Elysian Nibiru
To celebrate the impending
apocalypse (Roland Emmerich made a film about it, it must be true)
Fantagraphics have made a strange alliance with fellow Seattleites, Elysian
Brewery, to release a series of 12 speciality beers with label art by Charles
Burns. The beers will be released at a
rate of one per month, with January’s debut brew being “Nibiru” — named after a
planet-sized object that is predicted to collide with the Earth sometime this
century. Nibiru, the beer, is a
Belgian-style tripel ale, made with Yerba Mate holly.
When poured, Nibiru has a slight creamy
head, one that quickly fades to leave a candyfloss texture on the beer’s
surface. The beer itself is a light
amber colour, with crystal clarity that really shows-off its small
champagne-like bubbles — a signature sign of the Belgian yeast. On the nose, there’s an instant hit of honey,
the sugary sweetness of which is nicely complemented by the undertones of cider
apple and citrus. Although light on the
yeast, the aroma is heavy on the hops — the American Amarillo variety used here
is practically a trademark of Northwest beers and is native to Washington
state, giving a uniquely local spin to the Belgian style.
The taste of Nibiru holds a few surprises. When served chilled, there’s a delightful sherbet
fizz on the tongue that gradually dissipates as the beer warms up. The initial flavor is that same honey-sweetness
from its aroma that nicely complements the slick mouth-feel of the beer. Afterwards, the Yerba Mate begins to reveal
itself with a flavor that’s part cask-wood, part herbal tea, giving Nibiru a zing
that’s largely absent from other tripels.
It’s also a nice way to round off the last days of winter with a final relishing
of such characteristically-Christmas flavours.
At 7.6% ABV, Nibiru is a beer
that doesn’t pull any punches, but its potency is disguised by the refreshing herbal
and citrus flavours on offer. Like its
European cousin, Duvel, its light enough to be easy-drinking, but the intensity
of alcohol mean that it’s a beer that demands to be savoured.
-- Gavin Lees
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