“Ho, ho, ho – the merriness is back!  Fat Santa 2025 has landed and he’s as indulgent as ever.  Expect rich aromas of marzipan, coffee, vanilla, dark chocolate and roasted malts all wrapped up with a luscious bourbon warmth from time spent in our very own 4 Grain bourbon style whisky barrels.  Big, bold and beautifully festive – the perfect companion for the Christmas season!”

Glassware: Sniffer.

Appearance: Impenetrable black with a short brown head that peels off pretty quick. It forms a halo with scarce lacing as we go.

Aroma: Already this year’s vintage smells a hundred times better than last year’s Starward barrel expression. Boatrocker has been playing around with their own spirits for years now and the barrels used for this vintage are from their very own “4 grain bourbon” which displays a moreish fusion of toffee fudge, star anise, cinnamon and a hearty oak finish. Haven’t even touched on the base stout yet!

Flavour: Doesn’t punch as hard as the aroma which is a shame. It still drinks far better than the ’24 vintage with the bourbon oak, spice and caramel dominating the front palate. The base stout is excellent – full of roasted malt, coffee, dark chocolate, molasses, marzipan. Raw vanilla getting amongst it too. The bourbon oak makes a return later on and sets up for a fairly pungent and warming finish. Good length on it.

Mouthfeel: Kinda oily, slick, warming. Medium-full body, low-ish Co2. The 10.7% ABV is fairly well behaved for its size.

Overall: Look, it’s not OG Fat Santa but it’s better than the ’24 vintage and about on par with the ’22 vintage or in other words – really good but not as impressive as the ’23, ’21 and previous ones. If that makes sense 

“Rich with bold roasted notes of coffee, dark chocolate and lightly burnt grain, without harshness, balanced by medium bitters and subtle esters. It finishes dry, earthy, herbal, or floral hop flavours subtly compliment the profile.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a two finger brown head that quickly deconstructs. Not a great deal of lacing left in its wake.

Aroma: Foreign/export stout is a style we’re not too familiar with (nor that big a fan of) but alas, a cool backstory accompanies it. It’s basically the stout version of an IPA in the sense that they were originally brewed for long sea voyages in the 17 and 1800’s. Typically with higher ABV and hops to preserve the beer. They’re also quite peeled back as this particular release shows – roasted malts, coffee, dark chocolate, burnt toast, molasses.

Flavour: Has that late 90’s Tooheys Old vibe – super roasty, bittersweet dark chocolate, molasses, coffee. It dries out through the mid but it doesn’t come with a notable bitterness (which we find in other not-so-well brewed iterations). Hints of pear, very mild acetone and ink forming late as it finishes rather smooth and roasty with good duration.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth and well rounded. Medium-full body, finely carbed. The 6.2% ABV is kept in check well.

Overall: Our first crack at this Victorian brewery. Another “paddock to pint” style brewery who focuses on the cultivation and use of their own grains and hops. We dig it and we don’t actually mind this interpretation of the style. Not bad at all.

“Ol’ Smokey is back for lucky vintage number 13! Our beloved peated stout is as smokey as ever, this year having spent a whole ‘lotta time ageing in Brix Distillers Aussie Spiced Rum barrels. This vintage is a unique celebration of Australian Spiced Rum, look out for cacao, dark choc, vanilla, macadamia, grapefruit, currants and mango flavours shining through the smoke malt decadence.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black with almost zero head formation. Whatever it musters up immediately retreats to the rim and further disappears from there.

Aroma: Moon Dog has fallen off but we’re still clinging on to some hope that they’ll return to their golden days of black wild ales, coffee & chicory porters and all their jumping the shark releases. This BA smoky stout series (unfortunately) seems to be a remnant of a bygone era. Anywho, this particular release is aged in Brix spiced rum barrels (big fans of this distillery). Noteworthy smoky qualities; ash tray, charred wood, campfire etc. Dark chocolate, salty/umami, sweet and spicy rum, oak, pickled ginger and molasses.

Flavour: The intensity and depth is pretty good it’s just a bit erratic and untidy to be brutally honest. It throws out sweet and spicy rum, oak, dark chocolate and salty umami then shots of molasses, warming booze, Vegemite, tawny port, red wine, rye and macerated raspberries. It is truly all over the shop. Then again, we have to give credit where it’s due as it’s very unique. Just like their beers of old.

Mouthfeel: Chewy, dense and oily. Medium-full body with low Co2. The 11.3% ABV was pretty well behaved for its size.

Overall: As we said at the beginning of the review, MD has dropped off since the good old days. Good thing we’ve still got half a dozen or so jumping the shark bottles in the cellar to savour.

“Each hurried breath crystallizes upon contact with the brisk evening air. A chill creeps down the spine quickening your pulse – hastening your fear. Maniacal laughter echoes through the halls as you descend into the belly of the fun house. Backed against a mirror, unable to scream, a shadowy figure makes itself visible. Surrounded by your greatest fear… Eyes snap shut as you beg to wake up from this dream. Suddenly, his fangs sink deep into your skin and your fear becomes reality.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pours like engine oil! We haven’t seen a stout pour like this for a while and it has us excited. Nice two finger head with good retention. Minimal lacing on the glass though.

Aroma: Extremely rich and aggressive. The 12% ABV gives off some heat too. The good thing is that even though it does there’s enough depth and complexity from the roasted malt base to support it. Once this beast settles it really starts to open up…we get almost acetone-like alcohols, bitter espresso coffee, 100% dark chocolate, raw cocoa, molasses, licorice, treacle, ash, campfire and chocolate fudge. Ooooft!

Flavour: Absolutely massive. Hedonistic even. Upfront it’s like an all-out assault on the palate. Big and warming alcohols, touches of acetone and ink, then the rich and roasty malts get to work providing everything from bitter espresso and dark chocolate to chocolate sauce and caramel fudge. Hints of charred wood and a bit of vanilla swirling around too. Holy moly.

Mouthfeel: Thicc and viscous. Full bodied with low carbonation. The 12% ABV is evident but it blends back in nicely.

Overall: We’ve had our eyes on these guys for some time. Their price point is OK compared to the likes of Parish, The Bruery etc but it was pure curiosity that got us in the end. It’s a very respectable drop. We don’t see many peeled back, non-pastry imperial stouts anymore so big ups!

“Our all-Australian Export Stout has an intense yet smooth roasted flavour, traversing dark chocolate, espresso and hints of umami, with undercurrents of dark fruit.” 

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Matte black with two fingers of light brown head forming on top. It holds its shape rather well and leaves patchy lacing on the glass.

Aroma: A bit underwhelming to be honest. In the same vein we can’t be too critical because as a style it is hitting some of its hallmark characteristics. Mostly peeled back roasted malts, dark chocolate, coffee and licorice. It’s quite dry and we can actually smell the bitterness which is wild. Very four to the floor but we’re warming up to it.

Flavour: It’s certainly improving as we go. The one main issue we have is this scent and olfactory taste of acetone and or nail polish. We’ll admit it’s pretty subtle and gives off almost pear-like notes at the same time. The roasty coffee flavours do envelope it all through the mid and continue on into a kind of estery/fruity, roasty and chocolatey finish which provides decent length.

Mouthfeel: Slick and a bit oily. Medium body, low-ish Co2. The 5.8% ABV is at the bottom end for the style but it fits in well.

Overall: Not quite sure where we sit with this one. It ticks most of the boxes style wise but it’s a really uninspiring beer. Plus the subtle acetone and pear accents could point towards a mild yeast infection. Unsure. Not sold on it.

“Crafted in collaboration with Broken Bay Pearl Farm, this oyster stout is an ode to the Hawkesbury River. Where bitter meets sweet and umami takes the stage, the subtle briny minerality of 1000 freshly shucked Broken Bay oysters ebbs through every sip. While rich, roasty depths as deep as the tides are balanced by silky smoothness and a whisper of smoke.” 

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Jet black with a billowing three finger brown head which steadily collapsed. Minimal lacing clings to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: The first thing we notice is that gamey and almost briney scent we get from all good oyster stouts. As it settles the base stout characters begin to open up with delicate roasted notes, rich molasses, Vegemite, coffee, dark salty chocolate, umami-like seaweed and sweet soy. Not bad at all. Our only criticism would be that we’d love to see the roasted qualities dialled up a bit more.

Flavour: As a whole it’s pretty good but as we were just touching on we feel it needs a charge of intensity pumped through it. The gamey and briney oysters are nicely tucked away (as they should be) but we feel the base stout lacks that necessary oomph. Delicate molasses, chocolate, umami and treacle into more slightly roasted coffee, campfire and ash later in the piece. Nicely rounded finish, tapers off a bit though.

Mouthfeel: A tad thin and slippery and a low Co2 doesn’t help its cause. Medium body with a very well hidden 7% ABV.

Overall: It’s a fairly decent oyster stout. To be honest it’s a one and done situation though. Tough to compare it to the Three Boys expression as it’s the benchmark for the style but this one falls just short in our opinion.

“This beer uses a base of dark malt and oats to create a full-bodied, rich stout with notes of dark chocolate and malt. We then filtered it through a blend of freshly ground coffee supplied by our friends at Hark! Coffee Roasters. We collaborated on a custom blend of fluid bed roasted, 100% organic Ugandan and Peruvian coffee beans, which has a smooth, rounded flavour with a bold coffee punch.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black pour with a fizzy one finger head perched on top. It steadily recedes and forms a halo with minimal lacing as we go.

Aroma: Smelling a bit better than the last shemozzle we reviewed (Breakfast Of Champions). On this occasion we can get a good dose of the feature coffee which hits like cold brew and displays hints of toasted nuts, carob and treacle. It’s also kind of peppery as well. The stout base seems pretty stock standard…notes of milk chocolate, marzipan, toffee, mild roast and ash. Keen to see what it has in the flavour department.

Flavour: Not much unfortunately. We don’t understand why a brewery would brew a coffee stout and have the flavour so subdued. We’ve picked up stronger coffee flavours from stouts that don’t even claim to feature coffee! The next issue we’re taking aim at is the lack of intensity from the base stout. There’s nothing wrong with the flavour profile itself (chocolate, roast, toffee etc) it’s just shy and standoffish and needs some rizz.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, some chew to it. Low-ish Co2 and a medium body. The 7.2% ABV was very well concealed.

Overall: Maybe stouts aren’t their strong suit. That’s 0/2 now with this style. Considering the price of their beers there should be more bang for your buck.

“Shapeshifter Breakfast of Champions Milk Stout is a mischievous morning-inspired brew, dreamt up during a brewer’s breakfast and packed with nostalgic cereal energy. With a base of rich Munich and Vienna malts, silky oats, and a touch of roast, it pours velvety smooth with hints of chocolate and creamy sweetness. A splash of lactose ties it all together for a dessert-like finish, while CTZ hops keep things balanced. Brewed with actual cereal tossed into the mash, this one’s equal parts fun and flavour.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Presenting a bold black pour with a fizzy two finger head over the top. It quickly reduces and settles to a collar. Minimal lacing as we go.

Aroma: Pretty cool idea. Something that could’ve only been dreamed about during covid. A cohort of breweries including Big Shed, Bridge Rd, King River, Pikes, Range, Suburban and Uraidla (plus many more lesser known breweries) collaborated on this stout and the idea was for every representative of the brewery to bring a box of their favourite cereal to pour into the mash. The result is pretty ambiguous to be honest so we’ll move straight to the flavour profile.

Flavour: Straight away an old saying popped into (one of) our heads – too many cooks spoil the broth. It’s a nice stout to drink but we literally can’t taste any of the cereals used in the brew. Uncertain whether that was the plan or not (it’s not like one box of cereal will materialise in a whole tank of beer) but considering that was the whole idea behind the collaboration it’s a little confusing. There’s just nothing noteworthy to touch on.

Mouthfeel: Well rounded, gelatinous, low-ish Co2. Medium body. The 5.4% ABV is neither here nor there as well.

Overall: For such a fun idea it created a pretty boring beer. Expect nothing more than a generic milk stout and nothing less than mediocrity.

“This Nitro Stout will have you reminiscing of pulling up a stool at any local tavern in the UK on a cold rainy evening. Dark, malty and touch of bitterness, carbonated with nitrogen for a thick creamy mouthfeel.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Pours like a good nitro stout – all foam until the nitro does its magic right before our eyes. It eventually forms a finger of creamy brown head with an absolute smattering of lace on the glass.

Aroma: Nitro stouts have been a bit of a thing during the winter and spring. The funny part is we didn’t plan for it, it just organically happened. Maybe it’s just our Irish side manifesting?  Either way we’re digging the roasty and charred qualities here. Brawny licorice, campfire and dark chocolate also coming through. Quite strong and dry, ashy and peppery notes on the flank. Solid aroma.

Flavour: Comes on with a convincing roast. What we’ve noticed from the last half a dozen or so nitro stouts we’ve reviewed is the ones that come on strong (like this one) are the ones we like. Roasted malts, char/campfire, dark chocolate, licorice, ash, black pepper and burnt toast make up the bulk of it as it finishes pretty similar with excellent duration.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and well rounded. It doesn’t wash away like some other iterations do. Medium body. 4.6% ABV is about right.

Overall: Pretty darn good. It’s up there with the Sullivan’s and Cornella expressions. Offers pretty much everything one would expect from the style.

“Inspired by an original Cornish recipe, Mena Dhu—meaning “black hill” in Cornish—takes its name from the farm once owned by St Austell Brewery founder Walter Hicks.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Impenetrable black except for a small skerrick of light forcing its way through at the base of the glass. It forms a short tan head which holds its shape pretty well. Healthy lacing as we go.

Aroma: It’s not offering anything overly dramatic. As to be expected for a trad 4.5% English Stout though. What’s impressive is the balance and structure…at the base is a very rich and roasted malt that’s supported by bitter espresso coffee, a hint of burnt toffee, treacle and ash. A strong biscuity note also comes through… reminiscent of the maris otter malts that were no doubt used in this brew.

Flavour: Drinks like an old-school stout as well. Pretty light on with all the action happening post-swallow. Right before the oncoming roast is a very brief earthy and spicy hop note that quickly fades into the heavily roasted yet more mildly bitter espresso, dark chocolate and ash. A fleeting caramel sweetness cuts through before a dry, roasty and toasty finish draws out nicely.

Mouthfeel: Texturally light as expected but enough body to provide some grip. Light-moderate Co2 and a 4.5% ABV that punches well above its weight.

Overall: It’s been ions since we’ve graced our palates with a St. Austell beer. Just like their IPA’s, this stout ticks all the boxes one would expect from a literal session stout. Magnificent.

“All the roasty, toasty, malty flavours you expect from a dry Irish Stout, made with Holgate love and care. Deep and dark with a luscious creamy head from the nitro.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Shake hard then pour and watch the magic happen. Seeing the layers clamber up to form the creamy two finger head is a beautiful thing to watch. Excellent retention with a sheet of lace being draped down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: Lots of chocolate, some coffee and dried dark fruits lifting off initially. Noticeably dry and peppery, roasty, toasty. Almost like they’ve taken to it with a dehumidifier. What’s impressive is that it’s still nice and creamy which provides a bit of density and depth. There’s something rich and yeasty too…almost like Vegemite. Aniseed and very subtle star anise right down deep. Solid aroma.

Flavour: Not quite sure what happened here but the pour, the aroma, everything was shaping up for a home run then it all just goes to water. Literally. Everything from the dark chocolate, the coffee, the roasted malts and spice…tastes like it’s all been diluted. We’re aware that nitro can have that effect but this is on another level unfortunately.

Mouthfeel: Watery but there is some grip there. Mild-moderate body. The nitro does its thing as the 5% ABV does as well.

Overall: Pretty disappointing in the end. It was shaping up to be something good then it all just went astray. Shame.

“Introducing Ballyblack Dry Irish Stout. We wanted a nice sessionable beer for the colder months so we brewed this dry and super roasty Irish Stout. Notes of dark chocolate, toasted bread and coffee. A welcome addition to our winter core range.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Jet black with a frothy three finger head emerging on top. It peels off rather quickly and settles to a collar with a very wet lace being dragged down the glass.

Aroma: It’s important to note that this isn’t on nitro. It’s actually half the reason we bought it (not to mention that King River is one of our favourite Aussie breweries). We’re keen to see the contrast between nitro and Co2. The differences are already quite pronounced…the aroma is far less creamy and much more bulbous. The roasted qualities still have an earthy dryness but this expression displays more aniseed, spicy hops and wholemeal bread.

Flavour: Very old-school tasting stout. It reminds us of what Tooheys Old used to taste like back in the late 90’s….when it was good. Initially it’s very amicable…moderate roast and bitterness, just a hint of ash and chocolate. Crusty dark bread coming through the middle and then just as you think it’s wrapping up…bam! Heavy roasted malt, espresso coffee and dark chocolate tails in late and draws out nicely on the back…begging for another sip.

Mouthfeel: Muscly but without the density of a big ABV. It only weighs in at 4.8% with moderate Co2 and medium body.

Overall: When it comes to Irish Stout we’d prefer nitro over Co2. That’s not to say this release is no good – quite the opposite actually. We just prefer the creamy qualities that nitro offers, and the way it marries up so well with this style.

“These peaks are home to countless legends – from elusive Alpine bears, to mythical abominable snowmen and even the ghosts of lost ski-bums of seasons past. For those though, that would rather embrace the thrill of the dark from the safety of your own home, enjoy this Coconut, Vanilla and Chilli Stout that is the perfect mix of sweet and dangerously bold.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Not dark enough for a stout in our opinion. Yeah it’s mostly black but there’s a fair bit of light punching through at the base and the edges of the glass. Short tan head on top, settling to a film. Minimal lacing as it ebbs.

Aroma: Smells like we’ve just popped open a bottle of Reef sunscreen. Nothing like the smell of summer in a stout called midnight in the mountains . We can dig the juxtaposition. If that’s what they were actually going for. Unfortunately, other than a lick of vanilla and cola, there’s not much else to this aroma. Very weak and insipid. Can’t even smell the chilli either!

Flavour: Tastes exactly how it smells – artificial coconut, some vanilla sweetness and a very lacklustre stout base. The chilli component (which is 90% of the reason why we bought the beer) is somehow drowned out even though we’ve had brown ales with a bigger body. It all meekly rolls into a kinda roasty, sweet and creamy finish but it’s all so pedestrian.

Mouthfeel: Far too light and watery. Medium body, finely carbed. The 6.2% ABV slots in nicely we must admit.

Overall: We just don’t get their angle. Why brew such a weak base stout if the plan is to carry three (rather boisterous) feature flavours? We’d prefer a bigger and more aggressive base stout then integrate the feature flavours through. Maybe we’re just purists.

“We’ve taken the flavour of the month and infused it into our signature imperial stout base by adding a literal trolley load of Belgian speculoos cookies, crushing them into crumbles, and letting our imperial stout base sit on them until they completely dissolved and fermented.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: As black as the ace of spades with a finger of brown head emerging on top. It eventually forms a ring with scarce lacing as we go.

Aroma: We’re pretty critical of MC’s stouts so it was a leap of faith to part with the cash (around $20 a can) on this occasion. We can say with confidence that this time it may have paid off. The biscoff (sorry, speculoos) is presented not only well but genuinely. We’re getting real and direct biscoff notes blended beautifully into their rich and roasty impy stout base. Excellent start.

Flavour: Not as refined as the aroma but it still displays a well integrated biscoff character, a restrained booze burn (which is rare for them) and a well executed impy stout base that holds enough depth and complexity to carry the feature flavours. There’s a hint of astringency but it tapers off into a spicy, rich and warming finish.

Mouthfeel: Dense and viscous. Full bodied with low carbonation. The 10% ABV was fairly well buried for MC’s standards.

Overall: We just started our venture into finding a biscoff stout worth its weight and we’ve already found one! Thank God it didn’t take us as long as the affogato stout venture took. That one’s been going for 5+ years and it still continues!

“The Dark Side is a collaboration between Hargreaves Hill and Storehouse Roastery in the Yarra Valley. This beer combines only the finest freshly roasted coffee, combined with roasted malt and a touch of creaminess to create a balanced, yet indulgent treat.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black with a thumb of fizzy tan head over the top. It gradually reduces and settles to a halo. Minimal lacing on the glass as we go.

Aroma: Smelling pretty good off the bat. The coffee comes through in a few different forms – raw bean, black and cold pressed. The sweetness from the base milk stout meets it nicely with vanilla and creamy lactose. Subtle hints of milk chocolate, smoked meats, dark fruit and caramel bolster the bottom end and ensure a good amount of depth. Diggin’ it.

Flavour: Starts strong but it slowly drops away which sucks. The coffee components are delicious initially…offering roast, nuttiness and sweetness but as it all develops it becomes a bit too sweet and watered down. A touch of bitterness and some hop character would’ve been a welcome feature if the base stout and coffee had been intense enough. Unfortunately they weren’t so it all finishes in a watered down mess.

Mouthfeel: A tad too thin and slippery. Medium body, low-ish Co2. The 6% ABV is neither here nor there.

Overall: Not as good as we’d hoped. We hold Hargreaves Hill in high regard so it was a little disappointing to have this lacklustre stout.

“Kilkenny is known as the marble city indeed the office of public works in Dublin displays one decorative stone from each county of Ireland: Kilkenny is represented by black marble. Enjoy this full-flavored traditional Irish stout from Ireland’s oldest brewery. Roast coffee and fruit notes balanced by delicious hop bitterness.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Once the magic of the nitro settles it forms a thick and creamy two finger tan head which ain’t budging. Too hard to tell what the lace is doing just yet.

Aroma: We haven’t actually reviewed that many authentic Irish stouts. Almost all the ones we’ve tried are Aussie interpretations so it’s intriguing to take in the lush creaminess of this. We’re also picking up heady wafts of Anzac cookies, sweet coffee, chocolate, oats, a certain dry earthiness and a wee hint of smoke. Undertones of roasted malt, flint and cocoa. We didn’t think we’d enjoy the aroma this much!

Flavour: Well the creaminess on the nose is all but gone. Not a bad thing necessarily. What it is, is extremely roasty, charred, dry and a tad smoky. Takes a bit to get going too, but once it does there’s a surge of charred malt, coffee, dark chocolate, oats, flint/earth and ash. A discernible bitterness kicks up late in the piece and rolls into a fairly dry yet light and roasty finish.

Mouthfeel: The nitro provides a light and creamy texture whilst the medium body and 5.1% ABV does the rest.

Overall: We liked it. Really liked it actually. You know what…we probably prefer this over Guiness! There, we said it.

“Inspired by campfire stories and all the good (and bad) things that can happen when you look long and deep into the flames…  This barrel aged stout is infused with toasted marshmallow, vanilla, chocolate, caramel and a lick of smoke.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Dense black with a finger of light brown foam over the top. Gradual head reduction, settling to a thin halo. Minimal lacing as we go.

Aroma: Boatrocker certainly aren’t noobs when it comes to BA stouts so it’s not surprising that this impresses right off the bat. Gives off Fat Santa vibes at its base then the olfactory’s are treated to a good dose of toasted marshmallow, smoked almond, milk chocolate, vanilla essence and barrel aged maple syrup. Getting a very nice touch of sweet and spicy bourbon/oak too. Diggin’ it.

Flavour: Oh wow the smoky notes hit much harder here. They don’t overdo it which is admirable. Some warmth from the booze plus a hint of bourbon and oak then it opens up on to sweet and candied marshmallows, caramel and vanilla. Albeit quite subtly though. It’s much more about the smoke, barrels, bourbon and base stout qualities as it finishes warm, roasty, oaky and a touch sweet.

Mouthfeel: Oily and prickly. Medium-full body, Co2 is kept pretty low. The 9.5% is rather well behaved for its size.

Overall: It’s got nothing on Fat Santa. Probably sits on par with Ramjet even though we prefer the barrels used here as opposed to Starward. It’s a fine BA stout but just falls short of being good enough to fill the cellar with it.

“Smooth, dark and rich – drape yourself in Black Velvet. It’s more than socially acceptable.” 

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Jet black with a finger of tan foam resting on top. Good retention and lacing as we go.

Aroma: Along with King River, these guys are one of our most favourite Victorian breweries at the moment. Both of them are well underrated and consistently pumping out high quality beer. What’s grabbing our attention immediately is this alluring yet unwanted scent of butterscotch which screams diacetyl infection. That’d be right…just as we talk them up. Perfect example of the commentators curse.

Flavour: Confirmed. It’s 100% a diacetyl issue. One of the hardest things about this fault is that it actually smells quite pleasant. The massive downside is that it’s not what we paid good money for and it’s the first strike against this brewery that we’ve encountered after reviewing at least four or five of their beers.

Overall: We’re just gonna jump straight to the end as this is a write off now. Real shame as Cornella’s brewers have really flexed over the past few months. We’ll certainly try a can from a new batch in the near future and redo the review.

NO COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION.

BLUEBERRY;

Glassware: Snifter.Appearance: Black with some sediment settling at the bottom of the glass. Short brown head over the top, forming a halo with good lace work.

Aroma: Nice and subtle use of the blueberries…just the right ratio of tartness to sweetness. Milk chocolate, cocoa, vanilla bean, crushed hazelnuts and wheat grains. Modest but packing a respectable amount of character.

Flavour: Ooft it goes a bit pear-shaped here. Hits like a sour stout – dry, super tart and acidic initially, settling into a more balanced mid as the cocoa/chocolate, vanilla and hazelnut come aboard. Still finishes quite tart and dry with average length.

Mouthfeel: Dry, gassy, light on for a stout. Then again it’s only 5.8% ABV. Lifted Co2, mild-medium body.

ESPRESSO;

Glassware: Snifter.Appearance: Black with a short brown head on top. It forms a collar fairly quickly with wet wavy lace in its wake.

Aroma: The coffee is frustratingly muted for a coffee stout. We’ll concede that it’s there but no more than we’d typically pick up off a decent stout that isn’t selling itself as a coffee stout. Liking the richness of the base stout and the hazelnut and vanilla though.

Flavour: Holy moly, this is worse than the blueberry expression. This strange tartness has carried over… we’re unsure whether it’s intentional or not but a slightly tart coffee stout is NOT what we were hoping for. Minimal coffee, minimal hazelnut and vanilla. WTF?! Horrendous.

WINTER SPICE;

Glassware: Snifter.Appearance: Black but slightly muddier than the previous two. Short brown head, forming a collar with thin wavy lace.

Aroma: Smelling better than the coffee version. At least we detect the chai-like spices. Not getting much chilli but we can’t be too critical there considering how dominant cinnamon and nutmeg can be.

Flavour: Continuing with the woes. We feel these guys just need to stick to the OG praline stout. All three of these expressions have been extremely underwhelming. Such a shame because the idea is right and the selection of ingredients for each variation caught our eye. It’s just the execution is way off.

Mouthfeel: Thin, watery and meh. Mild-moderate body, carb is OK. The 5.8% ABV is nowhere really.

Overall: Sheesh. Where do we start? It’s like coming home to a post 18-year old house party…shit’s everywhere. We honestly thought the blueberry expression was going to be the worst by a mile but in some crazy turn of events it’s probably the best. The coffee version is near home brew level, the winter spice kinda did what it was meant to and same goes for blueberry. All in all it was an extremely disappointing series. Bad enough to damage their reputation in the long term in our opinion.

“One of our biggest beers is back with a crunch! This time, Crumbs embraces everyone’s new favourite bikkie. Delectable caramel, with a touch of vanilla, and a light cinnamon bite, (and some actual cookies in there for good measure) all crumbled together into a rich and decadent imperial pastry stout. It’s a speculaas spectacular, and every crumb is oh so yum.” 

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Matte black with a thumb of finely beaded brown head perched on top. Steady reduction, eventually forming a collar with scarce lacing on the glass.

Aroma: We’ve certainly been swept up in the recent biscoff craze. There’s biscoff on everything these days…acai bowls, toast, pancakes and even fruit so to see it now in beer is amazing. Initially the biscoff seems a bit sharp and heavy on the nutmeg. It also appears to lack the typical caramel, vanilla and cinnamon sweetness. The warmth from the 10% ABV might also be affecting the overall delivery of it as well. Not sold on this yet.

Flavour: Improves a bit here. Our one main criticism is the base stout and the biscoff flavour seem to be clashing. We taste the chocolate, coffee and roasted malts over here and then the buttery biscuit, caramel and spice over there. Both great sets of flavours in their own right it’s just the lack of cohesion that lets it all down. It finishes well though – nicely rounded with lingering biscoff and chocolate on the rear.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light on for a 10% stout. Medium body with low-ish Co2.

Overall: We hope the biscoff stout doesn’t turn into another affogato stout situation where after years of trying dozens of them we can never find one worth its weight. We’re having enough trouble with the affogato stout as it is! It was a decent enough crack without it being great.