Total Score: 8.5/10 
So yeah, another Bacchus, this time it’s a reference to one of my favourite novel trilogies* ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ in the name: Forty Two. Not only is it a clever reference but mad scientist/brewer Ross Kenrick has decided to brew a beer with 42 different malts and 42 different hops – this man is well and truly insane and I love his kind of crazy… at least until I’ve tried the beer – if it’s shit I won’t be so keen to explore his insanity further. On with the review!
Poured from a 500ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.
A: Hazed rich-amber/caramel coloured body with a nice dense beige 2 centimetre head that stands fairly tall and proud for an 8.9% ABV brew. Colour me impressed, which I imagine as a mixture of gold and purple. 9/10.
S: Quite a lot going on in the glass, aromas of: Caramel, toffee, mango, jackfruit, bubble gum… reminds me of something else… Noisy Minor Admiral Ackbar? Modus Operandi Former Tenant? One of those big Imperial Amber/Red Ales that really demands your undivided attention – NOW! 8/10.
T: More caramel/toffee and other gooey-ness than you could possibly imagine. Followed by a biscuity/cracker middle, some earthy/roasty notes, tropical hops (mango, lychee, papaya) and a slight piney/citrus bitter finish… which is actually alright after my experience with Bacchus’s Hopilingus. Again: Complex, rich and demands attention. Though drowning in a near cacophony of flavours it almost works perfectly. 9/10.
M: Medium bodied with a fairly creamy/dense carbonation. It’s a pretty slick and good mouthfeel here. 8/10.
D: Wow this is up there with the best I’ve had from Bacchus, and Ross brews a pretty decent drop normally. I guess the question on everyone’s lips: Is it as good or better than Snickers Chocolate Ale? I think I can safely say ‘Yes!’. This is one palate-punching non-stop-pulling BIG beer, and I would love to see this crazy tongue orchestra replayed again and again [i.e. keep brewing this one Bacchus!]. 8/10.
Food match: Vegan Rhino cutlet, pan-fried with a jus made from a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, with a peanut salad (for supplemental salt and protein).
*It’s deliberately misnamed as a “trilogy”, I know that there are actually six books.
Drinking the universe one craft beer at a time! 