We may have lived through a lot of lockdowns in Melbourne but fortunately, they can feel quite distant from our 2022 vantage point. Even though we went through so many of them (or maybe because we did), each lockdown now feels like it’s rolled into one and so it can be a little hard to tell - or care - which was which. One easy method to separate them is by tying each to a specific streaming show - there was a Tiger King lockdown, a Ted Lasso lockdown and The White Lotus lockdown. Tapping into the first of those are Tallboy & Moose who have recreated an earlier release with Nitro Chaiger King. The chai spiced stout was first released in May 2020 and features a chai blend of the brewery’s own creation that’s made up of cardamom, licorice root, cinnamon bark, black pepper and clove. This time around, the cans have been given the nitro treatment which means that along with the quite fragrant and home-style chai taste of the beer, it’s altogether smoother and creamier compared with the first release - and a whole lot nicer to enjoy without a pending lockdown looming.
Double Jenny sees the Melbourne brewpub again look to their back catalogue with a 7.8 percent ABV doppelbock that's a turned-up version of their earlier strong lager, Jenny From The Bock. The malt-forward lager provides a rich array of aniseed and herbal qualities which brings to mind chocolate licorice in the way it melds with the rich elements from the mix of Munich, Melanoidin and Dark Crystal malts. Even though the beer might be quite rich and nudging 8 percent, Double Jenny retains a light and clean finish to let you know you're still in the world of lagers.
Will Ziebell
Published May 17, 2022 2022-05-17 00:00:00
