Achievement unlocked

Well? Did you notice? Every beer appearing on this blog during the month of March was brewed in Ireland. Mind you, the fact that it's still February when I'm writing these words for the final post shows that it's not actually that much of an accomplishment. Most of the beers that Irish breweries produced during March itself will have to wait until next month.

YellowBelly is the subject for this particular bookend. While they've been concentrating heavily on their core range lately, two new bottled specials landed in late February. They weren't cheap: €6 a pop for the 33cl bottles, buying direct from the brewery, but that should pay off in the mixed-fermentation delights on offer.

We begin with Mashtun Millionaires, a tribute to food-themed rappers Scran Cartel. It's a Chardonnay-barrel-aged ale, fermented with Brettanomyces, all things that Yellow Belly is known for doing incredibly well. In the glass it's a deep muddy amber, the apparent density perhaps reflecting its 7.4% ABV. There's a sharp white-wine acidity in the aroma, as well as a grainy burlap dryness. The surprise on sipping is a floral foretaste: all rosewater and lilacs. A sharp funk follows, earthy with animal sweat, and then a sweet ripe grape kick on the finish. It's tough going, the sweetness more than a little cloying. If you like your Brett beers on the dirty side it's perfect, but while it's plenty complex, I found it tough to enjoy.

Something even more extreme follows: In a Galaxy Far, Far Away is a barley wine made with Brett and Lactobacillus in a barrel of unspecified origins. The hungry yeast has bumped up the ABV to 9.5%. This is another ochre-coloured one and offers an aroma both tart and bready. My first impression is of something more mellow and mature than the previous. I'm guessing the barrel was wine again because a medium-dry white is the first flavour effect. In there too is a berry tartness -- kir, anyone? -- and then the dusty rotten-wood funk from the Brett. The texture is thin and I think on balance that's a good thing: I'm not a fan of strong and chewy Bretted beers. A bit more sparkle would be good though; the flatness here makes it seem a little sad. Taken as a whole, it a good'un. The originating barley wine is all but indiscernible, but the way it's been replaced by grape wine characteristics is fun.

A second bottle of each has gone into the stash to find out what happens. I'm hoping one smooths itself out and that the other doesn't do anything stupid. Coming up on Stash Killer! Eventually.