My day usually entails drinking coffee until it’s time to drink beer, then drinking beer until it’s time to drink coffee. So you could imagine the enormous yet fortunate dilemma that ensued when I first heard about Brewcult’s Milk and Two Sugars Imperial Coffee Stout. Should I have a coffee first or should I follow up this beer with another beer? I mean, whatever way I played it I ended up winning!
The beer is the brainchild of Steve Henderson, the man behind Brewcult. Actually, most in the craft beer industry would agree that Hendo is simply The Man. He loves hops so much that I’m sure he’s not adverse to using a few Citra flowers as aftershave before leaving the house. Brewcult’s range of beers are almost always hop forward. In particular, I’m a huge fan of the Can’t Fight The Funk IPA and the Hopzone Session IPA which is a lifesaver for those that like to get the IPA experience and remain coherent after three drinks. But Milk & Two Sugars is not about hops, it’s about the coffee – 3,000 shots of Axil Coffee to be precise.
I’m sure all of you hard-core beer lovers out there would have already tried this beer at the Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular in May and you’d already know that it took out the coveted People’s Choice Award. It’s kind of a big deal, given that every beer that has won it in past years has either gone on to be an overnight sensation or become a core range beer or both. Given the huge effort it took to make this beer, I’m not sure we’ll see it again for a long time, if ever, so I’ll get to it and talk about the beer itself!
It pours a lovely dark hue with a tan head which dissipates quicker than most stouts, but my word – the aroma! Of course there’s a strong coffee nose but that’s just the beginning. Expect a sweet chocolate malty element that is so weird and wonderful, it doesn’t take long before you try a second taste. Finally, a beer that I can drink at breakfast time that people won’t judge me on!
You can get this beer at selected bottle shops around Melbourne and on tap at Two Row Bar in Fitzroy. Why not meet the man behind Milk and Two Sugars at Bendigo On The Hop on Saturday 1 August, where Brewcult will be one of 22 breweries showcasing some rare and unique beers at Australia’s best winter beer festival. Check it out at www.bendigobeer.com