It’s been quite a while since I wrote about a particular beer; I’m currently enjoying the Troubadour Magma Triple Spiked Brett edition. I’ve paired it with Barkham Blue which has a spectacular funk about it – especially close to the (probably inedible) rind (which I’m eating anyway). The beer itself is gorgeous – defined as an amber triple IPA and indeed looking like liquid-form caramelised sap (minus the prehistoric insects). The carbonation is fantastic – upon drinking it feels akin to popping candy – I can actually hear the bubbles rushing across my tongue! The taste – well the taste is everything! On its own it starts wildly funky, with leathery orange and lemony tartness, balanced by the silage-like farmyard base. It’s peppery and honeyed and surprisingly dry with a good fruitiness underneath. With the cheese it comes into its own – bringing out all that earthy complexity and with the tartness of the soured blue pairing perfectly with the funk of the beer and the lemon balancing the creamy centre. It also isn’t afraid to hide its percentage – 9.8 and definitely evident! It has a fantastic and heavy body lightened by the dry finish and warming as imbibed. I have a feeling I won’t be writing much more today! What an excellent beer! 

Cheers, 
Jo