Hello and welcome back to the Eternal Hopimists,
Somehow I blinked and a week has passed by! so I apologise for the delay!
Last bank holiday weekend we were luckily enough to get a couple of tickets to Tartarus’ Birthday event! Despite the railway strikes hampering over half of our number from attending (Mark, John & Peter) Sam still donned his TEH Shirt and pleased with his Wife Michaela and His Friend Jordan to come with him for moral support not to mention some top notch tipples from Tartarus and some of their friends that were also pouring at the event!
What And Where Is Tartarus?
Tartarus is an indie brewery that we have previously covered on the blog, shortly after their founding in fact! you can check out our interview with them here.
Since then Tartarus has gone from strength to strength and is still brewing small batch craft beer, with a mythical edge. However they have long moved on from Cuckoo Breewing and now have their very own space in Sheepscar just outside of Leeds City Centre, and their very own taproom that is open Friday & Saturday.
But what about the beer?!
So there were quite a few pouring at the event, unfortunately Sam couldn’t do them all on his own despite his best efforts! But do not fret he has eight tipples lined up for a review, so lets get too them!
Staggeringly Good- Pineapple Palaka, MIXED FERM BERLINER WEISSE (3.6% ABV)
1. Hops : N/A
2. Grain : N/A
3. Aroma : Strong scents of sour pineapple and yeast.
4. Appearance : Cloudy Manuka honey with a white head when poured.
5. Body : Medium bodied well carbonated and good head retention too.
6. Taste : Mouth puckering sour pineapple, with a flood of fruitiness to finish making it very morish!
Ah,ah,ah we knew the magic word for this one! And we got another, cracking sour for the summer. Full of pineapple goodness at a very satisfying and safely morish 3.6%
Sams Rating: 3.7/ 5.0
Tartarus Beers – Valkyrie, Black IPA (6.2% ABV)
1. Hops : Ella, Topaz, Nelson Sauvin and Kohatu
2. Grain : N/A
3. Aroma : Toasted grain with a little bread, grass and touch of Hop
4. Appearance : Dark brown, very hazy, with a thin slightly off white head when poured.
5. Body : Medium bodied, Ok carbonation, no head retention.
6. Taste : A toasted mouthful of deliciousness, with maybe a touch of chilli?
This is right up my street, I really like a black IPA when its done well, and this one certainly fits the bill!.
Sams Rating: 4.0/ 5.0
Tartarus Beers- Snawfus, American IPA (4.9% ABV)
1. Hops : Topaz and Green Bullet
2. Grain : N/A
3. Aroma : Very bready with a slight Hop to it.
4. Appearance : Orangey-Copper colour with a tight frothy white head when poured.
5. Body : Medium bodied, great carbonation, with very good head retention.
6. Taste : Almost a rye like quality to the taste, with a bready backing and a hoppier finish.
Vegan & Gluten Fee Friendly
This wasn’t breaking any records for me, but it was a very safe session ale. Jordan’s comments on this one ” You can tell its American, you can almost taste the bullets in it“
Sams Rating: 3.4/ 5.0
State of Kind Brew Co – Where’s Cheggers, DDH PA (6% ABV)
1. Hops : Citra, Citra Cryo, Freestyle Nelson, Sub Zero Motueka Hop Kief
2. Grain : N/A
3. Aroma : Citrus & Lemon Grass with a hop twist
4. Appearance : Opaque Apple Yellow with a tight white head when poured.
5. Body : Light to medium bodied, well carbonated with good head retention.
6. Taste : Both Sweet, Herbal and Malty a very complex flavour profile indeed.
This one was the most interesting we have had so far. Weirdly moreish, but certainly gave me pause for thought.
Sams Rating: 3.8/ 5.0
Rivington- Never known fog like it, NEIPA (5.2% ABV)
1. Hops : Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe & Chinook.
2. Grain : N/A
3. Aroma : Lemon Grass & Hop
4. Appearance : Opaque orangey – yellow with a thin film head when poured.
5. Body : Medium bodied, well carbonated with no head retention.
6. Taste : Dank & Juicy with a mellow hoppy finish
This is a very well rounded NEIPA it was very juicy, but didn’t stand out from the crowd it was amongst, but this in no way means it was a bad pint.
Sams Rating: 3.6/ 5.0
Heist Brew CO – I’m a big deal in Skegness (4.5% ABV)
1. Hops : Eldarado, Sabro & Strata
2. Grain : N/A
3. Aroma : Quite a sugary scent with a strong Hop backing.
4. Appearance : Opaque yellow with a tight white head.
5. Body : Medium to heavy bodied, well carbonated with an okay head retention.
6. Taste : Dank & Juicy, but ever so slightly muddy.
This was a very complex IPA in a similar vein to Never Known fog like it, another classic summery beer, but the muddiness let it down a little for me.
Sams Rating: 3.5/ 5.0
Tartarus Beers – Umibozu, Wakame seaweed, coriander, pink salt and yuzu, sour – (9.3% ABV)
1. Hops : N/A
2. Grain : N/A
3. Aroma : The scent of the sea, with a odd sourness & Corriander
4. Appearance : Fairy Liquid Green with a dollop of black ink with a slight white head when poured.
5. Body : Medium bodied, well carb, no head retention
6. Taste : Salty & Sour & Very Umami, with a long seaweed draw & sour Yuzu with a strong alcohol after taste.
This was the quirky one of the festival for me, and ive been after trying this one for nearly a whole year!
It’s Brewed with squid ink, Wakame seaweed, coriander, pink salt and yuzu, for a fruity, sour and Umami flavour profile. So the adventurous side of me really wanted to give it a go!
Unfortunately, as you all know im not the biggest sour lover and this one didn’t float my boat, the wife liked it a bit more but the % put her off.
Sams Rating: 3.2/ 5.0
Tartarus Beers – Ladon, 120 Minute IPA (15.3% ABV)
1. Hops /Process: During a 2 hour boil we added 1.5Kg of hops, a mix of Warrior, Simcoe and Amarillo, every 5 minutes.
2. Grain : N/A
3. Aroma : Barley wine,with a sweet hoppy undertone
4. Appearance : Opaque reddy brown, with a white head when poured.
5. Body : Medium to heavy bodied, well carbonated with an okay head retention.
6. Taste : A very Jammy Booze Soaked Sponge, with a bit of icing and Barley Wine.
Be warned, this one is not for the faint hearted. It’s positively lethal in strength, and if your not a Barley Wine lover I suggest you steer clear. I drank this one as its their 3rd Birthday celebration beer and because Mark was not here as he is our Barley wine expert!
As i’m not a massive lover it didn’t float my boat, but i’m willing to be objective in my score. Therefore, I am willing to bump the score up after talking to other Patrons at the party who were more inclined toward Barley wine.
Sams Rating: 3.6/ 5.0
With that our 8 beers are done! what a birthday, there was some cracking tunes and good on the go too! I’m sure it wont be long until Sam visits them again especially as they often have Metal nights!
The|Eternal|Hoptimitsts 