“This scarlet lager is brewed with caramelised malts and has the attitude and confidence to stand above the pale crowd.”

Glassware: Dimpled mug.

Appearance: Deep amber with candy red highlights. Big billowing four finger head which rapidly reduces and eventually disappears. Zero retention so zero lacing.

Aroma: Smells quite scaled back and traditional. Dominant caramelised malt, toffee, toasty and nutty notes. Gorgeous support aromas of cognac, yeast esters (banana runts, clove), spicy old world hops and a hint of residual sweetness. Some very subtle orchard fruits developing late as well…pear, apple, a touch of kiwifruit. Pretty darn good.

Flavour: Drinks very similar to the nose – caramelised malts and toffee lead the way but there’s a slightly broader hop presence here on the palate. Especially once it comes up to room temperature. Plenty of yeast esters coming through, providing spice and fruitiness. Nice little addition of bitterness which adds some balance as it finishes sweet, nutty and toasty. Good duration on the back end too.

Mouthfeel: Sticky, chewy texture but the lifted Co2 lightens the load a bit. Medium body and the 6.8% ABV is incredibly well concealed.

Overall: Solid beer from Eden. Much to our surprise this was only our 2nd entry from this respectable brewery. It’s well balanced, on point and enjoyable even on this 36 degree Sydney arvo!