Peaches or milkshakes generally aren't kept in barrels, but this unusual combination works really well in this unique IPA from DOT brewery.
Aged in a ex-bourbon malt whiskey barrels to give it a boozy sweetness, then on a bed of fresh peaches to give the brew a fruity and sharp tang, DOT really thought out of the box with this one.
Peaches are quite commonly used in IPAs and sours especially, you can see our review of FourPure's Peach State sour for some of our own experiences with sours. Their fruitiness and sweetness help to balance any hoppy bitterness and bring some freshness to the situation.
I was expecting a massive hit of peaches in the aroma, but it's actually much more subtle and actually, the aroma is more sour mash and of bourbon/whiskey than anything.
In the pour there's more fruitiness, but it's the stuff from the barrel that takes most of the scent. The pour itself is thin bodied, but quite hazy and creates a thick, white head that sticks around for a while.
The lactose makes it a very creamy texture despite it's thin body, and the peaches are definitely there but are a lot subtler than I would have thought they would be. It's more of a b-side to the bourbon a-side that does work with the creaminess, although it's quite an unusual flavour.
The peaches come more to the fore in the aftertaste, that is once that slight burn at the back of the throat subsides, to leave a flavour in the mouth that isn't dissimilar to a peach milkshake.
It's very classy, very artsy and very stylish. A lot of angles and lines that make it more a piece of abstract art rather than a beer can, but it's very effective at catching your eye.
The big orange (peach?) dot in the middle takes up a large part of the can and is responsible for most of the colour on the plain white label. The intersecting black lines that turn white when they cross into the orange dot is a lovely touch, too.
I'm a big fan of the DOT Brew logo too; it's almost geometric with a little intrigue thrown in, i'd love to know the story behind it. It stands out nicely in white in the centre of the dot, and is the main thing the eye is drawn to.
At the bottom is the beer name in black and there's a lot of information on the side such as the ingredients and flavour profile.
If this beer sounds just peachy to you then you can add your name to the waitlist on Honest Brew if you're a member, where you will be able to get it for just £4.83. Non-members will be able to get it for £5.19.
It's difficult to find it anywhere else, especially anywhere in stock, you you'll have to either go over to Dublin to get it or just keep checking until they have some back in.
