“A full flavoured creamy Australian style stout with delicate chocolate and liquorice flavours from the combination of pure malts. It is very easy on the palate with moderate alcohol content. An exceptional cold weather beer served at cellar temperature. Winner of the Champion Beer at the 1997 Australian and International Beer awards, Small Brewery Section and Best Exhibit in Class 34 in 2000. Winner of Australia’s best Stout at the National Festival of beers 2001 for the second time and a long list of International medals continuing to 2011 with 2 medals for both bottled and draught products. Perfect for beef and Hatlifter pie and all stews and casseroles. Also very popular with many Asian dishes.”
We can’t vouch too strongly for this brewery as every beer we’ve had has been pretty average, but we push on, hoping for a brew we can say we like. Served in a beer tulip the dark brown/black pour generates a 1 cm tan head that reduces to a fine layer on top. Mild lacing. Aroma is quite weak and to make matters worse we were perplexed when we realise we’re picking up a strange scent of chlorine. Subdued wafts of nuts, vanilla and chocolate are hidden deep which takes a decent swirl and some big sniffs to pick up. Mild carbonation and body. The mouth feel is too watery for a stout, clearly lacking the thick, rich and roasted palate you would come to expect. Some chocolate, coffee and malt are cut short on the palate. Some sourness in there too. We just can’t understand why brewers make stouts this light. Only 4.9% ABV so there is no boozy addition to an already thin body. We haven’t really delved into too many of this breweries range of beers and to be honest this is why. Disappointing beer, won’t be trying this again.