A couple of beers walked into a bar. A saison met up with a Stout whilst the IPA looked at the pair with some jealousy in her eyes. The special beer sat in the corner, being unique, and not really interacting with the bunch.
That is a lazy attempt at making a beer joke, and I am sure that even the worst of jokes can be better than that attempt. But jokes aside, for #BeerSaturday, I enjoyed four stunning beers from Honingklip Brewery, some of them, like the Special, being something so unique I am sure you would never have guessed that it was possible.
Yes, they added locally grown Eucalyptus leaves to the beer, adding some of the most interesting notes in a beer I have ever tasted.
There is not a single day that go by in which we do not try something so unique and strange...
In any case, please enjoy these tasting notes with me of some of these delicious beers!
Honingklip Stout
I asked the head brewer what their favorite beer was, and he answered without hesitation the stout. So, I can positively conclude that I almost agree with him but not entirely. The Stout was incredible, but not as good as their quad (which I reviewed earlier).
As I poured it, there was a slight sweet but prominent toasted smell. It was not too hoppy or bitter on the nose. But was a classic homebrewed stout on the nose.
The first taste was deep dark with complex roasted flavours - dark chocolate and coffee. There was a subtle sweet hint but not too alcohol as well.
It was a very complex yet very nice and full bodied beer, and I have to agree with the brewer that this was a top notch beer!
Honingklip Saison
Immediately on the nose, I got some strong yeast notes. But then a beautiful blend between malt (sweet and toasted caramel) with hops.
It was a nice and bitter smell.
It really smelled like my homebrewed beer. So, so many memories unlocked.
This was a characteristic of almost all of their beers: it really smelled like homebrewed beer (in all of the best ways possible). It was a great reminder that everyone can brew this quality beer at home.
The beer was also nice and carbonated, but it was a kind of disappointing first taste.
The smell was very good, and promised so much, but taste is very subtle and weakish. Even though this was the case, it was still a very nice beer.
Honingklip IPA
The first smell was that classic punch in your face IPA smell. But you could smell it was definitely belgian beer inspired.
It had a very hoppy nose. And the first taste nice and very bitter, and also full bodied. Yet it was refreshing in a strange way.
The beer was incredibly complex as the brewer is a master in the craft of Belgian beers which in my opinion is very hard to brew good. This is the only SA brewery I have tasted that brews good Belgian style beers.
This IPA has a lot of similarities to their belgian beers; but it also tastes like a homebrewed IPA, which is in my opinion very good as it shows the craft, it is not polished and clean but brutish and powerful.
Honingklip Special Gum Blonde (Eucalyptus)
The smell was incredibly complex and with overwhelming eucalyptus notes. If I am correct, this is basically their blonde beer made with eucalyptus leaves.
The taste was also like this, incredibly strange but incredibly good. It was something pushing the boundaries of what a beer is. There was subtle blonde notes and it was not too bitter.
It was not so carbonated yet very good beer; but it had almost no lacing and the head quickly went away.
Postscriptum, or Cheers to Experimentation
I really like this brewery, as the beers taste like something you can brew, and they constantly experiment with the beers.
I remember visiting them long ago, but back then when I was still brewing my own beer I was very critical. Now, having grown a bit older, I am less critical.
I hope that you might someday get your hands on some of these beers.
For now, happy drinking and keep well!
All of the musings and writings are my own, albeit inspired by these lovely beers. The photographs are also my own, taken with my Nikon D300.