Mayhem on the shelves
2/12/2009 11:23:00 a.m.
BACK in 2006 Epic brewer Luke Nicholas brewed a festive beer for BrewNZ.
The brew was assertively called Mayhem and threatened to “willfully maim and cripple the palates of the most extreme hop head”. Formulated as a bigger bolder stronger version of the award winning Epic Pale Ale, Mayhem caused a real stir amongst those who tried it.
Mayhem was packed full of the same resinous piney stone fruit laced American hop aromas and flavours as Epic Pale Ale but with a higher level of intensity and a bigger slightly richer malt body.
Two years later Epic Armageddon would raise the stakes higher but at the time Mayhem was the last word in monstrously hopped New Zealand beers. Despite its success the beer didn’t return until February this year when it included a proportion of New Zealand Riwaka hops.
Now Mayhem’s back again, and for the first time you can try it side by side with both its little brother Pale Ale and its bigger brother Armageddon. Despite its muscular name Mayhem is not merely a blunt blast of hops but rather an expertly balanced package with a big complex nose of ripe peach, nectarine, lychee and melon.
In the mouth the beer has just enough firm sweet malt to support an array of fruity hop flavours with a lingering yet smooth finish.
Paired with something zesty and spicy like a Thai Squid Salad, a tall glass of Epic Mayhem may well be the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of summer.
Cheers.
The brew was assertively called Mayhem and threatened to “willfully maim and cripple the palates of the most extreme hop head”. Formulated as a bigger bolder stronger version of the award winning Epic Pale Ale, Mayhem caused a real stir amongst those who tried it.
Mayhem was packed full of the same resinous piney stone fruit laced American hop aromas and flavours as Epic Pale Ale but with a higher level of intensity and a bigger slightly richer malt body.
Two years later Epic Armageddon would raise the stakes higher but at the time Mayhem was the last word in monstrously hopped New Zealand beers. Despite its success the beer didn’t return until February this year when it included a proportion of New Zealand Riwaka hops.
Now Mayhem’s back again, and for the first time you can try it side by side with both its little brother Pale Ale and its bigger brother Armageddon. Despite its muscular name Mayhem is not merely a blunt blast of hops but rather an expertly balanced package with a big complex nose of ripe peach, nectarine, lychee and melon.
In the mouth the beer has just enough firm sweet malt to support an array of fruity hop flavours with a lingering yet smooth finish.
Paired with something zesty and spicy like a Thai Squid Salad, a tall glass of Epic Mayhem may well be the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of summer.
Cheers.
