Imperial Red IPA – ABV 9%

Different to your normal DIPA; resinous piney hops meet cherry and plum sweetness and a boozy smooth caramel – a liquid Werther’s Original for grown-ups.

Aroma: Big hits of pine and citrus the hops, with an extra big hit of caramel the malt.

Taste: You start with the resinous hop flavours of a solid double IPA but then the hops fade to a gorgeous smooth caramel finish.

Food Pairing: Once again we can’t help looking to South East Asia for foods to pair with IPAs. Try those caramel malts with a noodle dish like a Pad Thai.

Verdict: Another creamy boozy bullseye the Verdant team; this one is part of their RadicaAle Range so keep a look out for more.

Bourbon Oktober Imperial Stout – ABV 9%

Bourbon barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout; roasted malt and a JD-style sweet finish – certainly beer to be savoured, perhaps with smoked meat or a barbecue.

Aroma: Pure Jack Daniels with just a hint of hops to remind you that it’s a beer.

Taste: It drinks super-smooth. To begin with you get roasted malt, with a sweet dark chocolate booziness to contrast the bitterness the hops, then as the hops begin to fade the Bourbon flavours take over to leave a beautiful aftertaste.

Food Pairing: This beer pairs well with flavours of the deep South. Try it with mesquite smoked barbecued meats, or a prawn jambalaya.

Verdict: It’s a Bourbon barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout. Need we say more?

I’m Spartacus IPA – ABV 6.8%

Grassy and resinous, this Simcoe-driven India Pale Ale has loads of layers, including a refreshing grapefruit bitterness and tropical American-hop citrus tones.

Look: This particular Spartacus pours a hazy light golden colour.

Aroma: Grapefruit, lime and pine with the sort of grassiness you expect an APA, but which doesn’t overpower the other aromas.

Taste: There is bitterness against the booziness of the alcohol without the usual dry finish you’d normally expect a beer of this style. Best served fridge cold.

Food pairing: Beers of this style work extremely well with salty fried foods. 
Try pairing it with the crispiness of salt and pepper king prawns.

Crate Digger Imperial Coffee Stout – ABV 8.3%

Alphabet’s breakfast stout is packed with smooth and rich coffee and oats but balances chocolate and vanilla notes with a tangy, fruity imperial coffee stout finish.

Look: Pours jet black in the glass thick dark tan foamy head

Aroma: Roasted malt and a just a whiff of coffee.

Taste: Full bodied and smooth with the flavours of roasted malt, chocolate and coffee all in perfect balance.

Food Pairing: Try pairing with the meaty flavour of a shepherds pie, or some grilled mushrooms. 

Verdict: It does everything it says on the bottle, and does it all well. Perfect for a cold dark night in.

 

Double Stout – ABV 9%

Malty with red fruits and berries and dark viscous treacle, Time and Tide Brewing’s Double Stout hides its alcohol dangerously well.

Look: T and T’s Double Stout pours an intense dark black with a small brown head

Aroma: Coffee, malts and dark chocolate.

Taste: The beer is big on roasted malt, with more subtle notes of forest berries, treacle and dark chocolate and a slightly creamy mouthfeel.

Verdict: This is a really well balanced Stout that hides its 9% alcohol very well.
Smooth and easy drinking.

Barrel Project 17.02 Arran Whisky Barrel Aged Barley Wine – ABV 12%

Aged in Isle of Arran whisky barrels, this barley wine  Brouwerij Kees is a deep ruby red with Citra hops giving a complex caramel, liquorice and malt notes. 

Look: A deep ruby red ruby body with foamy creamy head

Aroma: Molasses and caramel start before the liquor and tang of liquorice kick in. Complex layers of rye, malts and some barley notes

Taste: Chocolate and caramel with some slight alcohol burn accompanied by a silky finish plus brunt sugar and creme brulee

Verdict: Gorgeous colour and silky sweet chocolate flavours – I believe Isle have another, please.

Haken & Ogen Bourbon Jim Beam Barrel Aged Imperial Stout – ABV 10.7%

Roughly translated to Hassle & Snags, this impy stout was aged in barrels for a year to be bursting with a boozy bourbon notes, malts, chocolate, and coffee.

Look: Pours black, opaque, hazy, with frothy brown foam head and medium carbonation.

Aroma: Chocolate, rich coffee, vanilla, burnt caramel and even some floral hints.

Taste:  Some roasted malts coming through behind dark chocolate, coffee, caramel, some dark fruits and more vanilla. Thick and full-bodied.

Verdict: Rich and boozy, drinking this certainly isn’t a Hassle.

Dubbel – ABV 7%

With an iconic recipe dating back to 1987, this classic Belgian beer has strong caramel notes and a rich, sweet taste the Barley malts and yeast. 

Look: Dark brown colour and just off-clear with a foamy beige head.

Aroma: Gentle yet distinguishable caramel notes and the Caramel malts.

Taste: More caramel and toffee and some rich malty sweetness, with hints of dates, raisins. A long, smooth drink with medium body and a long, chewy finish.

Verdict: A caramel-flavoured classic.

Five O’Clock Shadow – ABV 7.3%

This American IPA is brimming with Summit, Apollo and Columbus hops so it’s bold strong and uncompromising – just like a real American cowboy.

Look: Hazy gold with a nice foamy off-white head and strong lacing.

Aroma: Big citrus notes straight out of the gate with grapefruit, orange and lemon zest; some resinous, piney tones and hoppy crispness.

Taste: The CaraRed and Munich malts start to take the lead with toast and biscuit notes but still plenty of citrus sweetness.

Verdict: Weird Beard encouraged us to embrace our inner cowboy with this one. So, quite simply, yee haw.

Juiceadelic DIPA – ABV 8.2%

This is a juicy, hazy double IPA made with oats for a soft, chewy mouthfeel and bucketloads of Citra and Mosaic hops.

Look: Golden amber with a slight haze.

Aroma: Delicate aroma of oranges and passionfruit.

Taste: Lots of orange zest and biscuit with a lovely thick mouthfeel the oats and a dry and slightly spicy finish.

Verdict: Superbly juicy, bursting with oranges and passionfruit and the characteristic mouthfeel that you only get oats in the grist. Top stuff.