Herevana – 8 Wired – Opium Cake
8 Wired Opium Cake – It became available again. Well either I’ve had this and not noted it anywhere, not on any app, not a cursory note, or weirdly I’ve never had this, a beer that I rushed out to buy as soon as was available, becuase of a false memory. Weird thing memories and desire. (Edit: Turns out I had this in October of 2019 I knew I wasn’t going mad, I’m not even good at my own research)
8 Wired / Pinta Opium Cake is made in Warkworth, 🇳🇿 New Zealadn, and it’s an unashamed Stout – Imperial Flavored / Pastry beer, of 11% ABV.
I’m expecting Poppy seeds, lactose, oranges, vanilla and raisins. It could be a barnstormer.
I got my extra large glass out, for two reasons, one being that I’ve not used it in ages and the other was that I thought the Stout might enjoy the outing with lots of freedom. I’m hoping that it’s warming up enough having come from a colder than usual fridge.
Fancifully when I open the can I get orange, mostly the pith of an orange, but I’m going with that.
It is dark as pitch, and pours with an indolence but it got up enough energy for form quite a nice head, but that settled into jsut a film atop.
In the giant glass there’s so much orange aroma.
To taste. Oranges, almost like a liquid Terry’s Chocolate Orange amount of orange, the brilliance of the large glass is that you get such a nose, which now adds that poppy aroma into the mix. There’s some alcohol tang in this but it’s there reminding you that this is a strong beer not to be trifled with.
As it warms there I more vanilla and I dare say raisins, although in my mind they’re more a backseat than a driver on this trip
The large glass also lets you see the way the alcohol sticks to the side go he glass as you drink, sliding dolefully down, bringing a lovely visual element into what is a lovely tasting beer.
The Pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 on the arbitrary number scale. Despite my enthusiasm for the Orange elements in this it is not a perfect beer, there is a lack of fullness in the mouthfeel that might, in my mind, have brought this out more, and made it more engaging. I guess it’s not that kind of beer though. It’s not a complicated beer to drink, or enjoy, however I did think as I neared the end that this fell away a little. But what a way to go.
8 Wired say : Another collab with our polish friends Browar PINTA, who once again made the trip all the way to NZ. An imperial milk stout based on the traditional Polish poppy seed roll, Makowiec. Brewed with poppy seeds, lactose, orange peel, raisins & vanilla
Herevana beers are those I drink at home, I’m not at some beer festival, like, for instance, Beervana, but am just in my kitchen, usually, dining room table, sometimes, or outside, occasionally, where I can take an average picture and write in real time about the beer that I’ve invested in, both in a monetary and emotional way.
Philip himself.
Stout – Imperial Flavored / Pastry
The “Flavored Imperial Stout”, or “Flavored Double Stout” is an intensely-flavored, big, very dark reddish-brown to black colored ale with a wide range of flavor balances and with a clear flavoring element. Roasty-burnt malt with deep dark or dried fruit flavors, and a warming, bittersweet finish. American versions have more bitterness, roasted character, and finishing hops, while the English varieties, or “Russian Imperial Stout” (RIS), reflect a more complex specialty malt character and a more forward ester profile. It also feature an harmonious marriage of the additive and beer, but still recognizable as a beer. The additive character should be evident but in balance with the beer. (For example: fruits, spices, herbs, vegetables, coffee, honey, chocolate, maple sirup, chilies, nuts, vanilla, liquor – BUT not including Smoked malt, barrel-aging or a Sour element resulting from the brewing process). In the case of over-the-top, highly sweet, adjunct-heavy stouts reminiscent of a liquid version of cake or pastry, the name “Dessert Stout” or “Pastry Stout” if often used.
A life just as ordinary 