Magic Rock Un-Human Cannonball

Because Magic Rock are bad? Please tell me that's what you're saying -- I'd love the giggle.

 

Me too. A lot of people quite rightly love Magic Rock and the buzz about Unhuman Cannonball in social media was obvious. The fact that it sold out everywhere in just few hours ( eg went onsale on the Beer Ritz website at 3pm yesterday and was gonebin less than 2 hours) makes it a worthy candidate for the UK's first ever true beer whale. Not that I like the arrival of the whole whale reality in the UK of course but you can't deny the phenomenon when you see it. Unless you are hardcore CAMRA. And blinkered.

 

This. x1000

Solid beer but Kernel Double Citra blows it out of the water.

 

That price included a Magic Rock t-shirt.

Hype? I wouldn't call it that. I haven't heard anyone gush about it in an over the top way. I don't think there were many bottles available. At Craft's birthday party last year, Bourbon Bearded Lady sold out in an hour. Just like Un-Human Cannonball, there wasn't much available and a lot of people wanted to try it.

As for how it tastes, I agree with Deeblo. Craftwerk was the real highlight of the evening.

 

Those things go hand in hand don't they?

I'd agree with the whale thing. I mean you have all the hype built up on facebook, twitter, here and RB, and then it not only sells out at the official launch but it goes quicker than any other beers on the beer websites. Definitely lots (relatively, at least) targeting it.

Although perhaps not the first whale. What about stuff like Good King Henry, J.W. Lees Harvest Ale and Thomas Hardy ale? The ones you get Americans even actively hunting out.

 

Sadly, yes. CAMRA could just be the catalyst in its own demise over time. I love cask ale but I won't devote myself to it at the expense of all the other beer developments in recent years.

As for already existing UK whales, I think Good King Henry probably fits the bill best. Made regularily, sells out quickly and never resurfaces thereafter. In contrast Lees Harvest Ale is available if you know where to work and Thomas Hardy's Ale is probably only a whale because it haven't been produced in so many years.

 

surely a beer only becomes a 'whale' if it is of exceptional quality, produced in limited volume on an occasional basis. Does a one off of unknown quality count?

 

Fair points all around. In these early days of UK beer whaledom my only criteria was a beer with a pre ordained rep which sells out in a very short period off time.

 

I'd say quality doesn't make something a whale. Surely it's the demand for limited quantity. It just so happens that in most cases the reason it's low in supply and high in demand is the high quality of a beer. Though most whales seem to be characterized by disappointment in those who eventually find them.

 

I think we can all agree on that, few beers ever live up to the hype that the social media helps engender

 

Yep. There's few things better, beer-wise, than trying a new beer you've never heard of and thinking It's the best thing ever.

 

Yep. I tend to agree with that.

 

Just seen this is released again next week, is the hype as much as it was last year?

 

I was just reading in another thread about two guys in a US whole foods store fighting over the last bottle of KBS, and cars following the delivery truck straight to the door. I hope it doesn't get to this level in the UK! As for Magic Rock, I'll be looking them up when I come home this year. I don't normally have the same thing twice at beer festivals but I had three Raptures at the last Peterborough beer fest. Lovely stuff.

 

I can appreciate what they are trying to do, by emulating the American style release party... But I found the beer rather metallic to the taste and disappointing

 

I'm more interested in getting my hands on the Lervig collab.

 

The beer was disappointing and I really wanted to like it. Instant karma for importing American craft 'culture' with ridiculous 'release party' crap.