OnTap Magazine

Reading the name of the beer I assumed that this was going to be just another pale international lager; another pale fizzy beer with the same amount of character as a beige wall, but oh, how wrong I was! As I started pouring the beer, the rich, bready aromas quickly pointed out how wrong my assumption had been. The spicy, floral notes really drove the point home. The beer is not as clear as I expect from any beer that calls itself a lager, but it is just the right shade of gold. I tend to ignore a little haziness as to me, flavour is more important. An assertive, but pleasant bitterness, followed by rich bready flavours and hints of spice clearly identify this as a Czech Lager, and a very good one at that. There is a touch of butter (diacetyl) in the flavour, but it is not a problem for this style of beer. The finish is rich, with the spiciness of the hops lingering on your tongue. 4/5 JHA – tasted from the bottle. This fighter comes in a little underweight on the alcohol scale, but that is not a bad thing. Rated as a Double IPA, at 7% ABV it falls in the IPA range, but the guidelines are, well, just guidelines and this is a really good East Coast IPA. The citrus is out front: grapefruit and naartjie with a bit of pith, followed by a lighter caramel note. There’s bitterness here, but it’s not overpowering and is well balanced with the malt. The beer finishes with the flavour of Game – the naartjie sports drink – and that brings about happy childhood memories of swimming pools, grass and endless sunny days. 3.2/5 JHA – tasted from the bottle. This pitch black monster of a beer hits you straight away with the smell of chocolate, vanilla, caramel, custard and just a hint of alcohol. Your first sip introduces you to the full creamy mouthfeel with gentle carbonation which carries the flavours of coffee, toast, bourbon, caramel and vanilla all the way into the off-dry finish. There is a bit of spice from the alcohol but it’s remarkably well hidden. A great beer for sharing or sipping next to the fire at the end of a cold winter’s evening. 3.8/5 MH – tasted on tap at the brewery. Mad Giant and Aegir Project CRYPTO COLLAB (7%) Sharpeville Breweries SHARPEVILLE SUPERIOR LAGER (6%) Triggerfish Brewing MONSTERFISH VANILLA BOURBON IMPERIAL STOUT (11.5%)