“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.