Thus Let Us Drink Beer – Modus Operandi + The Mill Brewery
With its credo “Beer first, no shortcuts”, Modus Operandi has over the last seven years made waves by not merely being accolade decorated for literally all of their core releases, but by supplementing them with a diverse range of experimental releases, each of which being an homage to the joys of craft beer.
Having raved about Modus Operandi’s ode to the former devil’s lettuce growing tenant of their site before as part of this series, i.e. the formidable marriage of Galaxy and Mosaic hops crowned by a caramelly sweetness that is the Red Tenant Red IPA, I was looking forward to sampling the most recent emissions of the brewery that is now proudly run on 100% Green Energy.
The triple hazy, dry hopped Neon Nectar Hazy IPA is not only a name that just rolls off the tongue, but is one that both in terms of hoppyness and appearance is exactly as bright and vibrant as the telling name would have you think.
The nectar component takes centre stage with a fruity melange of peachy apricots dancing with citrussy melon flavours, with just the right amount of tarty bitterness cutting through, rounding out a lip-smacking fulminant experience.
Clocking in at 6.5%, an extremely sessionable little number.
Modus Operandi’s Future Factory IV is the latest instalment of their series. I vividly remember that a previous incarnation proved to be a monster of a IIIPA ten percenter, compared to which the IV lands us in relatively tame territory.
With an ABV of 8%, this hop forward Double IPA, which showcases pineapple, citrus, and piney aromas against a backdrop of grapefruit and tangerine, proves to be the ideal piquant companion to a dram of the excellent John Paul Peated Cask Strength.
Despite being a hop head and IPA aficionado, Modus Operandi’s Imperial Sour Acid Januar took me by surprise.
Pink in appearance, I was in for a berry ride through bright, sweet-tart territory, pervaded by just the right amount of acidity.
With an ABV of 8%, a delightful combination of sour beer and raspberries that is super refreshing and strangely satisfying.
THE MILL BREWERY
In the coastal capital of the south-eastern Australian state of Victoria, Collingwood has established itself over the last five years on the forefront of hotbeds for mushrooming craft breweries, partly due to the fantastic brews emanating from The Mill Brewery.
With founder and head brewer Mirek Aldridge having honed his craft via experimenting with homebrewing, his hobbyhorse eventually became his vocation with the brewery starting its operations in 2017.
What originally started with a trio of beers, has evolved to a fulminant line-up of both core classics and new, experimental beers that push the envelope as far as taste nuances are concerned.
My first exposure to The Mill Brewery was via their El Toro IPA and unlike the name suggests and the bullishly bitter kick it delivers, I find it to be an immensely enjoyable, well-calibrated hop forward West Coast styled IPA.
Orangey in appearance, tropical fruity notes are married with piney, resinous nuances, set against a dominant bitter backbone and by masterfully catering to seemingly opposing flavour profiles, the complex whole accumulates to much more than the sum of the individual constituents suggests.
With its dry and clean finish and clocking in at an ABV of 6.7%, it is a borderline ideal IPA to be paired with a smoky Islay whisky, in my case a dram of the recently released Octomore 13 series.
Delicious.
With the classic US IPA styles mastered, I was intrigued when I learned about Mill Brewery’s endeavour to channel its alchemy in exploring hops native to the Southern hemisphere:
Mill’s Southern Lights expression is, as the telling name suggests, based on the quartet of Nelson Sauvin, Nectaron hops from New Zealand as well as Idaho 7 and Citra Cryo hops from the US.
What tickles the nostrils upon approach is that classic, sweet and sharp lawn smell.
Flavour- and ABV-wise, the result is a bit more tame than the aforementioned El Toro with the melange of the hop profiles informing what materializes on the palate in terms of sweet-tarty wine, grapelike flavours, shadowed by degrees of peachy mango and a distinct tinge of bitterness.
If the two IPAs and the excellent merch range, which artfully pays homage and signifies the designs of Black Metal bands, are anything to go by, I cannot wait for The Mill Brewery to create IIPAs as they are bound to take things to the next level.
