Author Archives: 2hopheads

Anheuser-Busch ‘Rolling Rock’ Pale Lager

Rating:

“To honor the tradition of this great brand, we quote from the original pledge of quality: “From the glass lined tanks of Old Latrobe we tender this premium beer for your enjoyment, as a tribute to your good taste. It comes from the mountain springs to you.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Light straw golden pour with minimal head formation. Zero head = zero lacing. We’ve noticed this from generic American lagers before and it’s due to the adjuncts such as corn, rice and maize which don’t possess the proteins required to retain head.

Aroma: Restrained and shy. It’s basically all malt/corn with very little hop character. We certainly get lots of creamed corn, buttery popcorn, honey, Cheerios and some earthiness. A slight hint of rubber which means the beer has been mildly light-struck (a big reason why most breweries switched from green bottles to brown. Or one better – tinnies). Presents a lot like a Mexican cerveza.

Flavour: A notable step up from the aroma. A lot of the sweet honey malt and creamed corn/buttery popcorn is cleaned up by a very crisp and refreshing texture. Still minimal hop flavour but a delicate bitterness leads into a nice smooth finish which drops off pretty quickly.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean, a little thin and slippery. Flat-ish Co2, light body. The 4.4% ABV is neither here nor there.

Overall: Super mainstream beer, we know. The only reason we reviewed it is out of sheer nostalgia. We drank it a few times on a USA trip years before we’d discovered craft and thought it was pretty good. Years later…not so much. It’s good to wash down some chicken wings or a greasy burger but that’s about it.

Good Land ‘Lekker’ BA Imperial Pastry Stout

Rating:

“Lekker is a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout dripping with vanilla from Australia, Papua New Guinea and Madagascar, it balances sweet vanillin creaminess with bold caramel like oak, bourbon warmth and a smooth, rich chocolate layered finish. Lekker smaakt!”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: As black as the ace of spades with two fingers of brown head forming on top. Good retention but scarce lacing as it ebbs.

Aroma: Smells really good. We were umming and ahhing over this as Good Land can be very inconsistent (not to mention expensive!) but we may just get some return on this one. The feature vanilla and bourbon barrels play a crucial role. The base stout is only passable so it’s the alluring scents of bourbon oak, vanilla, caramel, cinnamon spices and mocha which propels this aroma forward.

Flavour: Pretty damn good on first impressions. Very much like the aroma in the sense of a base stout that holds enough depth and brawn to entertain the amount of bourbon oak, vanilla and overall richness that it does. It gives off some heat through the mid – can’t blame it considering its ABV – along with a hint of bitterness, then shaping up for a long and drawn out finish full of bourbon/oak, vanilla, molasses, toffee and burnt caramel.

Mouthfeel: Slick, kinda oily and viscous. Low Co2, full bodied, and a well behaved 12% ABV.

Overall: Well, GL has re-entered in a very positive way. We were ready to write this brewery off for good until this. Some guidance from the likes of Deeds and these guys could be the next best BA impy stout masters.

De Glazen Toren ‘Angelique’ Belgian Dubbel

Rating:

“A red copper coloured autumn beer from the “Dubbel Special Belge” style. A rich beer because of its varied flavour palate. “Dubbel” (double) because of its higher alcohol degree. A beer with a pronounced yet fine bitterness. A tasting beer.”

Glassware: Trappist goblet.

Appearance: Presents nicely – paper-wrapped with an autumnal impression. The beer pours a light brownish colour with copper red hues. A fluffy three finger crown holds its shape and decorates the glass beautifully as it subsides.

Aroma: Our last entry for this brewery (Canaster Scotch ale) was extremely quirky so we’re braced for another show. And much like canaster, this cuvee dubbel is giving off unique qualities. Some conventional notes of caramel, toffee apple and spicy yeast esters as the rather farmhouse-like accents land with subtle funk, sourdough and plum. Once it settles we get more of the hallmark carob, peppery spice, clove and subtle banana.

Flavour: We may have to eat our words a little here as it’s drinking with a traditional proficiency. Upfront it’s a malt lovers dream. Consisting of caramel, toffee, carob, dark fruits, dark bread, brown sugar and woody spice. It kinda leans into orchard fruits a little i.e apple, pear etc while also flirting with a classic Belgian yeast ester – clove, bubblegum, rye. Nice malty finish, slight dryness. Good length.

Mouthfeel: Chewy, grippy and kinda smooth. Slight champagne-esque Co2, medium body and a very well hidden 8.3% ABV.

Overall: A very humbling cuvee dubbel. To be honest the “cuvee” component still has us a bit puzzled as it’s not at all sour. What it is though, is pretty damn impressive.

Cornella ‘Party Shirt’ Blood Orange Hazy IPA

Rating:

“Throw on your loudest shirt and step into the party spirit. This hazy IPA drips with Citra and Amarillo hops, boosted by Abstrax blood orange terpenes for a burst of citrus & tropical haze. Bright, juicy and impossible to ignore. Wear it proudly, drink it loudly.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Turbid sandy-yellow complexion capped off by a short white head. Decent retention and healthy lace work on the glass.

Aroma: Big tropical fruity vibes. Like a full on fruit salad packed with passionfruit, pineapple, mango, grapefruit, rockmelon, guava, lemon and lime zest. Mixed orange citrus too i.e tangerine, mandarin, blood orange. The latter is certainly emphasised by the terpenes. Hints of pine and resin. Backed by a rather chalky and bready malt profile. Not too shabby.

Flavour: Pretty much a mirror image of the nose. Loaded with sweet tropical fruit and a range of mixed citrus. We must admit, the blood orange/terpenes are left wanting for a beer that features blood orange terpenes. It does provide a little extra tang but it’s too subtle in our opinion. Gentle pine and resin, dry, bready and slightly sweet malt profile finished off by a moderately dry and sweet fruitiness.

Mouthfeel: Super smooth, well aerated and creamy. Light-moderate body, finely carbed and a well concealed 7.5% ABV.

Overall: We’ve been fans of this winery/brewery for a while now. They brew some really good beers for a largely unknown operation but this one kinda fails to excite us. It’s lacking the main feature flavour and overall it’s a bit middle of the road.

Moo Brew 2024 BA Imperial Stout

Rating:

“Barrel-aged twelve months in French and American oak casks. Same sledgehammer. More velvet. Time on oak has added depth, complexity and texture galore. This is technically an imperial stout, but the barrel makes it even more impressive. So its like, a galactic empire stout.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Dense black with a foamy two finger brown head perched on top. Excellent retention and tonnes of lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Dark and ominous. Like something that hasn’t seen the light of day for years. What we loved about the 2023 vintage (and what we also love about this 2024 vintage) is the robust bottom end. There’s a hearty charred malt base that lays the perfect foundation for the ensuing notes of ash, molasses, licorice, subtle umami and peat, espresso, salted dark chocolate and black pepper. Excellent aroma.

Flavour: Every time we drink a stout from this brewery we’re impressed. Simply put: they just get it. Stouts are best when they’re big, aggressive and in your face and that’s exactly what we have here. In spades! The only component missing is some barrel/wood character, but honestly with the levels of charred malt, ash, licorice, peated malt, espresso and salted dark chocolate, the barrel character would merely be a cherry on top of an already decadent cake.

Mouthfeel: Thick and viscous. A little sharp, mostly down to the 8% ABV. Full bodied, low Co2. Some good stout drinkin’.

Overall: Our one and only criticism is that the ABV isn’t a little higher. 8% isn’t even in imperial territory, let alone barrel aged. That aside it’s a cracking BA stout. Kudos, Moo Brew!

De Glazen Toren ‘Canaster’ Scotch Ale

Rating:

“A reddish-brown beer brewed for the wintertime. A strong beer because of its higher alcohol degree. Full of character and tasteful. Not sweet yet full tasting beer meant for long dark evenings.”

Glassware: Tulip.

Appearance: Uber dark brown with a super fizzy three finger head. It slowly deconstructs and leaves zero lacing in its wake.

Aroma: Befuddling is the most linguistic description we could use. We’re sat here ready to review our first scotch ale in over 5 years and the aroma offers zero scotch characteristics. What it does offer, though, is a remarkable and complex array of dark fruits, candi sugars, fairy floss, salted caramel, salted chocolate, redskins, honey-roasted cashew and a hint of mocha. Holy moly what is this?!

Flavour: Incredibly soft and silky. Doesn’t even feel like we drank anything! It’s also really rich but the flavours are muted which is a bit of a contradiction, we know. The befuddling only intensifies. Some warmth from the alcohol breezes through while a somewhat salty/Islay whiskey-esque umami note becomes the first sign of a scotch ale since we began the review. Smooth, sweet, rich and silky finish lingers.

Mouthfeel: Velvety smooth, light-ish texture but with a unique density. Medium-full body and a barely noticeable 8.7% ABV.

Overall: Absolutely bizarre. But in the best way possible. We were playing catch up the entire time, trying to work out what we had in front of us. Truly incredible beer.

Badlands English Pale Ale

Rating:

“The Badlands flagship beer and picked as one of the Top 20 beers in Australia for 2022 (Weekend Australian 19/11/2022) – not just another Pale Ale this is true to its English roots and brewed with English Malt, Hops and Yeast. Golden in colour using hefty portions of the prized English malt Maris Otter with soft fruity flavours from the English hops and a rounded bitterness in the finish. Dangerously Drinkable”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Deep golden pour with a very light haze. It only manages a wispy overlay before immediately retreating to the rim. Sparse, spotty lacing streaks down the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Quite delicate. Certainly more malt-driven, as to be expected. The Maris Otter malts convey those hallmark biscuity overtones with more subtle hints of honey, cereal grains and nuts on the flank. Definitely picking up the scent of Goldings hops…those classic herbal, floral and earthy spicy notes land beautifully. Smelling the goods!

Flavour: It’s all pretty obscure but you know what, we don’t mind that. We’d much prefer a brewery to undercook the flavours than to bottle up a stewy, unbalanced mess. The key here is the overall balance. There’s a nice synergy between the semi-sweet malts, the earthy and herbal hops and the bitterness. They all sit tight with one another and deliver a clean, malty and well-rounded finish that draws out nicely.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, well-rounded, mild-medium body. Very pleasant to drink. Perfectly carbed and the 4.6% ABV is bang on the money.

Overall: Dangerously drinkable is right! Badlands are a funny one…they’ll brew an absolute shocker then follow it up with something like this. Which we have to say, is one of the far better Aussie-brewed English pales on the market. Solid.

Guinness ‘Draught’ Irish Stout

Rating:

“When someone looks at you and says “Pint?”, this is the pint they’re talking about. If you want something else, you’ll have to specify. It’s rich, it’s creamy, and it’s black (well actually, if you look closely, Guinness is ruby red in colour but don’t tell anyone!). It’s everything it promises to be. Every time. It’s what we’re famous for, and although we love all of our beers just the same, it will always hold a special place in our Guinness Draught loving hearts.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Mostly black with a skerrick of light cutting through at the base of the glass. Once the nitro does its beautiful thing, the head settles to a thick and creamy finger that does not budge. Excellent lace work as it ebbs.

Aroma: So this is it. The final boss when it comes to Irish stout. This is Guiness straight from the motherland (like we’d mess about with any other inferior product!). Only one of us can attest to drinking Guiness straight from the taps in a Dublin pub and he stands by the claim that the difference between the Dublin-brewed and the imported version are like chalk and cheese. Let’s crack on. We get roasted malt, burnt toast, coffee, cocoa, earthy chocolate and steamed/starchy veg. Ooft!

Flavour: A delayed onset of flavours but when they kick off, boy don’t they go. Dry, roasted malt, cocoa powder, chocolate, burnt toast and earthy hops into a certain Maris Otter/ESB-like sweetness. From there it significantly dries out and sets up for a bone-dry, roasty and toasty finish which lingers for days.

Mouthfeel: Typical nitro thin creaminess with a dry finish. Mild-moderate body and a 4.2% ABV that screams drink me all night long.

Overall: Impressive, just as expected. Although the Sullivan’s expression is just as good in our opinion. The hype does live up to its name!

Perfect listening song: The Whiskey Rebellions – A Pint’s A Pint.

Artisan ‘Quad Speciale – Volume 2’ Belgian Quadrupel

Rating:

“Blenders edition, volume two. Blend of ’21 & ‘22 back vintages. Intense, complex palate. Toasted toffee, dried fruit. caramelised raisins. lingering finish. Slight acidity balances out rich mouthfeel.”

Glassware: Trappist chalice.

Appearance: Deep burgundy pour with a thumb of tan head resting atop. It gradually peels off and settles to a collar with reasonable lacing in its wake.

Aroma: Funnily enough the old quad is a style often brewed well by a raft of Aussie breweries. We’ve tried a few very decent expressions over the past 6 months. Quietly hoping this one also stacks up. Smells pretty good initially. Super rich, super sweet, but well balanced. Huge toffee and Christmas cake overtones, candi sugars, gingerbread, Belgian yeast esters, spice and dark fruits like cherry, plum and raisin. Malt bomb explosion.

Flavour: What we like about it is that they’ve kept it as conventional as possible. Which we respect as there’s no big adjunct or barrel aging to hide any imperfections behind. It’s a complex beast, combining rich and sweet malts with yeast esters, candi sugars, toffee apple, gingerbread, dark fruits and a flicker of slightly tart cherry. It basically starts and finishes with the same amount of depth and complexity. Just with some added length on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Sticky, gelatinous, brawny. A slight tartness as well. Medium-full body, lightly sparkling Co2. The 10.2% ABV was pretty well behaved throughout.

Overall: At its core it’s a good quad. There’s just something that’s holding it back. It’s quite hard to put our finger on it. Maybe it’s the tartness? Still, not a bad effort.

Love Shack IPA

Rating:

“Citrus, Stone Fruit, Tropical, Subtly Boozy An IPA created to please even the biggest ‘Hop Heads’. This quaffable 6.2% west coast IPA will scratch that crafty itch.“

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Slightly hazy golden-orange complexion. It forms a finely beaded two finger head which slowly deconstructs. Excellent lace work as it ebbs.

Aroma: Massive fruit salad vibes on this one. Everything from orange, tangerine and grapefruit to passionfruit, mango, lychee and peach. Hints a bit at shallot and lemongrass as well. Good malt structure to it…subtle honey, caramel, bread crust and biscuits. Nice and vibrant aroma with plenty of character.

Flavour: Somewhat hard to classify it. We’d say it’s more of a “no coast” IPA…something akin to Toppling Goliath in the US. It has a bit of east coast juice but also a good dose of west coast bitterness and bite. The 6.8% ABV adds some extra attitude too. Mostly citrus fruits, pine and herbal spice upfront, mellowed by the semi-sweet and bready malts. Gets a liiiiitle bit stewy through the mid but it’s cleaned up in the dry and bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Slick and kinda chewy then ultra dry and bitter post swallow. Moderate-medium body, flat-ish Co2. The 6.8% ABV is noticeable but doesn’t get too wild.

Overall: Kinda fell away a bit towards the end there. All in all it’s a fairly decent IPA though. Not short on character which is important considering the lack of character on their cans. Not bad.

Eagle Bay Kolsch

Rating:

“Our Kolsch is designed as a thirst quencher. It’s a light and bright handcrafted beer. Golden straw in colour and well balanced with subtle fruity characters from the hops. An all round firm favourite.”

Glassware: Tumbler.

Appearance: Pale straw golden pour with a light and fluffy two finger crown. Good head retention but minimal lacing on the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: Bright and zesty. Healthy amounts of citrus rind and oils, cereal grains, water crackers and wheat. More nuanced hints of herbal spice, stone fruits, pear, tropical fruit and pine needle. Pairs really damn well on this 30° Sydney arvo!

Flavour: Drinks even better than the aroma which is quite rare. It’s ultra refreshing…emphasised by the light citrus and tropical fruit hop cutting through the mellow biscuity malt profile. A flutter of toast and nutty malt also gets amongst it. A mildly dry bitterness around the mid rolls effortlessly into a rather spicy, dry, grassy but clean finish which really hangs on to the back palate.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean, refreshing. Dries out a tad in the swallow. Light-moderate body, perfectly carbed. The 4.7% ABV is bang on for the style.

Overall: Proper neck oil. One of those reviews we had to rip through coz we were downing it so fast. We’re diggin these guys, this is our 2nd crack at their range and we’ve been impressed by both. Certainly making a return at some point in the near future.

Deeds ‘Glorious Purpose’ Imperial Stout w Cherries

Rating:

“An imperial stout fermented on copious amounts of cherries and then blended with several bourbon barrels aging some of our many imperial stouts ultimately creating an intense, singular experience.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a dark brown head that swells to about a half inch before receding. Exactly what we want a 12% stout to pour like.

Aroma: We’re not sure what the story is with Deeds. We all heard many years ago that they were shutting down. But here we are… cracking a new glorious stout from them. We won’t complain! Definitely getting the mildly tart cherries immediately. The base stout is so good that the tartness blends back into it all. Rich notes of molasses, leather, dark chocolate, espresso, chocolate bullets and a faint touch of cherry ripe. Oooft!

Flavour: Superb. The base stout does all the talking…and you know, when it comes to Deeds, the base stout is world class – bittersweet dark chocolate, molasses, espresso, leather. Some licorice too. A delicate cherry flavour (and tartness) pops its head up for a moment then steps back, allowing the rich stout flavours to carry into the long and drawn out finish.

Mouthfeel: Thiccc. Wouldn’t say engine oil but one step back from it. Full bodied, low Co2. The 12% ABV is very well behaved for its size.

Overall: If Deeds’ strat is to say they’re closing so we keep hype-buying all their beers then it’s working! What are we saying, we’d buy them all anyway. Outstanding impy stout. As usual.

Sierra Nevada ‘Atomic Torpedo’ Imperial IPA

Rating:

“This imperial hop collision fuses West Coast and Juicy IPAs, unleashing atomic flavors of lush fruit, citrus, and sticky pine. First released as a DIPA, we kicked Atomic Torpedo up from 8.2% to 9.2% ABV for bigger and bolder Imperial IPA intensity. Brace your taste buds: Damn the Torpedoes, Full Hops Ahead!”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Deep golden-orange pour, topped off by a fairly thick and creamy two finger head. Excellent retention and lace work.

Aroma: Definitely going into the “can’t believe we haven’t reviewed this” pile. We reviewed the OG torp 13 years ago so it’s inexcusable that we’ve never reviewed this. Anywho, it smells mighty fine. Peak American IPA – grapefruit, orange/rind, tangerine, a hint of freshly squeezed OJ too. Pine, tropical fruit and rockmelon. Slightly sweet and sugary caramel malt structure. Nicely balanced. Boom.

Flavour: Reminds us of craft beer’s glory days of the late noughties and 2010’s. Not exactly a bitter bomb like most were back then but enough to strip all moisture out of the mouth. The caramalt bill does a sterling job of levelling it all out though. Tonnes of orange citrus, grapefruit, pine, light florals and some stone fruit. Kinda dry, slightly bitter finish with a touch of malt sweetness and pine to round it all off.

Mouthfeel: Slick, well rounded texture. Medium body and Co2. The 9.2% ABV is ridiculously well hidden.

Overall: We shouldn’t expect anything less than perfection from Sierra Nevada and that’s exactly what we got here… perfection!

Artisan ‘Epoque’ Saison

Rating:

“A classic Farmhouse Ale. Light golden colour, fluffy white foam, effervescent carbonation. citrus, orange, peach, and spicy. Subtle bitterness. Dry finish. A perfect pairing for oysters, scallops. Gluten reduced.”

Glassware: Tulip.

Appearance: Slightly hazy deep golden pour with a light and frothy three finger head. It gradually peels off and leaves blotchy lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Very conventional take. It has that ideal farmyard funk in spades. Packed with spicy and fruity yeast esters, orange blossom, candied citrus, banana runts, coriander and wheat grains. Picking up more nuanced notes of Angostura bitters, a musty dryness and aged riesling. Very impressive aroma. Balancing the bretty/funky characters with the fruity and spicy notes with ease.

Flavour: Very dry from start to finish. Quite a complex number actually. Upfront it’s a blend of semi-sweet honey malt, wheat/cereal grains, mixed citrus, florals and herbal spice. As it progresses the dry, musty and bretty notes come forward, crossing the mid then leading into a rather dry, spicy, funky and fruity finish which lingers.

Mouthfeel: Light on, dry and spritzy. Light-moderate body with a lifted Co2. The 6.5% ABV is pretty well concealed.

Overall: Our 2nd crack at this WA brewery. The head brewer certainly loves his Belgian style beers…can you blame him?! Very tidy Saison here. Kudos Artisan.

Artisan ‘Dark Star – ’23 release’ Belgian Imperial Stout

Rating:

“Belgian Imperial Stout. A delectable bombshell of dark bitter chocolate and molasses. Notes of coffee, toasted nuts, raisin and plum across the silky mouthfeel. Rich, smooth, and long on the palate.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Black as midnight with two fingers of foamy light brown head which takes an age to reduce. Thick blotchy lace work clings to the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: There aren’t many Aussie breweries we can think of that have had a crack at a Belgian impy stout. Bacchus is the first that comes to mind. Slow Lane is another. We’re struggling to come up with any more so credit where it’s due. The nose is big, warming, chocolatey, nutty. Some coffee here and there. Same with this subtle tart fruitiness – figs, raisin and cherry. A hint of spicy esters as well. Rich and complex, we’re diggin it.

Flavour: Unreal progression on it. At first we were somewhat taken aback by the tartness. Fruits like blood plum, raisin and cherry make way for a wave of chocolate. The Belgian yeast esters consistently hang there in the background. Subtle coffee accents, nutty malt, light roast and molasses developing late in the piece and setting up for a long-winded finish of coffee, chocolate, roasted malt and dark fruits.

Mouthfeel: Dense, chewy and slick. Full bodied, low-ish Co2 even though it retained a lot of head through to the finish. The 9% ABV was extremely well buried.

Overall: Another new brewery for us. This time out of Denmark, WA. A solid offering. Complex, well structured and well executed all round.

Toppling Goliath ‘Cyber Sue’ IPA

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Kinda deep golden-honey pour capped off by a fluffy one finger head that holds together well. Excellent retention and lacing as we imbibe.

Aroma: A lot more malt-driven than we’d anticipated. It’s a brilliant malt profile though…semi sweet, a tad caramelised and bready. Jeez for a hop bill boasting Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe it’s rather tired. And there we go, FFS. Once again we’ve been sold a beer by a reputable bottlo that is near 12 months old. For an IPA that’s inexcusable. For any other style we could maybe give a pass but on this one we won’t. Extremely frustrating.

Flavour: Drinks exactly as the aroma. The malt bill is holding up rather well considering how long in the tooth it is. Light caramelisation, marmalade on toast, that sorta thing. A distant hint of orange citrus – mandarin, ruby grapefruit, orange peel – but it’s more acidity and pith than flavour. A sign that it’s too old to be enjoyed. Bitter, pithy finish. Some malt flavour but it’s futile.

Mouthfeel: Somewhat gelatinous, sticky and flat. A lot of the Co2 has dropped out of it…again, showing its age.

Overall: God dammit. We’re certain this would be a corker if it was fresher. It seems freshness has been a real issue for imported US beers since covid and it appears the problem ain’t getting enough attention.

Eagle Bay West Coast Pilsner

Rating:

“Eagle Bay’s West Coast Pilsner draws from their 90 Day Pilsner while adding a distinctly West Coast USA twist, namely Cryo Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe hops. Beyond a whack of candied grapefruit peel, a teasing dank aroma dances into the clear golden liquid.”

Glassware: Tulip.

Appearance: Bright golden pour with a fluffy two finger cap. Decent head retention and healthy lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Exactly what we were hoping for – super crisp and fruity, providing a nice touch of resin and pine needle as well. Subtle hints of herb and light florals also getting a look in. Very clean and biscuity malt bill…sitting back and letting the aromatic hops do most of the talking. Diggin it.

Flavour: It has all the fun of an IPA but with a far cleaner and crisper malt bill. A far lower ABV too, it must be said. The American hops – once again – take the limelight with their fruity, piney, slightly resinous and herbal overtones. The crisp and clean pilsner malt offers a mellow backbone of water crackers and barley which rolls into an effortless finish.

Mouthfeel: Light on, crushable and clean AF. Mild-moderate body, perfectly carbed. The 4.5% ABV is a tad under our expectations but suits the beer as a whole.

Overall: Although we’ve tried a collab beer that included these guys before, this is our first crack at a beer solely brewed by them. We must say we’re pretty impressed. It does all the right things. Tasty little number.

Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout

Rating:

“Brewed with well water (the original well, sunk in 1758, is still in use with the hard water is drawn from 85 feet underground), the gently roasted organic chocolate malt and organic cocoa impart a delicious, smooth and creamy character, with inviting deep flavours and a delightful finish – this is the perfect marriage of satisfying stout and luxurious chocolate.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Mostly black with a skerrick of light cutting through at the base of the glass. Two fingers of light brown head on top. Holds its shape well and drapes a sheet of lace down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: Dead set it smells like there’s a glass of melted chocolate in front of us. In said glass are also notable hints of vanilla bean, lactose (uncertain whether this beer contains dairy), raw sugar, mocha, raw cocoa, earthy hops and the mildest hint of cherry. Grain husks and carob also open up as it comes up to room temperature. Respectable aroma.

Flavour: Pretty damn good for a 5% sweet stout. Like the aroma, the chocolate component is really well represented. It’s thick, bittersweet and luxurious and marries up with vanilla, milk sugars, sweet coffee and earthy hops beautifully. It dries out a touch through the mid…some hop bitterness also supporting as it rolls into a kinda dry, chocolatey and sugary-sweet finish that goes for days on the back palate.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, silky and drying in the swallow. Medium body, mild-moderate Co2. The 5% ABV punches above its weight.

Overall: Not as much a “can’t believe we haven’t reviewed this” as the last couple of beers but it’s definitely one that has gone under the radar for a long time. We’re not blown away by it but it’s a fairly decent choccy stout.

Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale

Rating:

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Nice looking bottle. Traditional English label with a gold foil wrapped neck and top. Popped and poured and showing a chestnut complexion with burgundy hues. It forms a short tan head which rapidly settles to a collar. Minimal lace work as we imbibe though.

Aroma: Another addition to the “can’t believe we haven’t reviewed this” pile. We remember drinking these some 20 years ago thinking jeez, this tastes better than Tooheys extra dry. So much sweeter than we recall though. Almost unchecked sweet dark fruits encapsulating cherry, dates, raisin and strawberry. Funnily enough the nuts play 2nd fiddle with undertones of raw unsalted cashew, macadamia and hazelnut. Hhhmmm.

Flavour: It’s funny how the palate changes over time. We remember being fans of this back in the day, now it’s almost in sink pour territory. That sickly artificial sweetness it carries is quite off-putting. It’s a shame coz there are glimpses of a good, kinda toasty and savoury brown ale that’s pushed right down to the point where it’s barely noticeable.

Mouthfeel: Soft, thin-ish but with a bit of texture. Low Co2, mild-medium body and a neat 5% ABV.

Overall: Well, although it has been fun returning to such a nostalgic beer, we’ll be steering clear of it from now on.

Peroni ‘Gran Reserva – Doppio Malto’ Bock

Rating:

“An excellent beer emerges from the great Peroni tradition – Peroni Gran Riserva. A prestigious clear double malt beer with an alcohol content of 6.6%. This beer is the result of a careful, scrupulous selection of the most noble qualities of aromatic hops, yeast and a spring variety of distichous barley named “cherie”. Ingredients are chosen with great attention and the experience of long-standing brewers.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Deep golden, almost amber pour with a thumb of frothy white head resting atop. Steady reduction and healthy lacing on the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Fun fact, Peroni is actually our go-to beer when there’s literally nothing else on offer. We can certainly pick up the OG Peroni lager traits – think Heineken, Stella Artois, Carlsberg etc (they pretty much all taste the same anyway) with their clean malt and Noble hop herbaceousness. As this warms a richer, slightly sweeter malt comes through and that’s about the extent of the difference. Was hoping for more to be honest.

Flavour: Building on the aroma here with a notably richer and more complex malt bill. A subtle warmth to the 6.6% ABV too. In the end it’s pretty much the same deal as the OG Peroni lager – clean, herbal and spicy hop notes but with the added malt complexities and boosted ABV. Slightly smoother, well rounded finish that draws out too.

Mouthfeel: Slick neck oil with a bit of chew to it. Medium body, light sparkle to the carbonation. The 6.6% ABV is very well concealed.

Overall: Honestly, don’t bother unless you froth on Peroni and want to taste a slightly boozier and more malty version. This literally just scrapes into the bock classification on ABV only. Well brewed, yes, just too similar the original.