Moon Dog / Beer Here Freaks & Geeks

I've had this twice now (first review was sadly lost) and both times for some reason I expect it to come out a red sort of colour - instead it's pretty dark brown / black almost, a hue that means business at a substantial 7.6%.

Also having managed to miss the photo the first time I lined it up with the subtle backing notes of an old crappy microwave this time around. Beer photography awards here we come.

This is a mash-up brew between Moon Dog and Beer Here with all the craziness that entails. There's dark wheat, peat, rye, and oats on the label for just a start, all tied together with farmhouse yeast which makes its presence felt immediately on the aroma along with a slight berry sort of note. It's pretty funky and complex. Pleasing.

Taste wise too this is good stuff - layers of flavour, and I find the peat malt a nice accent to the other notes. I quite like the way it interacts with that funky yeasty character.. you get the feeling it's settled, deliberate and somehow balanced, in a pretty out there sort of way.

Overall not something I'd go out of my way for - but another interesting, flavoursome drop that's well worth a bash. Or two. 7.5

SorAlaMA Oooh! Barleywine

As soon as I saw Barleywine on the menu my eyes lit up and I'd plotted my course to this beer from when I first entered the pub. The time was now to finally enjoy it.

Except, two things combined to ruin this supposedly epiphanous moment. The first was the beer itself. This is both the worst barleywine I've ever had, and probably not a barleywine. It's 8.1% abv so just squeaking into the appropriate scale, but that's not where I have the issue. It's quite a cloudy brown sort of colour rather than amber and puts out a scent that's far too sweet. It's an artificial, candy sort of smell with a green grape edge in there and nail polish alcohol to boot.

My first thought on tasting it was that I should have ordered a smaller glass. It has a character of tart fruit and sugar, mildly reminiscent of Japanese umeshu. The flat mouthfeel is smooth enough but this is oddly sour, dry, solvent-like and just downright unpleasant. It's not a hopped up US Barleywine, or a pleasantly malty / smooth and deep English variant. I'm not one to protect beer class definitions by any means but this is no barleywine. I just don't know what to call it instead.

The second thing to ruin the experience was the staff. Yes, I turned up on a weeknight and maybe I'm spoiled at the excellent Sail and Anchor but witness this exchange:

Staffer: "What are you drinking there?"
Me: "A pretty bad barleywine, unfortunately"
Staffer (confused): "Oh, have you been to Bali then?"

Cue momentary confusion and massive facepalm. It's written on your damn menu board for chrissakes, apart from anything else. It's like serving these freaks continuously ordering cider and James Boag's Premium Light has rotted either the brains or the enthusiasm of most here.

Oh and Russian Imperial Stouts aren't necessarily from Russia either you idiots.

2.0

Hitachino XH Extra High

Extra Strong 8% the most prominent thing on the label.. yet it's actually 8.5%.. you wouldn't get away with that in Aus. Even on ratebeer it's at 8.0% but .. haha.. read the Japanese bit. Unless they're measuring alcohol on a non-abv scale, this is more likely to put you over than it initially appears. Whoops.

The label suggests this one is brewed using more malts and hops than usual (yep), and matured for six months - well, this bottle's been there a bit longer so maybe even more so. It's maybe not in its prime this one to be honest and that, plus a mixed sort of experience with beers that market themselves only as high alcohol in the past, makes me a bit apprehensive here. Still, it's a tight fluffy head, and a pleasing strong ale dark colour.

After pouring, there's a bit of sourness here on the nose along with alcohol notes and malt, and the sourness makes me wonder about its age once again until I notice that this one has also been matured in both sake and shochu casks. This really does give it a pronounced funky character that I really dig alongside the nutty strong ale vibes. It's deep and complex and while I don't get a lot of the belgian yeast quality, it's all come across nicely as a package. Spicy caramel finish rounds out what is a complex and compelling beer, quite contrary to expectations.

Very, very interesting stuff.. can't wait to try more, and will visit next time in Japan. 8.0

SorA'LaMA' gulp! Apple beer

"Gulp" is right, after my last experience (review upcoming) with this mob's frankly unlikeable barleywine.

I seem to have misplaced the image here which would normally invalidate the review .. but then, I feel it's kind of like a public service to review this one anyway. You'll see why. Pretty bloody elaborate packaging around the label above in any case, winelike plastic wrap over the bottletop for a beer with the mighty 4.2% abv.

This is supposed to be an apple beer of some description, with a nose of biscuit and lemon for the most part. Little bit of sweet apple around the edges if you search, and visually it's there certainly. Massive chunks - less chunks, more meteorites really - swirling around in this.

It pours with a pretty good head actually considering the above, though the chunks don't blend in even with agitation.

In practice .. 'lagerish' is the word that comes to mind. The mouthfeel's not bad but the contents thereof are bitey metallic offerings, the burnt and charred remnants of ales sadly lost. Bit of apple in there but covered in a blanket of things unwell.

To be honest I don't really see what the point of this was as a commercial release above and beyond the brewhouse 'experiment'. Worse than a cider and worse than a beer.

Hmm. 3.0

Rogue Double Mocha Porter

A special bottle, this one, presented in inimitable Rogue-like fashion. So, what does the blue potion do?

Well, it pours a svelte, attractive looking opaque black body with a sticky tan head for a start. Looks fantastic, and gives off a nose that tends more toward imperial raisins, dark fruits and heavy malts than coffee as such at first, despite the mocha badging.

For a porter at 8.2% this delivers a relatively light mouthfeel, but is nevertheless full of lipsmacking levels of flavour. Dark chocolate is definitely a component here as is coffee, which lingers beautifully after you swallow. Very nice stuff. It's relatively simple compared to a lot of big 'imperial' dark beers, but does what it's trying to do well.

Looking at the bottle you can see they've used their own micro hops and malts in this, along with 'pacman' yeast.. all of which sounds very pleasing. "Free range coastal water" on the other hand .. well, while I have to say I'm relieved the water wasn't forcibly bound in a cage without room to scratch, feed or dustbathe, this could be interpreted as, let us say, total wank.

Regardless - fine, highly enjoyable beer likely to appeal to all sorts of people. 8.5

Epic Mash Up NZ Collaboration Ale

Not sure quite what to make of this beer.

It's a collaboration of sorts, or mash up (get it? hurr) between pretty much every brewer in NZ according to the label. How exactly this came together, I'm not sure. The second odd thing is it's listed pretty much only as an 'ale' at 6.0%. What sort, you ask? You have to open it to find out.

At least the aroma holds some clues, delivering a blast of fresh wet NZ hoppage from the first bounce. It pours very light and crystal clear into the glass but doesn't generate much of a cap unfortunately. Still, that would potentially cover that nose of hops and they are clearly the stars of this beer.

While not outstandingly bitter as such, I felt this hops could have done with a slightly bigger malt backbone just to help support their pungent presence. Still - another fine, if confusing, testament to the power of these herbal kiwi battlers and their excellent properties in aroma and flavour when fresh. 7.0

Mountain Goat Red Saison

So, another first in a supposedly 'red' saison.

Phone based photos in low light conditions do a better job of pizza than beer, but this shot has certainly captured the depth of dark colour in this beer. It's beyond red really, pushing a dark molasses sort of colour.

Interesting beer to experience here - I don't think I'd have picked it as a saison in a blind tasting. The yeast character is certainly there and it's funky on the nose, but the ongoing spice and orange rind character to me puts it as more of a witbier. I'm not sure how this beer was crafted but I get strong lingering aniseed going on here which is interesting .. but not perhaps the best compliment to the standard wit or saison experience.

I like experiments like this and want to encourage further pushing of boundaries in the future - this beer as it stands though was not bad, but a bit of a struggle. 5.0

Hargreaves Hill ESB

On wandering into the rather excellent Sherlock Holmes on Collins St I must aver I felt a strong compunction to order something English.

Lucky then I was presented with this very good looking dark amber example of an easy drinking, suited-to-pub-rather-than-bottle ale. Paired with the Salad Nicoise this American Pale Ale did the trick nicely.

Wait, what?

But indeed, try as it might this never quite develops into a true ESB, remaining bitter in none bar the most literal sense of the word. A mystery to be sure.

The first clue appears in the nose of English or perhaps Australian hops, which exhibit unusual bitterness, walk with a slight limp, and may have been carrying a concealed malt. Perhaps in order to evade suspicion, the first taste was in line with the smell. Convenient.

Too convenient.

A rational mind would expect the suspect to warm and develop some character under interrogation but while a hint of biscuit starts to come through as it acclimatizes, it remains held in check by the hop bitterness.

All of which gives you the impression you've turned up at the local butcher's shop only to find him wearing a wrestling mask and serving strawberry shortcakes. The cakes are delicious, sure - but it's not really the prime rib you were after. 7.0

Birra del Borgo InBraNata

This.. was a belgian ale?

Really after drinking it I had no idea. Of the style, that is - the fact it's bad was pretty evident from the start. Why, you ask? Well, it's a lot of little things. The slightly odd, swampy yellow colour. The odour of fear and loathing that emanates from its unholy surface. The spiky aerated finish that nevertheless almost comes as a relief as it distracts you from the oddly rhubarb like taste and insipid malt.

This is the sort of beer that makes me wonder if I'm doing something wrong. It tastes like a bad brew, but I'm sure the bottle itself wasn't spoiled.

On the other hand, it's refreshing to have a beer that is quite clearly terrible for a change.. gives me more confidence in my ability to put together drinkable homebrew for a start. Now no more please. Horrid. 2.0

Mikkeller American Dream

OK, another Mikkeller "lager" to try - and this time it comes with the dubious accolade of being the top rated lager on ratebeer to boot.

I have to admit on first tasting as per the photo above, this beer really failed to impress. Could be either a bad choice of glass, a less than top quality bottle, or just some sort of bad mood I guess (the beer obviously, not me). I got a less than impressive nose, mid malt and pepper, ever so slight passionfruit, and a bit of lingering, slightly earthy bitterness.

Tried a second time, this beer was a bit of a revelation, putting me in mind of a hybrid cross of wet hopped Little Creatures Pale Ale and Feral Hop Hog with a crisper finish. Both of which are great, but .. neither of which are lagers. So we arrive at the very same impasse. I don't think this is a lager, it's either a pale ale or an IPA in terms of style. It's tempting to think that by this logic, anything with a bit of hops or flavour to it will be automatically disqualified as a lager, thereby preventing anything with character from appearing.. but beers like Knappstein provide an exception to that rule.

So.. this is a nice beer and delivers a lot of flavour for its low %. And you should drink it, assuming you get a good bottle, and assuming you're not really after a lager per se. 7.5

Deschutes Twilight Summer Ale

Nice artwork on this one, and a really clear if headless pour too.

It's orange more than anything in fact. Smells quite nice too and backs it up with a sweet orange start.. but then suddenly I'm confronted with a bit of bog macro that's put me in mind of dirty laundry water to be honest.

Outside of that it's a relatively long and interesting development for a summer ale. Mouthfeel is good, clearly ale not lager and mid to low aeration but feels sessionable. Flavours develop a mild bite from the amarillo hops, into a sweet middle, and a powdery orange finish. Reminds me vaguely of Little Creatures' Bright Ale.

It's been a while since I've had a beer this divisive .. I love aspects of it but found it really hard going at times too.. think it needs another try. Preferably from a can, at a picnic, on the grass, in the sun.. 6.0

Yeastie Boys Gunnamatta

First beer I had at the Brewers & Chewers dinner at The Local Taphouse in St Kilda.. and about the only beer I feel qualified to review from what turned out to be a massive and really enjoyable night. Genuinely top quality event this, really impressed and can't wait for next year.. or for something similar to come to Perth..

(Bonus pic of the brewer from Yeastie Boys being interviewed by the egregious Professor Pilsner. Yep. Figures.)

This is ostensibly an IPA, but the Boys, never ones to do things the easy way, have thrown in a bunch of Earl Grey tea leaves among other things to produce a beer that's a really different experience once again.

The best thing about it? It's new and an experience, yes, but also absolutely delicious. Lovely butterscotch malt character, grassy but refined tea flavours, clean refreshing flavours, and monstrously drinkable.

Genuinely progressive and delicious beer that I'm pleased to see was rewarded with the peoples' choice beer of the year at GABS 2012. Personally, I can't wait to get some more. 8.5

Yeastie Boys Rex Attitude

Righto, another chapter in the beer challenges saga.. for this is a beer with a reputation.

It's apt to paraphrase the label at this point: most people say you can't make a beer with more than 5% peat malt.. so these guys went ahead and used 100%. I was expecting this to pour the colour of a scottish swamp but instead it's remarkably light, though oily in texture.

The nose is where the peat really comes to the fore - my word this is boggy, quite remarkable depth of smokiness tending on bacon but also very much vegetable matter, like a compost heap. This smell does everything it can to kick your nostrils in as you try to taste the beer. Once you actually get there, the beer itself is relatively calm in fact - it's smoky as all get out, and leaves you feeling dry of throat. But always everpresent that odour.. hmm. I can see why this polarises.

The kicker? This isn't even the worst (?) one. There's an imperial version. It's 10%. And it's lurking malevolently in the fridge. Sigh. Um. Worth a try I guess? 5.0

Little Creatures Single Batch: The Quiet American

The long awaited new single batch from the crew at Little Creatures, and an interesting one at that, combining American hops (Cascade, Chinook) with what is essentially a Belgian Tripel.

It's tough to get your head around and to be honest, a bit hard to get your mouth around to begin with too. Pours a little sticky and heavy, minimal head, low aeration.

The hops are apparent early, giving it a sweet character a lot like their eponymous pale ale. But from there things turn with a sweet sugary Belgian character with cloves and other spices comes to the fore. It's a little bit syrupy on the finish but pretty drinkable.

I think this beer will take a bit of time to get to know, so glad I picked up a few extra. In terms of rating.. I think Belgian beer fans will probably have a go at this as it's not to the level of authentic Tripels I'm sure. But I'm happy with this as something that is quite unique and what seems a genuinely ballsy attempt to take things forward. Good stuff. 7.5

McLaren Vale Ale

Ok - now that it's not a lager, can Vale pull something out?

Hmm. Fancy packaging, yes. But even after drinking two of these on separate occasions I still had to look up to find out what this was even supposed to be. American Pale Ale, I'm told. I couldn't really get past "Um. Ale?" personally.

If you analyse this forensically you can find a little bit of apple, light malt, caramel, and sugar. But I suppose the best you could say is that it's inoffensive, insofar as it's utterly forgettable.

After a bit of thought, I had come to think this would be reasonable as a sort of gateway craft conversion beer. But then I'm not sure it has the punch to do that even. Disappointing. 4.0

KJD Brewing Chocolate Cherry Porter

Another NZ brewer - would KJD be joining the ranks of the exalted with 8 Wired and Epic, or the bargain basement slop shop crew of Monteiths, Kaimai?

For a choc cherry porter to be served at room temp, this pours and tastes watery and thin.. so you lose a bit of motivation there. Then you have a whiff and there goes the rest of it to be replaced with trepidation. It's pretty much sourness and alcohol sadly.

Taste wise I can sort of see what they were going for. It's very much 'real' cherry, ie pretty sour, no real sweetness, and I can definitely respect that. But for it to work it needs a richer, fuller, more rounded end to it with malt and backing chocolate. They seem to have forgotten this bit completely though, as with the label the 'cherry' bit is the biggest part .. but then Chocolate and Porter don't even exist.

So, a bit of a shame really. Nice idea, poor execution. 2.0

Kaimai Porter's Rye Ale

Brace yourselves, for this is a momentous day.

A momentous day, I say, and it's NZ that have finally done it.

When I rate beers, I generally consider a score of 1.0 to represent widely available macro lager (insert VB or whatever your local rubbish may be here). This is far and away worse. This makes me pine for a Tooheys Extra Dry like a gently frying prisoner pines for the sweet release of death.

I'm not sure which of 'Porter' 'Rye' or indeed 'Ale' this beer even is but it's a horrid sour metallic effort with no redeeming benefit. It's hard to imagine how this even came into being? But it's clearly not a dud / skunked bottle either .. what were they thinking?

The only value I can see for this beer is taking it to parties, to either a) drink a sip and fire yourself up to take advantage (?) of freely available crap lagers, or b) share with others to "demonstrate that weird beer you always drink" and in so doing make sure no bastard ever touches your weird beers in the esky.

As such it receives the very first 0.0. Congratulations.