Ölbeat 246: Maku Amorphis Lager

Brewery: Maku Brewing
Country: Finland 
Style: Premium Lager
Abv: 4,6 % 
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What about the beer?

Colour is straw yellow with a small white head. Aroma has grainy malts, lemon and hay. Taste begins with malty bitter bite. Grainy malts with some citrus tartness take over. Towards the end malts get fruity sweet tones. Aftertaste has malty dryness and fruity bitterness.

Nice pale lager. Expected nothing, got some good malty and bitter taste. Goes down easy and quick. Not every brew has to be a journey to wonderland - just a little lift is sometimes great.

Ölbeat

Since the beer was brewed as Finnish rock band Amorphis' signature brew, the artist is easy to pick. For the song I followed the path of commercial simplicity and took the title track of their newest album.

Amorphis: Under the Red Cloud (YouTube)

From the 2015 album Under the Red Cloud, the song was written by Santeri Kallio and Pekka Kainulainen.

Ölbeat 184: Maku Imperial Stout

Brewery: Maku Brewing
Country: Finland
Style: Imperial Stout
Abv: 8,5 %
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What about the beer?

Colour is black with a finger-thick beige head. Aroma has mild charcoal, coffee and dark fruits. Taste begins with dry and bitter roast. Charcoaly malts and bitter espresso come in front in the taste. Near the finish dry and roasted bitterness overpowers the other flavours. Aftertaste has roasty dryness and gentle bitterness.

Good and easy Imperial Stout. Roast, bitterness and coffee are all there, without aggressiveness or overpowering flavours. But. Nice and simple doesn't fit the Impy. Nothing is wrong, but something is missing. Still, nice to see that Maku stepped out from the pale ale closet.

Ölbeat

Calm and peaceful black brew can be paired with same kind of heavy metal or heavy rock. Since Maku has brewed couple of band brand beers for Amorphis (1st & 2nd), a song from the band is a natural choice here. In the end, the song was rather easy to pick.

Amorphis: Silent Waters (YouTube)

From the 2007 album Silent Waters, the song was written by Santeri Kallio and Pekka Kainulainen.

Ölbeat 126: Maku Black IPA

Brewery: Maku Brewing
Country: Finland
Style: India Black Ale
Abv: 6,1 %
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What about the beer?

Colour is black with thin natural white head. Aroma has sweet roasted sugar, candy and mango. Taste starts with biting bitterness and roast. Roasted bitter grapefruit takes over with mild malty notes. The taste turns burned and dry towards the end. Aftertaste has charred heavy dryness with lasting grapefruit bitterness.

Delicious marriage of roasted-charred dryness and fruity bitterness. Great piece from this unholy style of dark beers - India Black Ale worth every sip. Excellent work, Tuusula dudes!

Ölbeat

Something in the bottle label made me select electronic music to be partnered with this one. Neither bitter fruits nor dry roast are held back in this one, so a track that repeats "Don't hold back" suits the beer well.

The Chemical Brothers: Galvanize (YouTube)

From the 2005 album Push the Button, the song was written by Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons.

Ölbeat 044: Maku IPA

Brewery: Maku Brewing
Country: Finland
Style: India Pale Ale
Abv: 7,3 %
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'Maku' means taste - the IPA has it

What about the beer?
Colour is copper orange with two-finger thick natural white head. Aroma has fresh orange and lemon. Taste gives a fresh and smooth hoppy first bite. After the start strong fruity lemon gets in front with gently bitter background. Towards the end a slice of grapefruit joins the party. Aftertaste is piny dry with some bitterness.

Excellent and enjoyable quality IPA: fresh citrus fruits have the lead and smoothly strong hops follow with discipline. For some reason I have managed to dodge the Maku brews for some time. Now I can admit my mistake and stupidity - won't be doing that anymore.

Ölbeat

Drinking this kind of fine fruity and fresh India Pale Ale makes me want to listen to a fresh jazzy pop song and give an applause to the brewers. How about you?

Sia: Clap Your Hands (YouTube)

From the 2010 album We Are Born, the song was written by Sia Furler and Samuel Dixon.