I’ll get this out of the way early: The Mane Event is remarkably well done.
Normally, The Crafty Pint's editorial standards demand impartiality and a focus on storytelling and description, with the understanding there are thousands of readers, all with different beer knowledge, experience and palates. Rather than dictate, better to tell the story, recreate the experience in words, and let the drinker make their own assessment. What’s confronting now may well be transcendental to a drinker in a year's time. A beer that's well made but not to my tastes could be someone else's epiphany beer.
This, of course, bends a little come end of year list time as writers chime in with their cherished nuggets, but given the past eleven months – and the chance the year's disruptions may see us look for an alternative to those Best New Beers features – perhaps the editor will let this positive affirmation slide. [Send me a four-pack and you're on!]
What's safe to say is the collaborators here know their way around a beer. And it shows.
Sabro’s influence wraps the nose in all forms of coconut – fresh, cream, desiccated etc – and juicy mango, which joins pineapple, more fresh mango – now with touches of perceived tartness – and spritzy orange on the tongue. Despite the 8 percent ABV, the Beerfarmer’s ethos of sessionability curates a rather elegant balance of dryness, creamy yet light feel, booze warmth and bitterness, proving there’s room for technique in big hazies beyond one-dimensional fluffy beer juice.
Now, dear reader, if this sounds appealing then you should, of course, find one and make your own assessment.
Guy Southern
Published November 2, 2020 2020-11-02 00:00:00