Menu
I have a special beer spotlight for you this time; instead of one beer you get to read about four! Specifically the four beers included in Brooklyn brewery’s mix vol 1.
The first thing I want to mention is the packaging. Designed to look like a giant cassette tape, (hence the name Mix Vol 1) evoking the nostalgia of many a mix tape now cosigned to the loft. It certainly is aesthetically pleasing. The pack contains a total of twelve 355ml cans; four different beers, each wonderfully listed on the front in printed hand writing.
Brooklyn Brewery was founded in 1988 and is currently the 11th biggest beer producer in the USA. Located in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn their head brewer is Garrett Oliver. Garrett has been with the brewery since 1994 and he won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine, Beer or Spirits Professional in 2014. based on this information I was expecting some well made beers and I am happy to say they didn’t disappoint.
The first beer I drank from the pack was the Brooklyn Lager. At first this beer took me a little by surprise, it has a real malty sweetness that I wasn’t expecting. Upon closer inspection, the can tells you that it is a ‘direct descendant of the pre-prohibition favourite Vienna lager’ with a ‘firm malt centre.’ This description is certainly on point and I found the beer to have an excellent body that you don’t normally find in a lot of lagers. At 5.2% ABV the lager is in the second strongest of the four cans. If you like your full bodied best bitters then this would be the lager for you.
Second we have the Brooklyn Scorcher IPA. A pale coloured (lighter than the lager) clean tasting IPA coming in at 4.5% ABV. The Scorcher has a very nice citrus aroma and a pleasing bitter back end. Not overly hoppy this is the kind of IPA I like; easy drinking.
If you are a hop head then the Brooklyn East IPA would be the one for you. At 6.9% ABV the East IPA hits hard with a big hop aroma and spicy herbal bitterness. As I said if you are into your hops then this will certainly tickle your fancy. I imagine this would go well with spicy foods.
Finally we have the Brooklyn American Ale also at 4.5% ABV. I deliberately left this one until last as I thought I would be my least favourite but again this beer surprised me. It drinks as an very well balanced ale. Very easy drinking with a subtly malt undertone and pleasant bitterness.
All four beers shared some great characteristic in that they were all absolutely ping bright with a great head retention. If you are someone who doesn’t like the current trend of unfiltered and unfined beers then these four beers will defiantly appeal to you; all of them displaying a beautiful colour and clarity. On top of that the carbonation level and head after the pour I also found to be pleasing on all four beers.
Priced at £19.40 from Ocado and Asda I would say the pack represents a good value for some very well made beers. Theres enough variety in styles here that this Mix Vol 1 would make a good addition to any gathering. Heres to trying Mix Vol 2……