Fresh from taking top spot in the WA Good Food Guide Beer of the Year 2021, Otherside’s new release program shows no signs of slowing. This collab-heavy quartet covers a broad style span which kicks off with a not insignificant triple hazy IPA packing no less than 3.3 standard drinks into a single can.
As collaborator Josh Daley from Mane Liquor points out: “We just wanted to do a bigggggggg fuck off IPA, because ya gotta give the people what they want, and people want beers that slap ‘em around a bit.”
And Liquid Noise certainly does just that: full, round booze warmth carries an array of tropical fruit presence, peach nectar, nectarine and supporting pulpy OJ.
In contrast, the Experimental Nelson Saison is most definitely a saison, its yeast driven aspect driving melony bubble-gum, subtle white pepper and clovey spice hints, while the NZ hop imbues Beurre Bosc pear and gooseberry; it's been a while between gooseberries for this writer, however when that moment arrives, I’ll likely note they taste like Nelson Sauvin... A lovely, medium body is cleaned up by a lasting dryness simply begging for a cheese board pairing.
For their second October collaboration, they celebrate the Freo Doctor’s 15th birthday with the luscious Imperial Porter. The iconic Fremantle retailer was one of the first to support the WA craft beer industry, and the tango of sweet, dark malts and dry, roasty length presents as a noir liquid birthday cake, while aptly imbibing the festivities with its 12 percent ABV.
Shifting to a comparably moderate alcohol level – albeit in a beer still tagged a Strong Pale – Lupomax Hop Attack sees hop growers / breeders Hop Products Australia and parent company HAAS exploring the potential of Lupomax. It might sound like a cartoon action hero, but the proprietary hop product is a concentrated pellet which contains less vegetative matter. That said, its impact here is slighter than one may expect with malt sweetness carrying the palate. The clear gold, juicy body shifts to a late, lasting and dry finish, with hoppy influence in support, offering maximum drinkability.
Guy Southern
Published October 27, 2021 2021-10-27 00:00:00
