Category Archives: 4 – Good (buy)

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Foreign / Export Stout, Garage Project, New Zealand

Garage Project Mutiny on the Bounty

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Brewery: Garage Project
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 11.2%
Style: Foreign / Export Stout
Other Notes: South Pacific Export Stout

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Come on a journey below the 45th parallel. Inspired by the ill fated expedition of the HMS Bounty, Mutiny is a very South Pacific take on an export stout, brewed with breadfruit, roasted plantain, coconut sugar, toasted coconut and Tahitian vanilla. Spirituous heat elegantly balanced with deep, rich coconut vanilla sweetness in an ebony black brew of intense complexity. A voyage to the true heart of darkness.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.46
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 650ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a just over one finger tanned head that had decent retention and left some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Vanilla, coconut, roasted malts, chocolate, biscuit, bread and banana.
Taste: Roasted malts, sweet and creamy milk chocolate and vanilla, a touch of bitter dark chocolate and toasted coconut with hints of dark fruit and nuttiness.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied, light booze and low carbonation.
Overall: A very nice self described Export Stout. Breadfruit was used in the description, but I have no idea what this is meant to taste like. Nevertheless, this is a great sipper for a cold night.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Cerveses La Pirata, Spain, Stout - Russian Imperial

La Pirata Black Block Bourbon Aged

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Brewery: Cerveses La Pirata
Country: Spain
ABV: 13%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 72 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from website) Russian Imperial Stout Bourbon Barrel Aged. The “Bourbon” version of Pearl Pirate. An even more incendiary beer warms much heart and soul.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.26
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 330ml bottle, bottled on 12th September 2017 and a best before date of September 2022. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with pretty much no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Nice bourbon, vanilla and liquorice with chocolate, cocoa, roasty malts and alcohol in the background along with hints of oak.
Taste: Lightly sweet beginning with bourbon, vanilla, raisins and dried dark fruits followed by a light roast, chocolate and cacao.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with low carbonation and a lightly boozy finish.
Overall: A very nice RIS with great bourbon flavours coming through. Body could have been heavier, but despite this, it was still very good.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Stone Brewing Co., Stout - Russian Imperial, USA

Stone Imperial Russian Stout

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Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 10.8%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2016 release. 65 IBUs. Hops – Warrior

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Stone Imperial Russian Stout is so thick, rich and, well, sinful, you might feel certain that you will be doomed to the fiery pits just for thinking about taking a sip. It almost seems evil. Rest assured, however, that our ever-faithful gargoyle has done his job well by successfully warding off all evil spirits. In fact, we guarantee that no sin was committed in the production of this seemingly pernicious brew. We will admit to using copious doses of decadence in creating the viscous beauty you have before you, but no actual sin.., you’ll have to add that on your own. Brewed in the authentic, historical style of an imperial Russian stout, this beer is massive. Intensely aromatic (notes of anise, black currants, coffee, roastiness and alcohol) and heavy on the palate, this brew goes where few can-and fewer dare even try. The style originated from Czarist Russia’s demand for ever-thicker English stouts. Expect our version of this mysterious brew to pour like Siberian crude and taste even heavier!

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

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber, 2016 release, bottled on 23rd March 2016. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a just under one finger brown head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, chocolate and coffee with some sweet dark fruit, plum, black currant and cherries.
Taste: Similar to the aroma with roasted malts, lightly burnt smokiness, dark chocolate and coffee, followed by dark fruit sweetness of plum and prunes.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, full bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: Great aroma and nice taste at the beginning, but perhaps feeling that it was a bit too sweet towards the end, after finishing a full bomber by myself. Alcohol is well hidden though, and it’s a great bottle to share.

4 - Good (buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Epic Brewing Company, USA

Epic New England Style IPA (Citralush)

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Brewery: Epic Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: “Praise the haze”

Brewer Description: (from website) These juicy, hazy, hop bombs are packed to the brim with flavor. In fact, we’ve been downright irresponsible when it comes to hop utilization. Our brewers have been experimenting with everything from lupulin powder, to massive hop backs, exploring the flavor synergies of fermentation hopping, and literally cramming in more dry hops then our tanks can even hold. Our New England-Style IPA rotates through different recipes as and hop charges as we source new and interesting hop verities. See the side of the can for indicators about each new recipe.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.08
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 12 fl. oz. can with no canned on or best before date. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A cloudy dark orange (like mango juice) colour with a one finger white head that had decent retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Mango, orange, citrus zest, pine and a hint of damp wood.
Taste: Juicy tropical mango and peach, citrus orange zest and lemon peel coupled with touches of pine, dank, bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A nice, refreshing and tasty NEIPA.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Prairie Artisan Ales, Stout - Imperial, USA

Prairie Bomb!

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Brewery: Prairie Artisan Ales
Country: USA
ABV: 13%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Spaceship Earth Coffee Co.. Brewed and bottled by Krebs Brewing Co., Krebs, Oklahoma

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Imperial Stout aged on coffee, cacao nibs, vanilla beans and chili peppers.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.43
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 12 fl. oz. bottle with a Julian bottled on date of 10317, meaning it was bottled on 13th April 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a slightly less than one finger brown head that had dissipated to a thin layer and left some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, vanilla and chili peppers.
Taste: Similar to the aroma with chocolate and vanilla followed by hints of coffee and chili pepper spice.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, medium bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: A very nice and balanced Imperial Stout that I could just keep drinking.