Epic Beer

Sometimes—actually strike that—frequently, I enjoy drinking beer that showcases BIG flavours. Luckily, here in New Zealand there are numerous craft breweries brewing beers which do just that, and do it well. But there’s one brewery that has embraced this ‘big’ concept more than any other—Epic Brewing Company.

Epic beer is just what it claims to be—the beers have big aromas, big flavours and leave a big impression. There are four (soon to be five) beers in the Epic family, and it all started in 2006 with the Epic Pale Ale 5.4%. Based on the American pale ales that brewer Luke Nicholas fell in love with while he was working in States about ten years ago, the pale ale has 23 hops per 500mL bottle—about 23 times more than your average commercial beer.

The Epic Pale Ale has a big, fruity hop aroma, and tastes fruity too. The beer boasts grapefruit and orange citrus flavours, a strong caramel malt body and the characteristic hop bitterness that makes Epic epic. At $16 for a 2L rigger at Regional Wines and Spirits or about $6 for a 500mL bottle at your local supermarket, there’s no excuse for not at least trying beer with big flavour.

But for those of you willing to risk trying something bigger, and probably more rewarding, the annual Epic Mayhem 6.2% brew has just been released. When I spoke to Luke Nicholas at the 2010 launch last week, he had trouble trying to explain what style of beer it actually is.“It’s all of the Epic beers in one. It doesn’t fit in a box.”

While even the brewer finds it hard to define what exactly Mayhem is, I can. It’s tasty. Obviously American inspired, it has the citrus hop aroma and flavours that are present in all the Epic beers, but this time the lemony taste is accompanied by an earthy character from the New Zealand hops Luke has added. A big roasted and caramel malt flavour backs up and, dare I say it, balances out the beer. Big, bold and un-boxed, Mayhem can be found on tap at the Malthouse or for about $10 at your regular take-away beer store.

Epic has two more family members. Epic Lager 5%, which some describe as a ‘lawn mower’ beer, Luke says he “wanted to have something between the Epic Pale Ale and Steinlager or Heineken”.

Though it’s the lightest Epic beer with 9 hops per 500mLs, flavour-wise it’s definitely a few hundred metres ahead of the other lagers on the market. Epic Armageddon 6.66%, with a massive 42 hops per 500mLs, sits at the other end of the spectrum and is a complete hop explosion. It has strong green, earthy and fruity hop flavours with a big dose of bitterness, a must-try for the hop-heads or those of you wanting to challenge your palate.

So next time you’re feeling hopless, you really can’t go past the company that does big flavour better than almost every other New Zealand brewery. Epic. I mean, even the name is big.

If you have any questions or comments about this week’s beers, you can email  denisethebeergirl@gmail.com

Original Article at Salient

You should now be able to start tracking down the complete Epic Beer family who have come together for the holiday season.

This may just be the perfect gift you have been thinking of to get your friends and family into drinking really great craft beer.

Yes Mayhem should be arriving on shelves in the South Island and Melbourne, Australia this coming week.

(as usual I have underestimated demand and the pre-release batch of Mayhem is selling quickly, which means most stocks maybe sold out prior to Christmas)

(this awesome photo is by Kyle Carter)

BACK in 2006 Epic brewer Luke Nicholas brewed a festive beer for BrewNZ.

The brew was assertively called Mayhem and threatened to “willfully maim and cripple the palates of the most extreme hop head”. Formulated as a bigger bolder stronger version of the award winning Epic Pale Ale, Mayhem caused a real stir amongst those who tried it.

Mayhem was packed full of the same resinous piney stone fruit laced American hop aromas and flavours as Epic Pale Ale but with a higher level of intensity and a bigger slightly richer malt body.

Two years later Epic Armageddon would raise the stakes higher but at the time Mayhem was the last word in monstrously hopped New Zealand beers. Despite its success the beer didn’t return until February this year when it included a proportion of New Zealand Riwaka hops.

Now Mayhem’s back again, and for the first time you can try it side by side with both its little brother Pale Ale and its bigger brother Armageddon. Despite its muscular name Mayhem is not merely a blunt blast of hops but rather an expertly balanced package with a big complex nose of ripe peach, nectarine, lychee and melon.

In the mouth the beer has just enough firm sweet malt to support an array of fruity hop flavours with a lingering yet smooth finish.

Paired with something zesty and spicy like a Thai Squid Salad, a tall glass of Epic Mayhem may well be the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of summer.   

Cheers.

Link To Original Story

Those who think otherwise would be well advised to try a bottle of a Kiwi beer with real flavour, like Epic Mayhem. The latest seasonal release from Auckland brewer Luke Nicholas is a hugely hopped, 6.2 per cent, American-style, IPA (India Pale Ale). Southern Man's favourite brew contains around one hop per bottle; Nicholas estimates there are around 26 in each 500ml bottle of Mayhem! You get the idea?

Mayhem is similar to the brewery's multi award-winning Epic Pale Ale but with the volume turned up! Bursting with US Cascade and New Zealand Riwaka hops, there's a heady aroma of tropical fruit, citrus and pine-like notes over a sweetish, biscuity malty background. The grist, which includes British pale ale, and Munich and crystal malts, provides a luscious rich malt base that balances the beer's challenging bitterness.

With a single 500ml bottle of Mayhem costing about the same as a six-pack of Speight's, aspirant Southern Men are unlikely to be impressed, but those seeking flavour rather than just refreshment from their beer should definitely check it out.

But be warned, Mayhem as the name suggests is definitely NOT for wusses!

Full Story

Live in the South Island? Want Mayhem?

Go here:

Barkers Lodge - Methven
Riverstone Kitchen - Oamaru
Tonic Bar - Dunedin
Eureka Cafe & Bar - Dunedin
Scotch Wine Bar - Blenheim
New World Blenheim
Fresh Choice Parklands (ChCh)
New World Halswell (ChCh)
The Thirsty Bloke Bottle Store (ChCh)

(for all outlets with Epic Beer see http://map.epicbeer.com)