Rushin Stout 08

I noticed the new vintage of Pink Elephant Rushin Imperious Stout at Regionals the other day and had to pick up a couple of bottles. I initially intended to sling them both in the cellar and try to forget about them. Then other night as I was sweltering (god I look forward to winter, that my chillies, eggplant and tomatoes are growing is about the only consolation) I had the perverse urge to drink a bottle.

Imperious Rushin Stout 2008

Opens with a pop and a hiss. Pours a viscous black with a tight tan head and an oily slickness. Aroma features smoky bacon, berry fruit a green hop note and roasty coffee. On the palate there is sweet malt, a saccharine slightly unfermented note, smoky savoury notes, a hint of ash , burnt currents all leading to a bitter hoppy finish.

Berhampore Best Bitter

Maris Otter Pale, Dark Crystal, and Medium Crystal malts, Fuggels, Goldings, and NZ Styrian hops, Brooklyn water, cane sugar, S-04 yeast, agar cask finings, 1.044, 4.4%abv. The first batch of beer of 2009 and it’s a cracker.

Happy New Year

Long time between drinks I know. The silly season has been rather hectic this year. In addition to work, living in two houses and brewing I have started having a crack at growing vegetables using the spent grain I have been composting for the last two years. In the courtyard out the back I have in pots tomatoes, chillies, eggplant, courgette, rocket, mizuna, silverbeet, and lettuces. There is also a brand new outside table and bench seats that Sarah and I bought each other for Christmas which will come in very useful for the summer ales fest which looks like it will be very late this year in March sometime.