If you’re a beer lover then you’ll know that there are few shopping experiences that come close to browsing for a new beer. The excitement and anticipation of that purchase is filled with mixed emotions. What if I don’t like it? What if I love it? Should I get one? Or maybe two, just in case?
Lately we’ve spent a lot of time in the international section of our favourite bottle store, and the results have been epic. Here are a few gems we’ve had so far, enjoy!
1. Rogue: Dad’s Little Helper Black India Pale Ale – USA
Don’t be fooled by the ‘little’ in the name, this guy means business. It has a deep, rich colour with roasty notes of chocolate and coffee on the nose. It packs a serious hop punch with a citrus zing and follows up with rich malt character. The Little Helper takes commitment so buckle up.
2. Rogue: 7 Hop India Pale Ale – USA
Another heavy hitter from Rouge made with seven hop varieties that are all grown on the Rogue farm. This complex brew has a lot going on with notes of citrus, pine, grass and spice. It’s beautifully balanced and surprisingly crisp and easy drinking considering it’s 8% in alcohol.
3. Peak Organic: Hop Blanc White India Pale Ale – USA
This Belgian style white IPA is something completely different to anything we’ve tasted recently. It’s packed with floral, citrus and tropical notes with a distinctive Belgian yeast flavour, and spicy finish. It’s interesting, different and you should definitely get your hands on some.
4. Harviestoun: Old Engine Oil Porter – Scotland
This full-bodied brew lives up to the name and pours pitch black. It oozes roasty, toasty notes of coffee, dark chocolate and sips like charred velvet. If you can get you hands on some of these make sure you stockpile because winter is coming…
5. Harviestoun: Ola Dubh Range – Scotland
The power of the dark side is strong in these barrel aged beers.The Ola Dubh (Black Oil) range is a co-lab between Harviestoun and Highland Distillery. They’re based on the OId Engine Oil porter and aged in single malt whisky casks. They have a range that includes 12, 16 and 30 year old batches. They are seriously dark, intense and special.
6. Duvel: Tripel Hop 15 – Belgium
Every spring Duvel release a new of the tripel hop and as you probably guessed, it’s made with 3 hops. The third hop changes every year and for 2015 the chosen hop was Equinox from USA. It has aromas of grapefruit, lemon, green pepper and sits at a hefty 9.5% alcohol.
7. Maredsous: Brune – Belgium
Brewed under the supervision of monks, this beer has the power to warm even the coldest of bones. It’s fermented in the bottle and conditioned for two months. It’s sweet and spicy with notes of caramel and fruit. Once again… winter is coming.
8. Innis & Gunn: Rum Cask – Scotland
This strong ale is matured in old American heartwood oak rum barrels. This maturation process gives the ale a distinct sweet and spicy character of rum. It’s rich, unique and tastes even better with a parrot on your shoulder and sea spray in your beard.
9. Brewdog: This. Is. Lager. – Scotland
Brewdog have gone next level with this 19th century inspired German and Bohemian pilsner. It’s full-bodied and malty with spicy citrus notes. It finishes with a cracking bitter snap and pairs perfectly with another five.
10. Vedett: Extra White – Belgium
This traditional white beer is as Belgian as they come. It’s brewed with wheat, hops, coriander and dried orange peel. If you’ve never had the pleasure of sipping on a quality Wit, then this is the place to start. It’s unfiltered so expect cloudy conditions with dry finish.
That’s it for this list. Now get out there and taste some beers!
Written by: Beer Country, two of the thirstiest guys on the planet – Greg and Karl. Follow their fire-side journey as they crack open the brew culture of South Africa, discovering awesome beers and cooking great food along the way. This hoppy adventure is coming soon to a TV near you!