#87 Ballast Point Habanero Sculpin IPA
It’s to be hoped that anyone reading these expostulations is at least passingly familiar with Ballast Point’s iconic Sculpin IPA. This week, Hashigo Zake Cult Beer Bar is offering as their weekly new release a remastered version, strongly infused with habanero chillies.
Ballast Point Habanero Sculpin IPA (7.0 ABV)
Scorching tropic fruit
Cold fires of Scotsman’s soul
Ginger Morrissey
Food match: coconut rice, kale bruschetta
It’s the kind of beer drink: when you’re one of the scorpion fancying villains in Diamonds Are Forever.
greatbrewers.com
#86 Ballast Point Grunion Pale Ale
California’s redoubtable Ballast Point has produced a sessionable pale ale featuring two newish varieties of hop, US Calypso and New Zealand Mosaic. Given that last Tuesday, brisk Northerly notwithstanding, was moderately balmy by the standards of Wellington in early May, the Grunion made an apt choice for Hashigo Zake Cult Beer Bar’s weekly new release.
Ballast Point Grunion Pale Ale (5.5% ABV)
Rich amber toffee
Disco fanny in a glass
Boreal smoke, tar
Food match: Reuben sandwich, orange cake
It’s the kind of beer you drink when: There’s death metal playing in the background but you’d rather be at Boogie Wonderland.
mybeerbuzz.com
#85 Mikkeller Monk’s Elixir Belgian Quadrupel
Expectations were high for this week’s new release at Hashigo Zake Cult Beer Bar. Mikkeller Monk’s Elixir has elicited favourable comparisons to the outputs of the great Trappist breweries Rochefort and Westvleteren. Given that The Thirsty Boys almost uniformly experienced something close to Epiphany when we tasted Westvleteren 12 some years ago (see the very first posting on this blog), we were looking for something similar.
Mikkeller Monk’s Elixir Belgian Quadrupel (10% ABV)
Want Winter shelter?
Drunken plums on porter cake
Kids in candy shop
Food match: beef cheeks on cauliflower mash, venison with jus, custard
It’s the kind of beer you drink: when you deserve a Mikkellerva treat
HopLeaf.chk
