The path that leads to Devil’s Den is characterised by a transformative 22-month journey for Boston’s award-winning red IPA Devilslide inside Great Southern ex-shiraz barrels with bacteria, Brett, pedio, and lacto Mephistos for company. The original beer’s sticky RIPA vibe has fallen via the Faustian trade, now revealing itself as a nuanced, large format anti-hero.
Pouring rusty brown with a rocky, moussey, crema head, the red fruit-laden nose intrigues with dry Bretty funk and leather, while its previous hop presence is now redolent of spiced orange, complete with a vinous undercurrent. Medium-full of body yet running dry, the beer’s soft, tight carbonation massages textural oak influence, and restrained stave tannin. And there’s more with each sip.
The Devil’s Den is a Venn diagram of rich malt, yeast, oak and time, and makes a strong argument that Boston’s long game dark sours are some of Australia’s best.
Guy Southern
Published July 6, 2021 2021-07-06 00:00:00
