Peroni Gran Riserva

Peroni is one of my favourite Euro Lagers. That doesn't really say a hell of a lot though, because the euro pale lager/pilsner market for the most part is about as exciting as watching paint dry on Gordon Brown's face while he conducts a speech on economic policy. This 'Gran Riserva' is, I'm assuming, an attempt at marketing a 'Premium' batch. I can't say I'm expecting much more than a slightly bulkier version of their normal fare.

Not exactly on point there. It pours a darker yellow than I expected, and looks weightier than a run of the mill fizzy Euro lager. Have you ever had that sweet sticky malt honey? We randomly had one of those old school milkshake makers from the 50s when I was a kid, and used to keep some malt honey around to make malted chocolate milkshakes. That's the best comparison I can make with this beer. It's almost sickly sweet, and tastes like being beaten to a pulp with a malt stick. Hops arrive fashionably late to the party, but by this point it's almost insignificant.

Much like a goat with the head of a duck, this is a strange beast. It certainly has more depth than a Peroni... but is the depth necessary? Peroni's are very refreshing and easy to knock back, but that aside have the personality of Lara Bingle. This beer has far more to talk about... but are the topics really that interesting? It's a bit of a weirdo. I'll let you decide on your own.

5/10

Ambar Pale Ale 1900

I've had a few lagers lately, so I thought to myself... "Gee I'd like a nice ale tonight". After flicking through some of the beers in my fridge I came to this, 'Ambar Pale Ale 1900'. Any Pale Ale that has been around for over a hundred years must be alright hey? Even if it ends up run of the mill, it's still better than a bog stock lager isn't it? Even though the label looks like it was made on MS Word 97, it can't be THAT bad can it? If 'Yes' is the answer to those questions then we are like minded.

From the moment I poured this beer in to the glass, I was thinking WTF. It poured a fizzy lemon yellow euro piss lager colour, and smelt quite odd. Okay. You can't always be too judgmental at this point, so let's wait and see what it tastes like...

Get fucked. This is as much a Pale Ale as Katie Perry is a candidate for Mensa. It tastes like a mass produced, bottom of the barrel lager. I am increasingly angry at the fact it is parading itself as a Pale Ale. Maybe it was top fermented and has been labelled as such on a technicality, but regardless of the fact, you can't put this shit in a bottle and label it a Pale Ale.

Mind state is more important with food and drink than a lot of people give it credit for. Ever drunk a VB after a 1 point win, compared to a 50 point belting? It tasted different didn't it? This is not dissimilar, I am so disappointed in this beer that it feels right now like one of the worst beers I've ever drunk.

2/10

Pistonhead Low Ridin Lager

This is an interesting looking lager, bearing the title of 'Pistonhead'. According to the can, it is a 'smooth brew for the laid-back hot rodder'. Interesting angle I guess... to predominantly target yourself at an ever shrinking crowd of gearheads. I do like the design on the can, and it is striking, and I am a bit of a petrol head myself. This beer is from a mecca of motoring, where you ask? Not Detroit. Not Bathurst. STOCKHOLM. Yes that's right, it's bloody Swedish!

Pistonhead's 'Low Ridin Lager' pours a completely transparent yellow, looking slightly tacky to be honest. Doesn't look appealing at all. There is a slightly fizzy lager head, but that's about it. The taste is very light, and clean, and the prominent flavours are malt and honey. The afertaste is heavily hopped for a lager, but it is too little too late. It hasn't been tuned properly, the engine stalled off the line, and by the time it has shifted in to gear the flag has already been waved.

Pretty disappointing beer really. It's fairly easy to put down, and would go OK as a summer beer, but for a land that doesn't experience summer it kind of renders itself unnecessary. Frankly it isn't good enough to be a major imported beer, I believe they have a wider range so I hope to high hell some of those are more leadfooted on the throttle.

4/10

Na Biretta Chiara

This is an Italian Pilsner style lager, in a very fashionable receptacle. This beer looks ready to stroll down the catwalk in Milan, throwing down a Blue Steel or two. While it did look slightly on the fancy side, I wasn't expecting too much. This is usually the best setting, when expectations are low, and this would turn out to be none different. The NBC pours a cloudy golden colour with a frothy head, and does look fantastic for a lager. It definitely appears chunkier than what I expected for a Euro Pilsner.

This Pilsner is hugely refreshing, staying nimble without being watery. Grains, malts, and a bitter hopped finish. Very basic, but well produced. The Na Biretta Chiara has a lot of life to it, it's almost the Alfa Romeo of lagers. I say almost because it certainly isn't as daring as an Alfa, and the bottle didn't break on the way home from the bottle shop.

This is a killer summer beer though, very easy to drink, and more depth than a Peroni or something of the like. Great Italian beer, like most lagers it isn't going to knock up a huge score, but it's at the top of it's restricted class. Quite possibly the best Italian beer I have drunk. Haven't had any others in a while to accurately compare, but it's at the very least on par.

6.5/10

Murray's Punch and Judy's Ale

Murray's are the shit. I love how they haven't just done the "We'll do one of those, and one of those and one of those" in terms of their lineup. They have a whole swag of different Pale Ales, and every single one is deserved of it's place on the roster. This one advertises itself as a low alcohol (which I wasn't aware of pre-purchase) beer that defies the notion
that dropping the concentration leads to reduced flavour.

The AHV however is 3.9%. Still over one standard drink. It's a strong mid-strength. So, one must wonder what was the point? It doesn't really give you that much room to breathe if you are trying to stay under .50 as opposed to a full strength beer? You know what? It doesn't fucking matter, because this is freaking delicious. The dark golden brown ale puffs out a huge frothy head, and washes down quicker than Paris Hilton's gynecologist. Sweet malts, bursting fruits, bitter hops. There is a touch less bite to it, but you can't knock the taste.

I suppose this barely classifies as a mid strength, and it is damn near the best I've ever had. LC's Rogers Beer is very good, and this is around the same level. After a long Christmas day it was a good night cap after a day of drinking Coronas. A tried and true session beer.

8/10

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock

Well that's a name and a half. 'Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock', sounds almost like the title of a wealthy German lord. The label has been constructed in such a way, that it looks like it could be a secret document drawn up by a Bavarian pirate fluent in the art of treasure map cartography. Upon finding the only sembelence of the English language on the bottle, it appears this a smokebeer.

I am not even fucking with you right now. This beer smells like bacon. I had to ask my girlfriend to whiff it just convince myself I hadn't gone insane. What sorcery is this? I am left pondering what delights or horrors await me inside this glass. I've had some beers that have been 'smoked', and often stouts are a bit burnt, but I'm unsure as to whether I've had something that smells like the aftermath of an inferno at a pig pen.

The taste is something to behold. It tastes like planting your tongue on smoking embers of wood. Hits very heavy at first, and I was left wondering how I was going to get through a 500ml bottle for a moment. Gradually as you burst through the clouds of ash and in to the open, some sweetened malts start to waft by to slightly counteract the smoke. The finish is sour and bitter, but not necessarily in a bad way.

Haven't had too many bock beers so this is still a new experience. I can't say that it tastes amazing because at the moment it's a touch intense. This is definitely a 'grow on you' style of beer. Still, it feels like a very well crafted beer and I'd be game to give it another go. I had always wondered what it would be like to faceplant in to a campfire, so at least I can check that one off this list for now.

7/10

Moa Pale Ale

Why the hell have I never heard of these guys before now? Moa is officially one of the best Kiwi brewers I've ever come across. Monteith and Macs have been the most talked about in my experience. Moa is right up there. I'm not even going to pad out the suspense till the end, I'm just gonna say straight off the bat that this is a fantastic American style Pale Ale.

It pours a browny/orange colour, with swirling clouds and snarling carbonation as it leaves the bottle. I remember the lager was similar, tamer, but similar. I don't know if the Ruination really did ruin my taste buds, like yesterday's Red Ale, this APA is noticeably bitter due to the immense presence of hops. All I can taste initially is hops. Sweet roasted malts sneak through with a hint of caramel, but it's all just some wrapping paper around the box of hops.

Hugely refreshing, perfectly carbonated, smooth and bitter. Really enjoyed this. The beer is smooth but aggressive at the same time in a daringly unique way. It's like Nate Dogg...if he gotten bitten by a rabid raccoon during a 3 day speed bender. I recommend this to anyone who likes Pale Ales. I will just finish with one thing though... they could probably do without the deceptively large and heavy bottle. It looks huge...it's just a 375. The glass is just thicker than Kirsty Alley's left thigh. The beer is pricey enough already without this not so necessary encasing.

8/10

St Peters Ruby Red Ale

The bottle that this beer comes in is quite impressive, and is apparently a version of an 18th century oval bottle. The St Peters brewery is also situated in a medieval hall that was established in 1280. That is some old school shit right there.

Staying true to it's name, the beer pours a deep clouded ruby red. There is little to no head, which is a common theme with British beers. The flavour does strike like a Knight and is far more heavily hopped than a majority of Red Ales I've had in the past. Without a doubt, this is the most bitter Red Ale I can remember drinking. Intimidating at first, but adjustable over time. Gradually sweet malts, toffee, and caramel begin to emerge and smoothe out some of the edges.

Nothing can blunt this blade though. The bitter hops slice through like a knife to butter leaving all else in their wake. It's maybe overhopped, as I would have liked to have gotten more of the caramel and toffee before being struck in the head by a mace. Still, this is a good beer. Those inexperienced in battle may fall on their own sword though.


7.5/10

Stone Ruination IPA

This IPA came highly recommended by a guy down at Acland Cellars. It also came with a similarly lofty asking price. I really don't want to fill up the remainder of this challenge with cheap imported lagers, which was the easy option, so I decided to bite the bullet. The beer comes with an epic blurb on the bottle, which really is so long and outlandish there is no point trying to lay out an abridged version. Let's just say that this beer is Stone's liquid poem to the glory of the hop!

Thus, I prepared myself. 7 or 8 months ago such a ludicrously hopped beer would have left me broken and bruised, lying on the ground drowning in a pool of bitterness. My developed appreciation for the little green flower has allowed me to developed a tolerance now, and I am better able to deconstruct the different elements of the beer rather than just reel in horror.

The Ruination claims that it is so overhopped it will ruin your palette, thereafter rendering any other beer too boring to consider. The IPA pours a cloudy peach colour, looking somewhat ugly but attractive at the same time. Interestingly the cloudiness dissipates rather quickly. As described, the taste is akin to a battering ram breaching through the door to your taste buds. The bitterness is immense.

Incredibly, after you begin to fine tune your senses like the knobs on a transistor radio, everything starts smoothing out. The crackling distortion fades, and clarity is found. For what is basically an avalanche of hops and a bee's dick of malt, the beer is ingeniously balanced.

At the start it was maybe sitting around an 8...8.5. But this is a 9. I'm not going to rate anything perfect, but it is thereabouts as close as anyone is going to get.

9/10

Ambar Cerveza Especial

There isn't a lot of information that can be found on this beer. Couldn't really find a lot of info online with a quick google, and the bottle is in Spanish. So the beer is Spanish, this is the most I have gathered. The beer pours a very unimpressive fizzy lager yellow, perhaps if anything slightly darker than usual. Like a Spaniard...really.

The taste is fairly basic. It's a mainstream lager. Lightly hopped, sweet malts, fizzy carbonation. It goes down pretty easy, as it's meant to. It would be a fine accompaniment to a meal under the sun in Madrid I guess. I'm trying to pad this out a bit here, because I really struggle to get excited about mass produced lagers nowadays.

So I'll keep this short and sweet. If this is what they are serving at the bar you're at in Spain, you can be rest assured that it is an acceptable lager and vanilla enough for almost anyone to drink.


4/10

Wicked Elf Witbier

Here concludes my bevy of beers from The Little Brewing Co. So far they have been fairly solid. Not a wildly innovative bunch, but the point is that is far from an insult. Everything I've tried has been true to form, and they deserve their spot amongst Australia's prominent microbreweries. Last cab off the rank is a witbier, which was timely because something light is all I could go for in my currently hungover state.

The beer looks impressive in the glass, bearing a huge frothy head sitting atop a cloudy golden yellow body. The feel of the beer is great, light and soft like a fluffy marshmallow. The flavours are your standard fare of citrus siblings, lemon and orange, and the run of the mill wheat infused with stinging carbonation. The latter though is a touch toned down, the bubbles are noticeably lighter than your normal witbier.

This is a very smooth, but somewhat reserved customer. Some witbiers pack a sharp punch, whereas this has it's head up in the clouds. Less Latrell Sprewell, more Manute Bol. It's a good witbier, but with such subtle variations between them it has become a very crowded market. If someone asked me my favourite I wouldn't even know what to say, as at the end of the day, it's a much of a muchness isn't it?

7/10

Moa Original Lager

Australian's seem to wear a reputation for 'being able to drink', and especially carry a penchant for being obsessed with beer. While flying slightly under the radar, the Kiwis aren't far off the pace. They can knock them back with the world's best, and also are quite adept at producing their own quality alcoholic beverages. Probably more famous for their wine, they should be just as celebrated for their beers.

Moa describes itself as 'beer for Olympians'. I was slightly hesitant after reading this as I assumed this meant it was packed full of human growth hormone and masking agents. I have to say the label is extremely basic and very unimaginative, and after numerous trips to this particular bottle shop it's the first time I've even noticed it. An this is even when scouring painfully for beers I haven't tried yet.

The beer pours that fizzy yellow lager colour with no head, but upon further inspection contains a nice cloudy hue. It tastes slightly sweet, slightly bitter, with a very pleasant feel. It is as smooth as the polished marble floors in Pierce Brosnan's hallway. This is unbelievably easy to drink and would turn any recovering alcoholic into Humphrey Bogart within minutes. It's extremely basic, so the score reflects that, but don't get it twisted - this is a great beer.

6.5/10

Mad Abbot Dubbel

Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. This is an Aussie brewer's attempt at whipping up a Belgian Dubbel. These are the same guys that brought us the Wicked Elf Pale Ale. Will it lack the lustre that only hundreds of years of dedication and mastery can bring? The secrets of the Trappist monks are not widely spread, and a lot harder to imitate than a Witbier or Pale Ale.

The beer pours a reddish brown, with an absolutely perfect frothy head. The flavours are immediately impressive. There are sweet and spicy fruits, dark malts, with a hint of hops at the finish. The blend of flavours would even raise an eyebrow in Bruges. I can wholeheartedly say this beer tastes fantastic. The news is not all good however. Maybe it's the lack of holy water, but this does not feel like a Belgian Ale. At all. The feel is more local. It's light, and sharp on the carbonation. It's pretty refreshing given it's a Dubbel and this would no doubt be a suitably sessionable beer.

So now there's a decision to be made. Is this an attempt AT a Belgian Ale? Or an attempt to modify the style to the local climate? I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt. This would not hold up in a direct comparison, but let's ditch the framework. As a beer, on it's own, this is solid. Big on the flavour, easy to knock back. Like Californian Mexican food or Asian Fusion restaurants... it might not please the traditionalists, but if it feels good - do it.



7.5/10

Lobethal Bierhaus Christmas Ale

I don't know if it's just me, but Jelly Belly jellybeans have always amazed the shit out of me. How they manage to pack an almost pitch perfect recognisable flavour in to a singular jelly bean is a question that will plague mankind for generations. Some are bewildered by advancing microchip technology... while I stare down at at a small coloured bean. Next level flavour sensation. The reason I bring this up, is that Lobethal have walked a similar path with this 'Christmas Ale'.

The beer pours a rich dark brown colour, almost black from some angles. It kind of looks like a Christmas pudding. The head is small, and there is a big aroma wafting from the surface. The taste is of Christmas cake. Dark malts and spiced fruits. I'm going to readily admit that I don't even like Christmas cake. At all. But I am amazed at the transition that has taken place with this beer. It is tastier than any Christmas cake I've ever eaten in my life.

This beer is like Avatar. It's about the spectacle. Slack jawed and amazed at what has been achieved... but also acknowledging in the aftermath that you've been somewhat duped in the process. Do you really want a beer that tastes like Christmas cake? Does Pocahontas really need to be in 3D with blue skinned Rastafarian Aliens? I have been successfully distracted by something shiny. The novelty value is worth the price of admission alone I guess.

7/10

St Feuillien Tripel

And here completes the Trifecta from this Belgian brewer. This is an 8.5% Triple and will likely cement them as another consistent performer that I have encountered on this quest. I've never been a big wine drinker, but in terms of beer, the gulf between a VB and a Belgian Trappist ale stretches as far as John Goodman's underwear during an attempt at breaking a world record for squatting. A lot of people whinge about the prices for 'non mainstream' or 'craft' beer, but when you compare it to other forms of alcohol where such an expanse is accepted, it's almost fair enough.

The Tripel pours a glorious blonde colour, and looks far from thin and watery. There is definite curves on the body, it's like Scarlett Johansson in a glass. The initial taste is fresh and spicy, and taste almost like a apples and pears. Maybe grapes as well. The image I'm getting is light coloured fruits... if that makes sense. The carbonation is punchy, if anything a touch overdone, but still adds a good sting. The finish is all bitter hops and a warm alcoholic afterburner.

They are too expensive to be regular haunts, but I'll definitely continue grabbing a few Belgian or local micro singles along with my six pack. Generally best to be sampled and enjoyed while chilling out on the couch, rather than being knocked back while out on the town. This is a tasty, refreshing, bold ale and I can recommend it to anyone who likes this style of beer.

8/10

Old Fart

I love a beer that doesn't take itself too seriously. There's a lot of chest puffing amongst beer brewers at times, so sometimes it's good to have a laugh. This is a British beer doesn't wear any specific moniker like a 'Pale Ale' or 'Red Ale' or something of the like. It's just a beer. Named 'Old Fart'.

The ale pours a fairly transparent brown/red colour with not a lick of a head. This seems to be common in English Ales, which at times can seem 'flat'. Perhaps this is due to the Pom's penchant for drinking beers at room temperature rather than cold out of the fridge. I imagine this beer is somewhat like it would tasted if you licked a malt shovel. English malts dominate, with a slightly fruity tone and a lightly bittered finish. Malt and hops. Simple, but effective.

The feel of the beer is light though, and feels a bit flimsy. It tastes good, and is easy to drink... but there is no hair on it's cajones. It's too polite. They haven't really bent any bones in the flavour department, so it would've helped to beef up the overall tone of the beer. An acceptable beer, but perhaps a bit unoriginal.

6.5/10

Cavalier Pale

What a UFC! After a big day of drinking and watching some classic fights, I nestled into a kebab for dinner and tucked into this bad boy. I'd never seen this beer before when I picked it up from the Prahran Market. You really do feel for some of these micros that have the same level of distribution as 'Hooters and Hijabs' magazine, while some straight out bullshit beers litter the city from asshole to breakfast.

The Cav pours a dark gold/amber with a decent head. The taste caught me off guard, this beer is bigger than it looks. Huge tropical flavours like paw paw and mango sit up front, backed up by piney hops and a bitter finish. The carbonation is bold and sharp but fades quickly. It's like an Angry Man or Pacific Ale mixed with a strong American Pale Ale. It's a great combination and thoroughly enjoyable.

The amalgamation of tropical fruits and slabs of hops give the beer distinct diversity. This would work in both hot and cold weather, indoors or out. Cavalier Pale Ale deserves a lot more notoriety. I've never heard of it, I've never heard anyone else mention it. This Brunswick based brewer is on to a winner with this one. If you see it out and about some time grab a couple.



8/10

St Ambroise Pale Ale

Today I'm feeling very sleep deprived and hung over after a big night out, but like they say there is nothing like the hair of the dog. On the menu is a Pale Ale from St Ambroise. This is actually a Canadian brewery, a fact I hadn't noticed when I tried their oatmeal stout. I've only really had beers from the mainstream Canuck brewhouses, I was really impressed with the Yank micros so it would be great to try some Canadians. I really don't know how big this Quebec-based maker is, but I don't remember seeing it when I lived in Canada. The Pale pours an amber/copper colour without a significant head. The flavours are fairly simple, but very effective.

Crisp malt and hops dominate, and the beer boasts a slightly oily but very pleasant feel. At first the most I really thought was 'not bad', but with each sip I grew more and more impressed. Sometimes like a new album from your favourite band, it takes some time to connect like you have in the past. Nuts and grains start to eminate, and the overall flavour starts to really take shape. It's a malt and hop driven beer, with a good supporting cast, and that's generally a good recipe.

It's a moderate Pale Ale, not too light but not too heavy. Considering I was a bit fragile, this beer was extremely easy to drink. Like a sex offender's front door, there aren't a lot of knocks on it. It achieves everything it sets out to achieve, without swinging for the fence and striking out in the process.

7.5/10

St Feuillien Brune

St Unpronouncable gave us a very beefed up Blonde beer that I enjoyed thoroughly a couple of weeks back, up here we have their 'Brune'. Not really sure what 'Brune' means, I'm going to guess 'Brown'? Perhaps it's a Brown Ale? It's an 8.5% beer, like much of the Belgian brewing brotherhood. That's all I can tell you because there isn't a scrap of English on the bottle. Interestingly 'Vitamin C' is one of the ingredients listed, so it's safe to assume that this is a healthy beverage and perhaps one to drink if you feel a cold coming on. I have read that naturopaths have even suggested it be used for colonic treatment.

The beer does pour a deep cloudy brown with a whopping head, that subsequently almost ended up on the floor. The first thing I noticed was the punch of alcohol, which was far more noticeable than in the blonde. It does require a bit of focus and patience. On about the third sip some of the dominant flavours started filtering through. It tastes a little bit like biscuits and caramel with some feint berry like flavours. Something dark, perhaps blackberry. The finish is dry and bitter and this is really where the hops pop up and say hello.

It's a decent beer, I don't think I enjoyed it as much as the Blonde though. The flavours are probably deeper, but it's nowhere near as refreshing and doesn't hide the burn as well. You can't question the craftsmanship, it's a masterfully brewed beer, simply put at the end of the day it just didn't push all of the right buttons. If you're a Belgian beer head then it's worth a try, if not then don't last any sleep.

7/10

Wicked Elf Pale Ale

This beer has a fitting title, as I am currently deep in a Skyrim hole. Anyone else out there whose played it will know what I mean. Wicked Elf is produced by 'The Little Brewing Company', who are based in Port Macquarie. The label describes the beer as brewed in an American style using Australian and English Barley, and American hops.

The beer pours an impressive light amber/copper colour, but does look flatter than a tack, on Alicia Silverstone's surfboard. There is about as much head as the famous horseman. The flavours are quite interesting, and you can give them some originality points here. There are some caramel/nutty qualities like an American Pale Ale or Amber right at the forefront. The midpoint an aftertaste however, are as bitter as the atmosphere in the Jolie household after a rejection on an adoption application.

It's an interesting beer, that has to be said. The feel of the beer is moderate, but solid. and the flavours are substantial. Somehow though, it all feels a bit underwhelming. It may well be due to the carbonation. More often it's over carbonation that unbalances a beer but in this instance it's the lack thereof. This is always tough because I've had many a better Pale Ale, but at least the Wicked Elf runs it's own race. Solid effort, there could be some improvement to be had out of this base though.

6.5/10

Water, Malt, Hops, Yeast

I believe this is Swords Select's own brew, they have that little beer and wine stand at the Prahran Market. Rather than come up with some sort of shrewd marketing garb or a unique angle, they've simply named the beer after it's ingredients. Or have they? Given the boutique beer boom in the country, and Melbourne in particular, the desire for 'homemade', 'organic', and 'natural' beers has never been higher in the post-industrial era. Rather than rabbit on about how bare bones their beer is in a blurb on the bottle, they've hit that nail on the end in the title of the beer itself. Well Played.

The beer looks fantastic in the glass. It pours a deep, thick, and murky orange and yellow haze. This beer is not just cloudy, if you flew a plane through it you'd end up with half of cattle class on the ceiling. This follows through on to the feel of the beer to an extent. It's still light, but you can just feel... stuff in there. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but there's depth to the beer that you can feel. The flavours of the beer are as titled. Malt and hops dominate the scene, with sharp witbier like carbonation.

It's in interesting marriage. The flavours and murky body are counterweighted by the light feel and sharp carbonation. It's not overly smooth, yet is still well balanced. I really did enjoy this beer. It's pretty basic, but I appreciate that. You would probably have to find a Swords Select to try this, but if you do, I can vouch it's worth trying.

7/10

Brooklyn Brown Ale

I've had two beers from these blokes to date, and I have to say that they have both been sturdy and reliable. Like a modern day Volvo. I say modern day, because there's a little bit of punch in there. Their Lager was unique and their IPA swung for the rafters. This was the last beer in my fridge before I had to re-stock the shelves, and by chance today while Christmas shopping I bought a chocolate crepe. This contained enough chocolate to last me a month, and now I have to drink a Brown Ale. I'll try my best to not let this damage the experience.

Boom! Chocolate. The beer pours a chocolatey brown and has a familiar mocha aroma. The flavours are, as you would expect, chocolate and coffee with some malt and nuts. It's fairly stock standard for a brown ale, and perhaps a smidgen less creative than their other beers. BB's beers tend to be a bit light on the body, which was fine for the lager and mildly disappointing for the IPA but it's a blessing for the Brown Ale. The deep, rich flavours need to be balanced out and this comes in the form of a refreshing body.

I have to admit this was deeper than I expected. It's almost like watching Katy Perry discuss string theory. This is probably the most complex of Brooklyn's beers. The IPA was aggressively hopped but there wasn't a hell of a lot else going on. For someone who doesn't really eat a lot of chocolate, I now need to go and have a lie down...

6.5/10

Blanche De Namur

Wheat beers have never really been high on my list, and while I've had some decent ones during this challenge none of them have really grabbed me by the jugular. Still...I strangely find myself hankering for one all of a sudden. After countless Trappist ales and complex IPAs and dark ales, sometimes you just want something simple and refreshing. Enter the witbier.

This is another Belgian offering, and from memory it was fairly cheap given that it's a Belgian import. Maybe 4 bucks something? The beer pours a very impressive hazy pale straw colour, and looks 'fuller' than some other witbiers I've had.

All the normal flavours are there, there is nothing new or different to be had. Zesty citrus, spices, coriander, and the vessel they are carred in is perfect. The body is weighty but still light enough, and the sting of carbonation is short and sharp. This is like a witbier in HD. There is perfect clarity.

On a scorching summer's day thirsty mouths will become an endangered species. This is a perky, refreshing witbier that is impossible to hate. It might not sweep you off your feet, but it'll provide a damn fine quickie... and sometimes that's all you need. Who would've thought something that sounds like a regal French grandmother would taste so spritely?

7.5/10

Le Trappe Quadrupel

The medieval armies had their catapults, the world war troops had their artillery and modern generals have their carpet bombs. There always comes a time when you have to pull out the big guns. When only a rocket propelled grenade will do... there is no room for pea shooters and fisticuffs. This is a 10% AHV Belgian Trappist Ale. This is Chuck Norris wearing a loin cloth.

The Quad pours a thick, murky amber brown with effervescent bubbles streaming to the surface leaving it appearing almost like a Hindu Guinness. From the moment you sip it, your entire mouth is warmed with a fire of alcohol that is quickly muffled by blanket of flavour. The balance is critically sound. The flavours are familiar, dominated by sweet and spicy fruit and nuts. This beer is not about specific nuances, it's all centered around the fragile tightrope walk that the brewers have to tread. Producing a smooth drinking beer with 1/10th of it being pure alcohol is as daunting a proposition as your first battle against Dr. Wily while playing Megaman as a kid.

Really it's just showing off. It's like the double back flip. Remember when people started doing back flips on all sorts of random shit and the world went crazy? Then some dude did a double back flip. It's almost rude to the rest of us insignificant peasants to go around double back flipping various modes of transportation. By no means a casual beer to drink on the balcony, but if you've got enough hair on your chest to give it a go you will most likely be pleasantly surprised.

8/10

Bridge Road Brewers Celtic Red Ale

Haven't had a Bridge Road beer in a while, too long it seems. I've always liked their range but for some reason tend to overlook them when scanning for a sixer. Their selection of beers do come with a hefty price tag. Still, you do get what you pay for in the end. Once this journey is over, I'll make it a priority to make them a regular in the fridge.

Their Red Ale pours the colour of burnt toffee. The dominating flavour is definately malt, thickened by caramel and toffee and a nutty finish. It really is a brilliant combination of flavours and from the word go this was one of the best Red Ales I'd sampled. While the beer is relatively transparent in appearance it has this creamy texture to it, in the same way that a good Irish whiskey does. There would be nary a Paddy in Dublin that wouldn't approve. Sturdy, without being heavy, and delicately flavoured without being soft. Very well balanced.

I can safely say that Larry Bird himself would approve of this Celtic Red Ale. It feels like the beer equivalent of a glass of Jameson. While not being anything outrageous or extraordinary, it's a superbly smooth customer who ticks all the necessary boxes.

8/10