23 October 2017 - Best Beer HQ
Epic Thunder American Pale Ale Review
For three weeks or more this bottle of Epic Thunder American Pale Ale has sat in my fridge, patiently waiting for a better occasion than a typical Friday night to drink it.
Well, like the Rage Against the Machine song says, what better place than here, what better time than now?
ABV: 5.8%
Blurb on the bottle: Travelling across the sky. A chariot. Legendary warrior. Fighting the giants. The people know he is fighting for them. God of Thunder. Sound of the drums, beating in your heart. Maybe you’ll shiver, maybe you’ll quiver. Quick on the trigger, thunder and lightning.
Taste test: After opening the bottle and pouring it into my glass, I’m immediately struck by the scent of fresh hops, citrus and caramel. It’s a lovely amber colour, with almost no head to speak of (see the pic at the top of this page).
Though I’ve never been a big fan of fruit, I am a massive fan of tropical fruit notes in my beer. Epic Thunder smacks of sweet pineapple and tangerine, with a pleasant malt backbone. It’s sweet, almost juicy (if that makes any sense at all) with a mildly bitter finish that makes me smack my lips between sips.
The verdict: I offered to share my bottle of Epic Thunder with a mate who came around to watch a horror movie one rainy Saturday while Mrs Best Beer HQ was out for the night, but when he realised it was an APA he politely declined, saying it would be “too strong” and that he needed to drive home later.
Well, despite the fact that this particular APA comes in at a surprisingly moderate 5.8% ABV, so he would have been okay to drive by the time the movie finished, I’m glad he said no. The truth is I enjoyed this beer so much that I’m glad I didn’t have to share.
Does that make me a bad person?
Beer/movie combination: I’m going to go out on a ledge here (not to worry, I don’t mean that literally) and recommend a movie that I haven’t seen yet, but one which I’m very much looking forward to watching when it comes out in cinemas any day now… Thor: Ragnarok
It’s a movie I have high hopes for because, first of all, the trailer looks awesome, and secondly, because Taika Waititi directed it, and I’ve loved every movie he’s made so far. (Also check out Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Eagle vs Shark, and What We Do in the Shadows if you haven’t already.)