Eagle Bay’s cool weather pair dance around excess with sage-like wisdom, proving that not every beer needs to go full stupid to have fun. And suggesting that many would likely fare better with a little restraint.
Described by head brewer Keegan Steinbacher as his “favourite this year”, Dark Lager arrives with some exceedingly high expectations, especially with the brewery’s consistency at Midas touch levels. This aside, Dark Lager may come as a surprise for anyone expecting a schwarzbier riff badged with a more easily-understood title.
Instead, the ruby-tinged dark liquid concocted from a gleeful amount of specialty malts spent two months cold-conditioning, rendering a more luscious experience, albeit while maintaining absurd drinkability. And that's the trick here: for a beer that offers complexity, it really just wants you to drink it. Repeatedly. However, for those looking deeper, a sampling partner described the first pass as having Nutrigrain aromas, as the sweet malt moves through mocha and liquorice hints plus a little nutty Frangelico as it warms – should it get a chance to. The snappy, crisp finish offers a false ending because lingering, bittersweet licks linger and make Keegan’s statement increasingly prescient as the glass depletes.
Not to be out done, however, is Coco Cacao Stout, an amplified version of Eagle Bay’s core range Stout. Described by the brewery as reminiscent of “your favourite powdered malt beverage” and a “beloved coconut choccy bar”, there’s equal measure of both throughout a beer with a full, smooth and quite indulgent profile, one which wisely omits lactose and thereby retains some sense of control through the giddy ride.
Guy Southern
Published July 16, 2024 2024-07-16 00:00:00
