I am inquisitive by nature, have a reasonable general knowledge and I am strong on logic. So, it’s not often that I come across something that doesn’t make any sense when it concerns a subject in which I have an interest. On a recent visit to Richmond Hill Brewing Company’s (RHBC) tap room in Gqeberha I did a double take when I saw that they were serving a Milkshake IPA called Forbidden. To my mind milkshakes and beers are opposites on the beverage spectrum.
I’ve been a big fan of RHBC’s brews for many years. In fact, much that I know about the brewing industry comes from Niall Cook, the master brewer at RHBC, and this not the first time that he has produced something unusual – read more about sour beer and black lager here. The very unusual and mind expanding Barrel Aged Sours won the 2023 Best Beer In Africa. So once my initial shock had receded, and trusting Niall’s brewing skill, I plunged into the Milkshake IPA.
If you expect all beer to taste like a lager or a pilsner then a Milkshake IPA is not for you.
However, I encourage you to expand your taste horizons. Remember when you first took a sip of red wine or sampled your initial whiskey or even ate your original olive? Initially it was uuugh but now they are delightful and pair perfectly with certain occasions and delicious meals.
So, before sampling the Forbidden Milkshake IPA, know that it is brewed with plenty of fruit and lactose and that the only similarity with a lager is the somewhat bitter follow through on the pallet.
Think of a syrupy sweet smoothie that has had its sugariness perfectly rounded off with a touch of something bitter and given an extra kick thanks to a tot or two of alcohol. Then sample the Milkshake IPA. It’s so good that it should be Forbidden for mere mortals.
Niall says that the Forbidden is a collaboration with the Yeastern Cape Brewing Club whose untethered and free flowing ideas regularly come up with some amazing recipes. In this case the beer follows the recipe of New England IPA and then they add Mango and Granadilla puree, lactose and Madagascan Vanilla. It is the lactose, the sugar that is found in milk, that makes this a real milkshake.
On the pallet you can expect a lot of granadilla, and thanks to the mango, tropical fruit. It’s less fizzy than a lager but, at 7% abv, has more kick.
This is a brew that needs to be savoured, and, just like a milkshake, cannot be downed in a few gulps. Also, as with a milkshake, it pairs well with a cheese burger and chips, which RHBC serve too.
Visit the RHBC taproom off Alabaster Road, Baakens Valley, Gqeberha or find them on Google Maps. Book a table by calling 066 472 6352.
Order your Forbidden Milkshake IPA (and other brews) online here.
Facebook: @RichmondHillBrewingCo
Instagram: @rhbcpe
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