Bracket ‘K’ BA Imperial Stout

Rating:

NO COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Glassware: Snifter

Appearance: Blacker than midnight with a short brown head emerging on top. It quickly forms a collar and provides a cascading lace down the glass.

Aroma: Pungent AF. We thought for a moment that they’d used whiskey barrels due to the richer and slightly smoky qualities but nope… definitely a BBA. The base Stout is enormous. Decadent notes of Bourbon/oak, dark chocolate, licorice, espresso coffee, black leather and warming alcohol. We’re almost fearful of drinking this!

Flavour: It’s a biggun. Actually, not as aggressive as we’d expected but it certainly still packs a punch. Some alcohol warmth and sweetness upfront but it’s quelled by the super rich chocolate, licorice, espresso, leather and heavily charred malts. The Bourbon/barrels add to the sheer complexity as well, tacking on as early as the front palate and reaching well into the rich and warming finish.

Mouthfeel: Oily, warming and well rounded. Full body, low Co2. The 14.1% ABV is unsurprisingly noticeable.

Overall: We were really keen to see what Bracket have in the BA Stout department. We already know how good their Hazy’s and IPA’s are and the final thought is that even though this was an absolute ball-tearer it’s a very solid BBA Impy Stout.

Samuel Smith ‘Yorkshire Stingo’ English Strong Ale

Rating:

“Some of the oak casks at Samuel Smith’s date back more than a century with the individual oak staves being replaced by the Old Brewery coopers over the years. Gradually the casks soak in more & more of the character of the ale fermented in stone Yorkshire squares. Yorkshire Stingo is aged for at least a year, matured in these well-used oak casks in the brewery’s underground cellars deriving fruit, raisin, treacle toffee, Christmas pudding and slight oaky flavours, before being further naturally conditioned in bottle.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Pours more on the red side of amber with a thumb of finely beaded tan foam resting on top. Gradual reduction with sparse lacing.

Aroma: Quite an archetypal English Strong Ale. It’s complex, malty sweet and toasty. The one differing character is the notable fruitiness…it delivers an almost cherry-like quality with hints of strawberry and pomegranate. As it settles we get that black tea note which is so synonymous with English Ale. Toffee, fruitcake, figjam and subtle yeast esters also in support.

Flavour: The sweetness ramps up here. Initially we get a fleeting hint of molasses then rich toffee apple, red wine tannins, oak and an earthy tobacco ad-mixture. Typically these flavours would work well but there’s a distinct cloying sweetness which overarches the entire flavour profile and it’s unfortunately a tad off-putting. Shame.

Mouthfeel: Velvety, a little tart. Medium body with flat-ish Co2. The 8% ABV is fairly well behaved.

Overall: We don’t know about this one. Rarely do we encounter a well known English brewery that misses the mark on a traditional English Ale. There are some strong but also weak components to it so overall it’s a bit of a shame coz we were really looking forward to it.

Stoic NZ Pilsner

Rating:

“Pioneered by Richard Emerson in 1995, New Zealand Pilsners are a Kiwi twist on a traditional Pilsner – herbal, spicy hops are replaced with Tropical, fruity NZ hops! Bouncing with citrus, passionfruit, hints of gooseberry, a touch of bready malt sweetness, this NZ Pilsner has a refreshing bitterness and a dry crisp finish!”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Pale light golden pour with a two finger crown. Good retention but only patchy lace work clinging to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Kiwi hops are such a great option for this style. The delicate crusty malt profile practically sits back and lets the hops do all the talking. Intense “greenery” is the best way to summarize it. Packed to the brim with lime juice/zest/candy, gooseberry, green grapes, pine resin, tomato vine, white wine and unripe passion fruit. Diggin’ it!

Flavour: Pretty much a mirror image of the aroma – awash with piney, resinous and evergreen notes. The light malt body providing the platform for the hops to work off. A gentle bitterness pushes its way in around the mid palate, leading into a slightly dry, grassy and medium length finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and clean with mild-medium body. Vibrant Co2 and a well placed 5% ABV.

Overall: In our last review of Stoic we touched on how the new brewers have vastly improved the quality of their beers. This NZ Pilsner only reinforces that belief. Onwards and upwards.

Boatrocker 2024 ‘Fat Santa’ BA Imperial Stout

Rating:

“Ho, ho, ho – let the merriness begin! Fat Santa’s at it again and this year will not disappoint. Rich aromas of marzipan, coffee, vanilla, dark chocolate and roasty malts combine with a distinct whisky character, owing to a good stint in quality barrels. Fat Santa is the perfect way to start or finish Christmas Day.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: As customary it pours an impenetrable black with a short brown head resting on top. It forms a collar and provides a beautiful cascading lace down the walls of the glass.

Aroma: We were initially critical of Boatrockers’ decision to use Starward whiskey barrels for this years FS release for two reasons. 1) The FS base Stout is literally their Ramjet and Ramjet is aged in Starward barrels so, what’s the difference? 2) We’re not the biggest fans of Starward for BA Stouts. But! We must give credit where it’s due…there are distinct differences between the two which we’ll get into.

Flavour: They’ve done a damn good job creating a contrast between Ramjet and this. Here we’re getting more creaminess, vanilla and marzipan along with the typical coffee, dark chocolate and molasses. More ambiguous notes of macadamia nuts and flambeed blackberry also enter the fray. A hint of Starward barrels does come through but it’s subtle and blends nicely into the rich, roasty finish.

Mouthfeel: Slick and oily with some warmth from the booze (10.4%). Medium-full body. Low Co2.

Overall: At this stage it’s our least favourite FS release. It’s still a decent BA Imperial Stout but previous releases were far better.

Hargreaves Hill ‘Demeter’ American Brown Ale

Rating:

“Embark on a journey through the bountiful fields of Demeter’s crops. This beer is a truly unique American Brown Ale that pays homage to the Greek goddess of harvest and agriculture. With a cornucopia of alternative grains including rye, oats, buckwheat, spelt, millet, sorghum, and rice, this brew celebrates diversity and abundance like never before. Hopped with Cryo Mosaic, Simcoe and Experimental hop HS16660.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Dark brown with a deep ruby tint. It forms a thumb of lightly tanned head which slowly peels off. A wet streaky lace is dragged down the glass.

Aroma: First thoughts are Jaffa-like/orange-infused chocolate which for one of us is not a good start. As it settles we’re getting more weedy notes, herbs, pine needle, sappy resins, citrus rind and green mango. There’s a hearty roasted malt profile to meet the hops too – definitely toasty, subtle coffee, grainy and spicy. There’s 7 different grains used which explains the complexity there.

Flavour: Interesting. We pick up a hint of Jaffa again but it’s not as direct as it was on the nose. Strangely enough the 2nd sip follows the nose as well with more resinous and weedy accents, pine and herbals. The malt is subtle but displays some rye spice, toast, nutty and quinoa-like grain as it punctuates with a kinda roasty, weedy and resinous finish.

Mouthfeel: A tad slippery and lean. Not much grip to it. Mild-medium body, carbed nicely. The 5.5% ABV is well placed.

Overall: It wasn’t bad it was just all a bit too pedestrian in our opinion. Feels like we’ve had one like it ten times before. Good but not great.

Leffe ‘Rituel 9°’ Tripel

Rating:

“Brewed according to age-old traditions, Leffe Rituel, with its deep golden colour, inspires respect. Its elegant, distinguished flavours of grain, bitter spices and bananas will seduce your taste buds over and over again. Rich in hop and remarkably balanced, with a long and intense aftertaste certain to thrill the more delicate palate. But make no mistake, only when poured into its own chalice can this divine beer be tamed.”

Glassware: Trappist tulip.

Appearance: Deep amber complexion with brilliant clarity. It builds a frothy three finger head which holds its shape. Good retention and blotchy lace on the glass.

Aroma: Has a fairly rich sweetness which is nicely countered by the fruity esters, mixed spice and vanilla. We almost get this oriental broth-like quality from it…like something you’d get from your local Vietnamese pho restaurant. A notable zesty tanginess develops as it settles. Toffee apple, wilted herbs and a mead-like sweetness. Very intriguing aroma.

Flavour: It carries a lot of character over from the nose. A semi sweet honey malt washes over, followed by mixed spice, fruity esters and toffee apple. A very brief warmth from the booze early in the mid palate shifting into an intensifying estery, fruity, and at times herbal finish which draws out nicely.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, gelatinous and a little chewy. Delicately carbed with medium body. The 9% ABV is pretty well buried.

Overall: Interesting take on a Tripel. It’s a lot darker and richer than previous traditional Belgian Tripels we’ve tried. It’s a well structured beer (and obviously well brewed) but we weren’t really big fans of it.

Brouwerij Watou ‘St.Bernardus’ Christmas Ale

Rating:

“St.Bernardus Christmas Ale is a dark, seasonal beer, full of wintery character and flavours that we brew every year ready for the festive season.”

Glassware: Trappist chalice.

Appearance: Kind of a muddy dark brown complexion and a fizzy three finger head perched on top. It takes ages to recede but leaves an absolute mess on the glass.

Aroma: So complex. There’s literally like a dozen or more scents swirling around the olfactory’s. We get a lot of dried fruit and spice, notable wafts of orange peel, milk chocolate, cherry, sarsaparilla, unique herbal/floral tones and all spice. We keep picking these Saison-esque traits of Angostura bitters and candied lemon as well. Very well layered.

Flavour: The progression on this is something else. It opens up almost musty and spicy with a delicate caramel sweetness tucked in behind. It’s completely different on the 2nd sip…now we get more of the orange peel, cherry and dried fruits that shift into a tangy/zesty mid that entertains a nutty and chocolatey note before setting up a toasty, spicy, slightly tart, dry and estery finish that lingers.

Mouthfeel: Incredibly light and gassy for its size (10% ABV). Lively Co2 with an effortless texture.

Overall: Tis the season to be cracking Christmas Ales early! An expectedly sleek and sophisticated brew from these Belgian maestro’s. We may have to get a few more of these for the cellar.

Future Brewing ‘Feels Like Space’ Hazy DIPA

Rating:

“This DDH Hazy DIPA was double dry-hopped with Yakima Chief Citra, mid harvest Freestyle Nelson, Strata and Riwaka SubZero Hop Kief. Notes of pineapple, grapefruit, passion fruit and melon. Soft, smooth and juicy – this is one dangerously drinkable DIPA!”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Murky light pastel orange with a fluffy two finger head forming on top. Decent retention and healthy lace work on the glass.

Aroma: Full on fruit salad vibes. Tonnes of mixed citrus (flesh, rind and oils), equally large amounts of tropical fruit and stonefruit. A rather notable darkness as well…gotta be the Strata hops coming through. Slightly weedy, resinous, tart berries/green grape, some nectar fruit sweetness opening up as it settles. Not much on the malt front – a bit chalky, crusty. Solid nose.

Flavour: Much spicier and dank than we’d anticipated. A hint of warmth from the booze heating things up. Still ultra smooth and fruity though. Again, lots of citrus character, stonefruit and nectar fruits. The tropical sweetness has dropped out a little but the lush evergreen, dank and weedy/herbal spice is there to fill in. Nice shift into the dank, dry and resinous finish.

Mouthfeel: Light and aerated with a notable effervescence. Mild-medium body and an intermittent 8.2% ABV.

Overall: Each time we try a new beer from these guys we become more and more impressed. Their NEIPA’s are easily up there but only just lack the refinement of MC, Banks and Range. They’re definitely one to watch though.

Future Brewing ‘Coco-nilla Craze’ Imperial Pastry Stout

Rating:

“We decided to go proper pastry with this bad boy! We loaded it up with a crazy amount of coconut and threw in some vanilla to bring it all together. We’re getting milk chocolate and coconut just like a bounty bar. A big oily and sweet decadent treat!“

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Dense black pour with a finely beaded two finger brown head capping it off. Excellent retention and a wavy lace left in its wake.

Aroma: As to be expected from a coconut and vanilla Stout – a lot of creamy vanilla, fresh coconut and roasty yet sweet dark malts. It starts to open up as it warms. We’re now getting distinct spiciness i.e cinnamon, clove, star anise along with marzipan, oats, glazed cherry, flaked chocolate and a very subtle espresso note. Some may think Bounty bar but we get more black forest cake.

Flavour: Wow. The density is off the charts…it’s almost edible. It’s kinda hard to pin down one exact flavour as they all seem to be hitting the palate in unison. It’s like one big flavour package being delivered to the taste buds at once. Only the all-spice notes stand out as it finishes how it started; sweet, spicy, roasty, creamy and chocolatey.

Mouthfeel: Thick and muscly. Full bodied with low Co2. The 11% ABV is unbelievably well hidden.

Overall: Our 2nd entry for Future and we’re impressed. We thought this particular release was akin to The Bruery…only missing some of the intensity and refinement of course. Still, a huge rap for such a new brewery.

Future Brewing ‘Nelson Nelson Nelson’ Triple IPA

Rating:

“TDH Hazy TIPA dry hopped with 3 different lots of Nelson from 2 different hop farms. Bright citrus, juicy stonefruit, sweet tropical and a kiss of NZ dank.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Proper turbid deep pastel yellow pour with a wispy white head forming on top. It settles to a collar and provides ample lacing considering the lack of retention.

Aroma: Oh Nelson Sauvin, how we love you so. The hallmark characteristics are emanating beautifully – gooseberry, green grapes/Chardonnay, tomato vine, stonefruit, subtle dank/weedy notes and a hint of peppery spice. There’s a nice bready malt profile to it…kinda crusty yet doughy at the same time. We have to give mention to the unbelievably well concealed 10% ABV too. Impressive.

Flavour: Pretty juicy initially. Lots of stonefruit, citrus and a hint of tropical. The dank and weedy (and at times resinous) vibes are also getting amongst it. Just a slight warmth and sweetness from the booze which rolls into an intensifying juicy and vinous finish with an array of back end flavours ranging from herbs/vines, dank/weedy, spicy and doughy.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth, creamy and aerated. Mild-medium body, low-ish Co2. The 10% ABV, as mentioned before, is very well hidden.

Overall: What a way to initiate things with this new(ish), fairly hyped Sydney brewery. We’d probably put them on par with Fox Friday or even Range on skill level at this stage. Very good with serious potential.

Radeberger Pilsner

Rating:

“Crowned the official drink by King Friedrich August III of Saxony, Radeberger, a pilsner style beer brewed near Dresden, is characterized by its dazzling and refreshing taste and has long been enjoyed by German nobility.”

Glassware: Stein.

Appearance: Slightly pale golden complexion with a light and fluffy two finger head. Good retention and oodles of lace on the glass.

Aroma: We’ve been on somewhat of a side quest recently (if y’all haven’t noticed) listing a bunch of OG beers we started our craft journey on that we were yet to review. This is another staple from back in the day. Smells like pure German goodness. Noble hops are front centre – herbs, spice, light florals and mildew. Grainy/crackery/biscuity malt profile. It’s crisp, clean and super savoury. Hasn’t changed one bit!

Flavour: Displaying a bit more malt here. Pronounced cereal grains, slight biscuity/water cracker notes upfront with the spicy and herbal Noble hop notes tucked in neatly behind. A delicate bitterness midway sets up for a fairly dry, crisp and herbal finish which offers pretty good legs for a Pilsner.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and clean but with decent grip on the way down. Mild-medium body and the 4.8% ABV is right on the money.

Overall: One of the best aspects of Euro beer in our opinion is that they hardly ever change. This is tasting just like it did back in the early 2000’s when we first tried it. Delish!

Boatrocker Stout

Rating:

“Our stout uses only the finest English malt and hops to give you a deliciously balanced and hearty ale. A fine ale good for any time of year but ever so satisfying when dark and cold outside. Best consumed at about 8°C.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: As black as the ace of spades. It constructs a light and fluffy two finger head which quickly reduces to a collar. Minimal lacing as we go.

Aroma: Nice and meaty. Really solid bottom end to it…chock-full of molasses, Vegemite, salted dark chocolate, delicate coffee, marzipan and burnt grain. We pick up a bit of earthy and spicy hop character which we don’t mind at all with these more basic and peeled back versions. Decent aroma. It’s hard to get any style right when you’re only working with the base ingredients (water, hops, malt and yeast).

Flavour: Good follow through. That hearty bottom end is on full display here as well. It’s more roasty and charred though, lots of coffee, bitter dark chocolate and earthy hops. Subtle hints of marzipan, molasses, ash and campfire. It has a notable hop bitterness that develops late and ushers in the dry, roasty and chocolatey finish that lingers well into the next sip.

Mouthfeel: Stocky and cohesive yet it maintains an effortless texture. Medium body and a well behaved 6.1% ABV.

Overall: A solid core range Stout that ticks all the boxes. The price could be a little sharper (roughly $8 a can) but it’s good quality so we don’t mind paying a bit more for a good product.

Shepherd Neame IPA

Rating:

“Hailing from the tradition of 18th Century IPAs, which relied on generous hopping to protect exports during arduous journeys, this modern incarnation retains the strength, body and strong hop character which is synonymous with this beer’s provenance.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Pours a very attractive deep amber hue with 100% clarity. It forms a thumb of loosely packed head which gradually peels off. Laced reasonably well considering the lack of retention.

Aroma: No word of a lie, when trad English IPA’s are fresh they smell better than any Hazy or West Coast. It’s that big, rich, nutty and toasty malt coupled with the fruity hops that we love so much about them. Not to mention the distinct marmalade, black tea and florals. Getting caramel, spice and orange citrus/rind as well. Top shelf stuff.

Flavour: Yuuummm! To be clear we’ve had about 100 of these before, but we had to review it this time around as it’s probably the freshest we’ve ever had it. It’s straight up earthy, bitter, orange zest, grapefruit, black tea, toast, a hint of caramel and floral/herbal hops to round it out. Good duration on the back end too.

Mouthfeel: Medium body. The texture is sticky upfront then bitter in the swallow. Flatter than most new age IPA’s (but it works) and the 6.1% ABV is well concealed.

Overall: Nothing else needs to be said really. This is without a doubt one of the best English IPA’s in the world.

Weihenstephaner Kristall Weissbier

Rating:

“Our Kristallweissbier has repeatedly been singled out by beer judges the world over for its excellence. This beer is a true jewel of the Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan. The clarity of our Kristallweissbier is achieved through filtration, and it is the only top-fermented beer brewed by the Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan that is not cloudy.”

Glassware: Stein.

Appearance: Crystal clear bright golden pour with a fluffy three finger head. It recedes to a fine overlay with wet and streaky lace down the glass.

Aroma: This is one of those “we can’t believe we haven’t reviewed this” situations. We’ve probably consumed about 100 of them over our adult lives and have never thought to review it. That changes now. It’s super fruity – pear, cloudy apple juice, tangy orange/peel, lemon zest, ripe mandarin and a very delicate hint of mango once it warms. Beautiful ester profile as well…banana runts, bubblegum, clove etc. Superb.

Flavour: So pleasant to drink. Its ultra clean and crisp nature makes it an ample warm weather beer. Carries a bit of the fruit through from the nose i.e pear, apple, orange/peel, zesty lemon, some banana but it’s more yeast/ester-driven along with the clove and bubblegum notes that shift into the clean, spicy and grainy finish. Moderate length on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean, light on. Quite effervescent. The 5.4% ABV is neatly tucked away.

Overall: Absolute corker of a beer. We’re not big on Witbier but this classic has always been an all-time favourite of ours. World class stuff.

The Bruery ‘Practice What You Peach’ BA Imperial Pastry Stout

Rating:

“They say practice makes perfect, so consider this a step closer to pastry stout perfection. This bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout was made with a harvest’s worth of juicy peaches, plus just a sprinkle of cinnamon and a bit of vanilla to bring this peach pie-inspired stout to life. Top with vanilla ice cream and dig in.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black pour with a finger of brown head nestled in atop. Excellent retention and healthy lace work on the glass.

Aroma: It has been a long time between drinks for us and The Bruery. We absolutely love their beers (their BA Stouts especially) but the cost of their beers has skyrocketed over the past year and has made them near un-buy-able. This one we got on sale so here goes. The peach comes through immediately. It’s well tempered and leans into the bourbon/oak nicely. The cinnamon and vanilla are also there but it’s hard to get anything from the base Stout as the feature ingredients are so prominent.

Flavour: We must say it comes together better than we anticipated. Peach isn’t typically a fruit we’d pair with a big BA Impy Stout so credit where it’s due. The classic Bruery sweetness they carry across their BA range kicks it off. Immediately the peach comes through then quickly followed by a hint of cinnamon and bourbon oak. The vanilla is more spicy and acts like a dusting on a cake as it finishes rich, warm, fruity and spicy. Excellent length on it too.

Mouthfeel: Dense and full bodied. Carbonation is low and the 9.7% ABV is noticeable but well contained.

Overall: Not as impressed by it as we’ve been by some of their others (probably why it was on sale). They did well to incorporate a difficult fruit like peach though. Good but not great.

Theakston ‘XB’ ESB

Rating:

“XB was first brewed in 1982 to celebrate the purchase of the Carlisle Brewery by Theakstons a few years before. Brewed always and ever in Masham, XB was designed as a tribute to the classic ‘border’ style of beer, strong in gravity, low but complex hop. It was an instant success and has remained so, winning over real ale devotees all over the UK.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Pours a gorgeous amber complexion with a thumb of finely beaded khaki foam capping it off. Good head retention and reasonable lacing as it ebbs.

Aroma: Smells incredible. Exactly what we’d want an English ESB to smell like. It has that rich and extremely sweet toffee/caramel malt structure but it’s impeccably balanced by the spicy and earthy hops. Loving the mixed berries that are laced through as well. A hint of dark fruit i.e raisin, plum etc. Black tea, toast and marmalade/jammy qualities coming through too. Superb.

Flavour: We’re aware that the term “nectar of the Gods” is in reference to Mead (and rightfully so) but we’re gonna steal it on this occasion. From start to finish is this silky, sweet, fruity, hoppy and moreish liquid gold. Everything just fits perfectly and does everything we want it to do. The length on the back end too… sensational.

Mouthfeel: Chewy, velvety with a touch of bitterness in the swallow. Medium body and a tempered Co2. The 4.5% ABV is spot on as well.

Overall: Faultless. Certainly more on the “heavier” side of ESB’s (due to the darker colour and richness) but make no mistake, this is world class.

King River ‘King Valley’ Kölsch

Rating:

“A perfect beer for any occasion. A German Golden Ale with a light body and straw colour. Delicate hop character matches the elegant pale malts for a balanced ale that can quench a thirst and matches well with lighter foods. Our King Valley Kolsch showcases the beauty of our region with crisp characters from our super fresh water obvious with your very first taste. We call this beer the Elbow Bender as it’s so easy to come back for another sip.”

Glassware: Tumbler.

Appearance: Deep golden pour with a very mild haze. Much darker than most Kölsch we’ve tried previously. It constructs two fingers of fizzy white head which gradually breaks apart. Laces reasonably well.

Aroma: Quite meaty and well layered for the style. It’s notably fruity – think more orchard fruits like pear, red apple and subtle peachy notes. Some honey sweetness from the malt plus a bit of black pepper and florals from the hops. It’s interesting because it’s showing some complexity yet it’s still rather crisp and clean. Ahhh Kölsch, such a cool style.

Flavour: Similar characteristics to the nose, as in the feeling of a rich malt sweetness and layers of flavour yet it still drinks so light and effortless. Not as fruity as the aroma though…it focuses more on the crisp hop profile, semi-sweet honey malt and some delicate yeast esters. A nice bitterness kicks in late which then lays down for a clean and dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, light on, but with a good consistency. Mild-medium body, nicely carbed and a well fitted 4.9% ABV.

Overall: A very good interpretation of this German classic. Displays a good fusion of Lager and Ale qualities. Not to mention the ease of putting it back! Solid.

Boatrocker ”24 Nordjet’ Salted Licorice BA Imperial Stout

Rating:

“Arguably the most divisive beer ever made by us… If you love licorice, you’ll most likely love this beer, and if you don’t… well… we warned you!Aged on Nordic salmiak licorice and using natural licorice extract, this super limited edition of Nordjet is the only repeat variant of Ramjet ever made… all because we love licorice! Malt, salted licorice and whisky are a treat for adults only!”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Pours an impenetrable black with a short brown cap resting on top. Good retention and healthy lace as we go.

Aroma: Holy moly we can smell that salted licorice from a mile away. We’re not massive fans of licorice but we’re not against it either. You could say we’re impartial. From the first whiff we now understand the warnings they gave in the description! Extremely potent wafts of salted licorice with notes of five spice, dark fruits, oak tannins and dark chocolate. Funnily enough we’re really diggin’ it.

Flavour: Ooft. This is probably where all the fence-sitters drop off. That insane amount of salted licorice was enjoyable on the nose but it steps a couple of notches here. We’re still hanging on for the ride though. Immense levels of salted licorice, aniseed, five spice, rich dark malt, oak, red wine tannins and warming booze from the get-go and all the way through to the long drawn out finish.

Mouthfeel: Thick and viscous. Full bodied, low Co2. The 11% ABV is noticeable but fairly well behaved.

Overall: As divisive as they said it’d be we’re still somehow undecided. It’s intense and we love that but man, if you don’t absolutely love licorice then you’ll absolutely hate this. No other way of putting it.

Boatrocker ESB

Rating:

“A stalwart of the British brewing scene – a beer style that showcases a brewery’s talent with both malt and hops.  ESB is balanced with delicious malt flavours then finishing with pleasant bitterness.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Pours an attractive deep amber with strong ruby red hues. A thumb of tan head reduces quite quickly and settles to a collar. Unfortunately not much in the way of lacing.

Aroma: Definitely sweet, definitely nutty and laden with caramel but it seems to lack that all-important English hop profile. Those floral, spicy and earthy characters are key to the perfect balance with this style. Sometimes these malty beers need a bit of time to properly open up but this one seems to be doubling down on the cloying malt-driven sweetness. Bit of a shame coz Boatrocker have nailed ESB’s before.

Flavour: We were quietly hoping the hops were hiding here in the flavour but nope, it’s more of the same. There’s nothing wrong with sweet caramels, nutty malt and brioche in an ESB but it has to have that crucial hop balance in our opinion. It simply isn’t here so we’re left with this overly sweet, artificial malt bomb from start to finish. Disappointing.

Mouthfeel: Slightly sticky but cloying and also lacking any vibrancy in the Co2 department. Medium body with a well positioned 5.5% ABV.

Overall: We’ve probably said all that needs to be said already. Badly unbalanced and not enjoyable to drink. A rare strike out for Boatrocker.

Garage Project Sichuan & Pineapple Pilsner

Rating:

“Let your taste buds take a trip. Sichuan Pineapple – ma la spiced pineapple pilsner, delivering a mind bending blend of spicy chilli, numbing Sichuan Pepper and ripe pineapple. Sweet heat, numbing warmth and juicy fresh cut pineapple aromatics, interwoven in a beautifully crisp, clean golden base. Mind blown.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Clear golden pour capped off with a fizzy two finger head which gradually peels off. It forms a collar with scarce lacing left in its wake.

Aroma: We’re suckers for any beer with chilli in it. Even more so when it’s a chilli/sweet combo as the two ingredients compliment each other so well. With sichuan being such a potent spice there are no surprises the spicy, slightly citrusy and peppery qualities are direct and balance the sweetness of the pineapple really well. It’s a fun and unique spice and one rarely seen used in beer so full points to GP on this one.

Flavour: Classy. We’d totally forgotten this was a Pilsner until the first sip. Initially we get a hint of sichuan and chilli and then the clean and crisp Pilsner malts wash over. A subtle heat from the chilli returns mid way along with a very delicate pineapple sweetness. That numbing effect from the sichuan also kicks in late before the semi sweet but ultimately crisp and spicy finish.

Mouthfeel: Light on, clean and warming (from the spice). Light-moderate body with the 5.8% ABV well hidden.

Overall: It’s certainly an enjoyable drop on this hot late-Spring arvo. A good hit of chilli heat and spice, it’s crushable, it just lacked that knockout punch for us though. Not bad.