OnTap Magazine

Another limited release from YUM and another beer that I thoroughly enjoyed from them. The team of Gavin and Danie always seem to set out for something ambitious when brewing a known style of beer. Whether it’s extreme hopping, intense malt notes, or dabbling with nitrogen, they have been developing our taste buds with the beers they brew and doing a very good job at it. This time around they were experimenting with Cryo hops. Hop-ic Thunder gave a very approachable aroma with guava coming through straight away, followed by light citrus and pine with bready malt-notes that made this beer smell great. The flavour starts with citrus, mainly orange but with a hint of grapefruit, and then leads into tropical fruit like the guava found on the nose. It has good malt balance and a moderate bitterness that really balances the beer off very well. – BL Yeti Underground Movement HOP-IC THUNDER APA (5.5%ABV) 4.0 Another excellent limited release from a brewery that can - in my eyes - do no wrong. In my experience, oatmeal stouts often fail in being either overly roasted or not silky enough in mouthfeel. But Soul Barrel’s delivers on both fronts. Initial tastes of cacao nib, coffee and milk chocolate give way to a wonderfully rounded, smooth mouthfeel, showcasing a deft touch with the oatmeal. There are also some delightful hints of fruitiness from the warm-fermented English Ale yeast. Overall, this beer is a study in restraint. It doesn't let any one element dominate to the detriment of the other, delivering a very satisfying, layered experience that is most welcome on a cold winter's night. Delicious. – MH Soul Barrel Brewing OATMEAL STOUT (5%ABV) 4.5 The guys at That Brewing have been making quality beers out of KZN for quite some time now, and this African Beer Cup bronze medal winning beer was no exception. Lupulin Shift Disorder gives exactly what is required when it comes to the double IPA style, having a nice deep gold colour with a white fluffy head, high IBUs, and intense hop aromas. Playing with the word lupulin (a bitter yellowish powder found in female hop cones), the aroma really draws you in as you know that something hoppy and special is coming. Resinous, light spice notes, pine and grapefruit come to the party before a malty afterscent rounds out the aroma. The same characteristics come through in the flavour starting with the resin, then a grapefruit burst with a light toasty appearance from the malt. The intense bitterness sitting at 100 IBUs (International Bitterness Units) may not be for your average beer drinker and it does get a bit harsh, but it’s a tasty and well made drink nonetheless. Perfect to end a crazy day with. – BL That Brewing Company LUPULINSHIFT DISORDER (7.8%ABV) 3.9 ontapmag.co.za | Spring 2022 | 57