Two new beers from Swell means a chance for me to discover a couple of new surfing terms. It turns out Gnarheads is a combination of the term "gnarly" and sour candy Warheads, with the idea here to make a sour that could be enjoyed in the cooler months, hence the addition of dark cherries and a bolder base.
The acidity from the kettle souring and dark sour cherries really punches through with a decent puckering bite while the fruit flavour is also quite prevalent and punchy, almost heading into cherry syrup territory. The cherries also offer a little sweetness initially before a nice, dry, tart finish washes over.
Staying in the surf, The Bommie refers to a word with indigenous origins, bombora: an area with large waves which break over a shallow area, rock or a reef. In beer form, The Bommie features a hefty malt profile of Coopers Ale, Vienna, toffee, malted oats, rolled oats and wheat, which is joined by equally hefty amounts of experimental hop HBC586 plus Superdelic and Citra Cryo.
The result is a juicy, tropical fruit bowl with an almost a milky sweetness there to support the hop-driven flavours and aromas and add to the soft, delicate mouthfeel. Tropical fruits comes in waves – largely mango, then papaya and pineapple – as the sweetness rides through to the end with no bitterness in sight.
Matt King
Published May 29, 2024 2024-05-29 00:00:00
