This is the first beer of what Van Dieman brewer Will Tatchell hopes to be a series of beers under the Mash Up moniker. The idea is to hook up with as many of his local primary producers in Tasmania to create collaborations that celebrate the colourful nature of the land. First up is this collaboration with Evandale roasters Ritual Coffee that first saw the light at this year's GABS and has since been bottled and sent out around the state. The base beer is a Belgian Dubbel so Will didn't want anything too roasty from the coffee that could confuse the palate with an otherwise rich, sweet and fruity beer. As such, they opted to use cold drip coffee to obtain the sweeter, nuttier elements of the beans. And he got what he wanted, with little hint of any acrid or astringent roastiness, merely flavours and aromas that sit within the traditional flavours of the Dubbel. If anything, the combination creates a creamy, almost candy coffee like result that is unique among coffee beers we've sampled.
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