Loud Sirens

I think this bottle of Fred in London may have been close to, or past, its best-before when I bought it. Still, I figured that a strong rye ale at 11% ABV would be done no harm by a few months of further ageing. When I eventually got round to opening it, it poured out an orange-amber colour rather than blonde as advertised. The aroma is rich sherry and muscovado sugar, which happens to be an ingredient. There's a strong bitterness in the foretaste: slightly medicinal, mixing TCP with concentrated aniseed. Thick and heavy caramel provides the counterpoint to this, with a bite of burntness as well. The alcohol warmth builds pleasingly as it goes along, adding a coffee and chocolate richness. It's very obvious that this is a Hair of the Dog collaboration. It shows all the hallmarks of the Portland brewer's modus operandi: all that warmth, weight and old-fashioned bitterness. It can be a bit difficult to take sometimes, but now and again is fine.

There was a Siren tap takeover in UnderDog during the summer, at which I gave Translucid a go. It's an IPA of 8.5% ABV fermented with kveik, this time with a more local collaborator, Magic Rock. Despite the lower strength, this is even hotter than the previous one, tasting like a vodka and orange cordial -- party like it's 1995. There's a fair kick of red onion and a similar sort of aniseed vibe to Fred. Maybe that's just the way Siren does strong beers now. For all the heat it lacks any warmth or softness, punishing the palate with hops instead. There's no finesse, and no respite from all that booze. I found this unbalanced effort a tough one to enjoy, though there's no doubting the complexity.

It's probably the case with strong beers generally, but both of these you really need to be in the mood for. Come at them the wrong way and they'll hurt.