Suckin' Diesel

Shout-out to Blackrock Cellar for having a bunch of Dead Centre beers in stock when I called in a couple of months ago. These are very thin on the ground in Dublin. Today's theme, namewise, seems to be "unused Fast & Furious film titles".

"A true Cascadian dark ale" is the bold claim on Stealth Mode, based on its use of Cascade hops, featuring with Centennial and Galaxy. It's the lightweight of the crew at a mere 7.1% ABV and a proper dense black colour with an off-white head. The aroma is bright and zesty, suggesting it's the Galaxy that has the upper hand. I get a sharp lime sourness as well, and that's the surprise on tasting: a light body and a citric tang that builds to a tart intensity. The roast pulls things back from the edge, delivering the tarry, spicy richness that makes black IPA so loved and much missed. A brush of dark chocolate adds a dessertish quality to the finish. I wanted to like this, and it does more-or-less hit the spot for the style, but that thin sour sharpness made it seem too close to something infected, for my liking. Better pump up that gravity for the sequel.

Our middle child is Ultraviolet Tilt, a double IPA of the "DDH" variety but also claiming membership of the west coast club. We'll have to start using the term "neo-west-coast" for these hazy ones, though it is properly amber and has a dollop of crystal malt toffee in there with the hops. That said it is not wanting in old-school bitter citrus: the parade of grapefruit and lemon begins in the aroma and carries right through to the flavour, which is crisp and finishes dry on a note of Earl Grey and rye cracker. The modern side is not completely an illusion, and I definitely got juicy hints of mandarin and nectarine that aren't west-coast but added positive things to the overall complexity. And there's no heat. This is ludicrously refreshing for 8% ABV. IPA-wise there really is something for everyone in here.

I don't think I had ever encountered a sherry-barrel-aged tripel until Eight Degrees released Devil's Ladder late last year. Now Dead Centre has followed that with Preciou2 Cargo, created for the brewery's second anniversary. The concept has me on edge before I even flip the cap. Tripel is best when clean and dry, allowing the spices and honey to flow freely. Letting oaky vanillin leach into one seems inimical to that. This one at least looks OK -- a soothing shade of rich rose gold. It smells quite hot, of pear drops, lychees-in-syrup and cheap German white wine, which did nothing for my apprehension. Though all of 9.2% ABV it's quite light-bodied and missing all but a hint of carbonation. I think that's in its favour, doing a lot to calm the flavours. What you get on the palate is a sweet but not spicy mix of almond paste, honey and sultana, like a flaky middle eastern dessert. The sherry is definitely making a contribution, but it's well integrated into the beer, not a tacked-on gimmick. There's a slight vinousness on the lips at the end, but no belly-warmth. I found this challenging at first, then settled into it. Half a litre is a lot to sip through and it would have made quite a good sharer. Overall it's an excellent piece of work. I look forward to Preciou3 Cargo: Athlone Drift.

Some really interesting recipes from Dead Centre here. I hope their local distribution improves for me.