescendos, leading on to a considerably dry, somewhat warm and slightly spicy finish. Excellent length on the rear too, very well drawn out. Well, well, well! Have we just discovered our best barley wine? Considering the complexity, the drink-ability of this brew is simply genius. It’s 11%! One could go postal on this and hey, who could blame them? Friends, if you’re interested in this style then don’t even think twice this is a magnificent drop.

Smuttynose Brewing Co. ‘Baltic Porter

Rating:

12186306_446501228867361_2155664384136521889_o“Indigenous to northern Europe, Baltic Porters historically stem from the shipping of British porters to the Russian hinterland. Unlike their British cousins, Baltic Porters are often brewed with lager yeast, which is the tradition we follow. Big & bold, with flavors of coffee, dark fruit & raisins, this black beer is smooth as a chocolate swirl.”

This is our 2nd entry for this American brewery. We have to make mention to this label, very artistic and deep. It has a very intriguing feel to it, almost Byzantine or Gothic with a somewhat Renaissance-era style. Really draws the eyes in. OK on with the review. Served in a beer tulip. The impervious black pour arouses a good finger and a half of tanned foam that gradually shrinks down to a light and filmy overlay. Laced reasonably well despite the diminishing head. The nose is packing some really rich and moreish aromas. An excellent balance is struck between the sweet and roasted as we take in robust wafts of dark chocolate, dark roasted malts, burned wood, coffee and leather against sweet notes of molasses, rum & raisin, licorice, treacle and black currants. Absolutely brilliant aroma. So much going on but it’s all so distinguishable. In the mouth it’s dense and full bodied. Quite a viscous texture with a bit of stickiness going on. The 9% ABV is extremely well hidden but intermittent with its astringency. Mild Co2. Perfect for a porter of this weight. Upfront the taste buds are reveling in the rich complexity. Dark chocolate, coffee and charred malts are met with an assertive hop bitterness that provides balance and flavour as it progresses onward between the mid and the warm, chocolatey, boozy, slightly bitter and ultimately roasted finish. Not only should the duration be praised but the entire progression of this delicious porter. Everything wee’re after in a dark beer is here in abundance – roast, chocolate, coffee, fruits, warmth and big body. This is a seriously good porter. Superb even.

Big Shed Brewing Co ‘Golden Stout Time’ Dessert Stout

Rating:

11850511_439266749590809_8395010682358189945_o“This beer is a tribute to the classic Golden Gaytime ice cream. It is brewed with cacao nuts, rice and specialty grain for that honey aroma then lactose for sweetness”

Well, if you live in Australia and attended the 2015 GABS festival then this stout needs no introduction, as it took out 3rd best beer of the competition. Similar to BrewCult’s ‘Milk & 2 Sugars’ (which understandably won) they answered the call from craft beer lovers by bottling up a batch so we can all treat our taste buds to a brief reminder of the brilliant day that is GABS. Served in a wide-rimmed tulip. The oily black pour only just manages to generate a finger of fizzy brown head before it dissipates and leaves nothing but a lonely island of bubbles in the middle of the beer. Laced poorly. The aroma of this beauty is something that has to be witnessed to get a grasp of. Growing up, Gaytime’s were one of our favourite ice creams and the aroma of this stout is spot on. This sweet, but delicious scent of caramel ice cream and nuts is absolutely divine. Creamy vanilla, honeycomb, toffee fudge, white chocolate and lactose are all mind-blowingly aromatic. Simply genius. In the mouth it’s creamy and seriously smooth. The 5.4% ABV is perfect, no burn whatsoever, just a soft, silky transition from beginning to end. Mild Co2 and only moderately bodied. What a beer this is shaping up to be. Much like the aroma, an absolutely delicious injection of caramel sauce, honey and nuts is tasted upon entry. Just as we’d hoped, the creamy caramel flavour bridges the mid and delivers a sweet, lactosey finish. Just a lick of roast to balance it out on the rear palate. There’s something about this beer that reminds us of Emelisse’s creme brulee stout. So ridiculously sweet but it’s executed perfectly. It literally smells and tastes like a liquid Gaytime! Outstanding drop, no wonder it won awards at GABS.

Firestone Walker ‘Union Jack’ IPA

Rating:

imageIt’s hard to go wrong with a Firestone Walker beer. It’s equally as hard to go wrong when the beer itself comes decorated with well over a dozen awards and medals spanning over 6 years. That’s what this IPA brings to the table, not to mention a hop bill including Citra, Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Simcoe and Amarillo. Don’t bother reading our review….just buy it now! No, please continue.

Served in to an IPA glass. A puffy white crown about a finger and a half in height sits atop a slightly hazy amber hued body. The head retains quite well but it eventually recedes to a thick, bubbly halo with tonnes of soapy residue being left behind. All we need is one whiff of this aroma to fall in love. A sweet caramel malt base is a perfect platform for the gorgeous hops to work off. The brilliant combination of hops we noted before all shine as they offer aromas of grapefruit, passion fruit, mango, pineapple, orange peel, licorice and pine needles. Almost smells like a cocktail. Classy stuff. In the mouth it’s well weighted, medium-full bodied with a lively Co2 level. The 75 IBU is aggressive but kept in check really well as it kind of blends in with the hop bitterness nicely. The taste buds are given the same treatment as the olfactories as intense flavours of grapefruit, orange peel, passion fruit and citrus are enjoyed from start to finish. A delicious caramel malt base fills it out as a little addition of musk that wasn’t quite coming through on the nose has crept in to the taste. Wow! This would have to stack up with some of the best IPA’s we’ve ever had. Perfect balance of hops and malts, great body, highly aromatic, somehow it’s sessional and it’s absolutely delicious! What else can you ask for from an IPA? This is a magnificent drop.

Brew Cult ‘Milk & 2 Sugars’ Imperial milk stout

Rating:

image“Who doesn’t say “where’s my damn coffee!” every morning? But then again, you may also want a beer. Now you can have both! This is a smooth Imperial milk stout blended with espresso and cold steep coffee from our awesome friends at Axil Coffee Roasters”.

Well, one thing is for certain, if we were drinking a coffee with these guys we’d be saying “I’ll have the same thanks.” That is obviously a pipe dream so we’ll focus on the fact that when we first tried this stout at the 2015 GABS festival in Sydney we scored it the 2nd best beer of the whole day. 2nd to the one and only ‘Brutus’ by Murray’s. Anyhow, we’re here to talk about this brew…not Murray’s! Served in a beer tulip. The opaque black pour whips up a quickly disappearing dark brown head, leaving no lacing whatsoever. None of that really matters, though, once the olfactory’s are treated to a whiff of this brilliant aroma. Instantly we’re reminded of Founders’ breakfast stout with these big, roasted overtones of fresh espresso, coffee beans, dark chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, lactose, roasted malts and brown sugar. Magnificent! In the mouth it’s dense and heavy with an oily texture. Co2 levels are expectedly mild with a 7.2% ABV that’s incredibly well hidden. Hardly any hop bitterness at all. We’ve had beers that taste like coffee and we’ve had stouts that imitate coffee brilliantly, but this one here is like all of them put together! I personally love a short black and the fore-flavour of this beer portrays it down to a tee. A lovely sweet milkiness is then followed by a rich roasted bitterness that displays a kind of molasses-like viscosity. The one and only downside is the mid which slightly drops out but is instantly saved by a big, punchy and heavily roasted espresso bitterness which returns in the finish to round it all off. Exceptional length too, the delicious espresso roastiness really draws out well on to the rear palate and further. Wow! This stout was a huge talking point on the day of the GABS festival and it still is now. What a perfectly brewed beer, these guys have absolutely smashed this for six. This will certainly go down as one of the best coffee stouts we’ve ever drunk. Thank you Brew Cult!

St. Bernardus ‘Prior 8’ Dubbel

Rating:

image“St.Bernardus Prior 8 is a traditional abbey ale brewed in the classic “Dubbel” style of Belgium’s Best Abbey Ales. It has a ruby to purple color, smooth, creamy richness of texture that is almost oily, and a malt-fruit complexity reminiscent of coconut. (8% alc. vol.) It finds the perfect balance between sweet, bitter and malty tastes. One of the original recipes from the days of license-brewing for the Trappist monks of Westvleteren”.

Here we have another Belgian Abbey brewery with a nice piece of history to accompany it. The brewery dates back to the early 1930’s where the monks initially produced Abbey cheese, opting to eventually sell the cheese factory and begin brewing beer. Over the years they have brewed under a few different names – Trappist Westvleteran, St. Sixtus then finally on to St. Bernardus. Served in to a beer tulip. The deep brown/mahogany pour constructs a tightly held 2 finger head that shrinks to a firm layer over the top. Laced reasonably well. Some of the scents we are taking in are sweet, rich and viscous. It isn’t so much the depth of the aroma here but more the complexity and execution. We are in Dubbel heaven here as we bask in wafts of caramel, toffee, fig, plum, dates, nuts, brown sugar, butterscotch and banana bread. The olfactory’s are in overdrive right now. Simply put…brilliant. In the mouth it’s moderately weighted with a slightly chewy texture. Carbonation is expectedly mild, as is the bitterness. The palate is being treated to a fusion of different malts upfront with sweet and sugary tones of caramel, toffee and butterscotch taking the front seat. As it progresses the darker fruits such as plums, fig and dates creep in as a restrained alcohol warmth moves in through the mid. The back end sees a pronounced dark fruitiness as the finish almost resembles a good Pinot noir. Incredible complexity. This would have to be one of the best Dubbels we have ever tasted. So rich and moreish but so evenly balanced with sugary sweetness and dark fruits. All we need is a roaring fire and a char-grilled piece of eye fillet steak and we’d be complete. Excellent beer. It can’t get much better than this.

Shenanigans brewing ‘Imperial Winston’ Imperial IPA

Rating:

image“To celebrate our first birthday we took Winston and gave it the Imperial treatment. With literally double the amount of hops used in Winston, expect the tropical fruit, citrus and white grape hop aromas and flavours of Winston amplified along with some seriously resinous grapefruit notes. Retaining a relatively light colour, it packs a hefty 9.1% ABV with a dry finish. It’ll smack you in the face, and then give you a bear hug to apologise.”

Personally, this gypsy brewery (for now) is one of the most exciting up and coming breweries making their mark on the burgeoning Sydney craft beer scene. With other brews such as the Winston pale ale (this bad boy’s smaller and less significant brother) the brilliant red sky IPA and the delicious spiced rum porter. All world class beers and we’re sure this one will stack up also. Served in an IPA glass. It pours a gorgeous deep orange with a honey hue. Over the top sits a modest snow white, one finger head that’s retained quite well, drawing ringed lace trails on its way down. This aroma right here is why we will never EVER get over IPA’s. Front and centre is a big honey sweetness surrounded by bittersweet fruits such as grapefruit, passion fruit, pineapple, lychee and mango. Pulling the fruits into line is a firm caramel malt backing. Undertones of floral pine resins, caramelised sugars and vines complete this brilliant aroma. Oh, so good. In the mouth it’s dry and slightly sharp with prickly carbonation on the tongue. Medium grip with medium weight and body. Quite astringent but that’s to be expected from an imperial IPA with an ABV of 9.1%. The flavour profile kick starts with aggressive bitterness over sweet citrus fruits with an emphasis on grapefruit that really develops over the course of the beer. Through the mid the bitterness mellows but is substituted with a sharp alcohol burn. A restrained caramel/honey sweetness forms late in the mid leading to the dry and extremely bitter finish. Incredible length on offer here. Yep, this one is a real belly warmer, generating quite the head buzz. The exact opposite of a sessional beer but the pinnacle of a quaffable IPA. Superb. Thank you Shenanigans.

Omnipollo/Buxton brewery ‘Yellow belly’ imperial stout

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imageWe have not had many beers from this Swedish brewery (omnipollo), who have teamed up with Buxton brewery (U.K). We are incredibly interested to read that this brew is a peanut butter stout, sitting at 11.0% alc vol. The catchy paper covering, synonymous with the klu klux clan, and the name ‘yellow belly’ means a person who is without courage…and this beer according to the Brewers has been brewed to celebrate being open minded.

Popping the cap on this bad boy reveals a beautiful aroma of peanuts, chocolate, sweet biscuit malt, and maple syrup. It reminds us a bit of Rogues voodoo doughnut range. It’s pours a mat black with a small tan head that forms in the tulip glass and minimal carbonation seen. There is no lacing on the glass. This drop has an oily complexion that we often see with good imperial beers. The flavour profile reveals a dominate booze burn that is actually subdued once all the flavours kick in, but also intense roasted malts, espresso, sweet brown sugars, butterscotch, cacao, and fudge. Wow this is a really good craft beer. It’s full bodied but the 11% alc is contained beautifully. The joy of this beer is the aroma..we could sniff it all day long. The flavour is good but the aroma is so much better. This is a top 10 all time imperial stout. Brilliant brewing.

Kaiju! Beer. ‘Aftermath’ Double IPA

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imageThe boys with the one-eyed aliens on their labels are back with what we hope is another out of this world IPA. For us, this brewery has become quite the ‘go to’ for big, intensely hopped IPA’s and we are sure we have another one right here.

Popped and served into an IPA glass. Our careful pour still manages to arouse a frothy 2 finger beige head that steadily deconstructs but holds firm at about 1cm displaying brilliant head retention and allowing a tonne of thick lacing to cling to the glass. Gorgeous colour too, almost crimson with deep copper hues. Very attractive. All of our wishes come true on the nose as the first whiff yields big, bitter fruits like grapefruit, lychee, orange, citrus rind and passion fruit. It’s actually hard to ignore the solid malt presence here too, coming across as a red IPA at times with chewy wafts of caramel, toffee apple and honey. And then there’s the astringent alcohol that gives the olfactory’s a bit of a tickle. Wow, this is a superb aroma. In the mouth it’s sharp with a creamy texture. Medium carbonation and body. Plenty of grip on the tongue but with a cleansing wash from the level of alcohol (9.1% ABV). So many flavours for our brains to isolate! This is amazing. Caramel definitely comes forward but it is drowned out by an aggressive hop bitterness that injects big, citric doses of grapefruit and citrus rind. Encapsulating it all is a strident alcohol burn that cuts through from start to finish. A soothing honey-like sweetness through the mid is short lived as the big lip puckering bitterness returns in the finish. A very sharp alcohol sting really moves in on the rear palate, bringing with it incredible length. Ok, about now is when we realise the word “devastating” on the label as this DIPA has absolutely devastated our taste buds, but at the same time have them begging for more. This is IPA heaven. If you aren’t a complete hop freak then leave this alone, but if you’re willing to murder your taste buds for an hour then don’t wait a second longer, this is an incredible IPA. Thank you KAIJU Beer