Victory Storm King Stout

Great nose, burnt sort of double FES awesomeness going on from the first instant.

And indeed a rather nice progression of flavours, including a bunch of good choc / coffee / roast notes that work well in the style. What's different about this beer is the way they're presented - it feels like it's maybe backwards in a way, providing the comforting chocolate stout presence first up, before bitey aggressive roast smokiness second. The whole thing leaves you with a pretty powerful dry roasty mouth presence which is not unpleasant, but a bit different to the norm.

Good stuff here - perhaps not quite the traditional 'imperial stout' for mine tastewise, though it does slip through at an unobtrusive but substantial 9.1%. It's not that the taste or body is lacking - it just comes across as more like a hyper awesome full roasty FES party monarch than the sweeter and heavier, benevolent imperial king you were expecting.

Fun times to be a royal. 8.0

Mikkeller Hop Burn High

Had this before with its cousin Hop Burn Low down the pub, but now for review in bottle format.

This is one of a duo of beers, and another of Mikkeller's education lexicon of beer varietals. In this case, the Hop Burn High is fermented using ale yeast, while the Low uses bottom fermenting lager yeast instead. It's also pushing out 300 IBU, which explains the hop head on the label and his leather-eyed stare of dazed contusion.

It's a nice looking beer and sings of mandarin out of the glass - oddly enough, didn't get that drinking it on tap. There's some sediment here but probably to be expected given the weightiness of hops and malt in this 10% monster. That heaviness does carry through on the mouthfeel which is big bold and heavy. It's kind of oily pine and sticky without delivering quite as much hop character as you might expect - this could be the result of the distance travelled, though it's a relatively young bottle nevertheless.

I found the alcohol in this becomes really apparent as soon as it warms even slightly. Not bad, but you get the feeling if it wasn't Mikkeller it'd be nothing near what it's rated. Hard going at times, this is bold, brave and interesting but ultimately outshone by a distance by other efforts. 6.0

Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet 1.5 Double Black IPA

This one glowers amber in the light .. looks a bit light possibly for a double black, but right on the money at 10% abv.

I can't say i was overly looking forward to this one, maybe it's something about the branding leading me to not take these guys too seriously. One whiff of the nose though and any misgivings are soon addressed:  this is a serious complex malt bandit tending toward imperial stout character. Coffee is evident there along with other roasty notes - good stuff.

Taste wise for 75% of the mouthful you're thinking 'lovely light-bodied imperial stout' but then you're assaulted by a late burst of big pungent hops courtesy of a double dry-hopping of reliable trio Columbus, Cascade and Amarillo. It's definitely justified as a Black IPA despite the body, which is a pretty fair achievement for mine. They have managed to produce distinct elements of each beer while also tying it all in together with a tasty roast driven finish. Nice!

The appearance could perhaps be slighly better, but apart from that colour me impressed. 8.5

Green Flash Le Freak

Wow this is a massive beer.

9.2% of Belgian Tripel forcibly crashed into a US-hopped Imperial IPA. It does not lack presence.

Bright pink label an inspired choice and I actually think the beer itself may carry just a hint of strawberry itself too? Beautiful head is frothy and solid; creamy.

The aroma here was always going to be a battleground and you do get both styles in there. Maybe the hops just edge it, if you had to pick a winner? I find the alcohol pretty evident in terms of bitey front of mouth flavours, but it's not bulky or heavy as such - just sticky and full bodied. It all comes together pretty well without becoming too tacky. I like.

I'm not sure I'd want to drink this style too often, but for what it is, it's good. I'm maybe not a fan just yet but you have to acknowledge the showcase nonetheless. 8.0

Mornington Russian Imperial Stout

Need something to wash the mouth out after that last crime against humanity - lucky we have the ever reliable Mornington to help out.

Nice pour, couple cm of solid fluffy head atop a pitch black body. Coffee notes extrude first up but once you get closer there's a fair bit of fruitiness there too.

It comes across very fresh first up on the palate, perhaps this is still a bit young. Alcohol and yeast are certainly apparent as the wave subsides there too, along with coffee and some relatively harsh hops. All in all could use at least a few months more to think about things, mesh and meld a little better to attain its full character.

It's sedate and the mouthfeel is good so I'm confident this will grow into a nice beer. I can only rate what's in front of me though and at this stage - just needs a bit more time. 5.5

Red Duck (&Kissmeyer) Tasting Paddle

So, more by accident than design, we'd ended up with a veritable platter of beers from Red Duck. Enter the man-size tasting paddle!

I think I'd mistaken these guys for a sensible brewery in the past given their relatively restrained labelling. From this selection though you know you're in business with a serious brewer. Four beers first up that are all both ambitious and - it turns out - bloody excellent to boot.

--

First up, Gnaume, which a golden lambic. Yes, a golden.. lambic. So sweet and sour notes interact here - saison-esque, maybe witbier sort of notes are initially evident but soon washed over by a wave of good lambic funk. Taste-wise it's actually pretty grain-like, the sour notes are pretty restrained on the whole, producing a remarkably drinkable beer with not too many off notes at a 6.2% abv.

Spicy more than sour overall, much less extreme than expected but it all comes together pretty well, tastes like a meshed effort between styles and pretty much in line with the description. Dry finish belies the lambic character but makes it pretty drinkable. Very interesting but unsure how to rate. My only real issue is it smells more like a sour beer than it is.. funky yes, sour no. Not necessarily a bad thing but not quite compelling either. 7.5

--

Jesus.. to be honest I'd been kind of dreading this one. 11.3% alcohol 'bread beer' made with no hops, but lots of raisins and sultanas. I don't know but that sounds like something pretty damn intimidating.

Ra here is flat as a tack, deliberate of course but I must stress it is completely without fizz. It also has a massive sediment presence, and a big nose that's initially pretty hard to handle, nail polish alcohol notes, bad Year 12 drinking memories, reminds me of agave tequila in particular. So - let's not mix any words - this is a fucked beer with regards the look and nose. It makes me pray for the Swan Lager drinker that, after countless cartons of slop decides one day that 'you know what.. I'm going to try this craft beer thing' - that he doesn't choose this. My god it's .. intimidating.. colour and aroma.

Then you summon up the courage to drink it and - what? - oh this is lambic? And not half-way sour like the previous one. This gives your jowls that sort of locked-up quality they get with sucking a lemon.. delicious. Not sure if this was how the Egyptians had their beer but wow this is good shit.

It's probably not for the unadventurous, but this is a full on sour effort that ticks all the boxes. Ignore the label's claims of sultanas and raisins, there's no real sweetness or character there, maybe just a faint edge of sugar. It's just their 'sour dough yeast' efforts and expert process doing the job here. I love the taste of this, absolute brilliance, so impressed particularly given the appearance and aroma being so frightening. Great. Love it, highly recommended. 9.0

--

No, this doesn't smell like a pony - unless it's perhaps been smothered in mead first. For this is a braggot - a mix of mead and beer - and has a pretty beguiling nose really of amber notes, caramel and honey. No real alcohol aroma despite the 13.7% elephant (horse?) in the room.

This is evidently flat as a tack again, no aeration whatsoever, they've used buckwheat honey for the mead here hence less grain presence probably than normal. It's a clean entry, grainy floury notes, then it takes on that meady character before rounding out a spicy, slightly sour, then heavy honey finish.

Not as sort of enjoyable as Ra above if you're into sours, but then if you're a mead and/or braggot freak you'll be full into this. My only real issue is less ale character comes through than expected, which is fine, but I'm not convinced this is a beer at all to be honest, more a modified version of that honeyed alcohol. So nice drinking, but not the the quality of the previous.  7.5

--

Can we drink a beer with, you know, air in it next? Coz these really.. don't.

--

Well.. no. No we can't. For this is a dark lambic - sounds exciting, doesn't it. Looks are a bit less flattering sadly, brown, slight red tinge but overall... maybe not the best looking beer. Just as well then that the nose is so intriguing, a genuine mix of porter, shoe leather and funky sourness.

Tasting - bang! Wow, I was expecting a porter-like opening with the sour taking over from there but it's a pretty immediate explosion of acidity and the most citrus bitter of the three, followed by a chocolately sort of note that goes on and lingers with you as you recover. It sounds strange, but it's actually a really nice combination. Yum.

It's worth stressing that this is another lipsmacker and is balls out sour, so it coats your tongue with unrelenting bitterness - but as you're feverishly smacking away trying to disperse it there's just a hint of choc to calm you and eventually soothe you back. Wow. Excellent stuff, well thought out, well executed, love it to bits, top work, beer that's just really compelling and brings you back, not just inventive for the sake of it but damn tasty also. 9.0

--
"It's a sour, chuck it out into nature and consume it."

Apt.

--

Finally we had this little number in the fridge, another collaboration between Red Duck and Kissmeyer and a big Imperial IPA at 9.8% and using 25 different hops.

It's a swingtop bottle with wax, nice presentation and as homebrewers, happy to receive it into the flock. Big solid body evident here, little head.. a serious beer from the outset. Appears heavy and sullen.

I get mostly pineapple and malted mute on the nose, pretty quiet for what's in it. But then bannnnng, wow right off the bat this is heavy and full mouthed, oily, but distinctly IIPA. I was a bit sceptical about the method of the 25 hop additions, but the hop bill comes through as beautifully rounded and delivers a pleasant lasting bitterness. Delicious and another success to be proud of. 8.5

--

What a set! What a surprise, hahaha. What a top night. Great work to the brewer and accomplice. All in all a very impressive effort from the Duck showing commitment to beer, a real passion for the art, and the skills to pull it off. Much respect and hoping to visit soon.

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 2011-12 edition

Not often you see a 'chocolate' stout coming in at 10% abv!

Also it's becoming clear upon looking at this bottle where Bootleg got their name. Huh.

Anyway, this is a big beer off the bat, nice pour delivers an oily glass presence with a low but attractive mocha head. The nose certainly starts off on choc but then meanders through a variety of raisiny imperial sort of notes consistent with an imperial stout. There is no real booze present to blast off your nose hairs for you.

Drinking this it is clear it's not the mellow, choc milk sort of experience you get from most beers with 'chocolate' in the name. Instead, this is a beer story where the chocolate malt takes a bit of a back seat. It's there, sure, but only as a soft foil to the imperial army of 6 different malts doing their respective jobs. There's a nice burnt custard sort of effect it generates that just covers the alcohol and leaves this smooth and refreshing.

So, not a very 'chocolate' sort of beer in the end, but this shouldn't be taken as too bad of a thing. It's an interesting approach to this style and one I found intriguing and flavoursome if not quite as indulgent as various other options. 7.5

Mikkeller 1000 IBU

So. A beer with theoretically 1000 IBU.

To put that in context, Palate Wrecker tops out at 149. Safe to say it's a hop forward sort of brew then.

What this beer does is hops, pine, pineapple, malt, a nice heavy body, hops, and pine. What it doesn't do is really convince you of its supposed manic extremes - no-one is going to claim it's not a bitter beer, but it's just not that much far and away above a lot of other hop driven double or imperial IPAs.

Compared to its cousin the admittedly unbalanced 1000 IBU Ultramate this comes across as almost tame due to the fine balance it projects. Part of it is the human capacity to detect and process bitterness and astringency I'm sure - it's often said humans can only really detect up to about 100 IBU on average - but it's also a direct product of the malting and balance Mikkeller derives in this brew. This is a good thing for the beer as a whole - you'd certainly drink more of this 9.6% monster in a sitting than the 4.9% ultramate - but it does somewhat lessen the insanity and with that, some of the fun.

With that said this is a pleasant beer you'll certainly enjoy if you're a hop-head and an enthusiast for these sorts of drops.  8.0

Zywiec Porter

Another Polish Porter for the collection from our good friends at jevvyets.

This beer is a lovely colour, dark cola just short of totally black if you look at it in the light. The major quality it brings is longevity, in that it just seems to go on and on and on with the flavour. It's not overly complicated though either, starting with milk choc notes and blending gently toward imperial dark fruit flavours as it develops. The alcohol is definitely present, but not actually offensive as such.

Bit of a short review but it's all more or less in line with the baltic porter style.. pretty good but short of world changing. 7.0

Moylans Hopsickle Imperial Ale

The second beer tried from this brewer, but the first on the blog.

I shared a table with Mr Moylan himself at a recent event and came across their Golden Ale at that time - a pretty pleasant drop in its own right and one I look forward to revisiting when the opportunity arises. Brendon himself stayed on it all night, at 5% it was nice and safe to put away.

Can't say I like the styling on the Moylans bottles - not that it changes what's in it of course, but in a context of heavy competition it's probably the reason we're only now starting to pick up these beers from the shop. Regardless, it's a good thing we've finally taken the plunge, as all indications point to this brewer being a solid competitor to their heavyweight Californian neighbours.

This beer pours an attractive opaque amber and generates a nice hoppy nose. There's an initial impression of sweet malts that comes through on the nose and as a flashing glimpse on first sip, but this is soon overtaken by bold US hopping that leaves a bitter lingering citrus legacy. It's more peel and oil than fruit or stone fruit.. dry but oily in its own way.

Very solid beer this - the alcohol is cleverly hidden at 9.2% and it delivers what it promises as a strong imperial overlord. Well done Mr Moylan.. well done indeed.

Wonder if it's hopsickle as in popsicle, or hopsickle as in the Grim Hop Reaper? Either way, very good beer. 8.0

Nørrebro North Bridge Extreme

Is this a saison? Nørre bro, it's a Imperial IPA.

What is it with the horrendous jokes of late?

This beer pours brown but comes up a dark amber in the light, with a beautiful cream head. This is one of those beers that's listed at turns as a Double IPA or an Imperial IPA and in some cases it's more or less interchangeable. In this case I feel it's an IIPA right off the bat - dark fruits and malts come to the fore in the aroma and it's clear you're in for a treat.

Taste-wise this beer delivers the same imperial flavours but without too much fruit. Instead, there's a truly delicious edge of toasty coffee that comes through in its place and smooths this out beautifully. Lovely fluid mouthfeel to this beer gives it a really refined character despite its 9.5% punch. Even puts me in mind of cigars in places.

I found this really rather excellent and recommend you try it post-haste. Pay whatever is required my good man, money is no object. 9.0

Green Flash Palate Wrecker

Day 2 of Melbourne's Good Beer Week (already I reminisce with such fondness..) and nothing to do until the booked dinner that evening.. time to kick back and relax with that bastion of genteel alcohol consumption, Palate Wrecker.

Shout out to Beer DeLuxe by the way, if you're in town on business (or otherwise) this place is right there in Fed Square and has a frankly jealousy inducing collection of beers for you to try. Great lunch specials also.


But yes, Palate Wrecker. $13.50 for this 9.5% self proclaimed monster but on tap, why wouldn't you? Lovely thick frothy suds on this beer lace stickily like nobody's business, and the aroma gets you even from a distance with its tropical tales of peaches and pine. This is a beer with a purpose, nay, an agenda.

Happily, this beer does attempt to smash your tonsils on first encounter. I've been drinking some big beers but not since Ruination have I encountered such a thwack of astringency: to learn it's 149 IBU is no great surprise. It's juicy, full and thick with sour oily ester-like character. This beer is not especially well integrated to my mind - while there is sufficient malt background to smooth the massive spike of acrid, orange rind oily hops, it all washes in toward the end of the flavour distribution like some inexplicably friendly tsunami.

Still - for a beer whose sole purpose is to hit you as hard as it can, none of this is really a minus. So kick off your next dinner party with palate wrecker, that's how the cool kids roll. 8.5

Mornington Imperial IPA

Sometimes you can just tell when a beer will be good.

Something about the way it opens. The pour, with its crisp yet smooth fidelity. And that lovely brooding colour in the glass.

And having initially got this far in the review from memory only to find I have lost my notes, it is with great pleasure I discover I have another one of these waiting serendipitously in the fridge.

Right then.

Slight sediment in the pour but settles nicely, mid visible aeration from the outside. Up front nose of juicy, fruity hops and a backing underscore of mild biscuit and caramel disguises the 8.5% payload. Palate is good, flavours of juicy citrus, pine, bit of sweetness and then rising, lingering bitterness. I've heard this beer called unbalanced but I like the way it leaves you smacking your lips with a big slippery kick of bitter hops at the end - this is an IIPA after all and they have a perfectly accomplished IPA for regular consumption if you like, so go hard or go home as far as I'm concerned.

'This, my friends, is a beer for the winter time', I want to proclaim, but in all honesty I think I'd be pretty pleased with this one all year round. Here's hoping it becomes a regular fixture in the Mornington rotation. 8.0

Yeastie Boys xeRRex

Urgh not this again.

And this time it's 10%. So it's a similar story, bog nose as expected, oily texture, remarkably agreeable smoky bacon earthen character..

Wait, what?

Not entirely sure if it's me getting used to it or just the imperial version that's so much better, but I .. would buy this again? It's almost reminiscent of a rauchbier.. but like the pig got off the leash and plowed through a field of mud, flailing and squealing, overwrought with mad rage and confusion.

And as a result I will gladly drink everyone else's leftovers too thank you very much. 7.5

Brewdog Hardcore IPA

Biggest IPA so far I think at an arrogant 9.2%.

Oh yeah this smells pretty damn delicious - it is a big, big hop IPA. This is clearly not just talk and I for one am pleased.

Pours with a slightly offwhite head, dark colour of the beer, feels heavy in the glass. Little bit of malt alcohol on the nose once it's in the glass but not overwhelming. Tastewise you get a rather bitey kick of bitterness after a sweet start consisting of mostly melon and stonefruits.

You don't taste much alcohol here, which is some achievement really. It's a little heavy, not super drinkable but good for the content for sure. Nice aftertaste too. Will certainly buy again, it may move up from a preliminary 8.0

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale 2012 edition

This is one of those 'celebrity' beers, which are immediately tweeted about by their beer purveyors on entering stock, and then sell out almost instantly. The bandwagon was mounted, and the wallet emptied.

It's also the first barleywine on record.. 9.6% and daarrrrkk pour out of the bottle. Looks like a heavy rye or something at first glance. There's slight carbonation but not intrusive, and a nice lingering fluffy head.

Wow, this is a riot of flavours. There's orange there, stringent bitterness throughout, and heavy malt disguising the alcohol, which really doesn't manage to make its presence felt in aroma or taste. Heaps going on throughout the mouthful including pine and slight honey (?) but it's not hard to drink at all.. certainly not compared to most other things at this sort of range. Even appreciate the oily sort of mouthfeel, it's just right. Really enjoyed this a lot and recommend to anyone coming into winter time, if only to give you a break from all those excellent stouts and porters.

Not sure specifically if it's this beer, or the style that I'm digging but regardless this is a very pleasant way to imbibe nearly 3 standard drinks to the bottle. Looking forward to cellaring a couple and charting the improvement (or otherwise) also. If they last that long. 8.5

Victory Golden Monkey

Right. I have to say I had no idea what was lurking in this bottle what with the label, name, and walloping 9.5% ABV.

And yet I was still pretty surprised by the lightness of this: the head, the body, and strangely the taste itself.

Given this in isolation I think I'd call it some sort of Belgian witbier, primarily lemon and wheat based flavours, slight candy, not a lot else. The label bangs on about this being spiced; but I didn't get too much of that. The strangest thing is there's very little indication of the alcohol here - just a slightly sweet finish.

In this then it's a pretty impressive effort. But given the relatively uninspired flavours around it, it's just not that enjoyable. 7.0

8 Wired iStout

Finally the big day where we could crack this big bottle of expensive expectations.

Pours flat, disappointing lack of head. Jet black except the edges where you can see just a bit of light. It's 10%.. but there's not too much alcohol apparent in the aroma or the taste. The roasty coffee taste is long and lasting after a real full mouth experience from this one.

The bottle suggests putting this over vanilla ice cream. My word that sounds amazing. But at the same time it's like watering down a high quality spirit .. bit of a waste.

I want more of this. 9.0

- edit -
Another try of this yields a bit more soy and salty flavours than I'd like. Bumping it down to a still excellent 8.5

Courage Russian Imperial Stout

A big ten percenter from an English brewer in the Russian style.

Didn't have a photo for some reason. But the beer is in there somewhere so that'll have to do.

This was first brewed for good ol' Catherine back in 1795 or so they say.

Pretty big alc on the nose, and this smashed me with alcohol taste on the first bite too. Bottle says pear tastes, I got a bit of that front of the mouth. Swish it around and it's aggressive, but the coffee helps pull it through.

Err. Bout equal with  Murray's Spartacus. From the 10% beers we've had of late.. I'd stick with Lenny's HeBrew RIPA. 6.0

HeBrew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A.

Garrgh I hate the name. And the bottle, both its design and the way it's upside down.

Still, this came with a recommendation and it was filled high in the bottle.

Rye and malt dominate the start but it ramps up nicely into a fair whack of hop presence here too. There's a bit of alcohol there as would be expected from the 10% ABV but it's not badly hidden by any stretch, the bitterness and development of the beer mean it's a companion, not a foe.

I quite enjoyed the stroll through this beer, given the strength of it. A much better option than the Spartacus. 7.5 .. nearly 8.0 ..