Rating:

“A robust porter with a distinct, earthy depth thanks to beechwood-smoked malt. Very dark in colour. Aromas of campfire smoke, caramel and chocolate notes with a soft malt sweetness and low hop bitterness.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Matte black with a finger of fizzy light brown head that rapidly reduces. It settles to a thin ring with wet spotty lace here and there.

Aroma: Not overly smoky for a smoked porter. We concede that these guys are based in Cairns where it practically never gets below 25°c so it comes as no surprise that their lone dark beer isn’t a hearty, aggressive beast. In saying that, it still presents rich dark chocolate, espresso, beef jerky, light charred wood, smoked ham, subtle ink and a bit of licorice. Respectable.

Flavour: Again, initially the smoky component is reserved but it gradually intensifies as we roll on. Chocolatey, roasty and slightly smoky on entry then hints of raw cocoa, espresso and bitter dark chocolate through the mid. It’s not until late in the piece that the charred wood, smoked meats, molasses and ash set up for an ultra dry, kinda bitter, roasty and charred finish that draws out nicely.

Mouthfeel: Fairly smooth, creamy, slick. Dries out post-swallow. Medium body, finely carbed and the 5% ABV punches above its weight.

Overall: At first we weren’t too fussed but by the end we were impressed. Can’t see this being the most popular choice in a North Queensland summer but hot damn it deserves to be. Quality stuff.

Rating:

“Strong Porter spiced with Rum, Chocolate and Vanilla. A great pleasure of the creative beer process is collaborating with incredible, passionate, small producers to create something wonderful, unique and as distant from ‘factory beer’ as can be. We’ve been teaming up with the unholy trinity of Stone Pine Distillery, Spencer Cocoa and Broken Nose Vanilla for years. This Strong Porter is spiced with single-origin Cocoa from Vanuatu & FNQ Vanilla that are soaked in spiced black rum “Dead Mans Drop” Rich & decadent yet smooth and mellow. Best enjoyed in your favourite armchair with a good book.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Impenetrable black with beautiful cascading carbonation which forms its two finger head. Not as dense and creamy as we’ve seen on other occasions but still aesthetically pleasing.

Aroma: Super roasty. Man it is dark and deep…hitting ashy notes, charred wood, dark chocolate, espresso coffee, nutty spice, burnt toast and a masterfully placed hint of creamy vanilla which, although subtle, goes a long way to adding extra depth and complexity. As it warms a real gamey note develops. It doesn’t go as far as biltong but it certainly has a smoked meat quality to it.

Flavour: Follows through nicely. We’ve found from previous nitro beers that the aroma regularly outperforms the flavour but not here…it displays a rich malt base full of charred wood, ash, dark chocolate, burnt toast, beef jerky and roasted nuts. Much like the aroma, a delicious line of creamy vanilla cuts through it all like butter and provides that crucial overall balance.

Mouthfeel: Super smooth and oily. Still some chungus considering it’s on nitro though. The 6.2% ABV is well hidden.

Overall: Highly enjoyable nitro porter. The nitro actually feels a little less intense than others but it works here. Complex and vigorous. We likey

Rating:

“This is a one-off batch of our beloved Coffee and Cigarettes that features the winning coffee from our blind tasting Coffee and Cigarettes Showdown that we held during SF Beer Week. Tasted and selected by the customers who came through that day, Saint Frank’s Honduras Santa Barbara Natural retained their title as Showdown Champions, and were once again chosen as the crowd favorite. This coffee is bold and rich and really brings the coffee element to the forefront of the beer.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Pours darker than most Aussie stouts! Black as midnight with a brown head which swells to about a thumb in height before slowly receding. It forms a collar with minimal lacing on the way down.

Aroma: Ooft! This smells magnificent. The first thing that hits is the robust coffee. And it hits hard with a heady bitterness, dark chocolate and nutty accents. The “cigarettes” part is certainly well represented by strong notes of ash and campfire. We can’t help but get a very faint hint of vanilla which adds a bit of crucial sweetness. Superb!

Flavour: Follows on from the aroma with precision. It’s like everything comes on at once i.e the roast, the coffee, the delicate sweetness and the sheer density of the beer as a whole. Everything just integrates so well. A hint of bitterness kicks up around the mid but tapers off as everything reconvenes again in the finish. It’s wild coz it finishes just as intense as it starts and the length is unbelievable.

Mouthfeel: Silky smooth with a lick of bitterness and warmth from the 7% ABV post swallow. Medium-full body, low-ish carbonation.

Overall: It’s so good to see some hype US breweries back in Aus. We miss the days where the likes of Founders, Stone, Ballast Point, Alesmith etc were so readily available. We were spoiled! Big ups to whoever is importing these in.

Rating:

“As dark as the devil himself, with silky chocolate and coffee flavours this DEVILS PORTER will welcome you to the darkside.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Mostly black pour with a vigorous two and a bit finger head. It holds its shape well but struggles to produce much lacing.

Aroma: We picked this up from a random little bottlo attached to a servo in East Jindabyne. We’d heard of this brewery before but never considered the one hour drive off route to the snow to check it out. Let’s crack on. We get a hint of either blackcurrant or blueberry amongst the more dominant chocolate, coffee and burnt toast. Subtle raisin, pine/resin and a really strange hint of rubber. Hhmm.

Flavour: She’s definitely packing some roast. Upfront it’s all about the slightly charred malt, espresso coffee and dark chocolate. We feel like the hops want to push through but they’re drowned out by the big roasty bitterness. It all tastes a bit tired and whaddya know.. this cans BBD was 1/7/25. Almost 3 months past BBD. Luckily dark beers can weather that storm but hoppy dark beers…not so much.

Mouthfeel: Holds up nicely. Kinda chewy, bitter in the swallow. Slightly lifted Co2 and the 5.6% ABV adds a little bit of mayo.

Overall: It’s testament to the brewers that it took us until over halfway through the beer to realise it was 3 months past BBD. Damn we’d love to try this fresh, it’d be a cracker.

Rating:

“From the depths of Europe comes the dark design of this richly flavoured beer. A historic staple given the Reckless treatment in signature style. A lagered melody of lush malts thrumming with dark toffee and chocolatey currents, it’s a smooth, smokey and mouth- filling creation with a just-dry finish that’s as broad and deep as the Baltic Sea.“

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: As black as midnight with a quickly vanishing head. It forms a ring with next to no lace work as it ebbs.

Aroma: Getting strong wafts of cola/sarsaparilla initially. As the beer settles it becomes clearer that we’re just picking up the undeciphered notes of the whiskey/barrels which display uniquely green and almost tart citrusy qualities. Below them is the roasty and chocolatey malt base which does a pretty darn good job of holding up the bottom end. Nice integration of the two, we must say.

Flavour: The progression takes the palate on quite an adventure. Initially those tart and citrusy qualities we got on the nose kick things off here as well. The warmth behind them ignites the bitterness in the background while some of the lighter roasty notes carry through the mid. The whiskey returns with its seriously green and immature flavours as it all sets up for a lightly roasted, woody and slightly fruity finish.

Mouthfeel: Chewy, full bodied, mildly carbed. The 9.4% ABV was pretty well behaved for its size.

Overall: We’ve tried many past vintages of this release and been very impressed but this 2024 vintage didn’t really tickle our pickle. The whiskey was too green and the tartness it brought was unfavourable in our opinion. Good without being great.

Rating:

“This robust dark ale has a following of its own. Notes of chocolate and roasted coffee are balanced with biscuit malt and estate grown figs. It’s smooth, it’s dark, it’s figgy. It’s all you want on a cool evening.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Ooft, it pours as black as the ace of spades and caps off with two fingers of light brown head. This little number looks more ominous than we expected.

Aroma: Impressive amount of depth to it. At first we got a fruity sweetness then rich toffee and then ash, coffee and mildly smoky notes brought up the bottom end. That’s all just off the first drive-by too, once we really dig our noses in those sweet and fruity figs open up with hints of ripe red grapes and earthiness. So much more to touch on but we’ll move on.

Flavour: Even more impressive than the aroma. The progression from start to finish is insane. Initially we were met with a hearty roasted bitterness which is quickly engulfed by coffee, burnt toast and a flutter of that figgy sweetness to balance out. A jammy sweetness and earthiness crosses the mid and rolls into a heavily roasted finish with a lingering bitterness on the rear.

Mouthfeel: Fairly chewy and dry, medium-full body. Perfectly carbed and the 6.4% ABV is neatly tucked away.

Overall: Man KR is absolutely nailing everything at the moment. We become more ardent fans every time we try another one of their beers. They’d honestly be one of our favourite breweries right now. Top shelf stuff.

Rating:

“Baltic Porter with roasted hazelnuts and double barrel-aged maple syrup from Wild Mother Tasmania.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Matte black with two fingers of tightly held brown head perched on top. Good retention and healthy lacing on the glass.

Aroma: The feature ingredients of roasted hazelnuts and barrel aged maple syrup present quite nicely. The roasted hazelnuts in particular with their nutty and slightly sweet and buttery notes hinged on the notable roasted malt profile. The maple is less distinct but portrays a lovely rich sweetness whilst the double barrel aging adds a certain sophistication and complexity.

Flavour: Bizarre. For the amount of depth and character on the nose there is really weak follow through here. Roasted hazelnuts, barrel aged maple syrup, Baltic porter…dammit this should be absolutely brimming with flavour but somehow all we manage to get is a mess of blood-like metallic accents, a distant woody oak, a hint of roasted nuts and a dry, smooth finish.

Mouthfeel: We will say this though it is unbelievably smooth and effortless for its size (9% ABV). Medium-full body, low-ish Co2.

Overall: After the disaster that was Ogre Bones (an imperial pastry stout we reviewed from these guys a little while ago) we’d practically written these guys off for good. If not for one of our favourite local craft bottle shop owners suggesting this we wouldn’t have bothered. Two things have resulted here. 1) We question old mates suggestions from now on and 2) We leave Cypher alone.

Rating:

“As the winter solstice draws near, Stone Beer emerges—a brew steeped in ancient tradition. Inspired by medieval techniques, we fire stones and cast them into the kettle, caramelising malts to create rich toffee flavours. For its 17th winter, this dark porter features premium Australian malts, pouring deep brown with aromas of chocolate and notes of roasted coffee and biscuit. Best savoured on the darkest of nights, gathered around a crackling fire.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Mostly dark brown to black with some light punching through at the base and the edges. It forms two fingers of tan head which gradually recedes to a collar. Nice wavy lace left in its wake.

Aroma: The first thing that hits is the smoky characters. There’s good depth to it as well – charred wood, literal wood smoke, smoked meats like ham, cabanossi and bacon. A delicate toffee sweetness acts as an excellent counterbalance as notes of roasted wattle seed, coffee, cocoa and a subtle earthy and spicy hop profile are backing up in support.

Flavour: Again, the smoky components dominate. Upfront it’s roasty, charred and smoky and the chocolate/cocoa play more of a support role as opposed to the toffee sweetness. It takes on more of an ashy flavour through the mid as a notable hop bitterness aids in the drying out of it all, finishing on a nice roasted note that lingers.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and silky with moderate carbonation. Medium body and the 6% ABV is tucked away neatly.

Overall: It’s a tasty little number made more appealing by its sharp price point. We picked up a 4 pack for $20 (not even on sale) which is decent. Here’s cheers to 17 years of Stone & Wood. Even though they sold out.

Rating:

“A bold, robust porter with a touch of sweetness. Drinks with a light-medium body & offers rich notes of big chocolate, caramel, toffee, with a bit of roasted malt.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Black with a very faint tint of muddy dark brown around the rim. Of course we can only see this because the head disappeared almost instantly. Not a skerrick of head retention which is unusual for a porter.

Aroma: Not really offering anything out of the ordinary. We get medium intensity dark malts, a metallic tartness, milk chocolate/cocoa, an earthy and grassy hop profile and a blueberry-like fruitiness. A delicate roasted note opens up once it settles but other than that it’s pretty much it. Rather uninspiring start to be honest.

Flavour: Follows on from the frustratingly pedestrian aroma. Basic four-to-the-floor characteristics of lightly roasted malts, earthy hops, sweetened milk chocolate and a metallic/blood-like note. Granted, some light coffee accents eventually develop late as it finishes with a dry roast and medium bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Thin and far too watery. The lack of Co2 doesn’t help either. Mild-medium body. Just no oomph to it. They actually did quite a good job hiding the 8% ABV though.

Overall: Our first (and most likely) last crack at the Australian arm of Evil Twin. Apparently, Nomad owns the contract to brew their beers here, which speaks volumes. It’s bizarre to me that Evil Twin – with all of its international esteem – would award the contract to them considering how many better contract brewing options there are in Australia. Very average stuff.

Rating:

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

Glassware: English pint.

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

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

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

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

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

Rating:

“A Baltic-style Porter that has been cold lagered and cold conditioned to create a clean and layered dark beer character, with notes of chocolate and espresso. A coffee addition from The Cape Effect Coffee Roasters builds on this flavour and aroma, whilst 9 months ageing in Whipper Snapper whiskey barrels has created rich whiskey flavour, structure and a beautiful oak finish.”

Glassware: Tulip.

Appearance: Uber dark pour for a Baltic Porter. Mostly impenetrable black except for a skerrick of light breaking through at the base of the glass. It forms two fingers of tan head which peels off slowly. Settling to a collar with wet and wavy lacing.

Aroma: Nice and punchy roasted malts upfront. Espresso, licorice, raw cacao and molasses are also leaping out of the glass. It’s hard to believe this style of beer is brewed with a Lager yeast! Loving the addition of Whipper Snapper barrels. We know the distillery well (one of us had a bottle of their Upshot Australian Whiskey once. It’s finished now ) but it’s a little shy. Delicate hints of cedar and vanilla here and there but that’s about it.

Flavour: Oh wow. The progression is impressive. The front palate is all chocolate, coffee and licorice with just the mildest hint of cedar and oak creeping through. As it rolls into the mid the woody accents take shape. So does the sweet and spicy Whiskey. The finish is all about the big flavours i.e Whiskey, oak, espresso coffee, chocolate and the lingering charred malts.

Mouthfeel: Fairly moderate which is remarkable. Smooth, silky, medium bodied. A notable Co2 on it. The 8.3% ABV is very well behaved for its size.

Overall: An impressive collaboration and an equally impressive beer. WA might just need a bit more attention!

Rating:

“A winter porter brewed with vanilla. Contains barley, oats, lactose.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black pour with a rapidly vanishing head. It leaves the thinnest of collars and zero lace on the glass.

Aroma: Super rich and indulgent. The feature vanilla isn’t as prominent as we’d like but it’s made up for in the form of a robust Porter base of molasses, licorice, delicate smoky notes and espresso coffee. Eventually the vanilla starts to open up and it presents more of a raw vanilla bean character. Pretty solid start.

Flavour: Excellent progression on offer. Upfront it’s all about that raw vanilla bean – almost has a hint of tropical fruit and cocoa – backed up by the robust Porter base of dark chocolate, licorice and espresso. It’s not until midway that an undertone of ash and burnt wood creeps in. As it continues the sweetness and the smokiness combine and the result is a very well balanced, roasty yet sweet finish which lingers.

Mouthfeel: Sticky, gelatinous, medium-full body. Low-ish Co2. The 8% ABV is buried nicely.

Overall: Doesn’t have the elegance or refinement of a De Molen or Mikkeller but it’s still a decent drop.

Rating:

“A GOLD MEDAL WINNING PORTER, ARTHUR IS SMOKEY, DARK AND RICH BUT SMOOTH AND BALANCED. WE’VE TAKEN ON AN ENGLISH CLASSIC STYLE WITH THE ADDED AWESOMENESS OF USING SMOKED MALT FROM BAMBERG IN GERMANY.”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: Dark brown, almost black with a flicker of light cutting through at the foot of the glass. It holds a nice and creamy two finger head which laces well. Looks the goods.

Aroma: We were astonished to find out that this go-to Porter (for one of us) still hadn’t been reviewed. We were too busy throwing them down to notice! It’s a favourite for a reason…the perfectly tempered smoky notes weave through the beer better than any other smoked beer we’ve ever had. We get strong but balanced smoke/peat, silky vanilla sweetness, floral hops, milk chocolate, coffee and spice.

Flavour: It delivers such a perfectly balanced ratio of smoke to sweetness. Then a subtle addition of umami gives it the depth that we love so much. It evolves so effortlessly too. Kinda sweet and roasty upfront then the smokiness takes the baton and runs. The chocolate and coffee flavours develop late and helps set up the all-encompassing finish which lingers magnificently.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, silky and perfectly weighted. Just the right amount of Co2 and booze (6%).

Overall: Well, there you go, now we’ve reviewed it we’re going back to pounding them like they’re going out of fashion! 

Rating:

“Re-inspired by a recent trip to Hawaii, came about. The recipe has come full-circle. Over a decade of experience combining coconut and beer and brewing dark beers, we brewed Niu to be sort of a peek behind the curtain at Phase Three. Big, adjuncted, dark beers are extremely labor intensive, involve a lot of planning and unfortunately, don’t offer a lot of drinkability. Niu is 6.3%. It’s not meant to be a big pastry stout/porter, however it’s not small. The base porter is light, but uses full-flavored UK malted grains, including Maris Otter, crystal malts and chocolate malts. It’s rich, but refreshing. It satisfies a dark, adjuncted beer craving but in a way where a pint of it is appropriate.”

Glassware: American Pint.

Appearance: Hits the glass with a pitch black complexion and rouses a thumb of finely beaded tan foam. Reasonable head retention and a beautiful cascading lace decorates the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: This smells bloody magnificent. The way they’ve integrated the coconut throughout is genius. The fact that it’s toasted as well makes a significant difference as the singed elements of both coconut and malt come together harmoniously. The coconut also offers a creamy aspect which works back into the subtle coffee, chocolate and cocoa…adding some balance at the same time.

Flavour: Yummo. Loving the progression of it. Just a short cameo of classic Porter roast and bitterness initially then the creamy and delicate toasty coconut courses over the top. It hits a crescendo of equal parts coconut and equal parts coffee and chocolate then it all delivers an ultra smooth, creamy and mildly sweet finish with a touch of dryness to counter.

Mouthfeel: Nice and thick but not heavy. Creamy if you will. Medium body, perfectly carbed. The 6.3% ABV is bang on.

Overall: Our first crack at this brewery out of Illinois, USA. Very adept and measured in the delivery of this beer. These guys certainly know what they’re doing…may have to return and try a few more of their wares.

Rating:

“OUR PORTER HAS A REFRESHINGLY DRY FINISH, WHILE STILL BOASTING BIG ROASTED COFFEE, DARK CHOCOLATE AND MALT NOTES. A GREAT COMPLEX AUSSIE PORTER.”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: Super dark brown pour capped off with a short khaki head which gradually peels off. It eventually forms a halo with wavy lace in its wake.

Aroma: It’s now abundantly clear that these guys know what they’re doing. Over the past few years we’ve come to respect this scaled back from of brewing as it shows experience and skill. Expect very traditional notes of lightly roasted malts, coffee, nutty chocolate, burnt toast and peat. In our opinion an excellent Porter should just be a lighter version of a Stout and that’s exactly what this is.

Flavour: Dead set spot on. It’s a little slow out of the blocks but it doesn’t matter in the end as it keeps intensifying as it progresses. Gentle chocolate and roasty notes on entry which shift into nutty malts, coffee and subtle ash. At its crescendo it hits a mild smoky quality, bitter espresso and charred wood then it eases into a well rounded roasty finish.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, decadent then drying out in the swallow. Fairly light on, medium body and Co2. Only 5.2% ABV so it screams session ability.

Overall: If you’re like us and you love to have a good dark beer fridge-filler then look no further. In fact we’re off to buy a bunch of them now!

Rating:

“HOLEY MOLEY OOLEY DOOLEY! This friggin beer slaps! Brewed on a complex base consisting of of ale malt, heaps of crystal and specialty malts, wheat and oats. We let this baby take it’s time, fermented cool and conditioned for ages. Post conditioning we conditioned this beauty on Indonesian vanilla beans and an absolutely magnificent Brazilian coffee blend from our neighbours at Little Marionette. An absolutely joy to drink.”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: As black as the ace of spades with a fizzy dark brown head which disappears almost instantly. Absolutely zero head is left which means zero lacing.

Aroma: Oh my my my this smells the goods. The coffee aspect is utterly divine…it gives off a fresh cold drip quality which is eyes-rolling-in-the-back-of-the-head kinda stuff. Nice and neat little addition of sweet milk sugar/lactose to take the edge off the bitterness as well. Sensual notes of raw vanilla bean, dates/prunes and chocolate ganache adding more appeal to this already impressive aroma.

Flavour: Excellent transition to the palate. It delivers a strong punch of sweet espresso on entry followed by a balancing act of vanilla bean and creamy lactose. Delicious notes of lightly charred malt, dark chocolate and cocoa cross the mid palate and shift into a well balanced finish of espresso bitterness, ash, vanilla and creamy lactose.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, silky and nicely weighted. Medium-full body and finely carbed. The 6.8% ABV is incredibly well concealed.

Overall: Magnificent stuff here from White Bay. Very finely detailed and stylish. Pretty sharp pricing on it too. Only good things!

Rating:

“Kasteel Nitro Noir has a clear taste of roasted malts, complemented by subtle caramel notes. The soft bitterness is balanced by a sweet fruitiness, making this porter easy to drink.”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: For once a nitro beer from a can pours like a draught! Such a cool sight to watch the tightly held foam cascade down and transform into liquid. Nice dark brown complexion with a deep ruby gradient at the foot of the glass. It holds a sturdy two finger head which laces well.

Aroma: A nice and creamy roasted malt hits the olfactories initially. Supported by caramel fudge, a carob-esque accent, figs, dates/prunes, apple pie, vanilla and Belgian yeasty notes i.e orchard fruits, clove and banana split. There’s also a noticeable hop profile to it…kinda herbal and spicy with a black tea-like character. Liking it.

Flavour: Very unique. Then again it is a Belgian Porter so a sweet candy-ish front palate isn’t too far from the norm. There’s a mild roasty note which is softened by the creamy vanilla and the natural texture of the nitro. Milk chocolate, dark fruits, caramel fudge and a mild hop bitterness fills it out and finishes it all off nicely.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and smooth AF. Carbonation is soft and refined and the body is mild-medium. The 5.7% ABV is well buried.

Overall: An impressive nitro Porter. It’s refreshing to finally see a brewery get the nitro side of it right in a can. Oh yeah and the beer was also bloody good too! Bonus.

Rating:

“Similar to the Hopmeister this beer represents foray across the channel beer style wise and it recreates a beer similar to the robust Porters of London. Many who have come in declaring a loathing for dark beers have been converted to not fear the dark. Coffee connoisseurs especially seem to delight, and in that vein, this beer makes for a great accompaniment to desserts. Christoph’s brother Hannes uses it to make a sauce that goes great with cheese or chocolate cakes.”

Glassware: English Pint.

Appearance: It pours an attractive mahogany hue with a finger of loosely packed tan foam on top. It gradually comes apart and settled at the rim. Scarce lacing as it ebbs.

Aroma: Our first thoughts are lots of dark fruits and buttery biscuits but the more time its given to settle the more the mild coffee, chocolate/cocoa, toffee and nutty malts push to the front. Just a super mild roast and shy vanilla accents right down deep. We can say with certainty that it’s a peeled back traditional London-style Porter and we’re diggin it.

Flavour: Wow ok it’s got a lot more grunt here. Right off the bat a hearty roast, coffee and bitter chocolate is tasted. There’s a flutter of dark fruit and toffee sweetness laced through which then becomes more discernible around the mid palate. And as we say that the roasted malts kick back in again and roll into the somewhat dry, nutty and toasty finish which draws our rather well.

Mouthfeel: Pretty slick with a slight chewy-ness to it. Lively carbonation, medium body. The 5.6% ABV is very well concealed.

Overall: A really approachable and surprisingly sessional London Porter… especially considering its ABV. We reckon Zierholz is an immensely underrated brewery and this beer is a perfect example as to why.

Rating:

“Rum Barrel-Aged Death By Coconut is aged in barrels for nine months until it has the right amount of rum-soaked oak, molasses, vanilla, coconut, and chocolate goodness derived from the wood.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Muddy dark brown pour with a thumb of fizzy tan head which slowly reduced. It forms a collar with little lacing as we imbibe.

Aroma: There’s little wonder why it’s called “death by coconut” it really lifts out of the glass with vigour. We’re getting coconut in almost every aspect as well; fresh and natural water, syrups, oil, shaved and toasted. Even the Le Tan sunscreen. Very very alluring. As is the Carribbean-style Rum barrels that enhances the coconut further and adds a splash of dark sugary sweetness, vanilla, dark fruits and spice. Yummo!

Flavour: As we had anticipated the coconut is reigned in a little and the hearty Porter notes join in. It’s amazing just how intense the coconut still is though. The Rum barrels are again providing the sugary sweetness, all spice and dark fruits while the base Porter brings up the bottom end with robust cocoa, milk chocolate, mocha, caramel/toffee and cola.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth and slick. Some warmth but that’s gotta be expected at 11.5% ABV. Moderately carbed, medium-full body.

Overall: A bloody ripper of a beer from an equally brilliant brewery. A lot of other breweries could have easily ruined the beer with this amount of coconut but these masters have found a way to completely overdo it but still keep it balanced and delicious AF! Incredible.

Rating:

“Baltic Porter is a regional adaptation of English-style Porter by the countries around the Baltic Sea. Owing to the cold climate in the region, it is stronger than a typical Porter and is cold fermented with lager yeast rather than ale yeast. Frozen Sea is smooth and full bodied with a rich malty sweetness.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pours black with a thumb of cappuccino head that slowly deconstructs. Good retention but not much of it sticks to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Really dark and decadent but the fact that Baltic Porter’s use a Lager yeast means it still offers a light and somewhat crisp profile. Hints of chocolate powder, coffee and licorice mingles with the herbal and floral hops, slight earthy-ness, cherry and woody notes. Subtle toasty and nutty accents also starting to creep through as it settles.

Flavour: It opens with a big display of malt – coffee roast, cocoa powder, burnt toast and earthy/woody hops to balance it all out. All the while that delicate cherry with nuanced medicinal qualities hangs in the background. Getting mild ash around the mid palate then it shifts into a dry and slightly bitter finish with drawn out coffee and roasted malt on the back.

Mouthfeel: Pretty palate-friendly for its size (8.5% ABV). Smooth and creamy texture yet still kinda crisp and moderately bodied. Low-ish Co2.

Overall: We’re locking in on these guys. This is now our 3rd entry for them and we reckon they’re getting better and better. We really dig that they focus on European styles…not enough Aussie breweries do in our opinion.