Rating:

“A clean and fresh pale ale using crystal, vienna and wheat malts. Dry hopped to give a beautifully balanced citrus and floral aroma. Perfect for sharing with mates any time of year.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Nice and deep burnished amber pour with a finger of loosely held foam perched on top. Good enough retention to see a bit of lace work down the glass.

Aroma: Full of caramel malt and candied fruit sweetness. It has a strong artificial scent…we keep thinking boiled candy and butter menthol. There’s almost a thought of too much diacetyl for a minute but they’ve kept it in check…just! A bit of tropical fruit creeping in but it’s just too sweet in our opinion.

Flavour: Follows on from the nose with this distinct diacetyl-laden sweetness – honey, caramel and butterscotch mainly. Fleeting hints of tropical and stone fruits kind of getting a look in but it’s pretty subtle. It finishes with a nice balancing bitterness but the sweetness is too overpowering.

Mouthfeel: Fairly smooth, creamy, just a suggestion of hop bitterness in the swallow. Moderate body and Co2.

Overall: Not the most ideal start for this virtually brand new microbrewery. They’re one of a few new breweries to open in the burgeoning craft beer scene up in the picturesque Blue Mountains. Not to worry the IPA and the porter are still to come!

Rating:

“A pale ale using all American hops with flavours and aromas of pine, citrus and tropical fruits with a medium dry finish. Crystal malt imparts a light residual sweetness for mouth feel.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Hazy amber-orange pour with a mountainous four finger head emerging on top. It settles to a thick layer with blotchy lace work on the glass.

Aroma: A fair bit of uplift to it actually. Heady notes of tangy orange citrus, pine, florals, candied fruits, sugar-crusted grapefruit and a subtle honey and or caramel sweetness filling it out. Very nice. Very sweet but pleasant all the same.

Flavour: It bursts with orange citrus, tropical fruits, pine and semi sweet malt tones. A bit of hop bitterness mixing with some mildly acetic grapefruit through the mid then moving in to a dry finish which offers lengthy notes of pine, orange peel and grassy hop on the rear.

Mouthfeel: Vibrant and well rounded. A little light on but held up with a spritzy carbonation and a decent IBU (33).

Overall: This is our first crack at this brewery from Pokolbin. Another brewery/winery to add to the evergrowing list alongside the likes of Hope Brew house, CVBC, Cupitts, Prickly Moses and more. Quite a nice way to kick off proceedings.

Rating:

“Passionfruit, mango and hints of malt sweetness.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Bold amber with a light haze. A finger of white foam sits atop and works a wavy lace down the glass.

Aroma: Clean and refreshing notes of pine, herbs, grapefruit, zingy orange, passion fruit and light florals. Just the slightest touch of pithy citrus creeping in. Kind of a sweet malt structure – biscuity/doughy maybe a tad husky. Nicely balanced nose.

Flavour: An easy going blend of mango, citrus, pineapple and passionfruit to the fore. It’s supported by a nice malt sweetness, delicate earthy/spicy hop bitterness, tangy citrus and subtle grapefruit which delivers a light and well rounded finish.

Mouthfeel: Approachable, light and refreshing. Mild-medium body, moderate co2.

Overall: It’s just another light and uneventful Aussie pale ale. Yes it’s super palate-friendly and sessional but there’s nothing overly exciting about it. Good but not great.

Rating:

“An easy drinking hoppy American pale ale, Skimpy Sparrow is another edition in our “Small Bird Series” of lower ABV offerings brewed for the summer.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Super hazy yellow/orange pour with two fingers of loosely packed foam perched on top. It eventually forms a collar with healthy lace work on the glass.

Aroma: Punchy pine-driven hops, stonefruits, citrus and pineapple making up the bulk of it. Heady notes of frosty fruits, concentrated orange juice, grapefruit and peach also. The malt profile is very subtle yet still offering a distinct dry and grainy character that provides a little bit of balance.

Flavour: Exactly like a NEIPA just without the added depth, booze and creaminess. Still showing tonnes of pithy citrus, orange juice, piney hops and peach with undertones of grapefruit, peppery spice and white grapes. Picking up that dry and grainy accent again but it’s dwarfed by the slightly assertive bitterness and orange peel in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Dry with a developing bitterness. Somewhat prickly too, making the relatively low 5.4% AbV seem higher. Medium body and co2.

Overall: They’ve done a great job at making it feel bigger than it actually is. We’d admit it is a welcome change from all of the triple, double and imperial NEIPA’s we’ve been in to recently. Not bad.

Rating:

“You aren’t going to beat Princess or Yoshi without the Rainbow Road Shortcut, which as it turns out, is both a killer cheat on Mario Kart 64, and also a super juicy hazy pale ale, with a recipe including lightning strikes, red Koopa shells, Citra, Mosaic, and El Dorado hops.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Definite haze train! Somewhat milky orange complexion with a thumb of white foam perched on top. The head holds its shape and leaves a healthy lace in its wake.

Aroma: Full on fruit salad. We get stonefruits, citrus, tropical fruits, berries and apple leading out with vanilla powder, Frosty Fruits, herbal spice and a subtle musky accent in support. Typical pale malt profile of crusty white bread and semi sweet crackers filling it out. Quite a simple nose but ultimately bright and well rounded.

Flavour: Literally a NEIPA without the booze and extra body. The concoction of fruit provides hints of breakfast juice and Frosty Fruits while hinting at berries and other more exotic types like kiwi, persimmon and dragon fruit. Pretty much maintains the juice bomb characters until a late injection of bready malt rounds out on a soft bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Super smooth, creamy and balanced. The 5.8% AbV is nicely tucked away as well. Medium body and co2.

Overall: It’s one of those beers that’s enjoyable but quite easily forgotten – nothing really stands out other than its session ability. Still waiting for that Bare Bottle beer that blows us away.

Rating:

“This single hop pale ale showcases the Citra hop for a well-balanced beer that is delicate in body with a mild bitterness in the finish. She roars with ferocious aromas of grapefruit, citrus, mango and evergreen. Pseudo Sue’s unique taste is clean and bright with just enough bite!”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Slightly hazy golden orange with a fair bit of suspended sediment. It forms a sturdy two finger head which persists and laced well.

Aroma: Without a doubt the Citra hop would have to be one of our all time favourites. Its natural high alpha acids along with its citrus, pine and tropical fruit profile invokes memories of the best IPA’s of yesteryear (before the haze craze!). Pseudo Sue also offers plenty of spicy lemongrass, unripened mango, herbal tea, pineapple and a light bready malt structure. Very nice indeed!

Flavour: The hops don’t provide as much intensity as the nose. The aggression and the bitterness are there but the flavours are slightly muted as they come through. The mid hits more of a stonefruit note as it leads in to the dry and bitter finish which carries spicy and piney notes in to the back end.

Mouthfeel: Fairly well in check for a big WC-style APA. Dry, maybe a little creamy. 7% AbV with a gutsy 45 IBU – both are quite well behaved though.

Overall: It’s a really well built beer. There’s a bit of conjecture around it’s category and rightly so. If it is an APA then it’s the biggest and booziest APA we’ve ever had. It portrays itself as more of an IPA…and a good one at that!

Rating:

“Faction Brewing The Penske File (5.8% ABV) is a two-hop pale brewed with Mosaic and Ekuanot.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Golden amber with excellent transperancy. It forms a thumb of head which slowly deconstructs but still works a nice webbed lace down the walls of the glass.

Aroma: One word…..incredible! It’s marketed as an American Pale Ale but it hits the olfactory’s like a highly hopped West Coast IPA. Wave after citric wave of grapefruit juice, orange peel, pine, lemon and mandarin is sustained by a biscuity and semi sweet malt which works in unbelievably well. There’s no other way to put it….this is literally one of the best APA’s we’ve ever smelt.

Flavour: Sweet baby Jeebus the transition in to flavour is just ridiculous. It really comes on strong with grapefruit, citrus rind and orange but it’s countered by a subtle biscuit malt and a fleshy fruit like unripe mango or melon. Magnificent carry through the mid as it finishes on a rather dry, bitter and grassy note that shows good legs on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Perfect. Creamy but nicely lifted by the co2. 5.8% ABV is very well disguised. 40 IBU….. Also really well affixed.

Overall: Probably one of the best APA’s we’ve ever drunk. How the bloody hell do they do it?! We’ll give one piece of parting advice….if you see this on the shelves do your taste buds a solid and bag it instantly because it is mind blowing!

Rating:

“Year-round pale ale generously hopped with Simcoe, Columbus and Mosaic.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Bright amber with excellent clarity. It forms a two finger head that holds its shape and decorates the sides of the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: 100% true to style APA. Smelling super fresh loaded with grapefruit, orange, pine, mandarin, subtle dank notes and really delicate herbals – basil, lemongrass etc. There’s a good impression of malt sweetness to balance it all out as well. They’ve absolutely nailed this aroma down!

Flavour: Right on the money! We get that burst of sweet and slightly bitter citrus upfront that’s underpinned by subtle hints of pine, orange peel and grassy/herbal hops. The bitterness carries through the mid but that sweet biscuity malt seems up to the task. Lovely smooth transition in to a well balanced finish. Good length.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and well rounded. Effortless over the tongue with mild bitterness in the swallow (45 IBU). Medium body and co2.

Overall: This is our first crack at this Californian Brewery’s range and what a fine offering it is! If there was only one pale ale we had to drink for the rest of our lives it would have to be this. Sensational!

Rating:

“The classics are that for a reason. Like its punchy forefathers, this American style Pale Ale is defined by citrus, pine and tropical hop characters. Pale and toasted malts provide a solid base that lets the hops do the talking — and avoid a potential conflict. Watch your step folks.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Clear light golden amber which is topped off with two fingers of creamy white head. Excellent retention as it hangs a sheet down the sides of our glass.

Aroma: Strange to say the least. We’re getting powdery perfumes, candied orange, peach, stone fruits, floral pine and this totally unexpected hint of musty biltong. As it settles we’re picking up a somewhat artificial fruity note – either pineapple or melon. We’ve smelt better that’s for sure.

Flavour: Acting a bit more like a pale ale now. Mild tropical fruits like passion fruit, melon and pineapple to the fore. Some piney notes floating about as well. The malt has a caramel sweetness to it, a bit cloying at times but it’s saved by a citric bitterness. Kind of sweet, kind of grassy finish that endures.

Mouthfeel: Frothy and reasonably light. 5.2% ABV and 35 IBU – both neither here nor there.

Overall: We like the move in to cans along with the back story behind the beer but there’s hardly anything American about it. It has a strange aroma, minimal bitterness and no aggression. Missed the mark for us.

Rating:

“Finding just the right option can highlight an already epic zone – like striking the perfect hot/cold balance in your shower at home, or using an iron to hit the green when everyone has teed off with their woods. The Balter Strong Pale Ale is another one of those plumb moments, for hop-lovers who want more than an American Pale Ale, without the grunt of an IPA.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: The pour provides an amber glow with the head swelling to about an inch. It peels back to a healthy overlay which works a fine lace as it ebbs.

Aroma: Firstly we must make note of the brilliant balance being struck. Mellow hints of peach, mango, citrus, melon and passion fruit are offset by a semi sweet biscuit malt. We’re picking up an undertone of pine with some weedy notes as well. Really good depth and character on the nose.

Flavour: Again, well balanced with the slightly sweet biscuit malts taking the edge off those crisp and fruity hops. Soft peach and melon cruise through with a bit of sappy pine meeting them mid way. Citrus notes developing late as it finishes tight and tidy with reasonable length.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, smooth and well balanced. The 5.9% ABV offers a mild kick while the 45 IBU is well contained. Medium body and co2.

Overall: It seems Balter have hit their strides of late as every release since the IPA has got better and better. This one slots in nicely between the XPA and the IPA, giving the punters that extra option. Brilliant idea and equally as brilliant beer.

Rating:

“Defined by a balance of pale malted barley and tropical hop aromas, our Pale Ale is light in colour but big in flavour. But don’t overthink it. It is what it says on the tin, a Pale Ale, the Black Hops beer for every occasion.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Hazy golden amber topping off with two fingers of tightly held foam. Magnificent lace work clinging to the walls of the glass.

Aroma: Lovely dose of tropical fruity hops hitting the olfactory’s. Mango, passion fruit, pineapple, lychee and melon – all of the good stuff! It almost has this NEIPA-esque brekky juice note to it. Subtle hints of white grapes, florals and biscuity malts filling it all out. Impressive.

Flavour: Really well balanced. Lots of fruity hops, a flutter of semi sweet biscuit malt, even a suggestion of that NEIPA-like brekky juice we picked up on the nose. This tasty trio is reinforced through the mid with a bit of help from a citrus bitterness which delivers a mild dryness in the finish.

Mouthfeel: A little dry but really, it’s just smooth and so approachable. Medium body and co2. Bang on.

Overall: Well there’s certainly no surprises that this pale ale made the top 20 in GABS’ most recent hottest 100. It’s tasty, brilliantly balanced and oh so sessional. Our 2nd entry for this relatively new QLD brewery and both have been top notch. Keep em comin!

Rating:

“Prepare to have your senses awoken with this favorite that we conjured up one morning floating behind the breakers off Alex Heads. Pipeline is a bold Pale Ale, hop forward with an abundance of tropical and stone fruits, pineapple and pine aromatics. Brewed with a blend of Australian and German Barley, wheat and crystal malts, its one of our favorites, if you like a hop forward brew then we’ve packed a few extra in this one for you.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Bright gold with excellent clarity. It forms a finger of head which steadily collapsed but still manages to decorate the walls of the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: An abundance of tropical fruit hop character, mostly mango, passion fruit, subtle citrus, melon and papaya. It has a rather sweet malt structure too, a touch of caramel and mild honey to fill it out. Not bad.

Flavour: A little drier, the fruity hops are a bit more muted in comparison to the aroma. Some zesty citrus showing through instead with suggestions of grassy hop, semi sweet malt and light florals to finish.

Mouthfeel: Clean, spritzy and super sessional. Nice mellow bitterness (36 IBU) developing late.

Overall: This pale ale pretty much sums up their mantra of kicking back and hanging 10. It’s light, cruisy and crush-able. Quenching the thirst on this scorching Queensland arvo.

Rating:

“An American Pale Ale. For batch number 1500, Josh & Brian decided to brew a big hoppy beer, yet make it quaffable by keeping the alcohol level down. Turns out everyone liked it so much, that it is now brewed year-round. Loads of Simcoe and Amarillo hops are blended in the fermenter, just after fermentation has finished, to impart a huge aroma of pine and citrus.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Hazy golden orange with a finger of well kept head over the top. Nice streaky lace sticking to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Jam packed full of American ‘C’ hops – citrus, pine, wet grass, orange zest, subtle resins and earthy spice. Soft buttery malts in the background, moving in to caramel and honey as it settles. Fairly well balanced. Nice aroma.

Flavour: Good impression of orange peel and light grapefruit acidity upfront. Pine, hop oils, resin and grassy notes across the mid. Subtle dry and bready malts carry in to a bitter, grassy and piney finish with reasonable length on the rear.

Mouth feel: Spritzy, crisp and snappy with medium body and a well concealed ABV (5.5%). Average IBU (48) gaining a bit more traction in the swallow.

Overall: Pretty flawless APA. Somewhat safe though, getting a little on the uneventful side. Not a bad drop by any stretch of the imagination it’s just a middle of the road offering in our opinion.

Rating:

“A big bold hoppy take on the classic American Pale Ale. Packed with American and Australian hops including Cascade, Columbus, Galaxy, Mosaic and Crystal, and supported by a firm malt backbone. Finishes clean with a firm bitterness. A mouth-watering aroma blend of passionfruit, orange and pine!”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Hazy burnt orange hue with a short cap sitting atop. It peels off to a film which still manages to weave a healthy lace down the glass.

Aroma: From the brewers ramblings it would seem that they have modelled the beer off the classic pavlova. Tonnes of passion fruit, mango, peach and berries coming through along with a buttery caramel/biscuit malt in support. Nice big piney notes cutting in as well. Not bad.

Flavour: Sits nicely poised on the palate. Lots of American hop character slicing its way through the rather sweet and robust caramel malts on entry. Subtle injection of grapefruit midway before a bitter finish reveals orange peel and pineapple on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Quite bold, creamy texture with a pleasant bitterness in the swallow. Spritzy co2 and medium body. 5.2% ABV – basically immaterial.

Overall: Middle of the road APA. Would we seek it out again? Probably not. Certainly not a bad drop it just isn’t all that memorable.

Rating:

“The first recipe brewed and released out of our Carrum Downs brewery, this American Style Pale Ale showcases several varieties of American hops. This lends a firm yet approachable bitterness, balanced by a touch of malt sweetness that makes this a very sessionable beer.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Light amber in colour. Our pour generates a loosely packed two finger head that falls away pretty quickly without a great deal of lacing in its wake.

Aroma: Nice and hoppy with that trademark orange citrus zing lifting out of the glass. Juicy wafts of grapefruit, peach, nectarine and paw paw punch through with strong support of pine and slightly dank resins. Loving this malt backing too – she’s offering bready overtones with just that subtle caramel to sweeten the deal. Lovely.

Flavour: It’s all about the hops on entry. They’re citrusy, piney and fruity with an ever so delicate touch of spice. The middle takes on more bitter characters like grapefruit and orange peel before it delivers a nicely balanced finish with hints of toasty malt and zesty citrus.

Mouth feel: Clean and slightly dry with a creamy texture. 40 IBU and 5.2% ABV – both very well behaved.

Overall: It’s got serious potential. We love how APA’s always have that little bit extra oomph compared to a standard pale ale. This one has that in spades. It could be one hell of a session beer that’s for sure.

Rating:

“Chock a block with big hop hero’s Centennial and Pacifica, brimming with citrus and floral aromas offering hints of earth and spice for balance. Solid bitterness to keep it in the big India pale ale style. Bronze Award Winner of 2017 Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show in the India Pale Ale Category.”

Glassware: Shaker

Appearance: Deep and intense amber hue with a short cap emerging on top. The head holds its shape and works a fine lace as it ebbs.

Aroma: We can see where the name ‘gutsy’ comes from. Getting a sweet caramel malt structure with a slightly dank, citrusy and herbaceous hop profile cutting through. Some light earthy notes hanging around along with a delicate floral undertone. Packing in some robust aromas here.

Flavour: Very similar to the aroma but with a more pronounced orange citrus character. Again we see it backing up the aroma with a dense caramel malt sweetness and dank hoppy notes which is boosted by a bit of a burn from the 6.3% ABV. The finish is bitter and drying with a bit of aggressive hop and boozy warmth in the back end.

Mouth feel: Dry and bitter but also quite chewy and full-ish with a vibrant co2 and a feisty 46 IBU.

Overall: A very enjoyable drop with plenty of attitude. Our first review for this brewery and they’re off to a flyer. What’s better is that they’re just down the road from us! Winning.

Rating:

“Orange X is a fresh new take on our classic extra Pale Ale. We combined the crisp, light balance and generous hop profile of X – Extra Pale Ale with the bright, juicy citrus character of oranges as a tasting room exclusive here in San Diego. The positive response was so overwhelming that we decided to trust in our fans by putting it into cans. Orange X for the people!”

Served in a shaker. It pours a somewhat hazy golden amber hue with a thumb of foamy and well retained head perched on top. It’s working a nice webbed lace as it subsides.
The aroma is incredibly juicy, very citrusy and summery. The fruity sweetness is certainly more artificial than fresh, reminds us of these blood orange-flavoured sparkling sodas we’re keen on. Kind of has this Fanta and Sunkist accent to it as well. Also getting hints of tang, citrus rind and a touch of pine. Nothing overly exciting happening there.
We’d have to say this orange soft drink flavour is displayed much better on the palate. Very sugary sweet and citrusy with a kind of tangy edge. Soft orange blossom florals coming through the middle with a somewhat biscuity malt developing late. A gentle citrus peel bitterness then rolls in to a tangy, piney and slightly peppery finish.
The texture is nice and light, sparkling and vibrant. Mild-moderate in weight with an approachable 24 IBU. Highly crush-able!
Not totally overwhelming but it’s a nice seesional pale ale on this warm late Spring arvo….would be even more sessional in Summer! It’s not a bad beer by any means it’s just lacking a bit of pizzazz. We’ve had better from Alesmith.

Rating:

Two Heads is located on Piper Street Bathurst NSW. Nick lived on this street and won the first ever home brew competition – this hoppy beer sitting between a pale and a IPA is the result of his collab with this brewery.

Poured into a shaker glass we see an IPA looking colour – burnt orange which is hazy with some carbonation seen. Head disappears quickly leaving just a rim on the glass. Aroma is Devine. Nice caramel malts, with juicy pine and mandarin. There are tropical aromas of sweet mango, some passion fruit, and stone fruits like apricot and some peach. Very impressive. First sip is even better. Bitterness is very restrained on the palate and just glides down with minimal carbonation. More flavours of caramels, pine, peach, mandarin. It actually reminds us of a Balter IPA in a way. We notice 6.4% Alc vol and think wow. Hard to detect. The more we drink we just love the piney dry finish and the fruity, spicy, hoppy mild to moderate body that has a nice malty finish on the palate. Very smooth and easy to drink. There is some lacing on the glass. We feel this is certainly in the category of an IPA. Nice use of hops with a judicious bitterness. A touch more bitterness and this would easily rival the top shelf around. We like what we see here. Tasty drop.

Rating:

There is a bunch of rambling jibberish on the side of the can about X this and XX that. Basically from what we can gather it’s an obvious collaboration between the above, and this is a pale ale..with some extra.

Poured into a shaker glass we see a cloudy straw/dark yellow brew that’s teeming with carbonation. There is a nice big 15mm cloudy white head that retains beautifully and basically doesn’t budge. It almost looks over carbonated but we can’t see a date anywhere. Aromas of cereal malts, bready dough/yeast, light caramels, citrus like lemon and some pine. Faint tropical notes here also. The flavour is tasty. It’s smooth on the palate, with decent bitterness for a pale ale. Nic drying effect. Carbonation sizzles away on the tongue. We get more flavours of citrus, grape/wine like hops now coming through, with more doughy yeast, and some pine. Good length on the palate. Body is medium and very do-able. We note Alc vol of 5.6% and it certainly is much stronger than say a Balter XPA. We note plenty of lacing down the glass. We get right at the end a bit of spice on the tonsils. Overall this is a tasty drop. We get a mixture of classic pine/citrus and American style mild tropical hops mixed with almost sauvin hops. We take umbrage though with this XPA category. Where does it end? Is it simply a stronger brewed pale ale or a lighter IPA. Anyhoo, tasty and refreshing.

Rating:

 “The New England style of pale ale is brewed with low bitterness but still uses a huge amount of hops. Varieties used are added late in the brewing process to promote a tropical, juicy sweetness with out bitterness. The beers are generally hazy from proteins & yeast accentuating the full & creamy mouth feel.”

Served in a shaker. We kept most of the settled yeast in the bottle so this NE pale ale pours a reasonably clear amber colour with a big and fizzy three finger head. It settles to a fine overlay that laced well.
We’re getting a lovely blend of tropical and citrus fruits on the nose – kind of has this fruit salad quality to it. Lots of passion fruit, pineapple and orange with subtle piney notes cutting through. Just a light pale malt at the base that adds a bit of balance.
It hits the taste buds like a good IPA would….fruit-forward, punchy and citric bitter which mellows a little and reveals the subtle grainy malt. This grapefruit acidity carries through the mid and rolls in to a piney and somewhat citrusy finish that unveils a hint of that warming 6.1% ABV in the tail.
Well rounded and pleasant in the mouth. The bitterness is well behaved and the co2 is nice and lively. Mild-medium body.
It wasn’t until we popped the cap that we realised it was a New England pale ale, as opposed to its hugely popular bigger brother (NEIPA). Thing is it drinks with just as much vigour anyway! Very tidy. Another solid offering from Bacchus.