Blog — Page 103 of 281

Thus Let Us Drink Beer - Young Henrys IPA

Breweries are emerging like mushrooms the world over, especially craft beer ones with special brews and idiosyncratic twists and limited releases that keep an ever-expanding audience on its toes and lusting to try the never ending array of new expressions.

Then there’s breweries that have a bit more to offer.

Young Henrys is of the latter calibre as what was initially inspired by a love for beer and music, has evolved into an entity that has not only taken the Australian craft beer scene by storm but slowly and steadily infiltrated mainstream territory and with its innovative initiatives and endeavours that go far beyond the allure of gimmicky marketing, has created a lane for itself.

Based in Sydney’s suburb of Newtown, the DNA of Young Henry’s neighbourhood  has had a tangible impact on their endeavours, which not only inspired their credo to “Serve the people” but remains to this day  fundamentally the same and serves as the brewery’s solid foundation yet has now geographically transcended into the creation of an Australia-wide following that abides by the core values of the brand, i.e. music, art, culture and community.

The brewery’s independent status allows them to channel their alchemy in whatever way they feel suit to bring the best out of Australian hops and malts with only a fantastic core range but limited releases that allow the brewers to flex their creative muscles - specifically when it comes to exclusive collaborations with local and international bands, for which specific beers are brewed that are then housed in custom-designed tinnies, with the hazy lager that was brewed for The Foo Fighter’s last incarnation on terra australis or local bands like Frenzal Rhomb and You Am I  - to this day one of my fave YH’s releases - only being some of many examples.

Given my beer-related preferences, it should not come as a surprise that I am specifically taken by Young Henrys’ hoppier emissions and after quite a few of seasonal IPA releases, including the fantastic Rye IPA, it was fantastic to see a regular IPA to join the core range permanently.

In essence, the YH IPA seems to be the culmination of deliberate experimentation that has been finetuned to marry the best qualities of nine varieties of Aussie and American hops, resulting in a delicately complex blend of aromas and flavours.

Not unlike Young Henrys’ other releases, the IPA is dangerously more-ish as the alcohol is veiled by opulent citrussy notes and tropical highlights that are backed by a piney backbone, only to make one lust for more with the well-calibrated dry finish that hits exactly the right spot in terms of bitterness. I can only hope that the IPA will be as widely available as the rest of YH’s core range at upcoming shows and gigs, which again Young Henrys is actively supporting to return in collaboration and support of bands and venues.

Needless to say that the Young Henry’s spirit pervades every facet of their operation with the common denominator being care and passion for the things they produce, from their HQ in Newtown and the brewpub, to the designs of their merchandise in collaboration with other brands, bands and artists to constantly pushing things to the next level, which saw them e.g. branch out to dabble in spirits and complement their brewing with the distilling of their own gin range, which I hope to be able to feature as parts of our spirits-centric “Water of Life” series.

Thus Let Us Drink Beer - Helios Brewing

Some claim that essentially, “redemption through chaos” forms the very essence of Greek mythology, in which the sun god Helios moved the sun across the firmament during the day, only to return to leisurely sip from a golden cup once it dawned.

In Helios Brewing’s case that golden cup is of course filled to the brim with beer, but it gets more literal as all their emissions do not only benefit from the rays of the Australian sun being channelled through solar panels to power the brewery, but have also been named after the deities of the pantheon and their counterparts from the netherworld.

Specifically within the confines of the Australian craft beer scene, sustainability ranks high on the agenda yet with both of Helios Brewing’s founders having background in environmental science, things are taken to the next level as deliberate efforts are made so sustainable practices pervade every facet of their operations – starting with solar power and fuelling both the heating of water for the mash and subsequent cooling in the cold liquor tank, to the composting of yeast via the treatment of wastewater to leftover grains being donated to farmers.

The first of Helios’ beers I sampled was the Cyclops IPA, which has an interesting twist as the hop forwardness one would expect from a West Coast IPA is counterpointed by a dominant syrupy malt backbone and a delicate bitterness, punctuated by toffee, citrussy and piney highlights.

Next up was the Medusa Black IPA and as the name suggests, not only in terms of colour things get more rustic, with the brew combining roasted coffee notes with subtle hints of pine and grapefruit. A complex one for the colder months of the year.

Ready to take things up two notches and feel the thunder?

Enter the Zeus' Thunderbolt Double IPA.

The name is quite a mouthful and the beer does not disappoint. Think intense sweet maltiness meeting fruity hops suffused by a hoppy delicate bitterness, countered with caramel-y, bready malt aromas.

An exercise par excellence in the creation of rich sipping Double IPA, which despite its comparatively high ABV of 9% still maintains drinkability and would prove to be an ideal accompaniment for savory meals.

Given the expertise and efforts that comprise the DNA of Helios Brewing, it should not come as a surprise that the attention to detail does not stop with the design of the cans, with the respective Greek gods and beasts not only being depicted in the most glorious ways, but the silver backdrop of the cans being used for some cool visual effects.

Hachette Publishing

Over the last couple of months, Hachette Publishing has entered the realm of my favourite publishing houses and I feel bereft that they had not been on my radar for the longest time. The following two releases are testament to the consistent quality they provide – both in terms of content as well as presentation:

Rare Watches: Explore the World’s Most Exquisite Timepieces

In essence, a timepiece is a monument to the biggest thief of all time, but it is also a statement in many regards about the individual that is wearing one. While I am currently more on the functional and practical end of the spectrum when it comes to the selection of my watches due to having schedules to keep and to keep track of my exercise regimen, watches and the associated craftmanship have never not been fascinating to me.

Hachette’s tome Rare Watches: Explore the World’s Most Exquisite Timepieces zeroes in on an array of watches with idiosyncratic features – be it rarity, worth, specific features and ones that have managed to further enhance the iconicity of public figures – and with that approach, it caters not only to collectors and luminaries, but the uninitiated noob as well.

The presentation of the book alone, which is housed in a slipcase, along with the photography and the opulent way the watches are presented are a fulminant feast for the eyes with the compelling accompanying gripping essays enhancing the experience further, specifically when light is shed on the occasions some of the timepieces were worn for.

The Design Museum – Fashion Evolution: The 250 looks that shaped modern fashion

Some might claim that designers are meant to be loved and not to be understood, however, the Design Museum and both its exhibitions and publications certainly help in gaining a deeper insight into the elements that go into the creation of contemporary design.

The Design Museum’s Fashion Evolution: The 250 looks that shaped modern fashion is a wonderfully curated overview of defining moments of what shaped and eventually became the epitome of stylishness and how both fashion and the approach to design evolved from over five decades.

Needless to say that the accompanying, striking photographs that frame each individual expose instantaneously resonate as they depict style moments that effectively altered popular culture at large.

No matter what exactly your specific angle might be when it comes to fashion, with this comprehensive tome you would find yourself hard-pressed to not find the genesis of your style explored and background being given on what directed – knowingly or not - the way you ended up dressing yourself.

It says a lot about the quality of a book when the only complaint one has, is that it should have been released in a larger format.

Water of Life - Penderyn

Now, this is a first – while not being the most exotic source location-wise, I cannot claim having ever sampled whiskies from Wales, which is not further wondrous given that it was not until the dawn of the new millennium that whisky was resumed to be distilled.

Named after its location in the Brecon Beacons, i.e. the village of Penderyn, local fresh water was sourced to then be channelled through their specifically designed copper single-pot still and the majority of the emissions are being used to mature in ex-Bourbon casks to well-calibrated fruity and flavoursome outcome.

Penderyn Sherrywood Finish was the first dram I sampled, which adds to the maturation in ex-bourbon barrels a maturation component in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks.

As expected, what tickled the nostrils was full-bodied and on the sweeter end of things, infused by honey and sugar and accentuated by interesting herbal highlights, which seamlessly transitions to the palate where the dominant sherry notes are backed by Christmassy spices and a foundation of oak. The elongated, soft and rounded finish is a melange of sherry and oak with hints of cotton candy results in a dangerously moreish finale.

Now, let’s take things up a notch or two, shall we?

Penderyn Rich Oak is quite a telling name as after initially being aged in bourbon casks, it matures in re-charred European ex-wine casks, which results in aromas that are hitting the vanilla and honey end of the spectrum, with the backdrop being – as the name suggests – oak.

On the top of the roof, apple-cidery nuances meet, toffee and waxy vanilla, which transitions into a creamy and oily finish punctuated by candied fruit notes, toffee and floral flavours.

Given the impression the Sherrywood and Rich Oak expressions left, I was curious as to what their Peated variant would be like, especially since word around the campfire had that some of it was matured in used Laphroaig and Buffalo Trace casks.

What I liked about Penderyn’s Peated expression is that it is not trying to compete with the heavyweights but plays in its own subtle league – think of it as a peated summer dram that walks the chasms between hints of smoke derived from the casks and fresh fruit.

In essence, instead of mere pale imitation, we got a subtly complex, rustic and earthy expression that holds its own and is reminiscent of one of my favourite Islay expressions, i.e. Kilchoman Machir Bay, with more subdued aromas and a delicious marzipan backbone with hints of chili, which make it a borderline ideal pre-dinner whisky that combines some of the best attributes of the casks it is derived from mixed with a refreshing array of vanilla, green fruits and a clear savoury .

The Formative Years – Cum on, feel the noize

Noise, for the commoner and sane, evokes usually nauseous reactions rather than exhilaration. It is not further wondrous that the strange confronting and deliberately displeasing world of noise music is off-putting to most, however, once one transcends the barrage of sounds and concerns about the on setting tinnitus are alleviated, the effects can include not only tangible physical reactions triggered by sine wave rockets blasting through your nervous system but also a hypnotic and at times ecstatic trance that allows to detect swelling and at times deafening patterns and sensations far beyond of what can be achieved with conventional music.

What attracted me early on about noise music was its hyperbolic fuck-you to all conventions and the way that in the most minimalistic manner, an unrivalled powerful rawness can be achieved that beyond the impact of electronic music I experienced within the confines of techno and house. Needless to say that the protagonists I encountered within of noise were on the more interesting and intriguing spectrum of eccentricity, which only added to the appeal and depth of their emissions.

After an initial infatuation with the shock value and  alienating ugliness of the aesthetics of the genre and over-the-top outfits emerging from Japan, it took a bit of guidance to tumble down the rabbit hole of its genesis, e.g. cacophonic, improvised jazz experimentation and musique concrète composers like John Cage and Edgard Varese channelling their alchemy long before acts like Throbbing Gristle, Whitehouse and Merzbow or even more mainstream artist’s like Lou Reed dabbled in working on their “metal machine music”.

Understanding more about the processes that drive the approach to noise, unveiled that the textured ever dynamic and self-rearranging atonal nature and production is very different to how e.g. electronic music is composed: Listening to the same noise pieces never produced identical results and it effectively undid controlled listening.

I started to appreciate noise differently, as in a boundless, unregulated sonic canvas I was able to project and add my own inner workings onto, which amplified its effects even further as it made them more personal – both in lighter and darker terms with me as the recipient adding an idiosyncratic, subjective factor that made the experience more than the sum of ifs individual components: It helped me listen beyond the loud, harsh  abrasiveness and unveiled that it was much more than noise for noise’s sake, specifically when I started to get into even more formless and subtle white noise. It helped the sometimes direly needed obliteration of consciousness and liberation from thought.

The effects of appreciating and embracing noise ultimately enable me to appreciate a much broader spectrum of music and appreciate it differently and more than that, perceiving e.g. new cities I visit as perpetual dissonant symphonies, with the sounds of Tokyo, NYC, Bangkok and Delhi ranking high on my playlist.