Ölbeat 157: Humalove/Wasosz Puola/Polska

Brewery: Humalove / Browar Wasosz
Country: Poland (Finland)
Style: Foreign Stout
Abv: 8,5 %
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What about the beer?

Colour is thick black with no visible head. Aroma has black coffee, liquorice, berries and alcohol. Taste begins with strongly roasted black coffee. Charred  bitter malts and strong dark-roasted coffee take over with a hint of sour berries. Near the finish dry bitterness and liquor warmth joins the flavours. Aftertaste has roasted dryness and lasting malty bitterness.

Delicious Strong Stout with solid base with spicy surprises. Heavy roasted coffee, lingonberries and liquor flavour fit the taste palette nicely. Successful collaboration between Finnish "gypsies" and a Polish brewery.

Ölbeat

This is pure irony. The day before this brew was like: "It's your last cup of sorrow. / What can you say? Finish it today." And today: "With a new face you might surprise yourself." Some dark depth in the song that actually encourages people to get over their demons.

Faith No More: Last Cup of Sorrow (YouTube)

From the 1997 album Album of the Year, the song was written by Billy Gould and Mike Patton.

Ölbeat 057: Raduga Forbidden Planet

Brewery: Browar Raduga
Country: Poland
Style: Imperial IPA
Abv: 8,4 %
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Look, it's Robby the Robot!

What about the beer?
Colour is dark orange with medium natural white head. Aroma has mostly sweet mango and some flowery scent. Taste bites first with dry piny bitter and goes on with herbal hoppy taste with fruity mango-orangeish side note. When the beer warms up a bit, there are more orange and strong hoppy flavours. Towards the end  we get heavy pine and moderate lemon-grapefruit added. Aftertaste is extremely dry and bitter.

The experience is a bit rough and edgy but the 115 IBU don't jump on the face. Heavy pine domination but tasty and excellent fruitiness has it's place. Do not hurry with this one, if you're into nice citrus flavours.

Ölbeat

This time Raduga has named their brew after a 1950's film - an American science fiction space film made in 1956. The film, starring Leslie Nielsen, was the first movie to have an electronic musical score, made by Bebe and Louis Barron. The music of the score is somewhat "out there", so I picked an instrumental classic from the end of 70's:

The Alan Parsons Project: Lucifer (YouTube)

From the 1979 album Eve, the song was written by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson.

Ölbeat 053: Raduga Lift to the Scaffold

Brewery: Browar Raduga
Country: Poland
Style: Session IPA
Abv: 4,7 %
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A.k.a Elevator to the Gallows, French crime film, 1958

What about the beer?
Colour is semi clear golden with tiny white foam layer. Aroma is dominated by malt with some citrus on the side. Taste bites first with sharp hoppy bitterness. Then comes stiff malty backbone, which is joined by tart lemon. Towards the end the lemon turns to grapefruit. Aftertaste is smoothly dry and bitter.

What can I say? Surprisingly firm and nicely malty session IPA. Great citrus aroma and flavours - both lemon and grapefruit have a refreshing role. Very interesting beer indeed.

Ölbeat

Even though tempted to match the brew with something from the movie's (Ascenseur pour l'échafaud) soundtrack, instead I pick something else from the jazz master behind it. Smooth and tender but still strong fits the brew perfectly: 

Miles Davis: 'Round Midnight (YouTube)

From the 1957 album 'Round About Midnight, the song was written by jazz pianist Thelonius Monk.