Big Shed looked overseas for ideas when it came to their latest dessert inspired beer and it's resulted in quite a mess: an Eton Mess. Originating in England, the story goes that, during a 19th century cricket game when Eton were playing Harrow, the tea time snack of strawberries and cream pudding was dropped on the ground. Not to be thwarted, the scraps were scooped up off the floor and jammed into individual bowls, with strawberries, meringue and cream combined as one.
How's that work as a beer, you ask? Well, there was no cricket involved in the creation of Big Shed’s beery spin, as theirs comes in the form of a 5.9 percent strawberry NEIPA with which they hope to bowl you over. Once jammed into the glass, this Eton Mess pours a cloudy, bright pink colour. As you'd expect from the dessert, a huge, sweet aroma full of strawberries presents itself first, overpowering anything overtly hoppy. The brewers continue to hit the brief for six by combining a balance of strawberry flavours and sweetness with a soft creaminess. There's barely an IBU (or LBW) in sight, as a fluffy sweetness brings play to a close.
Matt King
Published January 16, 2019 2019-01-16 00:00:00