When Sauce changed their branding earlier this year, I was a little concerned we might be waving goodbye to cult Sauce favourites such as Mango Squeak, their juicy, fruity IIPA. So you can imagine my relief when I opened a delivery and saw Mango & Guava Juicy IIPA staring back at me. I then felt like a nong for thinking Sauce would ever stop brewing beers like this.
Pouring the golden colour of the sun setting over water (or of undiluted orange cordial if you don’t want to be poetic), this juicy IIPA holds a thin but assertive head and boasts some seriously potent aromas of fresh cut guava, crushed pine and a strong alcohol content. The term "juicy" in the title is well earned as the mango and guava used in the brewing adds an unmistakable sweetness that swirls with cream before a bitter citrus finish. The tropical and tart profile is due to dry-hopped Sabro hops that create an almost slippery experience for the tongue, ranging from boozy fruit salad to bubblegum-flavoured bubble gum. Take a sip and get ready for your taste buds to dance the calypso.
And if that's not big enough for you, then how about these...
Stupid old me didn’t realise that going overseas to skip winter would mean I was also skipping imperial stout season. What an idiot, what an absolute plonker. Luckily, Sauce are organised and have already got their duo of barrel-aged imperial stouts out: one bourbon barrel-aged, one whisky. I don’t often drink dark spirits so I relish a chance to review their differences in beer form.
Starting with Imperial Stout Bourbon Barrel-Aged, which pours the colour of a deathly bitter dark chocolate and has a neat bourbon aroma that's best enjoyed with your nose a foot above the glass if you’ve had a big night on bourbon before. Trust me, the scents of bourbon and liquorice will find you. And, oh boy, this is a biggie. Upfront is an almost red wine bite with a sharp bourbon hit that ends with an absolutely superb espresso and dark chocolate finish more triumphant than any mocha has ever been. At 11 percent ABV, it's a certified cheek-warmer, ideal for small sips from sophisticated little glasses like you might fill with sherry or a Port. I’d go as far to say bourbon drinkers might actually like this.
Equally weighty and spirit-imbued is Imperial Stout Whisky Barrel-Aged, which presents the same in both appearance and aroma. On the tongue, it is a lot sharper: if the last one was a dagger this one is a whole sword. There’s a darker, almost smokier quality, which must be due to the barrels as both are built from the same base beer. Those immaculate mocha flavours are there but, personally, I prefer the pairing with the whisky barrel-ageing process. The only way to prove me wrong is to buy both beers yourself, post your review and hope more people read yours than mine!
Benedict Kennedy-Cox
Published May 12, 2023 2023-05-12 00:00:00
