James Squire Malt Runner (Sydney)
$18 6pk
Source: Retail
http://www.jamessquire.com.au/
James Squire Amber is my standard goto beer, thankfully available widely and often on special at large chain liquor stores. The Porter is also a goodun too, making for a nice easy option in liquor stores often bereft of fine brews.
The limited release James Squire beers though seem to be quite variable beasts, sometimes good, sometimes just plain odd. This sits somewhere in between those two marks – drinkable but, well, just a tiny bit short of really tasty.
James Squire’s newest limited beer is the James Squire Malt Runner, a dark, richly malted style that includes Chocolate and Crystal Whear Malt as well as cocoa powder and 10% cherry juice was used in the wort. Suitably, it smells of cherry and drinking chocolate. Like Cherry Ripes actually. Did I mention I don’t like Cherry Ripe? (cherries are good, chocolate is good, but Cherry Ripe is an abomination).
Tastes like Cherry Ripe too. Dry, chocolatey and just a bit chalky. Pulls up a bit short. Slight sour edge on the back. Feels like 9/10ths of a good beer, then it just gives up awkwardly.
Back to the Amber I go…
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3 Comments
Correct. Not much good. It was the chocolate smokeyness that I didn't like. Finishes very short. I've not seen too many of these Limited Releases that I much enjoy either. The Hop Thief was okay, though a one or two beer proposition at best.
Of these James Squire beers, which I don't think all that much of incidentally, I recently re-sampled the IPA. It's a pretty solid brew that at least largely conforms with its style parameters – the point being is that it says it's an IPA (more British than American in idiom), and indeed it is.
MichaelC
It's very strange how solid the normal range is – the Porter, for example, seems to have improved of late too, yet the Limited Release beers seem to just not quite gel, like wobbly science experiments.
I never see the Porter in SEQ. I tried it years ago. Perhaps I should revisit the Amber Ale if you think the quality has improved. The IPA has sure moved up a notch or two.
Yes, "wobbly science experiments" is a good call. Lucky I usually only buy one of these things to have a go.
MichaelC