LITTLE BANG BREWING CO SCRATCHY VINYL
Whether you need to lay yourself down or give a friend a hand up, this brew is perfect for a conversation about how to be a ‘bridge over troubled water’ for a mate.
Origin – Stepney, South Australia
ABV – 6.0%
Size – 375mL can
Style – Black India Pale Ale
How was our Universe created? It's the question that has been puzzling philosophers and scholars since the beginning the of time. Was there a big bang or did God simply create it all in six days and rest on the seventh? Given a Google search reveals over half a billion different articles on the topic, it's not surprising that there's wide-ranging debate. Yet while others air and dispute the themes of belief, literalism, logic, faith and relevance, born again brewers Fil Kemp and Ryan Davidson meld the two, first creating Little Bang Brewing and then evolving it to universally become known as one of the most eccentric outfits in craft beer circles.
It was in 2014 that rebirth happened. What started as a homebrewing hobby a few years prior while working together making video games, was embraced with somewhat religious fervour. So much so that the bearded, bespectacled Adelaide geeks converted Fil's backyard shed into Australia's smallest commercial brewery, with just enough room to squeeze between the kettle and the cool room. For two years, armed with equipment made of repurposed winemaking gear, the shed was Little Bang's home. But with the South Australian public loving what they made, and beer running out frequently, the small backyard brewery could contain them no longer, and it was time to move to a small warehouse. Though with their popularity growing as quickly as the ever-expanding cosmos, it was only a matter (pun intended!) of time before the duo needed even more space (another pun!).
Yet despite, now packaging and distributing thousands of litres from their site in the heart of Adelaide every week, their beers remain as unconventional as the eye-catching cans. Brewed to celebrate Record Store Day – yes, it's a thing – this Scratch Vinyl is no exception. Contradictory to most Black IPA's it doesn't zero in on the roasted malt or bitter hop characters, rather the hero is the fruity and floral notes. The result is a jet black IPA that's still somewhat seasonable, yet remarkably striking. The flora aroma on the nose gives way to a flavour that is rich and complex with hints of dried fruits, coffee and a hint of smokiness.
After creating all things, I'd imagine this is the sort of beer that God was referring to when and said 'it is good'.
