Beer – #230 – Deep Creek – Dweller on the Threshold
Strange names for beer abound, and this one is no exception. From Deep Creek I have a “Dweller on the Threshold” Brewed by Deep Creek Brewing Co in the style of a Scotch Ale they do this in Auckland, New Zealand, the Brewpub being in Browns Bay, a whole 5km from home if I wanted to walk, at least to there that is, no telling about the way home. However the brewery for this is in Silverdale, a bit of a drive away.
This is one hell of a beer! We start by brewing a rich, smooth Scotch Ale, then age it in used whiskey barrels for a devilish twist. The intoxicating whiskey flavours and aromas infuse seamlessly with our creation, like a malevolent entity attaching itself to a human being..
The aged oak barrels also impart hints of vanilla, a promise of something sweeter amidst the darkness. A devilish creation.
ABV of 7.3 in a big 750ml bottle, which makes it about 4.32 NZ standard drink units.
Bonus is that this is bottle 104 of only 1250 made.
It’s well presented and could be a mission to open with a waxed overseal on the bottle. Having picked throughout that you find a normal cap to open, which is a bit of a let down.
Muted hiss on opening, and nose of whiskey is apparent. Pours a deep black, with a fair frothy head of mocha brown. Whiskey aroma becomes much more muted. Bottle can now seen to be green. Like a wine bottle. Really.
Head dies quite quickly. Taste is like a barley wine, lots of heavy fruits, and not a lot of the promised whiskeyness. Soft and easy to drink this does not challenge you in the same way that other whiskey infused beers might, and it quite an acceptable beer on it’s own, and not a special occasion thing that you’d get out to impress.
However being as how there are only 1250 bottle made I can’t see this ever being mainstream or being lauded over by many people.
The pdubyah-o-meter rates this a 10 on the scale of things, as Awesome, but mostly because it’s a rarity. If it was a general issue beer this would still rate highly as at least a 9 or 9.25 on the random scale of things.
The Deep Creek beers are somewhat like the Hallertau beers, a bit hit or miss. This is most definitely a bullseye shot to greatness.
I’m going to smugly sit here and enjoy the rest of this, it really is that good.
SCOTCH ALE
Scotch Ale was the name given to a strong pale ale from Edinburgh in the 19th century. This was typical of the strong pale ales brewed in Britain at that time – mainly pale barley malt and moderate hopping, and were not that stylistically different to English Strong Ales or Barley Wines. The name however became regionalised so that a strong pale ale from Scotland became known as a Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy. Beers using the designation Scotch Ale are popular in the USA where most examples are brewed locally. Examples of beers brewed in the USA under the name Wee Heavy tend to be 7% abv and higher, while Scottish brewed examples, such as Belhavens Wee Heavy, are typically between 5.5% and 6.5% abv.
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