“Sweet bread and biscuit malt flavour with a restrained toffee character from low-colour crystal malts. We’ve used a uniquely German hop variety providing a subtle and earthy aroma to this strong golden lager.”

Glassware: Half stein.

Appearance: Gorgeous deep golden complexion with a kiss of light red. The head swells to a thumb in height before reducing to a thick overlay. Good retention and healthy lacing as we go.

Aroma: Proper malt bomb, as to be expected from the style. It’s displaying a tonne of sweet malt i.e caramel, brioche, dough, but also a counter balance of toast, buttery biscuits and the mildest hint of peat. As it settles a very delicate yet distinct earthy and grassy hop profile reveals itself. Has to be the one and only Saaz. That’s our guess anyway. It ain’t a groundbreaking aroma but it’s decent.

Flavour: Much more balanced here. It still owns that malt bomb tag but the hop bitterness comes through. Upfront it’s pretty earthy and toasty but it turns a bit cloying as it nears the mid palate. This is where the hops kick off though…at first it’s just the right amount but it keeps intensifying and eventually becomes too bitter in our opinion. The finish is a little untidy and leaves us grimacing.

Mouthfeel: Fairly slick and smooth initially then dry and acrid in the swallow. Medium body, Co2 is a little flat. The 7.2% ABV behaves well enough for its size.

Overall: We’ve been pleasantly surprised with King River’s beers on a couple of occasions but not on this one unfortunately. A bit cloying and untidy in the end.