Fresh kegs of the latest batch of Feral's Barrique O'Karma have been hitting taps around Australia for a couple of weeks now. However, with one of the brewery's staff telling us the bottled version ' the latest beer in their occasional Brewpub Series ' is the best beer they had ever put into a bottle, we thought we should wait until we could get our hands on a stubby. Well, now we have, and... First, a recap of the beer. Initially brewed for last year's Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular, Barrique O'Karma is based on Feral's Karma Citra India Black Ale (or black IPA if you prefer) but, like the Barrel Fermented Hog (BFH) version of Hop Hog, it undergoes its primary fermentation in oak, giving the end beer significantly different characteristics. So what does that mean in the new bottled product currently winging its way to specialist bottleshops across Australia? It means it is one complex mofo. The citrus hop aromas familiar from the straight Karma Citra still waft from its dense black body, but come with distinct vanilla and soft oak too, not to mention a touch of chocolate and cocoa. That interplay between the hops, malt and the effects of the oak continues in the mouth, with the beer also possessing the most ridiculously velvety, creamy mouthfeel too. It's quite remarkable how much the beer has to offer as it warms, making it not only unique but intriguing as well.
Published April 11, 2014 2014-04-11 00:00:00
