Having just hit our shores, Forward Hops’ latest container from the States was packed with goodies. Christmas came early when we laid our eyes on the cases coming through the door and we’re excited to share plenty of them with you in this box (no milk beers this time, we swear!)
What's in the box:
Parish x Tripping Animals • Animals In The Machine
Double Dry Hopped Hazy Double IPA | 8.0% | Broussard LA x Doral FL, America | ⭐
Parish’s ‘Ghost In The Machine’ has long been a favourite of ours whenever it has made the journey across the Pacific. To celebrate a decade of their flagship, Parish have teamed up with other breweries around the States to put a twist on this classic. Packed with modern Citra-based hop products, there is plenty of tropical notes with a herbal bitterness balancing it beautifully.
Parish x Weldwerks • Extra Extra Ghosty Bits
Double Dry Hopped Hazy Double IPA | 8.0% | Broussard LA x Greely CO, America | ⭐
Extra Extra Juicy Bits and Ghost in the Machine combine to produce a blend of flagship DDH Hazy IPAs, producing a juicy AF brew to quench that summer thirst. Hopped to the teeth with Citra, El Dorado and Mosaic, there is plenty of ripe orange, yellow peaches and other stone fruit-y goodness. The juiciness is amplified by the low bitterness, leaving you thirsty for more.
Tired Hands • DDH Grassman: Honey, Citra, Nelson
Double Dry Hopped Hazy Double IPA with Honey | 8.70% | Ardmore PA, America | ⭐
After their recent One Drop collab in a certain CanventTM Calendar developed by yours truly, we couldn’ wait to get more big, boozy hazies out of Pennsylvania! This version of Grassman has been brewed with local wildflower honey to create a higher ABV, while adding some subtle earthy, manuka-like flavours. It was then double dry hopped with Nelson Sauvin and Citra to develop a sweet, candied pineapple, tropical body with a lingering bitterness to balance.
Hop Butcher For The World • Taven Cut
Double IPA | 7.5% | Chicago IL, America | ⭐
Hop Butcher have made their way to our shores for the first time! Hailing from Chicago, IL, Hop Butcher love to stuff their brews to the brim with lupulin, lupulin and more lupulin! ‘Tavern Cut’ is no different, with Citra and Vic Secret taking centre stage. The result is a super ripe (in a good way) brew with plenty of apricot, OJ and nectar-like qualities balanced nicely by a drying bitterness.
Boatrocker • The Devil Is In The Detail 2024
Barrel Aged Imperial Stout / Barleywine Blend | 11.1% | Braeside VIC, Australia | ⭐
Boatrocker are known across the nation for their annual releases in Ramjet and Banshee, and this combines the two to produce an impressive flavour profile. The final product, consisting of 25% Ramjet BA Imperial Stout and 75% Banshee BA Barleywine, this is one of the richest liquid brownies you’ll ever have. Plenty of molasses and aniseed build a base for more volatile port-like, red apple and grape notes to play on.
Saint Bernardus • Christmas Ale
Belgian Quad | 10.0% | Poperinge, Belgium | ⭐
Brewed to warm the Europeans on a cold Christmas Day, this Quad from St Bernardus is perfect for getting into the festive spirit, no matter the climate! Think all the classic flavours of Christmas pud – raisins, red apple, caramel, cloves and toasty goodness wrapped up in a little glass bottle. The rich flavours are perfect for pairing with a hearty roast!
Range • Hello Dan, It's Joe Here
West Coast Pilsner | 5.4% | Newstead QLD, Australia | 😱
Brewed for Gravy Day 2024, this west coast pils has driven down from Queensland and into our waiting arms. Perfect for drinking a nice hot day of a hundred degrees, or even more maybe. Resinous, with sweet mango and grapefruit coming through with that extra tang, this brew has the perfect amount of cologne. Clean AF with a decent lingering bitterness, this is one to treasure, not trash!
Working Title • Once
Double Irish Stout | 8.0% | Newstead QLD, Australia | ⭐
Since opening their permanent home in Newstead, Working Title have been producing delicious beers of just about any style. This time, they have decided to take on the classic Irish stout, but they wanted to put their own spin on things – the result is a big beer in a big can. Super rich and nutty with a toasted brioche-like quality, it’s like sitting down with your morning bowl of Milo cereal, but with plenty of punchy bitterness to balance.
La Sirene x Garage Project • Duet 2024
Mixed Fermentation Wild Ale | 6.2% | Reservoir VIC, Australia x Wellington, New Zealand | 😱
A trans-Tasman collaboration occurred back in August when Dave Bell, head brewer at Garage Project’s Wild Workshop, visited La Sirene HQ in Reservoir. The result is ‘Duet’, brewed with each respective brewery’s house culture before a short stint in barrel and additions of local lemon myrtle and New Zealand kawakawa leaf. It’s a lively brew with plenty of herbal, phenolic goodness. A zesty body with a sweetness reminiscent of limoncello before a lingering bitterness rounds it out.
Garage Project • Bourbon Barrel Aged Hellbender
Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine | 14.0% | Wellington, New Zealand | 😱
Brewed as an ode to the ever-popular American barleywine from across the Pacific, ‘Hellbender’ has been kicking around New Zealand since 2015. After 5 years in barrel, this big, boozy barleywine has developed a beautiful sherry and stewed fruit-like character. Woody, syrupy, and warming, this nutty bourbon bomb will keep you in the Christmas spirit!
450 North • Slushy XXXL: Mardi Gras
Smoothie Sour | 5.3% | Columbus IN, America
Recently (and still currently) we tapped up a load of 450 North’s Slushy series in our bar, and holy heck are they thiccc. We were lucky enough to exclusively receive a few cases of Mardi Gras, the only XXXL coming into the country. Packed to the brim with boysenberry, lime and pineapple, it’s like the Allen’s party mix you left out in the sun. Plenty of candied pineapple, with an underlying herbal bitterness, this is sure to give you a sugar rush!
Weldwerks • Medianoche 2024
Barrel Aged Imperial Stout | 12.3% | Greely CO, USA | ⭐
Kicking off in early 2015, it was mere weeks before WeldWerks brewed their first batch of imperial stout to put in barrel. Over the years, the blending of barrels like this one has become an art form, today producing the annual release of the acclaimed Medianoche. Medianoche (meaning ‘midnight’) pours just as you would expect – super dark and thick. The 2024 blend has the longest average time in barrel to date, and the bourbon character will knock you off your feet. It coats your tongue with dark chocolate, peanuts and blackberry jam. Super rich and warming – a perfect treat for the silly season!
⭐ = 4 or higher rating on untappd!
😱 = too new! No ratings at time of publish!