All Hands Brewing House

Got together with my old mate Jon last night, meeting at the All Hands Brewing House at King St Wharf. The venue is conveniently located at the bottom end of Erskine Street in the city (of Sydney), close to King St Wharf.  It's even more conveniently located near to Beer Deluxe, which gives us more choice than we really need on a weeknight.  Best stick to the one place.

This place started its existence as a James Squire mini-brewhouse, back in the early 00s from memory. I remember going to the launch of the Golden Ale (now called The Chancer) at this venue, with legendary brewer Chuck Hahn holding centre stage. I recall the amazing flavour of a newly imported hop variety called Amarillo.

Compared with the hop range today, Amarillo is kinda old hat. One particular AHBH beer manages to fit in six different varieties, old and new, including Cascade, Chinook, Topaz, Centennial, Simcoe, and Fortnight.

As with all good brewhouses, AHBH offers a tasting paddle of four choices, for $18, which is great value.  I selected the following (listed from right to left in the photo):

Longneck Best Bitter 4.1%

An immediate flashback to a London pub was quickly subdued by the modern influx of US hop notes. A fairly light body and easy drinking. However, when returning to it after sipping the others, it couldn't hold its own.  Drink this before trying the others.

Dunkel in the Rye Dark Lager 4.6%

Toasty, chocolate, medium body, and very drinkable. Good length and a good alternative to the ubiquitous IPAs. Speaking of which....

Hump Day I.P.A. 6.2%

Well, it was Wednesday, so an appropriate inclusion. Six different hops according to the blurb, with the tropical fruit and pine notes generally associated with US ales.  Strong guava/green seed notes that always reminds me of lantana. Not bad.

Skinny D.I.P.A. 8.9%

The pick of the bunch so far, with the aforementioned combination of hops, with a great malty spine to counterbalance.  Candy notes, apricot, pine. Comes in at 45 IBU, which I think could easily be ramped up.

I hooked into this while waiting for Jon to arrive, and when he did, we moved on to happy hour pints of Wood Duck Cream Ale, at 4.7%., and at $8 a pint. Nice.

This was certainly a revelation, being delivered via nitro tap (the black board said hand-pumped, but this was not the case), displaying the beguiling upside-down head as it formed out of bright, creamy, apricot hues.  A very malt-driven style, and a wonderful alternative to the fruit bombs of US & Pacific pale ale styles.  A great session ale, as Jon described it, and certainly worth the visit to AHBH for this alone.

I was pleased to see the Certified Independent logo on the AHBH web site.  I became aware of this a few weeks back when visiting Newcastle, and is an initiative of the Independent Brewers Association. Look for this logo.

Great Aussie Tinnie Taste Test 2018

From Fairfax Media's goodfood site:

The Great Australian Tinnie Taste Test 2018

and linking from it

Top 20 Aussie tinnies for 2018

I can't profess to having tried even half of these, but I can certainly vouch for:

• Young Henry's Newtowner
• Balter IPA
• Philter XPA

Shame they couldn't get through their planned schedule. The penultimate paragraph in the first article states:

"The target was to taste 100 cans that provided a wide snapshot of the domestic brewing market. However, when palate (and general) fatigue kicked in, stumps had to be pulled. (It's with regret that brilliant independent brewers such as Batch, Modus Operandi, Akasha and Bridge Road were not tasted on the day, in spite of a sterling effort from the panel.)"

http://www.mobrewing.com.au/modusbeer

I've got no issue with this per se.... one can get a bit jaded after a while when tasting a wide range (not to mention other possible effects). But, yes, regrettable to miss Modus (and the others too). 

I'm a big fan of and regular customer at the Mona Vale brewery, and believe the Former Tenant Red IPA would have been a shoe-in for the Top 5, at the very least.

The article's a good read, nonetheless.

Goose Island Sofie Belgian Style Saigon 2017

This beauty presented itself from the shelf at Dan Murphy in Mona Vale.  750mL cap seal, coming in at 6.5%, $20, the label advises to keep for 5 years to develop. Bottled on 20DEC17.

Don't know about you, but I find cellaring beers very difficult. Managed to hang on to a Thomas Hardy Vintage Ale for a year, but that was definitely an exception. And for the purpose of illuminating you, dear reader, this will not become one either.

Hazy pale apricot in colour, with rocky white head.  Citrus and spice on the nose.  Good light to medium mouthfeel, with an easy bitterness at the back. Flavours of citrus, musk, and Saison funky goodness.

Best description is a funkier version of Witbier. I tried to sell it to Libby as a cross between Champagne and Hefeweizen.  She likes both but is unconvinced by this one. More's the pity, because I think it's pretty good.  The spice is still lingering as I'm typing this, and my last swallow was after the last paragraph....

Exit #016 Scotch Ale

I've been someone impressed lately with the beer range at the local IGAs, in Elanora Heights and Warriewood Valley. Not only the usual suspects, but a good server of locals (Modus Operandi, Nomad), overseas beers (plenty from US), and a lot unrecongisable to your humble correspondent.

What's more, they offer a pretty decent two-can deal, which inspires buying two.... for a mate, or for later.

Hadn't seen Exit brewing before, nor for that matter had a Scotch Ale in many a long day. This was a no-brainer.....

Pouring a beige honeycomb head, the ale glows a rich chestnut, with highlights of burnt orange. Good start.                                                                                                   Complex malt aromas, touch of yeast, nuts, rum/molasses.... something else there, not sure just yet.  Hint of alcohol.                                                                                Smooth and velvety mouthfeel, and persistent body & length. Flavours of caramel & spice, coffee/mocha.
 I now know what I was missing before.  There is some peated malt in this grain bill, and it gives a faint hint of Hebridean smoke. Give another 40% alcohol, this could easily be mistaken for a sherry-wooded Islay.

Good stuff.

Beer Review: Murray's Spartacus

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Murray's Spartacus Imperial India Pale Ale 10% abv
A- / 4.2
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer is an absolute mind****.  Strong, rich, flavoursome, very, very moreish. I'm not sure if it's a one-off, but I have enjoyed it on-tap at Murray's in Manly, as well as in the bottle from their Port Stephens outlet.

a) 1 inch off-white, spongy head. Hazy marmalade amber in colour.

s) Pine resin aromas, passionfruit, caramel and licorice, almost barley-wine richness in the malt. Warms to melon and pineapple.

t) Rich flavour, honeycomb, caramel, brambly wild green vegetation and tropical fruits. Spicy, with alcohol warmth, and a prickly bitterness.

m) Silky smooth, if not slightly oily. Not at all heavy, nor cloying.

d) "Dangerously drinkable" says the label. I agree. Classy beer.

Beer review: Coopers Vintage Ale 2011

A highlight of the beer lover's calendar is the annual release of Cooper's Vintage Ale. The first edition was way back in 1998, and subsequently released annually, except for a couple of years (2001, 2003, from memory).

Every edition is different. Some drink really nicely early on, some require a little bit of additional conditioning.

I think this is a nice beer, but will be significantly better in six months. Readers will recall my interest in observing how Cooper's Sparkling Ale changes over the course of six months: the wild, green hoppiness mellows into a balanced, fruity English Pale Ale.

I expect this Vintage Ale to behave similarly. And, of course, it will keep developing for years to come. The hop profile disappears pretty much, and the malt backbone begins to take on nuts and fruitcake. Later, this evolves into sherry-like flavours, a more desirable outcome of gradual oxidation.

It was $70-odd a slab at Dan Murphy. I'm planning on drinking a six-pack in the near term, one in half a year's time, one over the course of 12-24 months from now, and one over the long term.

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Cooper's Extra Strong Vintage Ale English Strong Ale 7.5% abv
B- / 3.48  look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a) Mostly bright copper; some particulate in suspension. Coarse, beige foamy head.
s) I get capsicum, lantana, banana, molasses & caramel. I also get a need for patience.
t) Banana bread & acetone. Licorice note. Archetypal "Coopers" flavour of pear flesh and yeast. Medium bitterness.
f) Smooth, slight heat.
o) This is a fractured beer at present; the weedy hop aroma will subside, and the bread & molasses notes evolve into a nuttier profile. Will review again in 6 months.

Beer Review: Holgate Hopinator

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Holgate Hopinator   Double India Pale Ale 7.0%

B+ / 3.98  look: 3.5  smell: 4  taste: 4  feel: 4  overall: 4
Bottled on 1 March, 2011.

a) Pours a rich, russet/chestnut hue. Creamy offwhite head, very faint fine bead.

s) Big caramel hit first up, with resinous followup. Floral, honeycomb, savoury biscuit like vitawheat or bbq shapes (nice).

t) Pine resin is noticable, some licorice/molasses, toffee. Big flavour, hint of alcohol. Good assertive bitterness.

m) Lightly syrupy. Long, cloying back palate, good length.

d) A great autumnal beer. Rich & rewarding. Would limit it to two pints max, or 4 halves, which would be the ideal way to drink it.

Serving type: bottle

Beer Review: Ekim After Battle Pale Ale

An After Battle redux......

I reported on this excellent ale back in early April. As you may recall, I enjoyed this very much, but felt it was still a bit of a clumsy adolescent.

I emailed the brewer, Mike Jorgensen, about letting it cold-condition for a little bit. He said it wouldn't hurt, so, two months later, here we go. (Incidentally, I didn't keep some back.... very hard to do in my house... I just revisited Brookie cellars today and they still had some 1/4/11 batch in the fridge).

So........

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Ekim After Battle Pale American Pale Ale 5.5%

A- / 4.18 look: 4 smell: 4 taste:4.5 feel: 3.5 drink: 4

This is my second attempt at reviewing Ekim After Battle Pale. My first attempt was 8 days after bottling (1 April 2011), and still seemed a bit unsettled. A bit more cold conditioning, and this review is of the same batch, 2 months later.

a) Reasonably clear, bright, light amber, with golden highlights. Pale beige, foamy head, which reduces to a thick slick after a couple of minutes. Reasonable bubbling.

s) Citrus notes were evident several inches away from the glass. Getting the nose closer, one gets tropical fruits such as guava, or passionfruit seed. Perhaps a faint hint of tobacco leaf, and a toasty note as it warms in the glass.

t) Excellent balance between the aroma notes, plus an additional cara/toffee component. Pineapple more noticable now, plus dried apricot, and bitterness is medium. Late aftertaste is of an English pale. I'd like to compare this with a Timothy Taylor Landlord.

m) Medium to light up front, a touch dextrinous mid-palate, but finished fairly abruptly.

o) The IPA is described as hybrid American-English. I would go as far as to the say the same for the Pale. The hops are definitely New World, but the malt profile and overall experience flahses me back to a pint glass somewhere in East Anglia.

For such a tiny op, Ekim beers are of excellent quality, and I recommend grabbing them when you can.

Serving type: bottle

Beer Review: Mad Abbot Tripel

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Mad Abbot Tripel Tripel 9.5%

B- / 3.45 look: 3.5 smell: 3.5 taste:3.5 feel: 3 drink: 3.5

Picked up at Carrington Cellars, Katoomba.

The label has "Cellar Release" overlaid, and best before DEC 2012.

Pours murky marmalade orange. Nice tight and dense white head, which I defile by pouring some yeast residue onto.

Strong bubblegum aromas, backed up by some faint banana. Touch musty. Warms to a waxy fruity perfume.

Banana flavour, and noticable alcohol, and perhaps some pungent spice like szechuan pepper or musk. A very late hint of dessert wine, maybe apricots or marmalade.

Slight astringency at the front, followed by some later dusty bitterness at back. Late after-feel that seems a bit rough.

I think it could actually use some time; I am more aware of the parts than the whole, so think it could settle and integrate some more.

Serving type: bottle

Beer Review: Cascade Blonde

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Cascade Blonde Krystalweizen 4.8%

A- / 4.15 look: 4 smell: 4 taste: 4 feel: 3.5 drink: 5

I keep forgetting how good this beer is, particularly for the price.

Copped some grief from my wife when I bought a slab of bottles "I can't believe you bought some blonde rubbish... you're always going on about how crap it is". I had to remind her that not all blondes are the same (looking at her hair)... anyway....

Pours a stable, 1cm white fluffy head, pale golden yellow. Lovely fruity wheaty aromas, more akin to wit than weizen.

Flavours very wheat-driven, sweet grain & husk flavours. I think this probably aligns more with American Wheat in style, than Krystalweizen, as there are no banana/clove esters in this.  Creamy medium body, crisp finish, a good drink

Easily knocked back a six-pack last night., after which my hosts plied me with Crown & Boags.... no contest really. I give it full marks for drinkability, considering its value.

This is arguably one of the best value beers in the country.

Serving type: bottle

Beer Review: Hahn White

Yeah, yeah I know, I've currently got a Lion Nathan boycott going.  But as this august journal does provide a valuable community service, I occasionally need to set my petty principles aside and suffer for my esteemed readers.

This beer, Hahn White, is labelled as a Belgian-style white beer (i.e. "wit"), but also as low carbohydrate. Talk about hedging your bets. All brewers are conscious of the market's infatuation with low carb beers, so any move away from this attribute would spell disaster (to the marketers and accountants, at least).

But they're also conscious of the burgeoning craft brewing market, and in and effort to get ahead of the game, have managed to combine both a crafty element with the alleged slim(mer) wasteline.

How are they going to manage it ?  Wits are famous for their spice & citrus aromatics, the cloudy appearance, and nice, wheaty mouthfeel. So what do you think the Hahn brewers have sacrificed at the altars of low carb and mass market ? Let's see.....

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Hahn White witbier 4.2%

D / 2.17 look: 3 smell: 3 taste: 1.5 feel: 1.5 overall: 3

An each-way bet from Lion Nathan... trying something new without scaring the low-carb market.

a) Clearish pale yellow/straw. White rocky head that lingers a little, light bubbling. Doesn't look like a wit... wheat haze has been well and truly filtered out of this one.

s) Big hit of coriander seed and citrus peel, ginger powder, some sulfur which, together, give the impression of a sandwich meat such as devon. No malt to discern.

t) Like home-made lemonade, maybe a hint of lime, falling away to a typical dry-style flavour like Toohey's Extra Dry. No hop or bitterness. All show on the nose, nothing to support on the palate.

m) Starts off spritzy, like soft drink, then disappears. Typical low-carb body.

d) Probably quite good on a hot day, when there's lttle else.

Perhaps this is a good entry point for the young & impressionable to discover the aromatics of the wit style.... after this they may head towards a real wit, and give this all-show-and-no-substance offering the flick.

Beer review: Bridge Road Chevalier Saison "le printemps"

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

 Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Bridge Road Chevalier Saison Saison / Farmhouse Ale 6.0%

B / 3.75   look: 3.5   smell: 3.5   taste: 4   feel: 3.5   drink: 4

Stamped "le printemps" which according to the web translators means "the spring".

a) Pours a white pillowy head, almost whipped egg-white. Cloudy orange, with good bubbling. Looks nutritious.

s) Sherbet/citrus, some wit-like spice, wursty/fleshy yeast, wet hessian/hay.

t) Rosewater/turkish delight, some funky farmyard, some lactic cheesiness, late grapefruit note, and bitterness like lemon pith. Complex and interesting, and an improvement on an earlier tasting (2008 B-).

m) Light and dry, like a cremant champagne, refreshing and easy to consume.

d) Like an aged, if not past-it, sparkling wine, but easy to drink; not for everyone, but lovers of lambics, sours, and wits should find it enjoyable.

Beer Review: Trappistes Rochefort 10

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Trappistes Rochefort 10
Quadrupel 11.30%
A+ / 4.7 look: 4 smell: 5 taste: 5 feel: 4.5 drink: 4.5

Pours a thick, dense dark brown cloud.... some hints at the edge of burgundy. Thick tan head.

Nose of a candy store. Fruit lollies, sherbet, caramels.... Some washed-rind notes, and maybe a touch of clove...

This is literally a converation-stopper...the flavour is a complexity of malts & spices.... really hard to dissemble into its components. Perhaps some dried fruits.... dates, peel, raisins, nuts.... hint of chocolate, and the ubiquitous Belgian yeasty wildness. Quite a hot note, due to the alcohol, but not terribly cloying... a relatively dry finish... like an amontillado sherry..

And after a period, the hops come through as a late reminder, along with some lingering fruitcake.

Serving type: bottle

Beer Review: De Molen Porter

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

De Molen Porter
English Porter 5.8%

B+ / 3.95  look: 4 smell: 4 taste: 4 feel: 3.5 drink: 4

Picked up at Platinum Cellars, North Strathfield, Sydney.

Plain black-on-white label, giving me lots of information about the beer: original and final gravities, colour, bittering units, hops etc. Mentions that this is an "Original 1914 Recipe London-Style Porter", and that it will be good for 5 years.

Brewed February 11 2009. Bottled March 14 2009. Bottle number 090.

a) Tan, rocky head. Very dark brown with ruby highlights when the light passes through.
s) Rich caramel and chocolate. Hint of age, with some raisins and preservd fruit coming through.
t) Significant malty-complex flavour profile. A touch of ash, and what also appears to be a slight lactic sourness. Nicely balanced bitterness.
m) Fairly light body, with a touch of astringency.
d) The flavour is quite a talking point, and the slight sourness and dryness makes this very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

Beer Review: XXXX Summer Bright Lager

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

XXXX Summer Bright Lager
American Adjunct Lager 4.2%
C- / 2.75   look: 2.5 smell: 2 taste: 3 feel: 2.5 drink: 4

Disclaimer: I received this beer as a gratuity from the brewer's marketing team.

Pours a pale straw yellow, not much bubbling. White rocky head that doesn't last long.

Innocuous aromas, macro sulfur. Some grain. Goes skunky in the glass pretty quickly. Therefore drink it from the bottle, not the glass.

Flavour is light and innoffensive. Neutral grain flavour that I find common across Asian lagers, Mexican beers, and Aussie "dry" styles. Slight green apple note. Doesn't have that cardboard character I tend to observe in other dry-style beers, so good for its class.

As expected, a very light mouthfeel, crisp finish. Almost like softdrink.

This beer will appeal to the wanna-be-seen crowd. Those who prefer more assertive flavours and mouthfeel should look elsewhere.

Serving type: bottle

Additional review notes, from Libby, Jono, Natalie:

Tasty, refreshing.... nice with a slice of lemon or lime perhaps.  Great beer to have with a curry, or on a hot summer's day. "I could drink this" say non-beer drinkers Libby & Natalie.

My initial blog entry for XXXX Summer Bright Lager is here http://aussiebeerblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/xxxx-summer-bright-lager.html

Beer Review: Little Creatures Single Batch Brown Ale

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Little Creatures Single Batch Brown Ale

American Brown Ale 5.4%

B+ / 3.95 look: 4 smell: 4 taste: 4 feel: 3.5 drink: 4

Best By 18 Mar 11.

Pours a pale beige, rocky head, which lingers and leaves a nice lace. Very little bubbling. Haze-free copper/chestnut with olive green highlights. Looks good in my Squires half-pint glass.
Nose initially very American: tropical fruit, guava, grapefruit, some kiwi also. Warming to a gamey funkiness reminiscent of the marsupial enclosure at the zoo. This is not a bad thing; simply indicative of the spicy volatiles. Quite appealing in fact.
The flavour is a complex experience. Up front, the hop continues to work the tropical theme, adding some stonefruit and honeydew. Follows this up with some biscuit & bread, and some caramel. After this comes a good hit of fresh, late hops. Warms into spearmint notes. Quite a journey, and rounded up with a reasonable bitterness.
Gently smooth up front, but with a distinct sherbetty tongue tingle. Proceeds smoothly, with the late hop giving a mid-palate sharpness. Not unattractive, mind you. Seems to end a bit short, with the front palate still zinging but nothing much happening at the back.
A high-brow offering. Lots to discover and discuss. I would have liked a touch more dextrinous back palate, but beyond that is a decent ale, worthy of a few pints.
Serving type: bottle

Beer review: Barossa Valley Brewing Organic Ale

Acquired at Dan Murphy, Mona Vale for $13.99 4/pack.

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Barossa Valley Brewing Organic Ale
English Pale Ale 5.0%
B / 3.65 look: 3 smell: 4 taste: 4 feel: 3 drink: 3.5
Pours a hazy dark honey, nice white head that fades fairly quickly. Smells floral, an almost mead-like aroma too, with a touch of spice. Flavours support the aroma, with an attractive late-hopping (an English noble, say, East Kent Goldings), and a decent bitterness at the back. Finishes a little bit short, maybe a touch soapy in mouthfeel. All up a good English Pale, and good for two or three pints.
Serving type: bottle

Beer review: BrewDog Punk IPA

After watching Oz and James, I dug out a review from earlier this year.  I was happy to find this beer, and its sister beer Trashy Blonde, at 1st Choice liquor in Forestville, NSW.

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Punk IPA
American IPA 6.0 %
B+ / 3.9 look: 3.5 smell: 4 taste: 4 feel: 4 drink: 4

Batch 319, BB 14/12/2919, 330mL

Rocky white foam head, slight hazy golden yellow.
Aromas herbaceous at first, some strawberry/rosewater floral notes, big citrus hop, ripe honeydew melon, some toffee pushing through.
Flavours of toffee maltiness upfront, then tropical fruit mix..grapefruit/tangelo brings it home at the back. Firm bitterness.
Fairly light, with a hint of creaminess. Good length to support the bitterness.
A good IPA. Plenty of lingering aftertaste to remind one of that, and inviting the next one. Strong for a session ale, but still could put a few away quite easily.
Serving type: bottle

Beer review: Ekim Viking IPA

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Ekim Viking IPA
India Pale Ale 6.0%
A- / 4.25 look: 4 smell: 4 taste: 4.5 feel: 4 drink: 4.5
Bottled 3 May 2010. Poured into James Squire half pint tumbler.

1" beige rocky pillowy head. Chestnut/copper/amber colour, slightly hazy. Olive tinges at the edges. Very attractive.

Aromas are an interwoven blend of malt & hop. Floral, soap perfume mixed with bread crust and caramel. Fruit notes of pineapple, maybe a touch of marmalade.

Richly flavoured, starting with caramel/toffee, with firm herbaceous/pine characters. Spicy notes of caraway or celery seed. It flows over the tongue offering more piney flavours to support the bitterness. Late hints of toast. Rewarding, and outstanding.

Lightly syrupy mouthfeel, sliding smoothly along, finishing a bit sticky & cloying. But this is OK when there is a good bitterness to cut through it at the end. Overall impression of richness and lusciousness.

A top-class IPA, and a top-class beer. Along with the 4 Pines Pale Ale, this beer has been a great find, and a delight to use as inspiration for my own IPA, currently brewing away...

Better stir the pot now.....

Beer review: Cascade First Harvest No 9 2010

 Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Cascade First Harvest No.9 2010
English Pale Ale 5.5%
C+ / 3.15  look: 4 smell: 2.5 taste: 3 feel: 3 drink: 3.5


Pours a brilliant pale amber/bay colour. Settles into a 1cm head, and leaves a good lace

Smells like a typical Aussie macro lager, in fact I think this beer would sit better under macro lager than English pale ale. Big metallic note that screams PoR, or clone thereof. A very Tasmanian lager smell, to me. But there are some subtleties. Maybe some green fruit and herbs, like papaya or nettle. Interesting, but not that appealing.

Flavour is along the lines of the smell, with a floral note underpinning. Slight, light honey/golden syrup note.

It's mouthfeel is fairly light, dry, and crisp.

A good beer-garden drink, but the subtleties in this beer would be lost in such a setting. And the price would make anyone baulk at buying a jug......