Can they be stopped? Should they be stopped? Will they be stopped? One Drop appear to be on a full-blown bender at this point and I for one salute them. Oh, you thought the last batch of smoothie sours was a bit full on? Well, I hope your loins and completely girded because we simply cannot stop there. Here’s another two PLUS a couple of pastry stouts with a number of adjuncts that could only be described as scandalous.
The first of our smoothie twosome is the bubblegum pink Wipe Me Down. Staying true to the spirit of a smoothie sour, it’s thick, creamy and the least beer-like beer you’re ever likely to come across. Brewed with boysenberries, banana and raspberries, the intense fruit aromas are lashed with coconut and lactic sourness. This is definitely one of the more sour smoothie offerings with a thoroughly fruit-forward flavour of berry coulis and juice backed up by vanilla ice cream. Masterfully balanced and genuinely enjoyable.
One could argue that any number of the things added to these beers isn't a usual beer ingredient, but the pivotal use of ube in Lesssgo is the most unique in this batch. Ube is a species of yam that’s been cultivated and utilised in the islands of South East Asia for millennia. Now primarily associated with Filipino cuisine, its purple colour and high starch content is perfect for a wide range of very fun-looking foods.
I know I said all the other smoothie sours were thick but Lesssgo is THICK. A milky, lavender coloured ooze that is pretty hard to reconcile as a tasty beverage. Banana and coconut are the dominant characters here with an earthiness on the nose. The flavours are absolutely wild. Banana bread, Anzac biscuits, floral and one final thing that took me forever to figure out. And then it hit me: Thai curry. I don’t quite understand it, but the more I tasted, the more I couldn’t get away from bright lemongrass and creamy coconut. That shit is cool as hell.
Now, with all that frivolity out of the way, it’s time to get down to some serious business. Pastry stouts. The first is a collaboration with Altitude Brewing in Queenstown and an ode to a shared love of what I assume is the MallowPuff. For those not familiar with the beloved Kiwi delicacy, it’s a chocolate covered marshmallow on a shortcake biscuit.
I thought I was going to have trouble describing Full Up without simply saying that it tastes and smells like chocolate and marshmallows (which it undoubtedly does) but there’s still a bit more going on. I’m not sure how, but I get a healthy dose of strawberry jam which for me turns this whole affair into a liquid Wagon Wheel. The dark malts give added complexity with biscuit, honey, dark brown sugar and toast.
Ah yes, beer number four. Finally it’s time for dessert! Ever drink a couple of beers and feel like you could just about expire on the toilet? Well, One Drop have just the beer for you! The Pelvis is a massive nitro pastry stout that incorporates aspects of The King’s beloved Fool’s Gold Sandwich with additional breakfast-themed treats thrown in for good measure.
Spare a thought for the nitrogen gas attempting to nitrogenate The Pelvis because it’s just about the hardest-working gas in showbusiness. Even with a bit of a roll and shake, the nitro pour was having a tough time breaking through the luscious dark liquid. Powerful aromas of dark chocolate, vanilla and smoky bacon are first up and then the pancake batter starts to overtake as the beer warms. There’s a riot of equally strong flavours on the palate with distinct notes of dark malts, espresso, chocolate, vanilla, banana, wafer biscuits, peanuts, maple syrup, bacon and smoke. Obviously, it’s super-sweet but, surprisingly, the smoke and bitterness provide a balancing ballast for all that richness.
Judd Owen
Published August 16, 2024 2024-08-16 00:00:00
