Two Metre Tall Huon Dark Ale (5.5%): Take 2

After recently trying this beer, and finding I had come to it late, I was lucky to have my boss bring me another bottle of this beer today, so am going to try it now while it is as fresh as I can have it.

The apple smell is similar to the original tasting, and there is a cleaner aroma to the malt in it. While the apple does dominate, there is a real sense of a fruit beer, with even a bit of ester to make it similar to a belgian lambic. I've not had an apple fruit beer before and wonder in Lindeman's does an apple lambic, still, the dark malt does lessen any dominance this fruity ester would have. There is still a bit of a separation of fruit and malt, but is definitely more integrated than the previous tasting. The body is again a bit thin, but a lot more understandable with the juice, and there is enough to help the integration of malt and fruit, and this holds over the tongue quite well. The sourness is also diminished as that sense of fruity ester is all I get more at the end. It still leaves my tongue a bit dry in aftertaste. There is quite a bit of carbonation in this bottle, which while I guess helps to distinguish flavours/aromas, it does not help with the dry finish, and is probably the big thing that turns me off this beer. Still, I am glad to have been able to give this beer a better appraisal, even if I still don't personally enjoy it that much.

The talk of lambic/belgian beers has reminded me that this weekend will bring up the first anniversary of me going to the Belgian Beer Weekend. Therefore, it is appropriate that I enjoyed that beer filled weekend with Jaimi, I would have another beer journey this weekend, this time going to Beechworth, this time with Stass, who won the trip during Good Beer Week this year. I look forward to hanging out at Bridge Road Brewery and remembering all those lovely Belgian beers I had with another good friend.

I also remembered I have yet to tell the other news I was going to over the weekend. I did not end up doing the brew day with Stass, so am yet to try to the Hickory Stickery Bock, but Stass has been updated me and things are looking good. We look to try it out now at the end of the week. As for my journey from Wednesday, I will be able to bring that to you tomorrow. I look forward to sharing...

Cheers,

Beef