Beer – #984 – Panhead – Snake Oil Bogus IPA
Panhead Custom Ales (Lion Breweries – NZ) Snake Oil Bogus IPA. It’s a soured IPA, and I’ve had a couple recently, one of which was superb from McLeod’s Brewery, I kind of hanker after that kind of thing again. Anyhoo this time up from a brewer who’s beer I’ve not had a lot of recently a beer with a magnificent name. Snakoil. What’s the worst that could happen.
Therapeutic claims not based on actual fact
This is a 500ml bottle an elixir that is 7% ABV, that’s about 210 calories a serve size, that’s 2.8 standard drinks in NZ.
Brewed by Panhead Custom Ales (Lion Breweries – NZ) This one is in the style that is an India Pale Ale (IPA) and they’re in Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand
Yussah!
Unlike 99% of hop forward IPAs, Panhead Custom Ales’ Snake Oil Elixir employs patented “souring” technology to revitalise the nervous system and aid digestive function.
Nine out of ten brewing professionals recommend Panhead Snake Oil’s revivifying qualities in the treatment of neuralgia, toothache, rheumatism, chilblains, dyspepsia, feminine hysteria and swelling of the throat*.
*Therapeutic claims not based on actual facts
So, What could possibly go wrong?
Smells like a decent grassy hoppy IPA on opening, nothing given away.
Pour is lovely golden orange with a lovely whiteness about the head that sits well on this. Aroma is malty hoppy sweetness.
Despite the lack of hint in the aroma the taste is a burst of sweet sourness, juicy sweet, the sourness light and supportive and not mechanical and sherbet.
Lip smacking tasty and good for what ails you.
It’s a strange old beer though, there’s not a lot of what you might think of as traditional IPA about this, you don’t get a sense of hops or a grassyness or even a hop oil note from the drinking in essentially what is rather a soft mouthfeel easy drinking beer.
A very refreshing beer.
good for what ails you.
I stopped this point remembering that I had some smoked brie, and let me tell you that cheese and this beer…… well all it did was accentuate the sourness in the beer. But I recon I should have started with the cheese and not joined part way through. Possibly, because I’m really enjoying the way that those two flavours go together.
I’m not however going to start a beer and cheese blog, but there’s probably enough variety of cheese to keep me going for a few ramblings.
I do think though that I’ve finally found a style of soured beer that suits me, a hoppy Pale/IPA based one, of the three that I’ve had this is easily in the top 3 :), but it’s not quite as good as a McLeod’s 5 wild hops soured IPA in my opinion. It seems unlikely that this is going to catch on however, which might be for the good.
In the meantime I feel as bright as a button and I’m going to shout ‘Testify’ any moment now…..
The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 of its things from the thing. Theres a lot to admire about a sour IPA, which is a change from the usual sour ales, However in this case it seems rather forlorn if you’ve lost sight of the starting point, or the baseline, and this ends up as a softly soured sweetish beer.
The double dip review
- Where did I get it? Liquorland locally had some.
- Am I enjoying it? Yes.
- Would I have another? Yes, it’s bound to cure me in someway
- Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yes, because it’s a brilliant name beer, and it delivers on the hocus name, I don’t know that it’s an IPA because you just can’t tell. It is however a bit tasty.
Music for this: Scary Monsters by David Bowie on the Spotify
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), also known simply as Scary Monsters, is the fourteenth studio album by David Bowie, released on 12 September 1980
IMPERIAL/DOUBLE IPA
Imperial IPA, Double IPA or DIPA is a strong, often sweet, intensely hoppy version of the traditional India Pale Ale. Bitterness units range upward of 100 IBUs and alcohol begins at 7.5% but is more commonly in the 8.5-10% range. The flavour profile is intense all-round. Unlike barley wines, the balance is heavily towards the hops, with crystal and other malts providing support.
A life just as ordinary 