In what seems to be a never ending growth industry of micro breweries, another label has hit the ground running (maybe a bit premature perhaps) with a band of lads from the inner northern beaches of Sydney coming up with 4 Pines Brewing Company. It also seems to be a trend nowadays to position a numeral in the brand name - 2 Brothers, 3 Ravens, 5 Numbnuts - the last one will be my label hitting the market soon. Maybe. Dunno know.
The trend is Pale Ale, Wheat beers and pretty much all and sundry. One style that is I see as semi-uncommon is stout. Stout done well is pure sex. Stout just done is pure pedestrian. The 4 Pines Stout is the former!
The primary aroma is pure espresso coffee, the like I quite possibly have never seen before - intense, powerful and all other adjectives that describe strength! The head even looks like coffee crema too. This stout doesn't have the brain swelling headiness of most, and I found this cos I nailed it toot-sweet. What I did find however was that the aromoa was gone after about two or three minutes. Saying this though, the palate of toffeed raisens and dark chocolate hung around to the sweet-bitter end.
All in all, a great entry to the market and a stout you'll see in the cooler months down at Albert St I would suggest.
Drink with shephards pie
5.1%v/v www.4pinesbeer.com.au
Sounds like a good low ABV entry stout! Any opportunity to expand the Albert St beer range would be appreciated by this craft beer lover. The locals - Cavalier and Temple have some great brews also....
ReplyDeleteGavin
DeleteOne local that will be getting a run is the 3 Ravens dark ale - very sexy stuff that one.
Tim