Another drop from the Malt Shovel Brewery, this time the ‘Original Amber Ale’.
The neck label says:
This premium handcrafted ale is a unique blend of three Tasmanian hops added late to the kettle plus an original 125 yearl old, top fermenting ale yeast, creating an easy-drinking, deep copper -coloured ale with distinct richness, creamy head and a long, slightly nutty finish.
OK, they got the colour right – it is a beautiful colour. The head adds to the aesthetic effect, foamy and oat coloured, but it doesn’t hang around for long – clean, cold glass and all! For all the hops and yeast, however, I expected a more distinct flavour. That’s not to say it’s bad, it just tastes a bit… ‘commercial’… oops!
Overall, there’s nothing wrong with this beer. There are no vices – it smells fine and goes down easy, but there’s nothing to really distinguish it from other more common (and cheaper!) beer.
The bare facts:
Malt Shovel Brewery,
99 Pyrmont Bridge Road,
Camperdown, NSW 2050
www.maltshovel.com.au