Name: Larger
Brewery: Epic (Auckland, New Zealand)
Style: Imperial Pilsner
ABV: 8.5%
Source: Epic
“Wow, fuck that’s a flavoursome beer.”
“It tastes like sunshine.”
“I feel like I’m on a picnic on a clifftop with my lover.”
Three very accurate quotes from three friends who I (somewhat begrudgingly) gave sips of my Epic Larger to.
I’m probably too drunk to be blogging right now because I drank most of the 8.5% bottle myself, but I’m feeling kinda excited about it and wanted to share my feelings with the rest of you RIGHT NOW.
As I’ve said, many many many times before, I’m not a fan of lager – very rarely even a fan of it’s hopped up alter-ego pilsner. I also try to avoid super alcoholic beers because I’m small and get drunk stupidly quickly. In other words – an Imperial Pilsner is the last thing I would ever order at a bar.
Or so I thought.
As soon as I took the cap off this, my nostrils were assaulted with the massive, hoppy, happy smell of it, which got intensely fruity (heaps of passionfruit in particular) as I got closer.
In the mouth it was fantastic – a big malt presence that balanced out the hops perfectly, producing loads of flavour but without so much of that hop bitterness that I’ve been grumbling a little about lately. The mouthfeel was full and oily but the finish clean and crisp, and the hops left a lovely herbaceous aftertaste.
Like the Hop Zombie, I think the secret to this beer is it’s perfect hop to malt ratio. It’s intense without being aggressive, it’s fun (like sunshine) and exciting (like a picnic with your lover on a cliff) and god dammit if it isn’t flavoursome.
If you’re in Auckland, I highly recommend heading along to the official launch of Larger at O’Carrolls tomorrow, where it will be on tap. (And if you do, please keep an eye on me and stop me from having any more than two!)
Beer for a Year 
Yay!
Is name “Larger” a pun on “lager” as in a high-gravity lager? I’ve never heard of that before. Me confused.
You got it!
Just bought a bottle and drank it in the sun(I’m pretending it’s sunny). Unfortunately we had to drink from the tiny plastic tasting cups from regional wines, but it was still very very nice!! Cant wait to try some out of a real glass in real sunshine.
Tried some at Malthouse last weekend. ZOMGPOISHDF IT’S FREEKING TASTY! Doesn’t quite taste as boozy as it is though.
Since Kelly jumped on board, Epic’s beers seem to be waaay more balanced.
I don’t know if that’s a good thing, considering how high in alcohol some of them are.