“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.

“2024 Eclipse is our rich Imperial Stout aged to perfection in whiskey and spirit barrels. All Eclipse starts with the same base beer, bringing hints of dark chocolate, espresso, and smooth complexity, with each barrel treatment delivering its unique character after a minimum of 180 days of aging.

FREY RANCH BARREL is aged exclusively in Frey Ranch® Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrels.

Bottle: Burnt Bronze Wax”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a finger of finely beaded brown head perched on top. It slowly dispersed and forms a collar with scarce lacing in its wake.

Aroma: We definitely remember this expression from last year. It was one of the better ones we reviewed , mainly due to its classic American bourbon characteristics. This year – much like the ’23 version – is dripping in that sweet and spicy goodness, supported by strong notes of damp oak, caramel, vanilla and sweet corn. Once again the base stout counters with rich chocolate, coffee, marzipan and heavy roast.

Flavour: Holy moly this is old-school Eclipse right here. Absolutely brimming with that much flavour that the palate is in a scramble trying to isolate it all. Upfront it’s all barrels and bourbon – woody oak, sweet spice, caramel, vanilla and a warming booze hug. The rich stout qualities slowly start seeping through, starting with toffee, dark chocolate, coffee and then molasses tailing in late to help finish it all off.

Mouthfeel: Not as thick as engine oil but one step back from it. Good viscosity, low Co2, full bodied. A nice and warming 12.4% ABV.

Overall: This year we chose to only buy the best two expressions from last year as the quality and price are now working against them. We’d say this one outperforms Garrison Bro’s expression. It’s just exactly what we want in a BA Imperial Stout. Brilliant.

“Eclipse: a world-wide phenomenon straight from our brewery in small town Truckee. It starts with our award winning Totality Imperial Stout, and then spends 6 months in a variety of barrels specially curated by our talented brew team, often finished with some specialty flare that will knock your socks off.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pours as expected – black as midnight with a rapidly vanishing head. It forms a very fine ring with almost zero lacing left behind.

Aroma: Smells incredible. There isn’t a whole lot of deviation from last years vintage. The base stout is once again monstrous and provides uber rich molasses, licorice, dark chocolate, cigar box and black coffee while the bourbon/barrels go to work providing five spice, toasted coconut and brown sugar. Lovely addition of saturated oak for more depth and complexity.

Flavour: Huuuge. Very rich and aggressive but then again it’s the ’24 release so it could do with a couple of years in the cellar. Some minor differences from last years vintage here – we’re getting less smokiness and sweet spice and more in your face aggression and richness from the base stout. Lots of burnt brown sugar, tobacco, toasted coconut, damp oak and toffee into a long and drawn out finish.

Mouthfeel: Thick and viscous as opposed to last year’s dense yet inoffensive texture. Low-ish Co2 and a warming 12.4% ABV.

Overall: Definitely some minor variations in flavour. The other (more irritating) variation is the drop from 500ml bottles to 375ml. No drop in the price though, of course. Still a bloody delicious BA stout.

“A very dark, very hefty beer made even darker and heftier by a year in the darkness of a barrel. Two vintages available; try both.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with one finger of brown foam emerging over the top. The head retains fairly well and drags wet lace down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: Ooft! This thing has balls. The depth and overall richness and complexity is next level. We recall being blown away by the base stout only a few months ago so it’s no surprise that this BA iteration hits even harder. Massive notes of dark chocolate, molasses, coffee, licorice and a captivating scent of either fairy floss or sherbet to sweeten the deal. Where that’s coming from is anyone’s guess.

Flavour: Just as rich and compelling as the nose. The char/roast is dialled up to 10 and the coffee, dark chocolate and molasses encapsulates it all so cosily. That candy-like sweetness comes through here too…reminds us of how Three Floyds’ Dark Lord imparts a similar candy-esque sweetness. The thing is they added sugar and vanilla, these guys have only aged this stout in French and American oak. Amazing!

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly slick and silky. The 8% ABV comes in late. Medium-full body with low-ish Co2.

Overall: Moo Brew impress us every time. They’ve clearly got some serious skill in the brewery. We’re only left to wonder what this would be like with some exciting adjuncts added to it. Solid.

“Like Pancho the Leader of the Revolution, this beer is fearless. Dark and strong, with a spicy heat from the Mexican chillies. Smoky, with the addition of chocolate and cinnamon all the ingredients of the traditional Mexican molé sauce.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black pour with a finger of light brown head. It steadily reduces, settling to a collar with wavy lacing.

Aroma: Rich and decadent with a distinct chilli infusion. We’re suckers for a good chilli beer and this one is giving off the right amount of heat initially. There’s a well integrated smokiness which we’re also loving. What’s really cool is this subtle hint of cinnamon which lightens it up a bit. Nice and brawny base stout too – chocolate, molasses, leather, a hint of ash. We likey.

Flavour: Hits rather hard and aggressive but not in a negative or overly boozy way. Heavy roasted notes, smokiness and chilli heat comes on strong but rolls slowly through the mid. The use of Irish ale yeast comes out later in the piece as it finishes dry and estery along with some residual heat from the chilli.

Mouthfeel: Nice and full but maintaining easy drink-ability. Low-ish Co2, medium-full body and a very well behaved 8.1% ABV.

Overall: Not too shabby from the OG masters at Red Hill. We’ve been fans of this brewery for a long time. Their trad Euro styles are always on point and their edgier craft stuff – like this – is as well.