Red Hill Imperial Stout
I’m not really a stout drinker, (or a drinker of stout, for that matter!) but I wanted to complete the ‘Red Hill’ set, so in for a penny…
They say: Jet Black and one to be savoured. The mouth feel is silky smooth, the nose has roasted malt and a touch of caramel.
The website goes on to say a lot of things - some make sense, others ring less true.
It’s rich, dark and tasty. Possibly a bit sweeter and easier to drink than that well known Irish brand of stout. Pungent molasses flavours and a smooth finish make it a quite drinkable drop. The website goes on about a lasting and beautiful white head’, but poured from the bottle, I found it less than aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps sensing my disappointment, the head vanished quite quickly.
The website also says: “This fine ale is only available from the brewery”, but I got mine in a stubby from Vic Market, so there’s obviously going to be some discrepancy between the beverage poured from the bottle and that from the brewery tap.
As, I said, Stout is not my usual choice, so I’m probably never going to rave about one. I suspect this one wouldn’t please many regulars though - somehow it seemed clumsy and unfinished.
The bare facts:
Red Hill Brewery
88 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South, Victoria 3071
www.redhillbrewery.com.au