Beer Friday! - EPIC Pale Ale

Good morning/afternoon/evening my international friends, and welcome to another edition of Beer Friday! As I'm sure you've noticed (UpsideDownDave readers being noted for their incredible powers of observation), once again, this post is not appearing on a Friday, no matter where on the globe you are. I'm just going to say it: Beer Friday! is pretty much a Friday post in name only at this point. I did drink a beer this Friday, but general apathy has resulted in me putting off the writing of this post for a few days. Thus, henceforth, Beer Friday! will become more of a weekend post. I will still drink the beer on Friday, but the post could appear at any point during the weekend. This has a double benefit: you, the reader, are kept on your toes, constantly refreshing your browser as you await my meaningless and meandering review, and I have a justification for my laziness. THAT IS A WIN-WIN SCENARIO IN MY BOOKS. So, without further ado, I present...


EPIC PALE ALE!!!1!!!!!1!

I was considering writing this post in ALL CAPS in tribute to the larger-than-life beer of the week, but I would imagine that would get tiring on your mental vocal chords (or your real ones, for those who read aloud/read this blog to their children before bed (also not the best for putting them to sleep (brackets in brackets in brackets? BRACKETCEPTION))). EPIC Beers, brewed in Auckland, pride themselves on being all about big, in your face flavour, and that comes through in their marketing and brewing style. On the official website, the brewmaster himself notes that's it's all about those aforementioned big flavours, aromas and taste (I'm not cultured enough to know the difference between flavour and taste, but I'm sure there is one), and their line of beers certainly match that idea. Retailed in 500mL bottles and with names like Armageddon I.P.A., Mayhem and Hop Zombie (REALLY want to find a place in Dunners that has this. Would be great for a night of COD Zombie killin'), the EPIC mindset of the brewery comes to the fore.

This beer is so large, I took this photo from 3km away

As for the actual review, does the Pale Ale live up to these lofty proclamations? The bottle's label notes the "insane" amount of hops in each bottle (23 to be exact), and it certainly delivers on that big, bold taste. It came out of the bottle a rich gold in colour, and when I took an opening sniff, that strong, malty aroma hit me like a tonne of hops. EPIC's goal of battering the drinker's senses with BEER STUFF is most definitely accomplished in the smell, and backed up strongly with flavour. That hoppy taste is immediately noticeable, but it is rounded off with pleasant notes of citrus and apricot (did I steal the apricot reference from the bottle? Perhaps, but it's there, I swear it). I found it to be a wonderfully balanced beer, and I very much enjoyed from start to finish.

In terms of the rating, I'll give it...four VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS out of five. After all, what is more EPIC, bold and in your face than a mountain spewing it's guts all over the countryside? Also, Mt. Tongariro, a volcano in the North Island, erupted this week, so it's a topical rating as well (as an aside, I had intended to climb Tongariro later this year - not sure if that's happening anymore, but I hope the park is re-open by the time I head back up there).

Actual photo from the Tongariro eruption
(note: not actually)

So, there you have it. Another week, another beer successfully reviewed. In other news, I start my second school placement tomorrow, and I am, needless to say, very excited about that. I will not be writing about my in-school experiences, but hopefully this week I'll be able to sit down and review my various trips to the NZ International Film Festival. I saw a couple of really cool flicks, so check back for a recap on that.

Dave