Author Archives: 2hopheads

Mitta Mitta ‘Extra Fresh Bitter’ ESB

Rating:

“Putting the FRESH in EFB!!. To this ESB (Extra Special Bitter) style beer, we added a range of fresh green hops, grown in our own hop gardens, 100m from the brewery door. Freshly picked and straight into the brew, our hops give this beer a unique flavour and aroma. Nothing like it anywhere else!”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Deep orange with a kiss of candy red in the centre. It knocks up two fingers of finely beaded foam which sits tight. Wavy lace clings to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Somewhat tangy orange and earthy caramel overtones. Seems slightly muddled though. Neither the hop or malt characteristics stand out but the main issue we’re having is that nothing is in sync. It’s like tangy orange citrus over there, earthy caramel over here, yeast phenols up there, some strange berry sherbet scent down here. None of it comes together in our opinion.

Flavour: Sadly, it’s a mirror image of the aroma. Ok, it does pull together a bit better than the aroma but it’s the same issues…this tangy orange and earthy caramel combination isn’t working for us. There are notable yeast phenols (white pepper, banana runts, band-aid) and dirt/flint. Really weird flavours for an ESB. A nice line of bitterness into a dry, earthy finish.

Mouthfeel: Kinda light on, flinty, dry. Mild-medium body, carbed higher for the style. The 5.4% ABV is on par.

Overall: This was our first crack at this Victorian brewery. We had high hopes as a few of their beers come with multiple medals. This one hadn’t though, and we now know why. Maybe the brewers got a bit lost in the sauce on this occasion. Very ordinary ESB.

Smog City ‘The Nothing’ Imperial Chocolate Stout

Rating:

“Winter Seasonal. This double chocolate imperial stout aged on raw cocoa nibs is about as decadent as they come. This fan favorite is brewed once a year and its anticipated return is wide spread. Named in honor of The Neverending Story’s character, The Nothing, who was the embodiment of lost hope and dreams and is set upon destroying Fantasia.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Jet black pour with three fingers of brown head resting neatly on top. Excellent retention but scarce lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Rich and menacing. Overtones of ash, campfire, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, toffee fudge, biltong, molasses and suggestions of dates/prunes. Once it warms it all intensifies. All the previously listed scents become magnified alongside additions of licorice, macerated cherries and even a hint of iodine and marshmallow. It’s really building.

Flavour: Sort of tipping into Russian imperial stout territory with its muscovado-esque sugary sweetness and contrasting charred malts. It comes on so heavy too…gigantic waves of dark chocolate, ash, burnt coffee, campfire, molasses and biltong bed down on the palate while more nuanced tones of vanilla marshmallow and charred toffee fudge are wrapped up in a fiery and heavily roasted finish.

Mouthfeel: Thiccc. Near engine oil texture. Low Co2, full bodied. The 9.2% ABV is nicely integrated.

Overall: It’s truly exciting to see these guys back on Aussie shelves. You’ll have to fork out a bit (roughly $25 a can) for the pleasure but in comparison to the likes of Hawkers or Boatrocker, you’re getting both better quality and value for money. Impressive stuff.

Hard Road Chestnut Brown Ale

Rating:

“Chocolate & biscuit malt flavour with restrained use of real chestnuts and Madagascan vanilla bean to enhance complexity of the malt. Brewed using a low attenuating English ale yeast, the beer remains malty-sweet and highly moreish.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: It pours as the name suggests: light chestnut brown, capped off by a short tan head which slowly forms a collar. Spotty lace clings to the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: The appearance can tell a lot about a beer and we get the feeling straight off the bat that it was a bit too light. Same goes for this aroma. It’s giving off sweet and hearty amber ale vibes rather than chocolatey and toasty brown ale. Aromatic caramel, toffee, honeycomb, dried leaves, hazelnut and a hint of creamy vanilla on the flank. It’s a pleasant aroma…for an amber ale.

Flavour: The second it hits our taste buds we get a slightly tart quality which is bordering on a fault within the beer. After a couple more sips it doesn’t go as far as being sour so we’re ruling out a fault. There’s no fruit added so this tart blueberry-esque quality is really throwing us off. Yeah, there’s some caramel, toffee and nuttiness around it but it’s basically a write-off from here.

Mouthfeel: Tart, light on, crisp even. Mild-moderate body. Carbed a little too high and the 5.2% ABV is irrelevant at this point.

Overall: We came off their milk stout hoping for a far better experience with this and it’s gone in the opposite direction. Too light for a brown ale, some strange tartness in flavour and a mouthfeel left wanting. We’re done and dusted with these guys unfortunately.

El Segundo ‘Mayberry’ IPA

Rating:

“Mosaic hops take center stage in this truly West Coast India Pale Ale. The perfect companion for enjoying a sunny day on Main Street with us in our charming little town, affectionately known as “Mayberry by the Sea”.

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Be careful upon opening your can. We cracked ours and either due to travel or that bloody dint in the can, foam came spewing out the top and we ended up losing about a 1/4 of it which isn’t ideal! Anywho, only a slightly hazy, golden-orange pour with a billowing four finger head. It takes millennia to recede and leaves a huge lace deposit on the glass.

Aroma: Despite the Co2 issues on the pour it smells mighty fine. Up to its eyeballs in oldskool WC IPA vibes – dank pine/resin, weedy herbals, oily citrus rind, grapefruit, tangerine, orange blossom, shallot and a hint of berry sweetness. The malt bill offers a somewhat honey-on-toast character i.e a touch of sweetness and toasty-ness.

Flavour: Coming hot off the heels of a couple of Faction IPA’s, we’ve got our standards set pretty high, so this one seems to be lacking a bit of the finesse that Faction has. It still has that oldskool WC IPA vibe in spades though…packed to the brim with slightly sweet and acidic citrus/rind, shallot, dank pine and weedy herbs. Very crisp malt profile, allowing a heady bitterness to dominate a rather harsh, dry and bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Super bitter and dry as a bone. Mild-medium body, Co2 is on point. The 7.2% ABV adds a little sting in the tail.

Overall: It’s a decent American IPA. Maybe falling a little bit short in the polish department. It certainly has that oldskool enamel-stripping bitterness that was the norm back then. Not bad.

Faction ‘Commando 450’ IPA

Rating:

“West Coast IPA hopped with Nelson, Galaxy, and Mosaic.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Slightly hazy deep pastel orange with a thumb of rocky off-white head over the top. Decent retention and excellent lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Even with a hop bill of Nelson, Galaxy and Mosaic they can still make this thing sing like an OG 2013 WCIPA. What’s more impressive is that they’re able to integrate the hallmark qualities of Nelson and Galaxy but still keep the OG WCIPA characters as the main event. Pine/resin, grapefruit, citrus rind, passionfruit nectar, gooseberry and shallot. Semi-sweet honey malt base. Just superb.

Flavour: What makes this so good is the particularly oldskool pine/resin and orange citrus notes blending with the crisp yet mild malt sweetness. It’s one of those flavour combo’s that only the yanks can pull off properly. The hints of Nelson and Galaxy hops intertwine with the US Mosaic like a vine and trellis. Subtle gooseberry, white wine fruitiness, passionfruit and peach into a dry, bitter and piney finish. Yummo.

Mouthfeel: Smooth with good grip on the tongue. Medium body, perfectly carbed. The 6.7% ABV adds just the right amount of attitude.

Overall: We sound like a broken record we know, but dead set, we miss having easy access to IPA’s like this. We’re reminded of that old saying – “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone”.

Hard Road ‘Moon Milk’ Milk Stout

Rating: 
"Smooth, rich, and unapologetically bold. Moonmilk pours deep and dark with a tan head, offering aromas of milk chocolate and roasted malt.The palate is silky and full-bodied, blending dark chocolate, subtle coffee, and porridge-like warmth. Brewed with oats and lactose for a creamy sweetness, it finishes with gentle bitterness and a robust, comforting depth.Best savoured around 12°C to unlock its full flavour."

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a thumb of tan foam perched neatly on top. The head steadily deconstructs and leaves a good wavy lace trail in its wake.

Aroma: It’s not packing a whole lot of heat. If we were blindfolded we’d be putting this on a light porter or even a well-brewed dark ale. Enough judgement…we have been humbled before so we’re hoping that’ll be the case again here. Slightly metallic, light roasty notes, light molasses and ash. There’s a hint of vanilla but it’s pretty distant in an aroma where nothing’s really in the way. Very pedestrian stuff.

Flavour: We’ve been in this position on countless occasions with Aussie stouts, where they’re simply too weak and insipid to even be called a stout. Like we touched on in the aroma, it’s barely even on porter level it’s that light. The other thing that’s giving us the shits is the lack of lactose/milk sugars. It’s called a milk stout…where’s the milky sweetness?

Mouthfeel: Slick, chewy and well rounded. Medium body, low-ish Co2. The 6.2% ABV was well buried. The texture is the best part of the beer 😭

Overall: Not a great start to this Victorian brewery’s proceedings. As we’ve been pretty clear about already, it’s just not hitting those standards we’ve come to expect from the style. Here’s hoping the chestnut brown ale we’ve still got to review is far better!

Cornella ‘Sparkle Motion’ IPA

Rating:

“Sparkle Motion is a modern double IPA built on classic American structure – copper-hued, crystal bright and driven by bold bitterness and luminous character from Superdelic, Superdelic Cryo, El Dorado & Chinook hops. High impact. No haze. Built to shine.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Honey-golden pour with a light and fluffy two finger head. Steady reduction and healthy lacing on the glass.

Aroma: One of the main hops used in this IPA is Superdelic/Cryo, which is a Kiwi hop. It’s particularly intriguing coz it doesn’t display any typical Kiwi hop characteristics. We’re getting more distinct notes of rockmelon, watermelon, honeydew, unripened red berries, boiled candy, pine needle, ruby grapefruit and green mango. The malt bill is kept fairly nondescript but we’re detecting semi-sweet honey and light caramels.

Flavour: It isn’t really doing much to be honest. We dislike IPA’s with too much focus on stewy stone fruits and unfortunately this IPA is showcasing exactly that i.e fleshy and stewy rockmelon, papaya etc. Some artificial candy sweetness, grapefruit and a notable booze burn. A mild bitterness forming late in the mid then delivering a dry, fruity finish that fails to draw out long enough for our liking.

Mouthfeel: Pretty smooth and chewy texture. Mild-medium body, Co2 on the flatter side. The 7.7% ABV is a tad too noticeable.

Overall: We’ve been fans of this brewery for a while but lately they’ve been a bit hit and miss. This one in our opinion is a miss. It has many traits we don’t like to see in an IPA. Also, calling this an imperial IPA at 7.7% ABV is cheeky. 8% ABV is the cut-off for a double IPA, so it doesn’t even make it into DIPA territory!

Belching Beaver ‘Sour Series – Batch No.6’ BA Sour

Rating:

“Barrel aged American sour ale brewed with strawberries and apricots.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Pours a muddy dark orange complexion. It constructs a thumb of fizzy off-white head which quickly retreats to the rim. Random patches of spotty lace cling to the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: It’s been a while since we’ve graced our noses with an American sour. We’re immediately met by a sharp and zingy sourness. White wine vinegar, sweaty funk, dried mango, apricot, green grapes, zesty lime juice and Angostura bitters. Not getting much strawberry though. The musty and woody oak opens up more as it settles. Excellent aroma.

Flavour: Pow! The lips are pursed and the eyes are wincing. Really sharp lacto sourness emphasised by white wine vinegar, lemon juice and sour grapes. Dried fruits like mango, apricot and pear/apple mixing with musty oak and a nutty quality late in the piece. Hints of citrus sherbet and Angostura bitters then shifts into a dry, oaky and funky finish that endures.

Mouthfeel: Sharp and acidic. Really opens the saliva glands up. Light-moderate body, effervescent Co2. The 6.1% ABV is nicely poised.

Overall: We never knew Belching Beaver had a sour program. This is impressive stuff. Saliva-inducing sourness, excellent depth, light, fruity and really fun. Impeccable brewing by these American maestro’s.

Sunday Road Affogato Stout

Rating:

“Inspired by the classic Italian Affogato, this decadent brew balances roasted coffee notes with a little vanilla sweetness, all within a smooth dessert-like stout perfect for sipping by the fire as the weather cools down.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pours as black as midnight with a big and bubbly two and a half finger head. Steady reduction and blotchy lacing on the glass.

Aroma: If you’ve been following us for some time you’d be across our mission to find an affogato stout that actually smells and tastes like affogato. Shouldn’t be hard right? That’s what we thought. Yet here we are years later and still we’re unsatisfied. Well, here we are again. SR is our local so what better way to break the hoodoo?! Smells magnificent too. It actually smells like affogato! We may be on to a winner.

Flavour: Pretty damn close. That’s a better start than any other one we’ve tried to date. We get coffee…tick. We get creamy vanilla…tick. We even get a hint of nutty liqueur! It does seem a touch dry for our liking though. Somewhat foreign stout-esque but the main components are here and they land pretty damn well to be honest. It dries out even further which isn’t ideal but it finishes with distinct coffee, vanilla and nuttiness which lingers.

Mouthfeel: Light on and silky. Would’ve loved a creamier texture. Medium body, low-ish Co2. The 7% ABV is really well buried.

Overall: We’ll call it. This is the best interpretation of an affogato stout that we’ve tried to date. It’s not perfect but it’s tasty AF and pretty close to the mark.

Ocho ‘Old Dreadful’ BA Old Ale

Rating:

“At Ocho Beer, we love a deep dive into brewing history, and our latest release, Old Dreadful, is a tribute to a classic style with a uniquely Tasmanian twist. If you’re a fan of malty, rich, and complex beers, you’re in for a treat – this is an Old English Ale like no other.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Pours an attractive crimson hue with candy red highlights. Topped by two fingers of frothy khaki head that slowly peels off to a filmy overlay. Average lacing on the glass.

Aroma: We don’t really know where to start. It’s obviously a straight up malt bomb but the French oak provides a nice set of sweet, spicy and woody notes that hands it all an extra dimension. It’s earthy, moderately roasty, woody and savoury. More nuanced hints of spicy rye, coffee bean, cocoa, toasted wattle seed, some caramel sweetness and toffee fudge. Points for its whacky and unique nature.

Flavour: Drinks really easy. Pleasantly almost. It comes on with a rather earthy caramel then the French oak lays over its woody, spicy and soft vanilla. This tussle between the caramel, toffee fudge, coffee and cocoa ensues for the remainder of it all until it returns to a distinct woody spice and vanillin oak to finish. Good length too…some caramel sweetness coming in and out.

Mouthfeel: Feels light but the dense and chewy texture fills it out. Medium-full body, low-ish Co2. The 8.6% ABV was really well concealed.

Overall: It’s been a long time between drinks for us and this Tassie brewery. From memory the last entry was back around the first covid lockdown. Decent brewery. Decent drop too.

Dieu Du Ciel! ‘Immoralité’ American IIPA

Rating:

“An immoral amount of hops is used to brew this IPA with golden reflections, inspired by Morality, our American IPA. Its sharp and resinous bitterness is balanced by flavors of passion fruit and candied lemon. On the palate, the alcohol brings a certain warmth that intertwines with the roundness of the malt.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Somewhat hazy burnished orange complexion. It conjures up a thumb of creamy white head which takes an age to recede. Healthy lacing on the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Multi-layered and rather complex. The main component that hits us is the dankness. The warmth from the booze and a slightly stewy stone fruit quality in support. Typically we’d be turned off by anything stewy/cloying but this also offers a peppery spice and or black tea-like character that balances it all out. Over-ripened rockmelon, papaya and mango. Lemongrass. Biscuity malt base. Quite a unique aroma.

Flavour: Kinda changes direction here. The fleshy stone fruit (rockmelon, papaya, mango) makes up a small chunk of the flavour while a notably boozy orange citrus quality takes shape. There’s a heady bitterness, dank and piney resin that lends it all a weedy/herbal note too. It’s interesting as it all seems to taper off into a reasonably smooth, resinous and zesty finish that ensures.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and silky then eventually a bit sharper and rigid in the swallow. Medium body, light effervescence. A discernible but well behaved 9.2% ABV.

Overall: We’ve been massive fans of this brewery since we started our journey into craft beer over 15 years ago. And you know what, they’re still churning out beers as good as they were back then. Kudos DDC!

Keeper Brewing Pilsner

Rating:

“We have been tossed about by the mega corporate brewers in our past lives, and have escaped to brew something different (and better). Our only beer. It’s what gets us up in the morning. Slow-brewed over 12 weeks, this German-style Pilsner is crisp, clean, refreshing, and crafted in the heart of Brunswick East at our brewery.”

Glassware: Footed flute.

Appearance: Pale light-golden pour with 100% clarity. It forms two fingers of fluffy white head which holds its shape. Nice wavy lacing clings to the glass as we imbibe.

Aroma: Smells really good. Ultra conventional. Exquisitely balanced between the crisp pilsner malts and the spicy/herbal Noble hops. Mild suggestions of honey, rice crackers, maybe a hint of umami, then the alluring scent of herbal spice, earthy florals, wet grass and wood shavings. Very classy stuff.

Flavour: There aren’t many other beers that can satiate better than a well-brewed pilsner. It’s the balance they’ve struck here that makes this so good. From start to finish it’s this lovely amalgamation of crisp, semi-sweet pilsner malts with the fresh and green, herbal, spicy and grassy Noble hops. A delicate bitterness creeps in late then it all rolls into a crisp and clean finish that lingers.

Mouthfeel: Light on and immaculate. Mild-moderate body, lightly sparkling Co2. The 4.7% ABV is spot on.

Overall: We were lucky enough to visit the actual brewery down in Melbourne a few weeks ago. That’s where we got our hands on this tinnie. Interesting operation. They literally brew this pilsner. Only. They may only brew one beer but this one beer is absolutely superb. Up there with Australia’s best pilsners.

Margaret River Beer Co Stout

Rating:

“Full-flavoured with a rich, velvety mouthfeel thanks to oats and speciality malts. This stout is dominated by chocolate and coffee across the palate with some residual sweetness and earthy hop notes persisting.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black with a sturdy two finger brown head on top. It slowly reduces but doesn’t manage much lace work on the glass.

Aroma: We had a really decent crack at these guys’ range a month or so ago and we’ve come to find that their range extends further than we first thought. This core range stout provides a meaty bottom end full of charred malt, molasses, licorice, espresso coffee, subtle toasted marshmallow, oats, a touch of lactose and caramel.

Flavour: We’re not getting the same amount of intensity here unfortunately. Upfront it lacks the initial aggression we like to see from the style. There is a decent roasted malt profile, coffee, and chocolate also comes through but it’s all quite cagey. The palate gets a short crescendo late in the piece then it tapers off into a mildly roasted finish that offers some length in the tail.

Mouthfeel: A bit of chew to it but in all honesty it’s too slippery for our liking. Medium body, lightly sparkling Co2, and a 5.8% ABV that kinda falls in no man’s land.

Overall: Not sold on it. Except for a couple of average ones their range has been above par. This one may bring the average down a tad though. We just found it lacking in too many areas.

Faction ‘All In – Columbus’ IPA

Rating:

“Our rotating single hop West Coast IPA series. This time we went All IN with Columbus hops from CLS Farm.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Slightly hazy golden-orange pour with a billowing three finger head that holds its shape. Excellent retention and tonnes of lacing as it subsides.

Aroma: Smells like pure American IPA. It has that oldskool piney resin quality which is stirring up all types of nostalgia for us. Big weedy notes integrating with extreme levels of orange peel, grapefruit, tangerine and candied lemon. It literally smells like we’ve crushed up a bunch of Columbus hop pellets in our hands. The malt bill is crisp and clean…cereal grains and oats mostly. Cracking aroma.

Flavour: Man we miss having access to beers of this calibre. Australia’s golden craft beer era truly ended after the 2nd round of covid lockdowns. This is just pure oldskool WC IPA – a clean cereal malt base that elevates overtones of weed, pine resin, grapefruit, dank herbs, citrus rind and peppery spice. Absolutely void of any tropical fruity hop flavour but still jam packed with character.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, slick and well rounded. Minimal bitterness, medium body. Nicely carbed and a well placed 7% ABV.

Overall: Just like cracking a can of 2014. Everything that made IPA so good as a style back then is here in spades. Columbus, we salute you.

Stoic ‘Arvala-7’ Scotch Ale

Rating:

“Embrace the dark side of deliciousness with Arvala-7, our rich and malty Scotch Ale launching just in time for May the 4th! This deep amber brew is brewed with a special blend of caramel and toffee-like malts, offering a smooth, full-bodied experience that’s sure to leave you wanting more.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Pouring a red amber hue and capped off by a loosely packed finger of khaki head. Steady reduction and a good amount of lace clings to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: The ol’ scotch ale is a style we’ve ignored (and honestly not been much of a fan of) for ions, although we get this little inkling that it could be the flavour of the upcoming winter season. It lands as a proper malt bomb – heady toffee and caramel sweetness, rich dark fruits like raisin, fig and dates, forest floor/rotting leaves, winter berries, blackcurrant, a hint of maple and herbal hops. A gentle touch of peat as it warms.

Flavour: Good depth and complexity. A rich malt sweetness takes a deep dive into toffee, caramel and even a hint of treacle. Really delicate hints of peat, berries and forest floor mixing with a soft alcohol warmth and a mild bitterness mid-palate. It really dries out late then rolls into a bitter, dry and malty-sweet finish that lingers.

Mouthfeel: Nice and chewy, gelatinous, sticky. Medium-full body, low-ish Co2. The 7% ABV is integrated well.

Overall: We dig it. If there was any criticism it’d be that the peat/scotch component could’ve been dialled up a bit. Other than that it’s a nice pre-winter warmer with good depth.

King River ‘AIIPA’ Australian IPA

Rating:

“Its back! Now bigger and punchier than before! This is a very special beer, A 100% Australian Independent IPA. Using Certified Sustainable Ryefield Hops, Voyager Artisan Malt and Mogwai labs yeast. A generously double hopped Aussie IPA with notes of grapefruit, pineapple, stone fruit and mango on a lean malt base.  Supporting all Australian Independent producers to create incredible beer.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Honey-golden pour with a light and fluffy two finger crown. Excellent retention and healthy lacing as we indulge.

Aroma: Quite reserved for an IPA, but then again, 100% Australian IPA’s aren’t known for being loud and flamboyant. The fruit profile comes through with tropical sweetness, some nectar and zesty citrus while hints of herbal spice and pine needle fill it out. A rather clean malt profile…some buttery biscuits and honey, a very soft touch of earth. Not too shabby.

Flavour: Again, it’s much more about the subtleties. The tropical fruits take a step back while the herbs and earthy spice come to the fore. There’s a slight taste of alcohol creeping in but at 7.5% that can be expected. The malt remains fairly clean with a flutter of mild honey and biscuits developing late whilst a notable bitterness kicks up around the mid and helps set up a kinda dry, bitter and zesty finish.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, slick texture. Some warmth from the ABV. Medium body with mild-moderate carb.

Overall: On one hand it’s awesome that we’ve forged an “Australian IPA” with its own character. On the other it highlights a limitation that Aussie produce has i.e lacking distinct qualities which make a style a style. Alas, a decent drop.

Sanctus ‘Eastern’ Brown Ale

Rating:

“Eastern Brown Ale carries a reputation as bold as its namesake. With malty sweetness, mild roast notes, and chocolate undertones, it strikes a perfect balance with a soft yet unmistakable bitterness. Smooth and complex, this brew doesn’t need to bite to leave a lasting impression.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Pours far too light for a brown ale in our opinion. It hits the glass with a deep amber hue and is capped off by a healthy two finger head. Steady reduction and scarce lacing as it subsides.

Aroma: We usually find that the colour of a beer can tell you a whole lot. In this instance we were right, again. The standard brown ale qualities we expected are basically MIA. Replaced by what we’d usually classify as amber ale characteristics i.e light toffee, caramel, nutty malts, honeysuckle, jam on toast and hints of wattleseed. So far it presents as an amber ale. But a good one (if it was one).

Flavour: Kinda falls in the middle of nowhere now. The amber ale characters (as lovely as they were) have dropped out and a very meek and mild roasted note, milk chocolate and toffee fails to convey any vigorous sentiment. It all comes across as a weak, watered down mess that finishes with a subtle dryness and a distant roasty-ness.

Mouthfeel: Holds up ok. It offers moderate-medium body, low-ish Co2 and a neat 5% ABV.

Overall: Our first crack at this northern NSW brewery. Not a lot positive to say about this brown ale other than we liked it better when we thought it was an amber ale.

Banks ‘Cake Eater – Mosaic & Cashmere’ Oat Cream DIPA

Rating:

“The most sought after & signature Series beer here at Banks Brewing, Cake Eater is an Oat Cream Double IPA. Brewed just a handful of times throughout the year, Cake Eater has an ever changing and evolving hop combination that allows us to showcase just how unique & incredible different hop varieties can be. This iteration like all gets a generous double dry hop seeing Cashmere & Eldorado take centre stage this time around.”

Glassware: IPA.

Appearance: Looking the goods – turbid, slightly milky pastel yellow-orange with a finger of creamy white head perched on top. Good retention and thick lace rings mark each sip as we imbibe.

Aroma: Smells mighty fine…mosaic and cashmere in all of their high alpha acid glory. The fruit profile is lifting out like crazy – massive tropical notes of pineapple, mango, guava, rockmelon, mixed citrus and peach. Well supported by slightly resinous pine, dank herbs, kaffir lime and shallot. Nice chalky and bready malt bill at the base.

Flavour: It has some ripe and sweet fruit flavours mixing it with some green and bitter notes which is fantastic. Sweet and fleshy pineapple, rockmelon and peach blend beautifully with a hint of green mango and grapefruit. Lovely little jabs of pine and sappy resin, shallot and lime zest. A bit of warmth from the booze arrives late as it finishes rather sharp and resinous with some lingering bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Soft and pillowy initially then a bit more rugged post-swallow. Medium body, finely carbed. The 8% ABV is fairly well behaved.

Overall: We sat on our laurels for a bit too long (literally a couple of weeks) and almost entirely missed out on getting even a single can. It’s no wonder why. The Cake Eater series is by far the best beer this brewery produces.

King River ‘North By North-East’ Mid Strength Lager

Rating:

“A crisp lager, brewed with the freshest high-country water and local malts, this beer is made for everyone. A mid strength malty lager, with a hint of lemon zest and moderate noble hop spice. NxNE is our location in Victoria. and this beer is a great way to finish off a hard day of playing and adventuring in the High Country! Awarded Silver for Best International Lager at Australian International Beer Awards 2022, 2023 & 2025. Bronze at Royal QLD Awards 2025.”

Glassware: Footed flute.

Appearance: Pours a rather deep golden complexion with a wispy overlay. The head falls away quickly and produces next to no lacing.

Aroma: Quite a malty number. Light honey sweetness, pumpernickel and buttery biscuits form a solid foundation for the light citrusy and ever so slightly herbal hops to work off of. Surprisingly richer and more complex than we had anticipated…. considering its light ABV (3.5%).

Flavour: Lightens up a bit here. The honey sweetness drops off but the dark bready notes, biscuits and crackers hold strong. The citrusy and herbal hops are woven through really neatly. Kicked on by a gentle bitterness that starts early and subtly rolls into the slightly dry, yet well balanced finish. Good length on it too.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly chewy for a mid-strength lager. Mild-medium body, lightly sparkling carbonation. Just a really well structured lager for 3.5%.

Overall: Very tidy little middy here. It looks, smells and tastes like a full strength lager but it’s anything but. Another impressive beer by these Victorian high country masters.

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.