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The Formative Years – Hardcore classics pt. 1

With ZAP magazine playing a pivotal role in promoting and covering everything New York Hardcore related in a pro-active and prominent manner, Europe and specifically Germany have always been prime markets for hardcore emanating from the Big Apple. 
The result was that “NYHC” became a veritable label and trademark and almost guaranteed especially in the early to mid-1990s that the bands being categorized under it the opportunity to instantaneously tour Europe and find a captive audience ready to lap up their musical emissions and releases.

Agnostic Front had firmly established their deserved standing as one of the all-time greats on the firmament of hardcore bands, and when Madball released its first 7”s in 1989 and 1992 with Roger Miret’s little brother on vocal duties, at the time it seemed like an interesting side-project band not much more than that.

Everything changed in 1994 when stars aligned and the conglomerate comprised of singer Freddy Cricien, bassist Hoya Roc, drummer Will Shepler and guitarists Vinnie Stigma and Matt Henderson created something much bigger than the sum of the constituents would suggest, i.e. one of the musically tightest hardcore records I have heard to this day. Released via Roadrunner Records, one was initially suspicious that it could be a tamed, sterile mass compatible major label release, but the final result could not have been further from that.

Set it Off encompassed the epitome of the pre-gentrification New York - both musically and lyrically. 

Sonically, the production was calibrated at the perfect level and set new standards for powerful hardcore records – it was snotty, yet beefy and crisp.  It highlighted Matt Henderson’s bouncy, chug-rhythmic riffing and momentous breakdowns backed by Shepler’s bouncy drumming and seamlessly blended in Cricien’s vocals with their idiosyncratic hip hop tinge, which infused the record with a choppy groovyness without ever running danger of lacking in rawness and aggression.

A landmark record and milestone of 1990s hardcore.

The Formative Years - Ebullition Records 

The first time I heard about Ebullition Records was when there was talk around the campfire of that a gentleman that was known to me as a Maximum Rock’n’roll / No Answer zine contributor, i.e. Kent McClard, was planning to release a full length of one of my favourite bands from Orange County, California, i.e. Inside Out. Having evolved from the more rudimentary Hard Stance, Inside Out channelled everything I love about hardcore from NYC and DC as they further infused it with their idiosyncratic skewed riffing and the way Zack de la Rocha delivered his manically sincere lyrics.

Unfortunately the full length on Ebullition Records never came to fruition and Inside Out released its only 7” on Revelation Records instead , however, it put Ebullition Records firmly on my radar and when the first release on the label saw the light of day, I was not disappointed: Downcast’s fantastic debut 7” “Hate comes easy” set the tone. Accompanied by the ninth issue of No Answers zine, it was the perfect combo to herald the advent of Ebullition Records and unleash an array of genre-coining releases by bands that stylistically traversed territory between screamo, emo and contemporary hardcore punk, with the common denominator being a commitment to DIY ethics.

Having honed his craft by writing for MRR and No Answers, Ebullition Records eventually launched its own fanzine Hearattack in 1994, which was not only affordable and served as a thought provoking forum to not only introduce the labels’ new bands and releases, but the label’s ethos and quickly ascended to become a veritable mouthpiece and thinktank for a new wave of bands and that set out to counteract the commercialisation and infiltration of punk in the wake of Nirvana’s success.

Meeting some of the protagonists on trips to the US and during the first European tours of Ebullition Records’ bands only intensified my interest along with the fact that Kent McClard took a hardline stance against distributing his or other records with barcodes to not have his releases become available through mainstream chain stores, which necessitated for the listener to find Ebullition Records and its bands as it deliberately operated off the grid in a bid to keep unwanted mainstream attention out of the picture and keep things within a self-defined microcosm.

Thus Let Us Drink Beer - Holgate Brewhouse and Six String Brewing

As we have outlined with our previous coverage of Holgate Brewhouse, over the last twenty years the Victorian brewery has established itself firmly on the forefront of innovative quality producers of ales that honour both the classic styles from the old world and the ever expanding and envelope pushing North American micro scene, as well as more experimental brews and ventures based around barrel maturation.

With their operations having constantly evolved and grown, both in terms of extent as well as in terms of using cutting edge technology, I am always looking forward to their new emissions and the directions they take their beers into, especially when it comes to their IPAs.

Their latest brew, i.e. the Campfire Red IPA has a telling name as it is the ideal companion for an evening in front of a campfire during the colder months of the year.

The marriage of citrussy rind and luscious red berry hops results in a complex flavour profile with malty, chocolatey nuances dancing on a parquet of deliciously piny, resinous hoppiness with a delicately dry finish. A wonderful component to have alongside a dram of peaty whisky.

Quite a different flavour experience is Holgate’s Tivo Orange Sour, the name of which alludes to the intention of creating an aperitif in beer form. Based on a collaboration with Umberto Espresso Bar, it has a distinct Italian take and is modelled after a spritz  -a feat that is achieved by using a German hop variation going under the colourful name Mandarina Bavaria. Peachy in appearance, this is the perfect palate cleanser and accompaniment to a charcuterie board as its bitter notes would counter and thereby complement savoury flavours. The fact that with a mere 4% ABV it is extremely sessionable does not hurt either.

So far, so good.

However, the winner of the new range that I have been fortunate enough to enjoy is Holgate’s Beezebub’s Jewels, which is the name of a series that sees the brewery experimenting with barrels.

In essence, Holgate takes a specifically created Belgian style ale and matures it in wine barrels and if you harbour a remote appreciation for rich, dark Belgian ales, you are in for a treat as the result is reminiscent of a barley wine with Belgian quad characteristics. Needless to say, the barrels have imbued the ale with sherry-esque, dark fruity and oak overtones, which add immensely to the complexity.

Clocking in at 12% ABV, this is a dangerously more-ish drop that leaves one smacking one’s lips.

Back in New South Wales, on the Central Coast to be precise, Six String Brewery has grown to a veritable powerhouse over the last eight years and in terms of their emissions, they have been going from strength to strength.

With the name of the distillery being a thinly veiled reference to one of the founder’s weak spot for how bass players like John Lennon and Robert Smith like to channel their alchemy in a more pronounced manner, i.e. the use of 6-stringed basses, it should not come as a surprise that internally they refer to their creations as “amplified ales”.

While Six String Brewery has a formidable core range, with this instalment of our series, I would like to focus on their IPA range, the quality of which has got me raving about to anyone who indicates being remotely into hopped out brews.

As a good starting point to signify the descent into the delicious rabbit hole that is Six String Brewery, I would recommend their Shreddin’ IPA as it proves to be an exquisite session IPA with a deliciously overpowering dankness, which is set against a backdrop of citrus and tropical notes, culminating in a lovely balanced bitterness.

Let’s continue our examination of Six String’s IPA range in a vertical manner and move to another one of their perfectly calibrated core expressions, i.e. their Dark Red IPA.

Clocking in at the same ABV as the Shreddin’ IPA yet with a higher IBU of just slightly over 50, things are taken to the next level in terms of hoppiness and flavours..

As the colour indication in the name would suggest, the IPA’s typical resinous and citrus flavours are overshadowed by dark chocolatey and caramel notes derived from the malts, which imbue the brew with its colour and ensure the well-calibrated balance between sweet highlights and a grounding bitterness.

So far, so good.

While the aforementioned expressions deliver flavour in spades, Six String’s Electric Feel West Coast IPA knocks things out of the park.

Quintessentially, this is a supercharged India Pale Ale, which sees Centennial hops being married with Simcoe.

Clocking in at a solid ABV of 7.2%, the result is everything a West Coast IPA aficionado could wish for, i.e. vibrant flavour avalanches of piney hops, fruity and dank aromas that make it a wonderful olfactory experience culminating in an elongated finish with a herbal, earthy crescendo in terms of bitterness.

Word around the campfire has that Six String Brewing will continue their journey with a firm focus on limited and more experimental releases and I can only hope that as far as IPAs are concerned, they will continue their streak of creating hopped out flavour bombs.

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images from company websites

Water of Life – Hellfire Distillery / Kilderkin Distillery

If you have followed this series with a modicum of interest and harbour a weak spot for fantastic, artisanal spirits, Tasmania would be doubtlessly be have made it on your to-visit list quite a while ago. Visiting the southernmost state of Australia twice a year, I never cease to discover new distilleries that know to tantalise my palate with their creations.

Case in point: The Daly family. Originally known for potato production, the family eventually commenced using their crop for spirits production and formally established its operation as Hellfire Distillery four years ago.

With their creamy Potato Vodka constituting their core release, their portfolio has grown to encompass an impressive range of gins and liqueurs. Hand crafted in nature and focused in provenance, Hellfire put local rainwater to good use and infuses their distillates with Tasmanian botanicals.

My first exposure to Hellfire Distillery’s emissions was their Summer Gin, the ingredients of which read like a floral poem, with boronia flower, Tasmanian leatherwood honey, sarsaparilla root and mountain pepper berries dominating the flavour profile. While it serves perfectly to concoct a summery G&T, I find it even more enjoyable to sip neat.

The Sloe Gin expression uses berries  growing wild from rural hedgerows, which after maceration are responsible for the beautifully intense colouration and the citrussy highlights which are set against a backdrop of orangey spiciness.  

The flavour profile of Hellfire’s Piquant gin is more on the herbaceously bold end of the spectrum and quite refreshingly so with lemon myrtle, olive leaves and lemongrass creating intensive flavour that come to sing in a strong Martini.

The Limoncello, how else could it be, is based on the juice of specifically grown and then hand-peeled lemons and proves to be Hellfire’s spin on an Italian classic.

Now, while I love coffee, as a flavour in beers or spirits, it has never been a favourite, however, the fact that Hellfire’s way of marrying Using Colombian, Guatemalan and Ethiopian beans from Tasmanian Special to create their cold-drip Coffee Liqueur makes a regular appearance with desert should give an indication of the quality of their craft.

I certainly hope to be visiting the distillery one day and that Hellfire will hopefully start to try their hands at creating their own whiskey expression.

Produced at Kilderkin Distillery and located in the proximity of Ballarat, Larrikin Gin made a splash when after years of experimentation, they launched their first expressions in 2017.

With the Australian term “larrikin” denoting a disregard for conventions, the distillery is dedicated to paying homage to its home base, which harbours a colourful and longstanding history of both illicit and licit distilling by using traditional distilling methods, they also started to infuse the process with their own idiosyncratic and contemporary approach.

With quality and carefully calibrated flavour profiles of their gins being the main tenets, Kilderkin's artisanal gin range are infused with not only local botanicals but finetuned with ones sourced from more remote corners of this earthround to ensure that their small batches provide  unique and tantalizing experiences for the distinguished palate.

Being into whiskies, Barrel Aged gins are usually my go-to when it comes to sipping gins neat.

Larrikin’s variant clocks in at 43.5% and benefits from maturation in American Oak barrels that not only previously held Bourbon, but have been further enhanced by holding Tasmanian whiskey. It is this refinement that adds a subtle well-rounded edge and delicate oak nuances, which serve as a canvas on which the Juniper and carefully selected botanicals unfold their vibrancy. The choice of casks imbues Larrikin’s Barrel-Aged expression with unique characteristics that with such delicately pronounced highlights is rarely found in the wild. Delicious on its own – no need for mixers.

Ready to step things up a notch?

Larrikin’s Sunburnt Country – Bush Tucker gin could not be more on the nose as far as the telling nomenclature is concerned: What we have here is Kilderkin creating a quintessential Australian gin, with provenance and native botanicals taking centre stage.

With the alcoholic potency locked in to be the % equivalent of the highest temperature that was ever recorded on terra australis, i.e. 50.7, every facet of this expression is an ode to down under.

Not unlike it was the case with the Barrel Aged Gin, Kilderkin Distillery’s scientific precision comes into play in the flavour department with the broader brushstrokes derived from the dominant botanicals being masterfully counterpointed by citrussy highlights, zesty lime and the faintest hint of both sweet and tarty plum flavours.

Going by the consistent quality of their gins, I can only hope that Kilderkin Distillery will channel their alchemy in the creation of their own whiskey expression sooner than later.

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images from company websites

Water of Life – The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

There is certainly no shortage of whisky clubs and subscription services these days and for anyone remotely into discovering new flavour nuances and variations of their favourite bottlings, joining one can prove to be a viable option.

The experience those services offer ranges from basic monthly tasting kits that might entice the uninitiated to tumble deeper into the fascinating rabbit hole that the world of whisky provides to curated offerings with expertise at the helm, attention to detail dedicated to each facet and the ambition to provide access to special independent bottlings that one would fail to find anywhere else.

Enter the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, which falls into the latter category,

In essence, the SMSW is a club the membership of which gains one access not only to whiskies exclusively sourced and crafted for its members, but also a range of social events, access to partner bars with discounts and regular communiques, e.g. their quarterly magazine Unfiltered, which is one of the more informative and intriguing whisky-centric on this earthround.

Incepted in the 1970s by Pip Hills and informed by his hobbyhorse, i.e. the acquisition of single malt casks to then share the contents with his friends, which to this day constitutes the core ethos and DNA of the SMWS in an augmented manner,  it has evolved to firmly establish itself on the firmament of whisky clubs that has become known for its stringent and rigorous quality standards, implemented by the society’s tasting panel.

Sounds a tad illuminati?

Well, while the “enlightened” set out to put an end to the machinations of the purveyors of injustice, which to some degree could also be identified as an equivalent tenet of the SMWS as they provide access to more interesting whiskies with the only criteria being quality.

If you have ever come across the uniform signature green SMWS’ bottlings, you would have looked in vain for further details on the label as to the distillery, age, cask, or origin. A deliberate move, as the idea is to not let preconceived notions about regions and distilleries dampen the tasting experience of the more often than not off-profile single cask nuances and resulting surprising discoveries.

Instead SMWS uses a numbering system comprised of two sets of digits, which enables the curious and discerning drinker to unveil the source distillery and number of casks that have been sourced.

What I love about the SMWS are the tasting notes, which are not only expertly written in a way reminiscent of poetry to evoke a mouth-watering Pavlovian response with the mental images they conjure, but often contain subtle hints regarding the source that are easy to decipher for the initiated.

If you are looking for standard whisky offerings, joining the SMWS might not be for you as the appeal lies in the fact that single barrel whiskies can be quite different from the respective distillery’s core range, which on the other hand is the draw for aficionados willing to explore and experiment.

Harbouring more than a weak spot for Islay whiskies, I would love to see SMWS put less emphasis on sherry casks and release more Islays outside the confines of what Caol Ila offers, as I’d only imagine how interesting an SMWS bottling of Bruichladdich’s Port Charlotte / Octomore, Ardbeg, Kilchoman and Laphroiag could be.

Needless to say, with the limited nature of SMWS’ offerings and the keen and enthusiastic nature of its members, their monthly outturn is usually lapped up pretty quickly.

We will hopefully have a chance to cover the 2021 incarnation of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship in October, where sensory prowess will reign supreme and which will help to further cover the merits of SMWS as an organisation and shed light on its events.

Summa summarum, if you love whisky and you invested in the independent bottling landscape and single cask variations, a SMWS membership proves to be a very good investment, especially if travel restrictions allow for a visit its inner sanctums in the old world, i.e. the vaults in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London.

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image courtesy of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society