Three and more

Some new beers from the components of the Third Barrel collective today, beginning with Third Circle and West Coast, a self-explanatory IPA. It definitely looks the part, pouring a clear deep golden shade. The ABV is 6%, which is a little on the low side but perfectly acceptable. The next item on the tick list is bitterness and that isn't really delivered, at least up front. Instead there's a thick marmalade quality: sweetly orangey, with minimal shred. That fades after a moment, leaving just the anticipated bitterness. It's not citric, however: more earthy or waxy, like it was achieved with European hops. This is a simple and straightforward beer, and I liked that about it. There's still plenty of character, and just enough punch. Long live the west coast revival!

A revival of a different sort next. Barrel Aged Cowbell follows from the Needs More Cowbell tonka bean milk stout that Third Circle released late last year. The ABV has gone up from 6.5% to 7.2%, but really there's not much other difference. Tonka still absolutely dominates, with its mince-pie and fig-roll fruity spicing. Maybe there's a touch of spirit -- possibly even whiskey -- lurking at the back, but that could easily be wishful tasting on my part. It sounds like I'm complaining, but I'm really not: this was a good beer to begin with, and it's still a good beer now. Just don't be expecting any oaky buzz from it.

Stone Barrel's first contribution today is a 6% ABV chocolate pecan porter called Life of Pie. At least I assume there are real pecans in here: there's a warning of nuts but none listed on the ingredients. It's densely black looking and smells like Real Proper Porter: espresso and dark chocolate, but with a lacing of caramel wafer too. That caramel is the front of the flavour, the dark sugar giving way to a real oily-sweet pecan effect. Other things going on include cola, banana and just enough well-done toasty dryness. This may have silly pastry novelty written all over the can but it's still a very well-constructed dark beer to its core. Can't argue with dem nutz.

An attempt at a magic trick next: Get Shorty is meant to have the qualities of an imperial stout but at just 4% ABV. It certainly looks the part: a dense obsidian black with a thick tan-coloured head. The aroma is properly stouty, big on roast, chocolate and cereal, but without the comforting boozy warmth, so marks off there. It's very bitter, which I appreciate in a stout, though it's not really because of hops. Rather it's the roast: a strong stewed coffee feel, with a waxy tang on the end. A layer of smooth caramel is the only sweeter, softening element. Overall, I found it a bit harsh and unbalanced, though it never quite tips over into being unpleasant. Imperial stout, though? No, this is an old-fashioned porter, which is fair enough Give it a go if you like 'em liquoricey.

The new wave of Irish black IPAs included Third Barrel's Plastic Paddy. Dark brown rather than black, its aroma is as green and lovely as the lanes of Killashandra: a mix of wet grass, crisp cabbage and spicy rocket. The texture is smooth and stout-like. I figured it was on the strong side but was surprised to find the ABV as much as 7%. The name is a reference to its use of American hop varieties Simcoe and Columbus, and it's the heavy vegetal dankness of Simcoe that I get primarily. This hop is sometimes too severe for my milquetoast palate but here the big malt substance softens and balances it without taking away its essential wallop. Behind the pugilistic hopping there's a shot of espresso and a mild citrus acidity; the finish matches the opening, however: those boiled greens turning almost metallic on the fade-out. It took me a while to get used to it all but by the end I was enjoying the sheer raucousness of it.

One brewery, five sequential beers, and not a single hazy IPA among them. How long will they keep that up? (spoiler: not long)