They made their name on the back of hoppy beers and these days put much of their focus onto their Cerveza but, damn, Modus release some standout barrel-aged stouts.
When I wrote about Modus’ five-year milestone, I mentioned that my first Modus beer was Total Eclipse in 2015, an imperial stout aged in Lark whisky barrels – and that it was so good it had me wandering down the street in my pyjamas to go drink more of it on a Tuesday night.
And in fact, when I went to Modus to interview owners Grant and Jaz for that article in 2019, I drank a glass of V, a BA RIS in Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels – and my eyes rolled back in my head.
All that to say: no surprise that Dead Men Tell No Tales is right up my alley, too.
Eight varieties of malt work together in harmony to give layers of flavour, sweetness, and a thick body to an indulgent imperial stout, which then spent 12 months in rum barrels from Newcastle neighbours Earp Distilling. The final product shows every single one of those months in rum-soaked wood, with the smell of Lindt coated in brown sugar oozing out of the glass. It’s a feat in itself that the aromas could push their way through the thick chocolaty foam that’s flomped on top of the oily beer.
And this is all before you start drinking, which is when the choc fondue, maple syrup, and sultanas swollen with booze all show up. The sheer decadence is almost overwhelming to the senses as the viscous liquid flows over your tongue in slow motion. This is 3.7 standard drinks of goodness.
The fact that I made it through this whole write-up without making any pirate puns tells you just how good this beer arrr. I mean, is.
Mick Wüst
Published May 21, 2024 2024-05-21 00:00:00
