The ABV Atlas

The tone changes with the entry into the 6s. Below it, including the regal Griffins, all the beers were still essentially friendly — beer that one could down a couple of. The Minotaur is the first guardian of the Atlas that poses real threat. Strong, hallowed and caged in the labyrinth, it is strength personified. And 6-point-whatever is precisely that: the range where beer develops brawn, where warmth enters the finish, and where "just one more" becomes ill-advised.

Where strong beer begins

It depends on the individual, but for most, this is where a beer starts to be considered strong. The alcohol is now a distinct flavour and sensation — a mild burn, an increased body, a fuller sweetness from the additional fermentables. Beer styles that were merely robust a band earlier become bold: bigger IPAs and the first double/New England IPAs, export and foreign extra stouts, substantial Belgian dubbels and bocks, strong ambers and reds. They are beers that make an impression — beers that declare themselves.

The maze of balance

Strength creates another challenge for the brewer — too much audibly strong ale, and the result is a beer which is too hot, harsh or overly sweet. The best of the Minotaurs manage to conceal their strength; they have a 6-point-something percentage of alcohol in such perfect balance that you are surprised at the strength that comes creeping into you under cover of malts and fruit and hops rather than shouting through them. The maze of keeping a big beer balanced and drinkable is certainly one for the brewer to navigate.

Beers to reflect on

This is where beer demands some of your attention rather than merely your company. A 6.5% IPA or a Belgian dubbel is a beer you should take your time over and think about, not slam back down your throat; it is an evening's focus more than an evening's accompaniment. It is here that the quantity of a beer moves over into the realm of the special occasion, and the Atlas beer becomes a true monster.

Below is whatever Hop Horizons has logged in the 6.0–6.9% range, ranked and broken down strength by strength.