Sometimes I sneak to the Bierhaus for an afternoon beer, but I hadn't been in ages. What's more, they've installed a Randall since the last visit, so a trip was certainly long overdue.
Mountain Man's Green Bullet was pouring through the Randall, which was filled to the brim with Chinook. The immediate smack is not of piney bitterness as expected, but of a woody, green, leafy freshness. Herbal and floral notes come through on the palate, though nothing too strong to overpower the lightly sweet, sawdust-thick, biscuity grain base. Dry and incredibly drinkable as ever, I reckon I could get used to this machine. Sure, it didn't add a layer of hop brilliance, but as an exploring of 'things to do with beer' it's pretty spot on.
Next up was some bittersweet Mocha from Batemans, which suggested nutty chocolate, butter fudge and coffee on the aroma. It tastes at first like sticky burnt chocolate, before turning to warmer caramel and finally onto a lingering whack of coffee at the death. All throughout, an unpleasantly sharp black marker character makes the beer feel coarse and overpowering on the palate, stripping from it the subtlety that would have made it otherwise an enjoyable drink. As it is, it's just not for me.
In between the two I was offered a taste of the already lovely Amber Ella, this time from draught. Of course, it was delicious. There was a bit more of a bubblegum nose to it, with plenty of sweetness on the palate while remaining very hoppy indeed, delivering some beautiful tropical fruit bitterness through the folds of the malt background. Perhaps even better than the bottled version.
Until next time.
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