Ölbeat 300: Stigbergets Amazing Haze

Brewery: Stigbergets Bryggeri (in Swedish)
Country: Sweden
Style: India Pale Ale
Abv: 6,5 %
@RateBeer

What about the beer?

Colour is hazy juicy yellow with a two-finger thick white head. Aroma has orange, mango, lemon, pineapple and all the other fruits in the world - dangerously luring stuff. Taste starts with super-fruity citrus bitterness. Fresh lemon-orange juice with bitter grapefruity and resinous notes takes over. Towards the end bitter grapefruit and sweet orange get on top. Aftertaste has sweet-sour-bitter citrus and some spicy piny dryness.

Now we have reached the extreme citrus of India Pale Ale. Probably some true and trending Vermont style stuff here. Fruit leads beautifully, pine and bitterness follow in harmony. Damn, this is delicious from opening the bottle to the last sip. Best spent 33 Swedish crowns of my life.

Ölbeat

#300. Never thought it'd get this far. But since we're already here, why stop? Let's listen some music and then continue this neverending sleepwalk on deep waters.

Jimi Hendrix: Purple Haze (YouTube)

From the 1967 album Are You Experienced, the song was written by Jimi Hendrix.

Iron Maiden: Wasted Years (YouTube)

From the 1986 album Somewhere in Time, the song was written by Adrian Smith.

Ölbeat 087: Brewski Mangofeber DIPA

Brewery: Brewski
Country: Sweden
Style: Imperial IPA
Abv: 8 %
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What about the beer?

Colour is cloudy golden yellow with a big white head. Aroma has fresh grass, malts, hops and a slice of citrus - and when warmed up: strong scent of mango and orange. Taste sets going with fresh citrus and sharp bitter bite. Lemon and grapefruit flavours take over. Towards the end semisweet orange and mango come stronger to the picture with smooth piny notes. Aftertaste has gentle dry bitterness with lemon and peel.

Fresh and fruity from the first bite to the finish. Mango doesn't run over the other flavours, quite the opposite: the sweet fruits are well hidden under the fresh bitter citrus. Classy and fine Double IPA without overbursting bitterness.

Ölbeat

Fresh and fruity suits this funk rock song, even though it was a revisit to the band's roots in the 80's. There's a similar catch in Anthony Kiedis' sharp-pointed rap-singing and the funky-jazzy rhythm that we have in the brew:

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Can't Stop (YouTube)

From the 2002 album By the Way, the song was written by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Ölbeat 073: Oppigårds Amarillo

Brewery: Oppigårds Bryggeri
Country: Sweden
Style: American Pale Ale
Abv: 5,9 %
@RateBeer

What about the beer?

Colour is golden orange with a medium-sized vanishing white head. Aroma gives fresh grass, mild orange and some hoppy-bitter flavours. Taste starts with gentle bite of semi-sweet hops and malts. Strongly Amarillo-orange-flavoured, softly malty and slightly bitter trio takes over. Towards the end sour and tart lemon-grapefruit gets on top with some sidekick hop and pine. Aftertaste has grapefruit bitterness and piny dryness.

Following its name, the beer in an ode to Amarillo hops - the orange is wild and deep. The experience starts very fresh and delicate but gets angry and bitter in the end. Magnificent American Pale Ale.

Ölbeat

A great Swedish beer matches nicely with a song by a great Swedish band. While you're all expecting something from ABBA, let's make it clear to the fans, that it's very unprobable to find Dancing Queen or Mamma Mia on this blog. Instead you'll have to settle for this rocking classic from the 80's:

Europe: Rock the Night (YouTube)

From the 1986 album The Final Countdown (originally from the soundtrack of 1985 film On the Loose), the song was written by Joey Tempest.

Ölbeat 008: Omnipollo Nebuchadnezzar

Brewery: Omnipollo
Country: Sweden (brewed at De Proefbrouwerij, Belgium)
Style: Imperial IPA
Abv: 8,5 %
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Losing sanity Swedish style

Omnipollo, having headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, is a gypsy brewery that makes its brews around the world. Known for both experimental untraditional view on beer and artistic bottles, the brewery has become known worldwide in a relatively short period of time. Nebuchadnezzar, named after the Babylonian king known for massive construction projects and some later life mental issues, is made after an up-scaled home brew recipe and described economically idiotic by the brewery. But that just suits me, sir.

What about the beer?
Colour is cloudy orange with a medium whiteish head. Aroma is rich: filled with fruit salad - grapes, orange, mango - and accompanied by citrus and hoppy notes. Taste starts with medium sweet gentle hops dominating, citrus gets in the game a little after and is strongest on the palate. Mouthfeel is mostly acidic. Aftertaste has warming bitter characteristics.

Somewhat more fruity than hoppy IPA - very smooth experience. This is clearly not an IPA for butt-kicking hop lovers - definition that sometimes fits me. Instead it's brewed for those who want to get rich fruit and hop aromas in the same bottle. It doesn't quite hit the expection of insanity on hoppiness, but it clearly hit my taste buds.

Ölbeat

I have to disappoint people who expect something peachy Swedish like ABBA, Europe or Dr. Alban. I rather lean on to the fruity madness:

Green Day: Basket Case (YouTube)

From the 1994 album Dookie, the song starts fast and runs the first verse through with only vocals and guitar of Billie Joe Armstrong. During the first chorus drummer Tré Cool and bassist Mike Dirnt enter the scene. Basket Case is a "Green-Day-labeled" punk rock song with lyrics where the narrator wonders if his behaviour is result of paranoia or being stoned. Singer-guitarist Armstrong has told that he wrote the song about his battle with anxiety, which was caused by later-diagnosed panic disorder. The punk attitude with the intensity and presence of mindlessness in the song was probably the main reason for matching it with Omnipollo Nebuchadnezzar.