Category Archives: 5 – Excellent (must buy)

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Hong Kong, Moonzen Brewery, Porter - Imperial

Moonzen Yama Sichuan Porter

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Brewery: Moonzen Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 8%
Style: American Imperial Porter
Other Notes: Brewed with Sichuan peppercorns

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This beast of a porter, with wafts of smoked caramel malts and Sichuan peppercorns, will set your senses on fire as you await King Yama’s judgement. Pairs well with Sichuan dishes like 擔擔麵 or 棒棒雞.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.48
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 330ml bottle, bottle numbered 172, with a best before date of 1st June 2016. Poured into a Moonzen teku glass.
Appearance: It poured a dark dark brown colour with a one finger beige head that dissipated quickly, but left some light lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, crushed Sichuan peppercorn, ginger, sweet brown sugar and light caramel.
Taste: Dark roast malts, Sichuan peppercorns, light smoke char, black coffee, chocolate, caramel and a light lasting spicy tinge on the tongue.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: A very good Porter especially if you like spicy Sichuan peppercorns. The peppercorns really come out in the aroma and taste of this beer and mix well the roasty malts, coffee and chocolate flavours. The spiciness is there and lasts but is not overpowering. I would definitely buy this again. I also think aging this would be very interesting.

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5 - Excellent (must buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Garage Project, New Zealand

Garage Project Death From Above

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Brewery: Garage Project
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 7.5%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: Brewed with mango, Vietnamese mint and chili. Hops – Centennial, Amarillo and Citra.

Brewer Description: (from can) An Indochine Pale Ale inspired by the heat and freshness of South East Asian flavours and the high citrus intensity of American hops. Death From Above combines mango, Vietnamese mint, lime and chili with Centennial, Amarillo and Citra hops. This is a beer of balance rather than conflict with bitter-sweet heat and citrus character.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.45
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 330ml can with a best before date of 19th August 2016 and poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear copper amber colour with just over a one finger off white head that dissipates slowly but leaves nice lacing.
Aroma: Tropical fruit strong with mango, pineapples and peach floating about with some light citrus and chili.
Taste: Very interesting. Not at all what I expected but in a good way. Grapefruit bitterness and caramel start strongly before slowly being lightly muted by a refreshing cooling mint coating, some tropical mango and ever so light chili spice.
Mouthfeel: Mid to light bodied with light to medium carbonation.
Overall: An excellent brew. Very balanced between the hop bitterness, cooling mint and light spiciness. The carbonation was on the low side to what I prefer, but the cooling mint helps to rectify this. I loved this… must buy again in my book.

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5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Brasserie Dieu du Ciel, Canada, Stout - Imperial

Dieu du Ciel Péché Mortel

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Brewery: Brasserie Dieu du Ciel
Country: Canada
ABV: 9.5%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Extra strong Stout brewed with coffee.

Brewer Description: (from website) A deep, dark and profound stout. Espresso coffee is infused during the brewing of Péché Mortel, resulting in an intense dark beer with roasted malt flavours enhanced by bitter coffee. The dry finish is long and persistent. Intended as a tasting experience, we invite you to enjoy this brew in moderation.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.71
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 341ml bottle with a bottled on date of 13th August 2015 and poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: It poured a deep dark brown, near black colour with a less than one finger tanned head that disappears fairly quickly but leaves nice small spotty lacing.
Aroma: Strong coffee, espresso, sweet black cherry and vanilla, roasty malts and a hint of dark chocolate.
Taste: Very nice coffee, roastiness, lightly charred with a finish that is a lingering dark chocolate bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Smooth velvety, full bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: Very nice coffee stout that I could drink again and again. Will definitely age a few bottles since it does suggest that on the back label. Would also love to try a barrel-aged version of this bad boy.

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5 - Excellent (must buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Brasserie Dieu du Ciel x The Alchemist, Canada

Dieu du Ciel x The Alchemist Moralité

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Brewery: Brasserie Dieu du Ciel x The Alchemist
Country: Canada
ABV: 6.9%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: Hops – Simcoe, Citra and Centennial.

Brewer Description: (from website) The concept of Morality is perhaps a subjective one, as the history of alcohol in Quebec may demonstrate. This IPA is brewed with a dare-we-say excessive quantity of Simcoe, Citra and Centennial hops. The dry finish is highly aromatic and slightly resinous, invoking tropical fruits atop dominant hop bitterness. Moralité was crafted at our Montreal location in 2012 in collaboration with John Kimmich of The Alchemist brewery in Vermont, USA.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.55
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 341ml botte with a bottled on date of 2nd September 2015 and poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a bright golden orange colour with a two finger white head that leaves nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Nice strong citrus orange and grapefruit with a hint of peach, apricot and pine.
Taste: Citrus orange fruitiness and pine mixed with grapefruit and orange peel lasting bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with medium carbonation.
Overall: Yum, a very nice collaboration with The Alchemist. Very nice fruitiness and bitterness that works well together and is balanced. Something that I would definitely be on the lookout for and purchase again, especially if I can find it fresher.

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5 - Excellent (must buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Omnipollo, Sweden

Omnipollo Magic #4:21 Raspberry Smoothie IPA

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Brewery: Omnipollo
Country: Sweden
ABV: 6%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: Brewed by Omnipollo at De Proef Brouwerij (Belgium)

Brewer Description: (from website) Part of Magic Numbers, a dreamy small-batch series: 4:21 is an IPA brewed with a dose of raspberries, vanilla beans and lactose sugar.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.71
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 6th July 2016, poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy dark pinkish (like pink guava juice) colour with a one finger light pink head that had poor retention and little lacing.
Aroma: Very nice raspberry and guava aromas along with a hint of peach and orange.
Taste: Tart sour raspberries and guava, with some light grapefruit bitterness, orange sweetness and pine.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium carbonation.
Overall: Wow, I really liked this. There’s a good balance between sour, bitter and sweet here. The tart sour raspberries was really nice and the guava was a nice surprise. I definitely have to get myself more of this.

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