For most breweries, the formula for entering the beer market is not to scare anyone and compete with the hundreds of other Pale Ales and Golden Ales. But for Moon Dog’s founders Josh and Jake Uljans and Karl van Buuren, they were brewing “cool and weird” brews before it was cool.
Beginning in 2011, Moon Dog tested everyone’s palates (including their own) with their smoky, peaty stouts. Then came funky, tart dark ales, double IPAs and some of the best named beers to see the light of day, the most notable being the “Magnificent Mullet Series” of fruit wheat beers: Melon Gibson, McGuava and Billy Ray Citrus.
In more recent times, ample demand for their beers has seen quite a large expansion at the Abbotsford brewery which pumps out a heap of their core range, yet still allows plenty of room to play around with experimental batches.
Which brings us to their latest beer: Cake Hole Black Forest Stout. It includes notes sour cherries, cacao and vanilla alongside a long list of roasty, toasty specialty malts. The verdict? It’s not bad at all. In fact, it’s sensational. For those expecting a rich, thick cake tastes, well, you won’t get that; but the drinking experience still involves a heap of chocolate with a slight tart cherry twang at the end. The head disappears quite quickly, which for me, is best enjoyed a little warmer than recommended.
Cake Hole has been out for a few weeks now and available at selected good beer venues in Melbourne and regional Victoria. Why not pop in to the brewery at 17 Duke St, Abbotsford. I suggest a Thursday night after work, as they tap a heap of other rare beers for you to try. Cheers!
ABV: 6.5% | Style: Sweet stout | Serving Temp: 6-8 degrees
Food match: Black Forest Cake!
Origin: Abbotsford, Victoria
Prie (RRP): $24 for a 4 pack