Category Archives: Country

Stone Arrogant Double Bastard Ale

Brewery: Stone Brewing Co. (Arrogant Consortia)
Country: USA
ABV: 11%
Style: American Strong Ale
Other Notes: IBU – classified. Hops – classified

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Warning: Double Bastard Ale is not to be wasted on the tentative or weak. Only the Worthy are invited, and then only at your own risk. If you have even a modicum of hesitation, DO NOT buy this bottle. Instead, leave it for a Worthy soul who has already matriculated to the sublime ecstasy of what those in the know refer to as “Liquid Arrogance.”

This is one lacerative muther of a beer. It is unequivocally certain that your feeble palate is grossly inadequate and thus undeserving of this liquid glory…and those around you would have little desire to listen to your resultant whimpering. Instead, you slackjawed and gaping gobemouche, slink away to that pedestrian product that lures agog the great unwashed with the shiny happy imagery of its silly broadcast propaganda. You know, the one that offers no challenge, yet works very, very hard to imbue the foolhardy with the absurd notion that they are exercising “independent” thought, or attempts to convey the perception it is in some way “authentic” or “original.” It’s that one that makes you feel safe and delectates you into basking in the warm, fuzzy and befuddled glow of your own nescience. Why so many allow themselves to be led by the nose lacks plausible explanation. Perhaps you have been so lulled by the siren song of ignorance that you don’t even notice your white-knuckle grip on it. You feel bold and unique, but alas are nothing but sheep, willingly being herded to and fro. If you think you are being piqued in this text, it is nothing when compared to the insults we are all asked to swallow streaming forth from our televisions and computers. Truth be told, you are being coddled into believing you are special or unique by ethically challenged “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” marketers who layer (upon layer) imagined attributes specifically engineered to lead you by the nose. Should you decide to abdicate your ability to make decisions for yourself, then you are perhaps deserving of the pabulum they serve. Double Bastard Ale calls out the garrulous caitiffs who perpetrate the aforementioned atrocities and demands retribution for their outrageously conniving, intentionally misleading, blatantly masturbatory and fallacious ad campaigns. We demand the unmitigated, transparent truth. We demand forthright honesty. We want justice! Call ‘em out and line ‘em up against the wall…NOW.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.07
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber, bottled on 15th October 2015. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A cloudy murky rusty orange brown colour with a thin orangey beige head that disappeared quickly while leaving some nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet malt, citrusy orange peel, citrus pith, caramel, orange hard candy, bourbon and dark dried fruit like raisins.
Taste: Sweet malt, caramel, toffee, light bitterness, grapefruit peel, citrus pith, dried dark fruit, bourbon, piney hops and some light spice.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with soft carbonation and a touch boozy.
Overall: A good balance between sweet, bitter and spice. While not overly boozy, it is a sipper, and a nice one at that.

Mikkeller Spontan Nelson

Brewery: Mikkeller ApS
Country: Denmark
ABV: 7.3%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Brewed by Mikkeller at De Proef Brouwerij, Belgium

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Blended Wild Ale aged in oak barrels.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.83
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 750ml bottle with a best before date of 17th March 2026. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A cloudy amber orange colour with an almost three finger off white head that had decent retention while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Funky, brett, white wine, grapes, oak, green apple and a touch herbal.
Taste: Light sour, funky, brett, oak, lemon peel, light bitterness, with hints of wine, grapes and apple peel.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: This was interesting. I preferred the aroma more than the taste though, as there was some bitter notes that weren’t my favourite. Still worth a try.

Carbon Brews Sour Punch

Brewery: Carbon Brews
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 4.5%
Style: German Berliner Weisse
Other Notes: Malts – Pilsner, Wheat and Carapils. Hops – Cryo Loral and Wakatu. Yeast – Chico Ale. Fruit – Raspberry, Passionfruit, Guava, Cranberry, Pineapple and Mango. Experience – Refreshing, tart, raspberry punch

Brewer Description: (from can) Fruit punch berliner weisse.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.23
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of 11th January 2020. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A very cloudy pink guava juice colour with a two finger slightly pinkish white head that had decent retention while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Tart, fruit punch, tropical fruits, raspberry, guava, wheat with hints of pineapple.
Taste: Tart, lightly sour, wheaty, fruit punch, raspberry, guava, mango, pineapple, with hints of lime.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I like it when Carbon drop a lot of fruit into their beers. Much like Meringue-Utang, this was very fruity and very easy to drink while maintaining the wheatiness from a Berliner Weisse. Great fruit punch flavours with raspberry and guava dominating.

Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin Brut Dry Hopped!

Brewery: Mikkeller ApS
Country: Denmark
ABV: 9%
Style: Bière de Champagne / Bière Brut
Other Notes: Brewed by Mikkeller at De Proef Brouwerij, Belgium

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Dry hopped Belgian Wild Ale aged in chardonnay barrels.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.05
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml foiled, corked and caged bottle with a best before date of 7th March 2022. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A cloudy amber copper colour with a big three finger off white slightly orangey head that had decent retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Brett, funk, grape, white wine, oak, with some floral and herbal notes.
Taste: What you’d expect from the aroma with brett, funky, grape, white wine, oak, apple peel, lemon rind and floral notes. Some sweet, some sour and some bitter.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Alcohol was well hidden but I was hoping for more carbonation. Aromas and flavour was good though and well worth trying.

Heroes Lazy Dayz

Brewery: Heroes Beer Co.
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 7.9%
Style: New England / Hazy Double IPA
Other Notes: 26 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from can) Never give up. Deep gold color with some lazy haze. Packed with green limes ,tangerines, mangoes, and grassy hop aroma. A simple but sturdy malt base with very low levels of toastiness. Finished with fruit-like sweetness and velvety mouthfeel.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.22
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml can, packaged on 6th September 2019 and with a best before date of 6th December 2019. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A very hazy orange colour with a big two finger white head that had great retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Fruity, tropical mango, citrusy, orange zest and pith, splash of lime and a light grassy note.
Taste: Good sweet and bitter balance. Mango, mandarin peel, orange zest, and some lightly grassy.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I like it. One of my favourite IPAs from Hong Kong so far, and the scene definitely keeps improving. Juicy, zesty, with a good balance between sweet and bitter. Goes down easy and enjoyable to drink.