A beer that one punter told Crafty he'd like to take to bed, the Empress really is as sensual an experience as beer gets. Taking the brewery's Temptress as the start point – same malt bill and bitterness, same use of Dutch cocoa and vanilla beans – this originally took a journey to lands anew for the first Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular in February.
As well as making it into an Imperial Mocha Porter (10 percent ABV to the Temptress' 6), the brewers were keen to give it an Aussie twist so invested in some coffee from Eureka, grown around the Queensland / NSW border, that after much experimentation was added to the fermenters to add some coffee bitterness to the luxuriant vanilla-choc richness of its forefather (or mother). The result is a real treat: thick, smooth and creamy, like a naughty and nice after dinner liqueur chocolate. What's more, there are only 133 bottles in existence so it's a rare treat too.
Published June 1, 20112011-06-01 00:00:00
Name
Holgate Brewhouse
Address
79 High Street
Woodend
VIC 3442
Phone
Hotel, Bar and Restaurant: (03) 5427 2510 Brewery Sales: (03) 54 273 522
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