beer, beer, beer

Pow! this is a beer which lives up to it’s label. You expect a far away mountain town like Jamieson to have it’s specialties. This is definitely one of them.

The Beast is an IPA with such a powerful range of flavours that you would think it ran a risk of turning into a bit of a mess, but it stays true to style and shines through with all the things you look for in a satisfying drink - there’s a ripping hops aroma, the burnt caramel flavours, the citrus aftertaste, and a hefty alcohol content!

Jamieson Brewery
Eildon Road, Jamieson, VIC
www.jamiesonbrewery.com.au

Temple Pale Ale comes in a very nice looking bottle. Unashamedly inspired by Japanese artwork, it makes a stylish change from the usual ‘traditional’ theme that defines so many beer labels.

The beer is good too. I was recommended it by a guy at Swords in Vic Market after mentioning that my favourite drop was Little Creatures Pale Ale. Well, he knew his stuff, because this is a nice drop - similar to Little Creatures, but with a bit more body in the hops. There’s citrus flavours, but they’re not as flowery. Perhaps not as immediately accessible, but well worth getting acquainted with.

They say:

Temple Brewing Company is dedicated to brewing distinctive handcrafted beers from the finest ingredients. Temple Pale Ale is full flavoured with a clean bitterness and a rich malt character balanced by a unique blend of spicy floral citrus hops.

Temple Brewing Company
Level 8, 124 Exhibition Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000 Australia
www.templebrewing.com.au

Sweetwater Pale ale - a gift from a friend who’d just returned from a Kiewa Valley getaway over easter.

They say:

Our Pale Ale is formulated in the American style. With well balanced malt flavour and hop bitterness. It is an easy drinking ale with the fresh, crisp citrus flavours and aromas of the hop varieties featuring.

I’d pretty much have to agree with this, though I don’t know what the ‘American style’ is supposed to mean. This looked like a lager - lovely rich amber colour with a fine, creamy, wheat coloured head. The initial flavour was of burnt caramel, followed closely by that citrus hit and an aftertaste of fragrant hops.

If I had a criticism, it would be that the balance was a bit on the safe side… maybe that’s the American bit. It was just a little too sweet and uncomplicated to be a drink you’d look forward to again and again. On the other hand, it was a fine drink - thoroughly enjoyed it and would rate it as one of my favourites - close to the top. I’d say any visitor to Mount Beauty would be well advised to take home a few souvenirs. Not sure if it’s available down here in the city, but it’s apparently well liked up in the Kiewa Valley. Lucky them!

Sweetwater Brewing Company
http://www.sweetwaterbrewing.com.au/
13 Wallace Street, Mount Beauty

On my last visit to the purveyor of fine brews, I came away with two each of three different Red Hill varieties. Added to an earlier review of their Wheat Beer, I think this completes the ’set’. Some good, some not so convincing.

They say: The colour of burnished copper, strong with a caramely sweetness. A malt driven beer […] blend of English Malts, some of which are dark roasted to impart the toffee and sweet flavours of this ale.

…And for once, I agree totally with their spiel. It’s a rich handsome colour in the glass and the immediate sensations of caramel and toffee are right there up front. Way too sweet for me, but there may be people who want this in a beer. The sort of drink that works well with cold weather, open fires and hearty food… I guess that’s what they want up in Scotland!

The bare facts:

Red Hill Brewery
88 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South, Victoria 3071
www.redhillbrewery.com.au

Another one from Red Hill brewery, didn’t know what to expect from this.

They say: Pale and crisp light bodied ale, fruity with a restrained hoppy dryness…

Certainly, it looks great in the glass - a lovely colour, but you sort of expect something pretty bright and sharp on the tongue… somehow it doesn’t happen. I think this is my favourite Red Hill brew, but it still falls short for me. Not bad, just not remarkable, I think overall Red Hill need to be a bit braver with their flavours. Middle of the road drinks might be OK for the big commercial brewers, but a smaller operation needs to make it’s name somehow.

The bare facts:

Red Hill Brewery
88 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South, Victoria 3071
www.redhillbrewery.com.au

I’m not really a stout drinker, (or a drinker of stout, for that matter!) but I wanted to complete the ‘Red Hill’ set, so in for a penny…

They say: Jet Black and one to be savoured. The mouth feel is silky smooth, the nose has roasted malt and a touch of caramel.

The website goes on to say a lot of things - some make sense, others ring less true.

It’s rich, dark and tasty. Possibly a bit sweeter and easier to drink than that well known Irish brand of stout. Pungent molasses flavours and a smooth finish make it a quite drinkable drop. The website goes on about a lasting and beautiful white head’, but poured from the bottle, I found it less than aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps sensing my disappointment, the head vanished quite quickly.

The website also says: “This fine ale is only available from the brewery”, but I got mine in a stubby from Vic Market, so there’s obviously going to be some discrepancy between the beverage poured from the bottle and that from the brewery tap.

As, I said, Stout is not my usual choice, so I’m probably never going to rave about one. I suspect this one wouldn’t please many regulars though - somehow it seemed clumsy and unfinished.

The bare facts:

Red Hill Brewery
88 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South, Victoria 3071
www.redhillbrewery.com.au

This is a pretty complete beer. There’s a creamy, fine, fragrant head that lasts more than the usual and underneath there’s a slightly cloudy, rich amber coloured ale. A balance of sweet and bitter - hops and malt, it’s all there. There’s even a hint of a citrus in the aftertaste that keeps you coming back for more.
I find it a bit too much of an all rounder to get really excited, but this is a solid brew with no weak points. mmm - I’m off for another glass Oh! look at that head!

Superb! I think I like this even better than their Pale Ale. There is still a hint of citrus, but it quickly transforms in the mouth to a satisfying blend of malt and hops with a fine bubble that doesn’t get in the way. The colour is a brilliant gold and clear as Russian amber - looks great in the glass, but the head did vanish rather quickly. Still, I’ll certainly forgive it that - and I’ll certainly buy this one again!

The bare facts:

Little Creatures Brewing Pty. Ltd.
Mews Road, Fremantle, WA
www.littlecreatures.com.au/bright

This is a special beer. It comes at a special price and I’ve never seen it in my local bottle shops. My ever-loving-buddy brought it back for me specially after a short sojourn to Hobart which included a visit to the picturesque Cascade Brewery. Aint I the lucky one?

They say:

Cascade First Harvest is the only brew of any kind in Australia brewed using fresh green hops. Once a year, at the first harvest of hops in Tasmania’s Derwent Valley, we hand select new hop varieties to brew a single batch of super fresh, super premium beer. Within hours of harvesting, the dew soaked, green hops are combined with new season pale malt, Cascade’s exclusive yeast and the purest Tasmanian water. The result is a limited edition handcrafted ale with a full malt character and a delightful fruity finish and prominent herbaceous aromas.

OK, the adjectives get a bit out of hand at the end, but they’re only brewers! You get the gist. I don’t disagree with the sentiments. It is a really nice beer - pours into the glass a beautiful deep amber; clear, with streams of fine bubbles and a creamy head that perhaps disappears a little too fast… got a bit of a kick at 5.5% too!

Anyway if you see it - don’t hesitate - you’re definitely worth it! In fact, push the boat out and get two!!

Attractive, golden, clear and with fine bubbles - this is a nice drop. Cascade is not a ’boutique’ brewery, but this particular beer (along with two others) is only available in Tasmania, so I reckon that qualifies as a boutique brew. Nice looking bottle too, very traditional label - doesn’t pretend to be a work of literature, just says “You deserve a Cascade Draught”.

The aroma is rich and heavy with yeast. The flavour is bitter and strong - a citrus aftertaste and no stickiness. A pretty butch brew… the sort of thing you could really enjoy after some hard, hot work. Surely those Taswegians really don’t need to keep this all to themselves!

http://www.cascadebrewery.com.au