An idiosyncratic IPA

Back in February, I had the enjoyment of participating in a beer tasting to help Hot Rum Cow pick a special brew. And two days ago, I got to attend the party that launched the winning brew into the public sphere. (Yay!)

Held at Jeremiah’s Taproom in Edinburgh, the atmosphere of the launch party was nice and laid-back. (Perfect for old and boring people like me!) I wasn’t up for standing and mingling as I was a bit un-well* so was pleased to see there were tables to sit at which were away from the crowd, but near enough to the action to hear the band.

Oh! The band! It was a local band called The Gorms. They play traditional Scottish folk music and what I would call “Celtic rock”. And that’s just the kind of stuff I love! I was pleased to hear some covers of The Pouges and will go out of my way to see them perform again. (You should, too!)

But let’s talk about the beer now, OK?

The winning brew, Hot Rum Cow Rye IPA, is described as “spiced, citrus, idiosyncratic”. At 6.7% ABV, it’s a bit strong for a “session beer”, but it’s definitely an easy drink. The citrus hits you right from the start and leaves a nice lingering finish and it has just the right level of bitterness. I felt that the flavour was better from the cask than the bottle, but I am a bit biased towards brews on tap. (Still, I’ll be buying a few bottles to enjoy at home.)

The beer is brewed by Stewart Brewing as one of their craft beers (you can make one, too!). It is a limited edition so won’t be around for long, so you’ll want to get yours sooner rather than later. (You can do that through Stewart Brewing or Hot Rum Cow if you’d like.)

And if you’re wondering what, exactly, Hot Rum Cow is, it’s a new drinks magazine by White Light Media. It’s a bit of a side-line hobby, and I suppose probably a slight marketing ploy for the parent company, but it’s one of those magazines you’ll actually want to read cover-to-cover. (And if you read Issue #5, you’ll see me in a photo on page 43!)

I’m looking forward to future issues of the magazine so that I can improve my own drinks knowledge. I’m cheap, so will cringe at the £6 price tag, but the quality of the thing seems worth it. (Are magazines really £6 these days? Wow! How out of touch am I?)

(Please note that this entire review is my own honest opinion and has not been solicited, bought, or paid for in any way. I’m not that kind of blogger!)

* Having finally gone to the doctors, it turns out I had/have a mild concussion from a fall I took earlier in the week. So maybe I shouldn’t have been out in the first place. (Don’t worry, my doctor already gave me grief for not seeking medical attention sooner.)

Join the conversation!