Beer  #17: Parallel 49 Psychopz India Pale Lager 6.5% ABV
Rated: 7 out of 10

This beer is somewhat unusual, being a hop heavy lager rather than the more usual hop heavy ale. The Psychopz is smoother than what you would find in a typical IPA, with more muted floral notes on the nose. There is a slight tang in the aftertaste, but it is cleaner and crisper than its ale cousins while still maintaining bitter undertones.

Beer #18: Central City “Gary’s Gourd” Squash Ale 9% ABV
Rated: 4 out of 10

This beer has me somewhat apprehensive. A squash ale? With 9% alcohol? Can it possibly be any good? The first thing you notice is the rich dark velvety red colour that seems to absorb light like a black hole. Then there is the subtler than expected squash aromas, and the surprisingly good head retention. Then you take a sip. And your first thought is “wow, that’s not too bad.” And then this sickly sweet, bizarre, unholy flavour creeps up on you and fills your entire mouth. Good god the aftertaste is bad. I’m not even sure what flavour it is, but its not good. [Kiri tried some and reckons the aftertaste is a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg. Whatever it is, it shouldn’t be in a beer.]

Beer #19: Parallel 19 “Please Sir” S’more Stout 10% ABV 45 IBU
Rated: 5 out of 10

For the Australians out there who aren’t sure what a s’more is, think of marshmallow and chocolate sandwiched between arrowroot biscuits. Now, why would you put this in a beer? I don’t know. This beer pours an extremely dark black, and has very little carbonation. It has a sweet chocolate nose, with an underlying hint of the strong alcohol content. The underlying beer is a very heavy stout, which helps to provide balance to the sweeter s’more notes. But, it is still a very sweet beer. I know some people like these novelty beers, but they are not really for me. We’ve been brewing beers for over 500 years, we’ve generally got it figured out pretty good. No need to get too fancy with it.

Beer #20: Red Racer Imprial IPA 9% ABV
Rated: 6 out of 10

It appears that the high alcohol beers are coming out close to christmas this year. This one is a little more standard than the last couple though, being a reasonably standard IPA. The high alcohol content makes it a bit of a novelty, but the alcohol does seem to dominate a little too much. I think the flavour profile of this beer would be greatly improved it was around 6% ABV instead of 9%. The beer does have a nice amber colouring and reasonable head retention.

Beer #21: Parallel 49 “Sahti Claus” Finish Sahti  7.5% ABV 35 IBU
Rated: 6 out of 10

This beer was also in last years advent calendar, so this is the second time I’ve had a Sahti. Traditionally, this type of beer is flavoured with juniper berries, and often has a banana ester flavour. Last year I found, in particular, the juniper overpowering and said “I would certainly not have another.” But I actually like this years version… the juniper flavour is very understated, as is the banana ester taste. They underline the flavour of this rye and barley beer nicely, and the ester is also noticable in the aroma. A remarkable turnaround from last year – is it my palate or the beer that has changed?

Beer #22: Central City “Thor’s Hammer” Barley Wine 11.5% ABV
Rated: 6 out of 10

This beer is referred to as a barley wine because of the high alcohol content. It was conditioned in bourbon barrels, and the distinctive flavour of bourbon underlies this beer. But the overwhelming flavours here are sweetness with some malt. The sweetness is a bit overdone, with the aftertaste consisting of a mix of bourbon and honey. I’m not sure that this is a particularly good beer, but it if you consider it as more of a nightcap or desert wine then it is quite reasonable. I recently purchased a bottle of the Granville Island barley wine, and it will certainly be interesting to compare the two.

Beer #23: Parallel 49 “Vow of Silence” Belgian Strong Ale 10% ABV 25 IBU
Rated: 7 out of 10

This is another strong barrel aged beer, and is my favourite of the stronger beers so far. A rich malty flavour with an oaky finish, the alcohol in this beer complements rather than overwhelm or detract from the flavours as with some of the other beers this year. It has a deep golden brown colour, and a complex flavour profile. These extra strong beers are not my go to, but this is a fine example of the genre.

Beer #24: Central City “Jitter Buzz” Coffee Stout 9% ABV
Rated: 7 out of 10

This beer features Been Around the World cold brew coffee, and it really is almost as much coffee as beer. The aroma is a mix of coffee and malty chocolate, and the creamy white head has good longevity. I like the underlying beer here, but the coffee leaves a bit to be desired (like most North American coffee in my opinion). I wonder if this beer would work with a more delicately flavoured Australian coffee, or whether the coffee would be lost in the rich stout. In the case of this beer, the coffee creates an overly bitter aftertaste that somewhat detracts from an otherwise good, and very interesting, beer.