Rating:

“Colloquially known as the Velvet Sledgehammer, for reasons that become apparent when you take a sip. Huge, layered slabs of dark malt and hop-driven bitterness sit in perfect harmony, buoyed by a not-unhefty wallop of booze.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a finely beaded two finger head perched on top. Excellent retention and lace work on the glass.

Aroma: Oof this thing is packing heat. As we’d bought this online we we didn’t actually notice the whopping 8% ABV. Very surprising considering not only the sharp price but the core range status of it. Maaaasive richness and big one-two’s from molasses, licorice, earthy coffee, ash and subtle alcohols. Quite an impressive start.

Flavour: Excellent follow through. It carries over the same aggression and grandiose abundance of rich roasted malt character – licorice, molasses, ash, espresso coffee and bitter dark chocolate. It really dries out midway, forcing the saliva glands to release a load of moisture in readiness for the big, dry, boozy and roasty finish that goes for days on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Dense and muscly. Finely carbed, full bodied and once again…a surprisingly well concealed 8% ABV.

Overall: It has been a long time between drinks for us and Moo Brew. For no reason really, as we hold this brewery in very high regard. We didn’t actually realise they had a stout in their range but we’re glad they added one. And we’re glad we got to review it. It’s a corker.

Rating:

“Beneath the moon’s baleful glow, you sprint down empty streets, desperate for an escape. Predatory shapes dart behind you, pale faces leering from darkened doorways. Is that merely a shadow? Or something more sinister? Adrenaline pounding in your ears, you sense primal hunger surrounding you. The things that were once human seem to be herding you, savouring your dread as they close in.” 

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Solid black with a billowing head which swells to about three fingers before gradually receding. Nice wavy lace clings to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: There was one component about this stout that had us a little hesitant and that’s the chai spices. We’ve been burnt in the past where brewers go ham on the spices and it totally ruins the beer. Thankfully Deeds have used them conservatively here which allows the bourbon/oak and the rich base stout to shine with the chai spices neatly tucked in behind.

Flavour: Delish. They’ve dialled the chai spices up a tad more here but they’re still very much integrated with the rest of the beer. We’re really liking the prominent bourbon oak and the way it works back into the rich coffee, molasses and dark chocolate. The chai is like a delicious dusting on a boozy and rich chocolate mud cake.

Mouthfeel: Slick and oily with a hint of warmth from the 12.4% ABV. Full body and low carbonation.

Overall: Deeds have been a bit up and down in recent times but this one is certainly one of their better BA imperial stouts.

Rating:

“Experience the “butter half” of America’s Stout. Our classic Milk Stout’s aromas of roasted coffee, milk chocolate, brown sugar and vanilla cream combine with the sweet and savory flavors of peanut butter. Pour Hard from the bottle to release the Nitro magic inside and revel in its hypnotic cascade.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Some of life’s pleasures can be so simple. For instance, pouring a nitro beer into a glass and watching it cascade down and form up its creamy head. So satisfying.

Aroma: Smells of creamy peanut butter cup and milk chocolate. Straight up. We have to give mention to the natural peanut butter element we’re getting off it. We’re not sure if it’s the nitro that’s taking the edge off the sweetness or whether they’ve just used real peanut butter. Either way it’s really pleasant to take in. It integrates with the base stout exceedingly well.

Flavour: Although the flavour profile as a whole is rather subtle, the main two features (being the creamy peanut butter and milk chocolate) are substantial enough to satisfy us. A gentle roasted malt and bitterness is injected midway, which lays down for a super smooth, creamy, nutty and chocolatey finish.

Mouthfeel: Ultra smooth and creamy. Well rounded and full bodied. The 6.2% ABV is positioned nicely too.

Overall: This was our first venture into Left Hand, out of Colorado, USA. It’s a fine drop. We’d love to try the non-nitro version next to see where it sits against Belching Beavers expression.

Rating:

“Like falling in love for the berry first time, Love Bites was crafted with a passionate amount of strawberry paired with a generous helping of cacao nibs. This imperial stout is ripe with berry character and chocolatey richness on both the nose and the palate. We dare you not to fall in love.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pours blacker than a midnight sky with a finger of finely beaded brown foam perched on top. Head retention is good, gradually reducing to a collar with reasonable lacing.

Aroma: We’ve ummed and ahhed over this beer for months now. Since covid the price of The Bruery beers has been absurd so the only time we jump on them now is when they’re discounted (as this one was). Smells phenomenal though. Rich chocolate malt base with the sweet and mildly tart strawberries fused through. The cacao nibs add that little bit more earthiness and roast. Very nice.

Flavour: Not quite as alluring as the aroma but still tasty. The rich and roasty Impy Stout base hits first with notes of dark chocolate, coffee and molasses, then the sweet strawberries roll over the top… mimicking the old choc-coated strawberry (just in reverse ). Delicate cherry and mixed berry then rendezvous with the dark, roasted malt profile to finish.

Mouthfeel: Thick and viscous. Low Co2, full bodied. The 9.2% ABV is well absorbed.

Overall: It’s a good offering but even reduced to $32 a can it still doesn’t stack up. At least when we drop a similar amount on Deeds’ BA Stouts or Fat Santa we’re getting 12+% ABV and a better-quality beer.

Rating:

“Edition: Limited 2024. This Imperial Stout was aged in Bourbon Barrels for 12 months resulting in thick chocolate notes, backed by vanilla, coconut, whiskey and oak.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a short brown head which quickly retreats to the rim. Lots of spotty lace left on the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: We’ve always believed this release was like the little brother of Goose Island’s BCBS and this 2024 re-release further reinforces that claim. It’s just the perfect barrel-to-stout ratio and the perfect Bourbon for it. Deeds’ base Imperial Stout also adds to the sheer class as well. Bourbon oak, sweet alcohols, a touch of cherry, molasses, espresso and roasted almond. Absolute brilliance.

Flavour: Heavenly. So many breweries struggle to get this level of intensity along with the balance and finesse that’s on display here. The palate is in disarray trying to isolate the flavours…mostly due to the amalgamation of Bourbon, oak, espresso, molasses, campfire, roasted almond, vanilla, glazed cherry and soft tannic notes. It’s just pure complexity and intricacy from start to finish.

Mouthfeel: Dense and muscly. Low Co2, full bodied, and the 13.5% ABV is quite well behaved for its size.

Overall: Well it’s safe to say the 2024 re-release is just as exceptional and imposing as the original. Top shelf stuff.

Rating:

“Surrender to the Void, an irregular series of outrageously decadent pitch black stouts brewed using an enormous, complex malt bill and mounds of debaucherous adjuncts. What’s The Void up to this time? Cherry, chocolate and coconut – well that does sound lovely, but don’t you think it rather a lot? What do you mean you’re only getting started! Oh Void, have you no restraint! Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Solid black with a short brown head which quickly forms a collar. Thick rings mark each sip as it ebbs.

Aroma: One of our most favourite all-time chocolate bars (for one of us) is the mighty Cherry Ripe. Cherry and coconut covered in dark chocolate is simply a match made in heaven so this was an easy purchase. To be honest we’re not really getting a whole lot of Cherry Ripe off it. Cherry, yes. Coconut, a little. Dark chocolate, not really. Hhhmmm.

Flavour: Sheesh. This does NOT taste like a Cherry Ripe. The cherry component, although pleasant in its own right, is a tad sour/tart, the coconut is very delicate and there’s no sign of dark chocolate. Once the tartness levels out it takes on more of a tangy character but even then there’s something about it all that’s just not integrating. It’s a shame really.

Mouthfeel: Fairly thick and oily. Subtle bitterness, flat-ish Co2 and a slightly noticeable 11.5% ABV.

Overall: We had fairly high expectations for this (considering how good the choc-peppermint was) but it fell far short. Here we are in the last review saying that it doesn’t matter what GP brew, they always hit the mark  we jinxed it. Really ordinary stuff from them here.

Rating:

“Bourbon Barrel Aged Pastry Stout with Vanilla, Almond, Coconut & Raspberry.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a finely beaded brown head which slowly forms a collar. Nice cascading lace down the walls of the glass.

Aroma: Holy moly. If you were born in the 80’s and early 90’s you’ve more than likely heard of a medicine our boomer parents used to feed us when we were crook. It was called Benadryl and it was repulsive. Not saying this aroma is repulsive but it definitely smells like Benadryl! As it settles the raspberry, coconut and vanilla are revealed which saves it from a near disaster.

Flavour: Oh my my. The Benadryl is back. This beers saving grace is the extra adjuncts – vanilla, coconut and almond. Plus the fact that Deeds’ base Imperial Stout is brilliant. The main culprit is the raspberry and its fusion with the dark/chocolate malts. The subtle bourbon adds to it as well. Damn. Without the raspberry it could’ve been a cracker of a Stout.

Mouthfeel: Dense and viscous. Co2 is kept low. Full bodied with a well behaved 11% ABV.

Overall: Not a fan of this one. Normally we froth on every BA Stout from Deeds but this was a rare strike out for them. The medicinal nature of it was too hard to get past.

Rating:

“Beneath the moon’s baleful glow, you sprint down empty streets, desperate for an escape. Predatory shapes dart behind you, pale faces leering from darkened doorways. Is that merely a shadow? Or something more sinister? Adrenaline pounding in your ears, you sense primal hunger surrounding you. The things that were once human seem to be herding you, savouring your dread as they close in.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Black AF with a short brown head that holds its shape pretty well. It settles to a collar with fine spotty lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Really sweet and rich yet well tempered. We’ve only just realized that vanilla, banana and maple are three of the most common hallmarks of American Bourbon so in essence what they’ve done is age this Stout in Bourbon barrels and then accentuate those hallmarks even further. It’s actually quite clever. Not to mention absolutely heavenly to take in.

Flavour: Pretty much a mirror image of the aroma. The hearty base Stout is superb and the delicate Bourbon/barrels, maple, vanilla, earthy spice, banana, fleeting hints of brown sugar and cola are in full support. A gentle alcohol warmth messing about but it’s very well kept as it all finishes rather sweet and spicy.

Mouthfeel: Oily and relatively light bodied which is wild considering its size (11%). Low-ish Co2.

Overall: The Deeds situation has been confusing to say the least. First they went into VA and were unfortunately one of a few breweries that didn’t survive the process. Several months later and here they are still producing quality BA Stouts just as they were a few years ago. Who’d a thunk it?

Rating:

“Dare to go deeper with Shadow Perception. Barrel-aged and layered with coconut, banana and marshmellow, this imperial stout is like a dessert for the dark side. Rich, smooth and full-bodied, each sip pulls you further into layers of flavour and leaves you wondering where the shadows end.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Solid black pour with a very thin and dark brown head that immediately disperses. All we see on top (and the sides of the glass) are patches of little white chunks which we can only imagine is marshmallow?

Aroma: Phenomenal. The most distinct scent hitting us is the toasted marshmallow and it’s literally exactly what you’d expect a lightly burnt marshmallow would smell like once pulling it out of the fire. The coconut provides a bit of extra creaminess and the banana sits in the background with a very delicate caramelised quality. Not getting much at all from the barrels unfortunately.

Flavour: While the focus is still on the toasted marshmallow, the coconut, banana and the muscly base stout are more active here. Again, the barrels are very indistinct and it’s hard to ascertain whether they’re just plain oak or whether they housed rum, bourbon or whiskey etc. No idea. Subtract nothing though, as it surges into a sweet yet roasty, rich yet pleasant finish which drags out nicely.

Mouthfeel: Oily, dense and warming. Flat-ish Co2, medium-full body and the 12.6% ABV is quite well behaved for its size.

Overall: An expensive purchase ($29 a can) but thankfully it backed up the price. They’ll need to be careful venturing into that price territory but…only breweries like Boatrocker, Deeds and Hawkers have had limited success there.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Rating:

“Surrender to the Void, an outrageously decadent pitch black stout brewed using an enormous, complex malt bill and mounds of debaucherous adjuncts. What’s the Void up to now? Goodness, what a lot of cacao nibs and vanilla pods!? Are you sure you need all that? And what’s that? Peppermint candy!? ALL the peppermint candy! Oh Void, have you no restraint!”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Blacker than midnight with a thumb of fizzy dark brown head temporarily capping off. It quickly forms a collar with little to no lace in its wake.

Aroma: Quite rich and warming but that peppermint is akin to the fresh and cooling wind blowing on this hot spring arvo. We like that the big and menacing Stout base dominates…too many times have we tried choc mint Stouts and the mint completely stands over the pedestrian Stout base, but not here. This is like a big, boozy after dinner mint in liquid form.

Flavour: Good to see the aroma being replicated here. The rich and hedonistic Stout base rolls over the palate bringing dark chocolate, molasses, fudge, subtle smoke, espresso and cigar skins. Then the peppermint slowly creeps up through the mid and hits a crescendo late in the piece. Falling back into line for the big, rich and minty finish.

Mouthfeel: Dense AF. Full bodied but lifted by a delicate bitterness and Co2. The 11.5% ABV is very nicely buried.

Overall: GP does it again! Surprisingly (for us) this is our first crack at their “surrender to the void” series. What isn’t surprising is the superior quality. We’ll certainly be returning for the next instalment.

Rating:

“We’ve teamed up with Wolf Coffee to add our signature Canyon coffee blend at three points in the brewing process: A hot steep in the whirlpool, ‘dry beaning’ for rich coffee aroma, and a concentrated brew for a depth of flavour. Smooth, velvety mouthfeel with layers of rich espresso, chocolate, and a refreshing coffee bitterness. A milk coffee stout that will have you saying “how you doin’?” with every sip.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black except for a tiny ray of light cutting through at the base of the glass. It doesn’t produce much head, quickly forming a collar with a surprisingly brilliant lace as we imbibe.

Aroma: This was another favourite from our recent trip to Queenstown. We’re suckers for a good coffee stout and this one impressed from the get-go. Punchy coffee notes backed up by a really direct burnt toast quality which has our savoury juices flowing. Slowly but surely the subtle lactose and caramel sweetness crept in and rounds out the aroma as we’d hoped it would.

Flavour: It doesn’t carry over as much of the burnt toast which allows the coffee to dominate but also allows the sweeter notes like lactose/vanilla, toasted coconut, toffee, burnt caramel and milk chocolate to come forward. It displays such a nice and light finish with mild dryness and delicate coffee/roasted notes drawing out.

Mouthfeel: Dry and bitter yet fairly easy-going. Somewhat expected though, considering the 5.5% ABV. Medium body and well tempered carbonation.

Overall: Pretty much the perfect milk stout in our opinion. The addition of coffee is both tried and tested but it’s the way they’ve made it so roasty and charred which makes it stand out from the crowd. Another absolute pearler from Canyon. Gaahh take us back!

Rating:

“Experience the velvety richness of Galactic Grounds Dirty Chai Latte Stout, a decadent brew with harmonious flavors. Its sweet, creamy texture, reminiscent of a perfectly crafted latte, is infused with robust coffee notes and layers of chai-spiced goodness, elevating the traditional stout to interstellar heights in every sip.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black pour with a billowing three and a bit finger head emerging on top. It holds for a minute but eventually deconstructs and leaves an intricate lace in its wake.

Aroma: Well it’s certainly ticking all the chai spices off. We get a tonne of cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, ginger, cardamom and five spice. Giving off the scents of a good Indian restaurant at the same time. More subtle notes of coffee and cocoa, sweet vanilla, condensed milk/lactose and a deep-seated hint of Angostura bitters. Intense aromas and they’ve managed to balance them all nicely.

Flavour: We love the fact that they haven’t gone absolutely ham on the sweetness. On entry it rolls seamlessly into the chai spices and then the subtle coffee, chocolate and vanilla fills the space around it. The mid palate provides a robust yet well tempered roastiness that draws out more of the coffee and chocolate in the finish. Good length on it too.

Mouthfeel: Rather slick and creamy texture with medium body and low-ish Co2. The 6.9% ABV is well hidden.

Overall: This was a random pick from a bottlo in Queenstown, NZ. We’d never heard of them before and after this we must say we’re pretty impressed. They’re based in Wellington which only reinforces the fact that the South Island is the beating heart of craft beer in NZ. Solid stuff.

Rating:

“PASTRYBALL pays homage to one of the most underated & miss understood whiskeys of our time. The almighty Fireball. The perfect sipper of a big beer or if you are feeling adventurous an epic Boilermaker when paired with a nip of Fireball which we suggest best consumed on the rocks & savoured.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a thumb of finely beaded brown foam nestled in on top. Good retention and an intricate lace is woven down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: One of us is an avid Fireball lover so this was an instant purchase. The fact that Banks took on this task makes it even more appealing. Ok, the first whiff is good…getting strong cinnamon, biscoff, gingerbread, vanilla, milk chocolate and other spices like nutmeg and star anise. More subtle hints of banana runts, roasted jalapeno and licorice. Some serious depth to this.

Flavour: We’ve been waiting for well over a week to try this and in the end the flavour profile misses the mark. Such a shame as it was shaping up to be epic. It’s pretty darn smooth for its size so it ain’t all bad. It’s just lacking intensity and depth which is unfortunate as the aroma had both in spades. Cinnamon, biscoff, vanilla and some heat from the booze in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body with a kinda oily texture. Low-ish Co2. The 12% ABV was well behaved for its size.

Overall: It was a bit of a let down in the end which we’re proper spewing about. The flavour profile was the culprit…it just didn’t come together as we’d hoped. Oh well, we’re off to spike the remainder in our glasses with real Fireball.

Rating:

“The next instalment of our favourite adjunct laden stout. this year’s rendition has been fermented cold with our house lager yeast and has been conditioned on mountains on toasted hazelnut and coconut. Dolce Noir exudes richness, it’s time to stop living down there and start living up here.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: As black as midnight with a huge three and a bit finger head. It takes an age to recede and leaves big, blotchy patches of lace on the glass.

Aroma: Unsurprisingly the coffee is pretty direct. Hints of cocoa and chocolate in support and the dates at this stage are MIA. The base Stout provides an excellent roasted malt profile which takes on a hint of ash, molasses and licorice at times. The dates start to come through as it settles and brings a hint of dark fruit with them i.e raisin, blackberry and blood plum.

Flavour: Good progression on it. It opens with dark fruits which reach well into the mid. The coffee also slots in early and adds to that impressive progression we mentioned. It hits a fairly intense roasted note midway which brings those ashy/smoky flavours before it rounds out on a roasty yet sweet and chocolatey finish. Excellent length too.

Mouthfeel: Just a tad too lean for our liking. Medium body, low-ish Co2. For a Stout weighing in at 6.7% ABV it should be thick and viscous.

Overall: Aromas and flavours were great, good depth and complexity. Just the body and general texture of it fell short in our opinion. All in all a fairly decent pastry Stout.