“This fearsome red foe developed a taste for Nor-West hop varieties, consuming every last one before meeting her fate. Tropical, piney aromas, layered over a complex, biscuity-toffee malt profile.”
It comes as no surprise to us that this amber/red ale picked up the coveted trophy at Australia’s International Beer Awards last year (2014). We’ve almost got through Kaiju’s whole range and we can say with conviction that they are one of our top 5 best Aussie craft breweries at the moment. Served in a shaker glass. Pours to an attractive deep red/copper hue that holds a creamy two finger crown over the top. The head is retained relatively well, only peeling off a fraction before settling to a thick covering. Laced well. Smells absolutely divine! kind of like how a good red IPA would, with this sweet toffee/caramel malt base and it’s tiers of tropical and resinous hops filling it out. The malts also go deeper offering nutty undertones and suggestions of brioche and biscuits. As much as we are hop fiends, it’s a welcome change to see Kaiju producing a more malt-forward ale. It also highlights their versatility. The slightly dominant malts also add to this really smooth mouth feel. It’s got a nice coating texture to it as the hops work their magic drying up the tongue on the back end. The 6.5% ABV is only subtle and the Co2 is moderate. Medium bodied. The hop profile is a bit more prevalent on the palate. Flavours of grapefruit and pine resin upfront enjoy a delicate caramel malt backing. Midway, a toastiness comes through which is accentuated by a dry finish with sweet caramel and toffee on the rear. A brilliant show of balance is provided from start to finish here. From the hoppy aroma with sweet malt undertones to a palate that offers a nice, flowing progression of hop bitterness and soothing malts. Kaiju do it again with another cracker ale!