Margaret River Beer Co ‘Golden Groper’ Golden Ale

Rating:

“Golden Groper is back 🧜To celebrate ten years of Margaret River Brewhouse, we’ve revisited the beer that started it all with a refreshed recipe, but same unmistakable soul. This 5% Golden Ale delivers bright citrus and mandarin, balanced by light biscuity malt sweetness and a clean, dry finish that keeps you coming back for another sip. Easy-drinking, nostalgic, and brewed to take you straight back to the early days. The Golden Ale of the decade. From first pours to now, Golden Groper is a nod to where we started, and to everyone who’s been part of the ride along the way. Cheers to then. Cheers to now 🤙”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Slightly hazy honey-golden pour, capped off by a thumb of white head. Good retention but scarce lacing on the glass.

Aroma: This golden ale was where it all began for this brewery back in 2016. They’ve re-brewed it and added a few tweaks to not only bring it up to date, but to also celebrate their 10th birthday. Really well balanced between the fruity hops and the mildly chewy and sweet biscuit malts. Subtle licks of caramel, florals, zesty orange citrus, pinecones and orange peel. There’s actually quite a bit going on here.

Flavour: Follows on from the nose with a really well balanced and well rounded body. Semi sweet biscuit and honey malts are beautifully offset by the zesty, floral and almost earthy hops. A gentle bitterness upfront tapers off into an easy-going middle which in turn delivers a very smooth finish with lingering citrus, pine and biscuit malt.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and gelatinous. Mild-medium body with a lightly sparkling carb. The 5% ABV is right on where we’d expect it to be.

Overall: Unfortunately, the humble golden ale has been forgotten about by most craft breweries these days. English golden ales are a favourite of ours, but this Aussie interpretation certainly holds its own. Solid.

Eagle Bay Cacao Stout

Rating:

“Each winter we get together with local chocolate makers Bahen and Co to create our Cacao Stout. Featuring the additional ingredient of Cacao husks, this stout is smooth with notes of bittersweet dark chocolate and coffee. Enjoy.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Solid black with a skerrick of light cutting through at the base of the glass. It forms a two finger tan head that slowly settles to a collar. Laced well.

Aroma: A good hearty base for a modest 5.5% stout. Heady wafts of powdered chocolate, coffee and blood/iron. The cocoa husks that feature in this stout come through with a certain fibrous woodiness, similar to a coconut husk. There’s a delicate roasted note, very subtle hints of ash and licorice to tie off a pretty neat aroma.

Flavour: Couldn’t ask much more of a 5.5% stout. It has a brawny bottom end… something more akin to 6.5% plus. Slightly metallic but enough intensity from the powdered chocolate and coffee to hide it. A flutter of fruity esters before the gentle roasted malt and woody ash set up for a dry and charred finish that draws out nicely on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Not overly dense but chewy enough to keep us interested. Medium-full body, carbed a tad higher for the style. The 5.5% ABV is tucked away nicely.

Overall: Decent little stout. It’s not going to beat your taste buds into submission but it does what it says it’ll do. This concludes our little foray into Eagle Bay, and we must say as a whole, it’s a pretty complete brewery. Everything from the lager through to the stout are approachable and highly enjoyable.

Margaret River Beer Co ‘In The Pines’ Hazy IPA

Rating:

“Heavily hopped but low in bitterness, this hazy, tropical style IPA offers a pillowy mouthfeel and vibrant citrus, pineapple and stone fruit notes.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Hazy mustard-orange pour with a fluffy three finger head perched on top. Good retention and excellent lace work on the glass.

Aroma: How good is Citra! And how good is fresh IPA? This was canned in late December so it’s only two- and a-bit months old, which is super fresh considering what we’ve been copping recently in terms of near out of date beer. Punchy citrus overtones i.e grapefruit, orange rind, subtle tangerine. Juicy stone fruit and tropical fruit laid over a fairly dry and chalky malt base. Some oat characters in there too.

Flavour: We’re getting more of a juicy West Coast IPA vibe as opposed to a hazy. Definitely has something to do with the high alpha acids and the slightly more pronounced bitterness. Hits a subtle dank note, some weedy herbals, pine needle, resin. Tropical fruits and citrus also play a key role as it shifts into a kinda dry, resinous and weedy finish. Good length on it.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, light and aerated, but it holds a solid mild-medium body. Finely carbed and a well poised 6.1% ABV.

Overall: A nice way to wrap up our deep dive into this brewery. Fresh, punchy and bright, well balanced and highly drinkable. MRBC certainly gets the overall tick of approval from us.

Artisan ‘Artisanal’ Bohemian Pilsner

Rating:

“Matured for many months in tank, usually over 90 days, this naturally lagered and unfiltered Pilsner has a rich malt character with supporting noble hop flavour and bitterness. Gold Medal, Perth Royal Beer Show 2022.”

Glassware: Footed flute.

Appearance: Clear and strikingly golden complexion capped off by two fingers of loosely packed head. Gradual reduction and scarce lacing in its wake.

Aroma: Quote a robust malt profile to it. We’ve just noticed that the brewers used a Belgian malt for this so that explains the extra depth, sweetness and overall richness. The glorious Noble hops are layered over beautifully with their spicy, floral and grassy undertones. Mild orchard fruit esters, subtle buttered corn and bread crust filling it all out. Really solid aroma.

Flavour: Notably bigger and more rounded than other pilsners we’ve tried recently. Due to the Belgian malt in our opinion. The Noble hop spice, florals, grass and mildew balance the malts out really well. A mild bitterness helps to dry it out further as it sets up for a bone dry and slightly bitter finish that goes the distance on the back palate.

Mouthfeel: Bulbous, clean, crisp but with a bit of chew to it. Mild-medium body and perfectly carbed. The 5% ABV is on par for this style of pilsner.

Overall: We dig it. We’re aware that this brewery focuses primarily on Belgian styles so it was cool to see the Belgian malt put its influence on the beer as a whole. A Czech pilsner at heart but with a Belgian spin. Solid drop.

Mash X Whipper Snapper ‘Blackbird’ BA Barleywine

Rating:

“Blackbird, a Whipper Snapper whiskey barrel-aged barley wine. American oak-derived vanilla and malt layers entwine with prune, fig and soft chocolate, with stave texture and a genial ABV roaming through the lasting finish. Each sip reveals more, then more, and there lies the trap in this liquid birdsong.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Light mahogany body capped off by a wispy overlay. It quickly forms a collar with spotty lace work on the glass.

Aroma: Quite banal which is wild considering it’s a barrel aged barleywine. It’s not that it’s lacking in richness or depth it’s just that there’s nothing to it that we haven’t already seen 50 times before (listen to us cynical old bastards 😂). Sweet dark fruits, residual sugars, rich toffee and caramel. We’re fans of Whipper Snapper and eventually some of their barrel character comes through in the form of damp oak, vanilla and spice.

Flavour: Ok it takes a small step up here. For 9.5% it drinks quite easily too. Rich and extremely sweet but it’s nicely poised between that and the vanillin oak, the warmth from the ABV and the somewhat corny, butterscotch accents from the whiskey barrels. Again, dark fruits, residual sugars, caramel and burnt toffee enter the fray and help set up the rich and sweet finish that provides a bit of sting in the tail.

Mouthfeel: Chewy, gelatinous and warming. Medium-full bodied with low carbonation. The 9.5% ABV is noticeable but well behaved.

Overall: Does it cut the mustard? Yeah, kinda. Does it make us want to go back for more? Nope. Simply put it’s good without being great.

Artisan ‘Dubbel Standard’ Dubbel

Rating:

“A classic dark Abbey ale. Notes of toffee, caramel, dark dried fruits, nutty. Slight banana bread and light spice character. Malty sweetness yet balanced.”

Glassware: Trappist goblet.

Appearance: Burnished copper complexion with a thumb of well retained khaki head. Patchy lace clinging to the glass as we imbibe.

Aroma: Heavily malt-driven (as expected) with some dark fruit tang and tartness. Interesting yeast characteristics…the brewers note a “secret Abbey ale yeast blend” which conveys some traditional notes of banana, clove/star anise and plum, but it also hints at more saison-esque Angostura bitters and lime. A robust toasty and nutty malt profile supported by hints of carob, fig, redskins and toffee.

Flavour: Far from a traditional dubbel and the jury’s still out on whether that’s intended or not. This strange tanginess is getting us also. Our guess is it’s a by-product of this secret Abbey ale yeast blend as it’s already throwing out characteristics we don’t typically see in dubbels. Dark fruit tartness, toast, nutty toffee, date loaf and even a hint of spiced pumpkin just to seal the deal on this whacky interpretation.

Mouthfeel: Bulbous, a tad watery, but it still holds a soft-ish medium body. Finely carbed. The 6% ABV is on the lighter side for the style.

Overall: Not sold on it. If they’ve brewed this to be a conventional dubbel then it has failed miserably to be brutally honest. If they’ve intended for this special yeast blend to reimagine the style, then it’s also come up short. Very meh unfortunately.

Eagle Bay Pale Ale

Rating:

“Our Pale Ale is a refreshingly tasty take on a classic American style pale. Featuring bold aromatics of citrus, stone fruit and pine needle from the hops, caramel, malty characters and drink-me more bitterness on the finish. Your go-to everyday pale ale.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Bold amber pour with a thumb of light and frothy head. Steady reduction and wet lacing being dragged down the glass.

Aroma: Lands as an Australianised American pale ale. What we mean by that is the high alpha US hops and sweet caramalt backbone is here but it doesn’t have the depth and intensity we get from American-brewed APA’s. Alas, it’s still nice and fruity; providing a good dose of zesty citrus, nuanced mango, rockmelon and peach skin. Pine needles, caramel and bush honey filling it all out.

Flavour: Pretty much a mirror image of the aroma…malty sweet and nicely balanced by the fruity hops but again, it seems to lack that depth and intensity. As any good APA should, it drives a nice line of bitterness down the middle which rounds off into a relatively dry and bitter finish with lingering pine and toffee on the rear.

Mouthfeel: Nice grip to it. Kinda chewy and slick initially then a tad drier in the swallow. Mild-medium body. Co2 on the lower side and a neat 5.1% ABV.

Overall: This is the first of Eagle Bay’s beers that we haven’t loved. American pale ales should be like low ABV IPA’s in our opinion – full flavoured and in your face. This seems to be in no man’s land with the right ingredients but too light and mellow.

Founders ‘KBS – Hazelnut Fudge’ BA Imperial Stout

Rating:

“Discover a new level of indulgence with KBS Hazelnut Fudge. Crafted for the discerning palate, this KBS variant offers a robust and decadent drinking experience. The aromas of hazelnut coffee intertwine with the velvety smooth embrace of fudge coffee and chocolate. Immerse yourself in layers of flavor notes from the bourbon barrel aging process in every sip for your moments of relaxation or celebration.“

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: As black as the ace of spades. Capped off by a thumb of light brown head. Good retention and nice wavy lace clinging to the glass.

Aroma: It was quite the surprise to see this KBS variant on the shelves of an Aussie bottlo. It’s hard enough to get the OG KBS nowadays, let alone one of the highest acclaimed variants. The aroma is out of this world. The hazelnut fudge fills the nostrils with its decadent nutty sweetness. It hints at Frangelico cream and a hint of Bailey’s at times. Then there’s the OG KBS base. That needs no explaining. Man we miss Founders.

Flavour: Everything we expected it to be – upfront it’s a warming hit of the 12% ABV along with the bourbon oak, burnt toast and espresso. Slowly but surely the hazelnut creeps in. Initially a true, raw nut quality then a more creamy and boozy version then a roasted yet sweet and fudgey side breaks out and holds all the way into the heavily roasted, oak and bourbon-fuelled finish which goes for days.

Mouthfeel: Dense but oily. Quite abrasive post-swallow. Medium-full body, low-ish Co2 and a fairly noticeable 12% ABV.

Overall: Phenomenal stuff from Founders. As usual. We’ve gotta admit though, this one doesn’t seem to have that well-polished nature that the OG KBS has. Still, a bloody delicious BA impy stout.

Margaret River Beer Co ‘Rover Dog’ West Coast IPA

Rating:

“Heavily hopped, resinous and dripping with tropical and stone fruits. West Coast IPA – South West style!”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Rather hazy golden-orange pour with a sturdy two finger crown. The head slowly deconstructs and leaves a good amount of lace in its wake.

Aroma: Smells fresh AF (packaged 5/12/25 so only a few months old) which is a welcome change from all the old cans we’ve been copping recently. Really big and punchy fruits lifting out of the glass. We get a truckload of nectar-filled passionfruit, mango, pineapple and peach. Rockmelon, guava and lychee as well. Massive resinous overtones. Slightly dank. Semi sweet malt profile at the base. Very nice.

Flavour: A big fruity splash washes over the palate with sweet and nectary passionfruit, mango, peach and pineapple. A very mild hint of stewy/canned fruit creeping in a little though. Super resinous, kinda dank, weedy. Caramel malts sitting in the background. A gentle bitterness ascends late in the piece but tapers off into a relatively easygoing finish that hangs on nicely.

Mouthfeel: Pretty smooth, chewy, medium bodied. Co2 slightly on the lower side. The 6.7% ABV was well buried.

Overall: What started with immense promise didn’t exactly end with as much. Don’t get us wrong it was still a decent IPA, it just seemed to fall off the longer we sat on it. Not bad.

Eagle Bay ‘Wheatbelt’ Lager

Rating:

“Meet our Wheatbelt Lager, made with Munich malt from the WA Wheatbelt, rainwater from Eagle Bay, and Australian Hops. It’s an easy drinking Australian Lager. Clean, crisp and delicious.”

Glassware: Footed flute.

Appearance: Honey-golden complexion with a thumb of frothy white head. Good retention and healthy lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Clean, crisp, new world lager vibes. The use of Munich malt provides a sturdy malt structure of lightly toasted white bread, floral honey and water crackers whilst the Aussie hops build upon it with delicate herbals and resin, grass and earthiness. Quite a basic aroma but it all comes together beautifully.

Flavour: Again, super crisp and clean. The Munich malt giving it this air of traditional German lager while the Aussie hops pull it into the new world with hints of citrus, subtle dank herbs, resin and grass. We get a faint touch of honey sweetness around the mid which is overtaken by an earthy note then a modest bitterness drives it all into a crisp and grassy finish. Good duration on it.

Mouthfeel: Light on, crushable. Definitely neck oil. Light-moderate body with perfect Co2. The 4.3% ABV is a tad lower than usual but it works.

Overall: Another one smashed out of the park by Eagle Bay. This was our 3rd crack at them now and all of them have been superb. We really liked the merging of the old-world malt and the new world hops. Highly enjoyable lager.

King Road Oatmeal Stout

Rating:

“Expect hints of coffee, chocolate and roasted character in this jet black pint of goodness. Over the cooler months of the year we nitrogenate this beer for that silky smooth mouthfeel.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Mostly black pour except for a skerrick of light cutting through at the base of the glass. It manages a thumb of rocky tan head which decorates the glass nicely.

Aroma: Smells very pedestrian. We’ll concede that it’s only a modest 5.1% ABV so obviously we’re not expecting a monster of a stout but in saying that, we’d expect it to have a bit more oomph. We’ve smelt dark ales with more bottom end. Hardly any roasted character to it…some burnt toast, subtle metallic notes, caramelised apple/pear, oats, sweetened molasses and coffee. To be honest it was about what we expected.

Flavour: Pleasantly surprised right now. We may have to eat some humble pie. It really opens up with a good showing of roast upfront. Subtle smoky undertones, burnt toast, treacle, coffee, molasses and oats. A hint of that caramelised apple and pear through the mid but it’s eventually squeezed out by the return of those notable roasty qualities, a soft bitterness and coffee that drive right into the finish.

Mouthfeel: Silky, chewy, well rounded. Medium-full body, low-ish Co2. The 5.1% ABV punches well above its weight.

Overall: Our first crack at this WA brewery. We were a bit suss on it initially but it proved to be a pretty solid stout in the end. Solid for such a mild ABV!

Eagle Bay X Copper & Oak Oaked Vienna Lager

Rating:

“Oaked Vienna Lager has complexity, but it’s a beer for drinking, especially as the weather cools. A complex & round palate from the use of French oak while remaining crisp and so drinkable.”

Glassware: Half stein.

Appearance: Bold amber with a soft copper tint. It only manages a finger of loosely packed head which slowly peels off. Sparse lacing as we imbibe.

Aroma: Offering up hallmark caramel and honey overtones. Gotta love Vienna malt! Some raisin-esque fruitiness also getting amongst it. Plenty of toasty notes, nutty, biscuity and a fleeting hint of honeysuckle. The 5-week conditioning on French oak (we’re guessing oak chips as opposed to barrels) has a nice yet subtle effect… conveying a hint of vanilla and spice. We’re enjoying this more than we’d first thought.

Flavour: Really well balanced, which really is key for these medium bodied beers. It opens with a caramel and honey sweetness which is nicely dried out by French oak and floral hops. Not to mention the 5-week cold conditioning that adds a certain crispness. A gentle bitterness is laid over as it sets up for a really well balanced finish that draws out nicely on the back.

Mouthfeel: Slick, gelatinous, kinda chewy. Medium body, flat-ish Co2. The 6% ABV slots in very neatly.

Overall: We were initially pensive about this as it was a near 11-month old beer. The style plus the oak contact and cold conditioning ensured a good shelf life though. We’re really digging Eagle Bay. Everything we’ve tried from them has been top notch.

Margaret River Beer Co Kolsch

Rating:

“This light German ale is gently bittered and easy drinking, with subtle noble hop character and a clean, refreshing profile. A perfect summer sipper!”

Glassware: Tumbler.

Appearance: Pale straw golden pour with a light and fluffy two finger head resting on top. Steady reduction with a wet lace being dragged down the glass.

Aroma: We’ve really grown to love this style. Namely the crisp, refreshing and light fruity nature of them. It literally takes two of the world’s most crushable beers (lager and pale ale) and merges them together. Here we have a crisp and delicately sweet honey biscuit malt, water crackers and a faint hint of corn with light fruity hops cutting through nicely.

Flavour: Follows on from the nose with its incredibly crisp, refreshing fruity hop profile and light malt body. Some bread crust and straw adding to the subtle corn, water crackers and mild honey sweetness. Almost zero bitterness throughout as it finishes with soft and rounded bready malt, distant fruitiness and some herbals on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Ultra crisp, light on and refreshing. Proper neck oil. Light-moderate body, finely carbed. The 4.7% ABV is spot on for a kolsch.

Overall: Our 2nd crack at this brewery. At least this one is somewhat fresh so we can get a good idea of the skill set the brewers possess. They absolutely nailed this. One of the better interpretations we’ve tried. Keep em coming!

Mash Brewing Summer Ale

Rating:

NO COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Deep honey-golden pour with a light and fluffy two finger head. Excellent retention and lacing as it ebbs.

Aroma: We almost had to rub our eyes and look twice when we saw “summer ale” on this can. This is a style that has pretty much been assigned to the history books. Sadly. It hits the nostrils with a certain malt-driven sweetness. Quite caramelly, malty-sweet, honey etc. Yeah, some tropical fruitiness here and there but it ain’t hitting us a typical summer ale. No BBD so we can’t even check its age either.

Flavour: First thoughts don’t really scream summer ale. Again, it’s malty-sweet, a bit biscuity, some caramel and honey. The fruity hops are kinda shy and restrained. There’s a nice line of bitterness that kicks up late in the piece and helps finish off a rather uneventful beer. Not much in the length department either.

Mouthfeel: Somewhat chewy, medium bodied and with a lifted Co2. Not really your typical summer ale texture either.

Overall: There’s something up with this can. We’re betting on a BBD issue, but these cheeky buggers haven’t been transparent there. Seriously getting fed up with buying old beers and bottle shops not doing the moral thing and taking them off the shelves beforehand. It’s becoming a real problem.

Dieu Du Ciel! ‘Peche Mortel – BBA’ BA Imperial Stout

Rating:

“An intensely black and dense stout in which coffee is infused during the brewing process. The result is a strong beer where prominent roasted flavours coalesce with a powerful taste of coffee. Once fermentation is complete, the beer is aged several months in bourbon oak barrels, which imparts vanilla, oak and bourbon flavours.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black complexion capped off by a short brown head. It gradually forms a halo with spotty lacing on the glass.

Aroma: We recently reviewed the standard Peche Mortel and the intensity on that bad boy was next level. With the addition of bourbon barrels on top it has just elevated that intensity even further. The base impy coffee stout comes through with espresso, dark chocolate, woody spice and that black pepper note we touched on in the original Peche Mortel review. The vanilla, oak, sweet spice and toffee from the barrels are the icing on the cake.

Flavour: The initial flavour emulates the original version. Then bam…the bourbon/oak hits and sets off a wild profession of flavour. We’re getting espresso, dark chocolate, woody spice, cigar box, spicy bourbon, oak, burnt toast and toffee. It all hits a crescendo – emphasised by a warming 9.5% ABV – then it slowly tapers off into a rich, coffee and chocolate-laden finish that goes for days.

Mouthfeel: Slick, oily, a tad abrasive. Full bodied, low-ish Co2. The 9.5% ABV is fairly well concealed for its size.

Overall: Certainly an enjoyable drop. The price tag of $20 a bottle was a little exorbitant but with ridiculous prices for shipping these days it’s unfortunately a sobering reality. Solid offering though.

Mash Brewing ‘Black Cat’ Black IPA

Rating:

“This black IPA version of our champion beer borrows heavily from its siblings signature dank pine, stone and tropical nose from a heavily us influenced dry hopping, but the beast in black now purrs with roasted cacao and chocolate notes, balanced with a lingering bitter, resinous finish”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Solid black pour with a billowing three finger head. It slowly breaks up and leaves an absolute smattering of lace on the glass.

Aroma: One of our most favoured styles and, unfortunately, a style that’s underappreciated by a lot of Aussie breweries. This expression is quite malt-driven. Heavy roasted qualities – ash and licorice fill the nostrils. The hops are somewhat drowned out but we do detect delicate hints of pine resin, grapefruit/rind and fresh herbs. We always bang on about balance being key with black IPA’s and this one is not quite there.

Flavour: Lacking a bit of intensity if we were to be brutally honest. One component not lacking any intensity is the bitterness. The big roasty notes on the nose have pulled back a little and the piney/resinous hops are here but are again, a little muted. A subtle warmth from the ABV as it leads into a fairly dry, acetic and roasty finish that lingers.

Mouthfeel: Slick initially then dry and bitter in the swallow. Medium body, well carbed. The 6.5% ABV comes through intermittently.

Overall: It’s been a very long time between drinks for us and Mash. 9 years to be exact. These guys have been in operation for around 15 years now so they’re officially in OG status. This BIPA isn’t one of their best releases, but it still holds its own.

Margaret River Beer Co. Pale Ale

Rating:

“Citrus, pine and stone fruit feature front and centre in this American Pale Ale where hop bitterness accentuates a medium body and plenty of malt character resulting in a full-flavoured ale.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Vibrant orange pour with a notable haziness. It forms a fluffy two finger head which slowly peels off. Decent lace work as it subsides.

Aroma: Nicely balanced. It’s equal parts citrusy and resinous to biscuity and sweet. Could do with a bit more oomph though, it does seem a little tired. A quick BBD check shows that it’s 7 months old which is definitely getting on and barely passable in our opinion. Hints of pine, weedy resin, subtle dankness. Very basic yet pleasant aroma.

Flavour: The age is showing through a little bit more here. The hops have clearly deteriorated and overall it tastes a bit tired. Still, we pick up delicate orange citrus, pine resin, slightly dank weed and herbals. Semi-sweet biscuity malt structure, and a nice line of bitterness cutting through and reaching all the way into the dry, resinous and citrusy finish. Good length on it.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, inoffensive texture that dries up post swallow. Mild-medium body, nicely carbed. The 4.8% ABV is on par for the style.

Overall: This is our first crack at this Southwest WA brewery. A region more known for its wineries than breweries. Although this pale was a bit long in the tooth it still drank fairly well. Nothing to write home about though.

Dieu Du Ciel! ‘Peche Mortel’ Imperial Coffee Stout

Rating:

“Deep and dense, Péché Mortel is a stout infused with coffee during brewing. The result is an intense beer, whose pronounced roasted aromas blend with the powerful taste of coffee. The finish is bitter, slightly astringent, and persistent. Designed as a tasting beer, we encourage you to consume it in moderation.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black with a finger of light brown head perched neatly on top. Excellent retention and healthy lacing as it ebbs.

Aroma: Smells rich and complex with the coffee integrated beautifully. We detect a certain spiciness from it initially as it lands with a hint of black pepper and charred jalapeno. Gorgeous roasted malt character…dark chocolate, cigar box, woody spice and subtle hints of cocoa and nutty wattleseed. Holy moly, why did we not review this back in the day when their range first hit Aussie shelves?!

Flavour: Absolutely brilliant. It really imitates that harsh but loveable bitterness we get from a shot of espresso or a piccolo. That spicy quality we got on the nose transfers over, as does the heavily roasted malt notes of ash, cigar box, subtle smoke/peat, dark chocolate, raw cocoa and burnt toast. It all culminates into a dry, roasty and bitter finish with heady coffee lingering on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Dense and slightly abrasive. Full bodied, low Co2. The 9.5% ABV is noticeable but pretty well behaved for its size.

Overall: Without a doubt the best brewery to come out of Canada. We’ve believed this since the first beer we tried from them back in like 2012 (route des epices). This impy stout gets a little rough around the edges at times but the intensity of flavour is unbelievable. Solid offering.

Anheuser-Busch ‘Rolling Rock’ Pale Lager

Rating:

“To honor the tradition of this great brand, we quote from the original pledge of quality: “From the glass lined tanks of Old Latrobe we tender this premium beer for your enjoyment, as a tribute to your good taste. It comes from the mountain springs to you.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Light straw golden pour with minimal head formation. Zero head = zero lacing. We’ve noticed this from generic American lagers before and it’s due to the adjuncts such as corn, rice and maize which don’t possess the proteins required to retain head.

Aroma: Restrained and shy. It’s basically all malt/corn with very little hop character. We certainly get lots of creamed corn, buttery popcorn, honey, Cheerios and some earthiness. A slight hint of rubber which means the beer has been mildly light-struck (a big reason why most breweries switched from green bottles to brown. Or one better – tinnies). Presents a lot like a Mexican cerveza.

Flavour: A notable step up from the aroma. A lot of the sweet honey malt and creamed corn/buttery popcorn is cleaned up by a very crisp and refreshing texture. Still minimal hop flavour but a delicate bitterness leads into a nice smooth finish which drops off pretty quickly.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean, a little thin and slippery. Flat-ish Co2, light body. The 4.4% ABV is neither here nor there.

Overall: Super mainstream beer, we know. The only reason we reviewed it is out of sheer nostalgia. We drank it a few times on a USA trip years before we’d discovered craft and thought it was pretty good. Years later…not so much. It’s good to wash down some chicken wings or a greasy burger but that’s about it.

Good Land ‘Lekker’ BA Imperial Pastry Stout

Rating:

“Lekker is a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout dripping with vanilla from Australia, Papua New Guinea and Madagascar, it balances sweet vanillin creaminess with bold caramel like oak, bourbon warmth and a smooth, rich chocolate layered finish. Lekker smaakt!”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: As black as the ace of spades with two fingers of brown head forming on top. Good retention but scarce lacing as it ebbs.

Aroma: Smells really good. We were umming and ahhing over this as Good Land can be very inconsistent (not to mention expensive!) but we may just get some return on this one. The feature vanilla and bourbon barrels play a crucial role. The base stout is only passable so it’s the alluring scents of bourbon oak, vanilla, caramel, cinnamon spices and mocha which propels this aroma forward.

Flavour: Pretty damn good on first impressions. Very much like the aroma in the sense of a base stout that holds enough depth and brawn to entertain the amount of bourbon oak, vanilla and overall richness that it does. It gives off some heat through the mid – can’t blame it considering its ABV – along with a hint of bitterness, then shaping up for a long and drawn out finish full of bourbon/oak, vanilla, molasses, toffee and burnt caramel.

Mouthfeel: Slick, kinda oily and viscous. Low Co2, full bodied, and a well behaved 12% ABV.

Overall: Well, GL has re-entered in a very positive way. We were ready to write this brewery off for good until this. Some guidance from the likes of Deeds and these guys could be the next best BA impy stout masters.