As the craft beer revolution continues Huddersfield breweries are becoming more adventurous brewing stranger and stronger real ales.
For an ale enthusiast the alcoholic content of a beer is a secondary concern; it’s all about the flavour.
Some breweries do create ludicrously strong – and pretty disgusting – beers for publicity.
But as drinkers are broadening their palates local producers are prepared to experiment which new tastes and higher than average strengths.
And Huddersfield breweries have created more than their fair share.
Tasty as they may be these are super-strength brew are not for sessions, nor are they for novices.
Please note: some of these are limited edition batches are may no longer be available.
1) Rat Ratsputin
Brewery: Rat, Chapel Hill
Beer: Ratsputin
Style: Imperial Russian Stout
Strength: 7.4%
Description: “A rich, full bodied and warming Imperial Russian Stout. Powerful 7.4% with a pungent and lingering aftertaste.”
2) Summer Wine Brewery Cohort
Brewery: Summer Wine, Honley
Beer: Cohort
Style: Double Black Belgian Rye PA
Strength: 7.5%
Description: “An intensely fruity and resinous aroma and taste. A forgiving sweetness balances the insane amount of hops used in this Belgian beast.”
3) Beer Ink Star
Brewery: Beer Ink (with Lost Industry Brewing // Steel City Brewing Co.)
Beer: Star
Style: Chocolate stout
Strength: 8.5%
Description: Imperial peanut butter, caramel and chocolate stout
4) Beer Ink Marshmallow Stout
Brewery: Beer Ink, Lindley
Beer: Imperial Marshmallow Stout
Style: Imperial Stout
Strength: 9%
Description: (none)
5) Summer Wine Brewery Maelstrom
Brewery: Summer Wine, Honley
Beer: Maelstrom
Style: Double IPA
Strength: 9%
Description: ‘An unashamedly big bold American style badboy’.
6) Magic Rock Human Cannonball
Brewery: Magic Rock
Beer: Human Cannonball Imperial IPA
Style: Imperial IPA
Strength: 9.2%
Description: ‘More malt, more hops and more magical conjuring to crank up the flavour of our explosive IPA Cannonball’.
7) Magic Rock Bearded Lady
Brewery: Magic Rock
Beer: Bearded Lady
Style: Imperial Brown Stout
Strength: 10.5%
Description: “Uses masses of magical malts to deliver deep chocolate, rich coffee and vinous berry flavours, all complemented by a balanced yet subtly spicy hop profile.”
8) Magic Rock Un-Human Cannonball
Brewery: Magic Rock, Birkby
Beer: Un-human Cannonball
Style: Triple IPA
Strength: 11/12%
Description: “Un-Human Cannonball takes IPA to another dimension-balancing massive citric aroma, deep tropical fruit flavour and gravity defying drinkability to deliver a hop experience that is out of this world.”