It feels like there is a new release every week these days. This one should be available at the bigger Systembolaget stores so hopefully allot of you get to try them.

• Amager Double Black IPA – 8,5% – 50 cl – 51,90 SEK

Black IPAs are becoming more and more common, this is a DIPA version of this style. Sounds interesting to me I’ll definitely buy a bottle.

• SKA Decadent Imperial IPA – 10% – 65 cl – 79,60 SEK

A 10% DIPA with 95 IBU? This sounds like a bomb of a beer and since I loved their IPA this is a must buy for me.

• SKA Nefarious Ten Pin Porter – 8% – 65 cl – 79,30 SEK

Another beer from SKA Brewing. It’s classed as an Imperial/Strong Porter which should make for a dark intense beer with lots of chocolate and coffe, the description also mentions cherries which is a plus for me. I’ll definitely try it out.

• Djævlebryg Eklipse – 4,5% – 50 cl – 48,90 SEK

I tried this beer at SBWF 2010. It’s a fresh and easy to drink American Pale Ale. I felt it was a bit mild but that it should make a great summer beer.

• Epic Mayhem – 6,2% – 50 cl – 36,50 SEK

“We have set out to wilfully maim and cripple the palates of the most extreme hop head. This act of wanton destruction is in the true spirit of what festive brews are about, to create something unique and fun. It is our intention to create a violent and needless disturbance in your olfactory senses. The riotous confusion, from the unnatural quantity of dry hopping, will leave your palate satisfyingly violated after having just one taste. Only the brave can be assured to tame this hop insanity.”

That does it for me, I have to have this beer!

• de Molen Op & Top – 4,5% – 33 cl – 29,90 SEK

de Molen means quality and this is no exception, it’s ranked as one of the best Bitters in the world. I’m having my doubts about how true to style this is but I have no doubts about my will to buy it.

• Rodenbach Vintage 2008 – 7% – 75 cl – 85,00 SEK

I tried this at SBWF 2010 and it is an awsome beer, rated it at 4,2/5. It’s a sweet and sour fruit beer aged on oak barrels. I’m going to buy a bottle just to enjoy.

• Taras Boulba Extra Hoppy Ale – 4,5% – 33 cl – 23,90 SEK

I’m a bit confused about this beer. It’s a belgian beer that is registered as Extra Hoppy Ale at Systembolaget. Could be interesting though, I’ll give it ago.

• Green Flash West Coast India Pale Ale – 7,3% – 35,5 cl – 29,90 SEK

I tried this at ÖBWF 2010 and really enjoyed it, if it comes fresh it should be worth it to buy several bottles.

All in all this looks like a great release, I’m going to try and get at least 1 bottle each. Also for those that don’t read BeerSweden (you should though), BrewDog Hello, My Name is Ingrid will be released in the ordering supply at Systembolaget. It’s DIPA made with cloudberries (hjortron) and Darren from BeerSweden took part in making this beer so I suggest you check out his blog for more info. I’m going to order a case at 10:00 today through Systembolagets e-ordering system.

We got a couple of IPAs in the spring release at Systembolaget. I’ve been trying them since release and bought bottles from 4 different Systembolaget stores. Here are some thoughts and scores:

• Oppigårds Spring Ale - 4,9% – 33 cl – 17,90 SEK

I’m having trouble not comparing this to the fantastic Amarillo Spring they released last year. However it doesn’t feel fair to compare last years best beer with a new release, so I’m going to try and put that aside. This is a single hop IPA with Chinook. It has a fairly light body and a strong yet pleasant bitterness. It has a herbal grassy hop aroma with some hay, citrus and grapefruit. It has a very high drinkability, both of the times I tried it I finished the glass faster then expected. I think it’s a combination of light body and mellow flavours. This is definitely a nice beer but I feel it’s missing hop aroma, might be something else as well. I just can’t get that satisfied feeling. On the plus side this beer has been very stable in quality, all I’ve tried so far have tasted the same, no off flavours and difference in quality.

Score: 3,6/5

• Epic Armageddon IPA – 6,66% – 34,90 SEK

I think this is the first beer I’ve tried from New Zealand and the kiwis are off to a good start. The smell of this beer was amazing, lots of fruity hops, berries and citrus. However it didn’t quite deliver the same powerful taste. I’m getting some grassy hops, different fruits and soapy citrus, but it doesn’t have the same punch as the smell. The different bottles I’ve tried has had a very even quality. All in all a good beer that is definitely worthy of a purchase or two, I’ve already bought a couple of extra bottles.

Score: 3,9/5

I will publish part 2 tomorrow containing Mohawk and SKA Modus Hoperandi.

On monday we are getting the second release of the month at Systembolaget.

Beer Here has made some awsome beers in the past, Dark Hops is the first that comes to mind and a Vårwit is nice when the sun start to peak through the clouds. So I will make sure to pick at least one bottle up for testing.

Spendrups Premium Pilsner doesn’t sound interesting at all, I assume it’s another industrial lager. I couldn’t find it at ratebeer so it might be new though, I thougt it was an old recipe in a new package. I will skip this beer and buy some extra from the others instead.

I’ve liked the S:t Eriks series so far, Jessica has done a good job. I have to admit I was hoping for something besides a lager, but she has a tendency to throw allot of hops at her beer which I always enjoy. I will make sure to buy one of these to try it out.

Oppigårds brought us Amarillo Spring last year, it was one of the best beers of the year and got allot of recognition. I personally bought a bunch of bottles. The question now is if they can repeat the success. This year they use Chinook instead of Amarillo, I had a small sample at ÖBWF last year and enjoyed it but my first reaction was that it wasn’t as good as Amarillo Spring. But to be fair those are some big shoes to fill, I’m definitely buying a couple of bottles of this and even if it is half as good as last year it will be great.

Mohawk brings two single hop beers. Stefan Gustavsson has used the same malt bill in both beers and focus is on the hops. Light malty body with the same ABV in both beers. I’m one of those people that like trying different kinds of hops since I can use it in my homebrewing, but it feels like East Kent Golding and Amarillo has been done before. I would have loved something different, perhaps one of the newer hops like Citra or similar. But then again, Amarillo is pretty great and could result in an awsome beer.

SKA Brewing is a new brewery for me. I checked out their website and it’s pretty cool with Ska music and a comic book theme. Modus Hoperandi is a word game with the Latin phrase Modus Operandi, which translates to mode of operating. It’s their highest rated beer at Ratebeer so hopefully it’s fresh when it’s delivered at Systembolaget.

Epic Armageddon IPA is something as rare as a New Zealand brew. I don’t think I’ve tried anything from that country before. I recently spotted the brewer Luke on the tv-show Brewmasters. He brewed a beer together with Sam from Dogfish Head called Portamarillo. I suggest you check it out since the show is nice and brewing with a fruit… was it a fruit? Might have been a vegetable Anyway back to the beer, this is not just Epic Brewings best beer it’s also ranked as the best beer in New Zealand and has a nice world rank as well (99th percentile). The only thing that worries me is the lond distance, will it be fresh enough when it reach Sweden? I look forward to finding the answer of that question.

All in all it looks like a very nice release. Lots of IPA and hops, which should work great when Spring starts to set it. Another plus is the relatively cheap price, you can easily buy several bottles without leaving a huge hole in your wallet.