After my first day back in the office today I came charging through the front door in a disheveled state, frantically reaching out for the nearest beer like a poison victim scrambling after an antidote. To my excitement, the first bottle I clambered upon was this IPA by Mountain Goat. Most people from Melbourne should be well and truly familiar with the Goat by now, as their range of Ales are just about as well known as Little Creatures and Matilda Bay. While I will happily acknowledge that they make great beers, admittedly their placement in the market is a touch overpriced. I'm happy to pay for quality, but they're about as expensive as an imported Sierra Nevada, and at the end of the day that is a bit of a stretch.
The very last beer I had on my 365 day challenge was their 'Rare Breed' IPA, which is a single release handcrafted IPA that set me back a whopping $16. Some attribute it's release to the tipping of the fiscal cliff. Yes, it is brilliant, but that one beer is the price of an entire six pack of something else. Unless they are providing respite for a gang of Trappist monks hiding out in Richmond, they could perhaps reel it in just a little. The point has been made, so let's just move on to the beer itself.
It looks promising out of the bottle, pouring a toffee/amber like colour. There is little to no carbonation, which takes the sting out, much like a failed Police reunion. I can't remember exactly, but I believe the Rare Breed had a similar appearance. The flavours are definitely bold, without going overboard. Citrus fruits, malt, hops, a touch of pine, it's standard fare that is perhaps a touch darker and maltier than many other Aussie IPAs. The balance between the supporting flavours and the swag of hops is exactly what was lacking in the BBC Figjam. Everything melds together here in much more of a harmonious fashion. At the end of the day it's really just a little brother to the Rare Breed, which while not pushing the boundaries of creativity, is still not a bad thing. They are both cracking beers.
Speaking of creativity, what's with the name? All of their beers have unique titles like the 'High Tail', or 'Rare Breed'. This has no name. They could have called it 'Cliff Hopper' or something... playing off the mountain goat and hopped IPA angle.
Whens all said and done, this is a great beer and reserves it's spot among the better IPAs on the market.
8/10
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