An entire dimension full of ghosts is quite a sobering thought. Nevermind the idea that we live in a ghost dimension currently, which is a bit too existential for drinking a stout.
Made in collaboration with Aberdeen beer outlet Fierce Beer, chapter 3 of the Freaky Franchise sees our heroine plunged further into the mire as the cabin in the woods she ran into on The Revenge turns out to be haunted as heck.
Made with Brew York's own Mexican mole - a traditional sauce used in Mexican cuisine - which has four types of chili including the Naga 'ghost' chili to really add a kick to the beer.
The base is a straightforward imperial stout, which is a move away from the imperial milk stouts that were the base beers for A New Beginning and The Revenge.
There's a hint of dark chocolate sweetness in the aroma along with a little metallic tang. It pours dense and rich and as it's poured there's a definite spiciness in the aroma.
The flavour is sweet at first, which I wasn't expecting. There's a dark chocolate sweetness and it's very smooth, with little in the way of bite until the flavour profile develops and the spiciness of the chilis begins to come into play.
The back end of the flavour is smoky, spicy and rich with a real headiness to the flavours that is quite satisfying, especially with the dark chocolate bitterness. The aftertaste is pure spice and heat, which is not unpleasant nor unexpected, but still unusual.
The cabin that our heroine ran to on The Revenge is the location of this one, only it's terribly haunted by the supernatural powers of her pursuers. Hovering around the room are the masks of Jason and Michael Myers, along with a table and chair which is somewhat less scary.
With eyes transfixed with horror the heroine sits on the floor while furniture, ghosts and chilies hover around her. The stripe down the middle of this chapter is red, like the ghost chilies it contains, and there's the same film strip style edges that the entire Freaky Franchise is characterised by.
On the rear of the can is a lot of information about the progression of the story at this crucial halfway point, with the 'java' and 'nutty' rating of the previous cans being replaced by the 'zing' rating of chilies.
All of the cans in the Freaky Franchise are brilliant, but this is another step above for me. Much more going on as the story develops which is fascinating to look at.
As with A New Beginning and The Revenge, the Freaky Franchise range is limited edition so you can't buy them online, but you may still be able to grab hold of them individually in bottle shops locally.
