“Brewed in the Mountains, easy to drink everywhere. Using pure Blue Mountains water and hand-selected Australian ingredients for the ultimate crisp, smooth and refreshing lager.”

Glassware: Footed tulip.

Appearance: Bright, slightly pale golden pour with a big and frothy three finger head perched on top. Good retention and healthy lacing as we hook in.

Aroma: Smells incredibly crisp and fresh. Packaged on 18/7/24 so it’s literally only a few weeks old. Getting quite a notable corn/maize quality from it. Strong Mexi Lager vibes! Boiled veg, peppery spice, earthy and floral hop profile. Fairly starchy as well – raw potato, parsnip etc. A subtle hint of sulfur showing its freshness. Really nice.

Flavour: Again, giving off pretty strong Cerveza vibes with its distinct corn/DMS and maize accents. Vegetal, earthy/spicy, florals and soft sulfuric notes also come through. A moderate bitterness midway, balanced by a semi sweet malt bill which leads into a crisp and well rounded finish.

Mouthfeel: Light on, clean and dry. Mild-moderate body and Co2. The 4% ABV is quite low but this and the 355ml format allows the brewery to hit that 1 standard drink mark.

Overall: It’s not going to make anyone drop their dacks for another one but it does its job. It’s ultra crushable and full flavoured. Literally neck oil. Not bad.

“Atlantico is the breweries second dip into the Gulf of Mexico. This time round we’ve upped the amount of corn and it truly shows itself in this beer. Atlantico is light in colour but huge on el sabor (flavour in Spanish). This lager has a whopping 25% corn mix which imparts sweet flavours upfront, is extremely smooth and finishes with sweet dry notes.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Bold golden-yellow pour with a finger of white foam atop. The head slowly peels off and forms a collar. Reasonable lacing in its wake.

Aroma: Displaying strong wafts of corn and other starchy vegetables like taro and raw sweet potato. Little flutters of fresh coriander and parsley along with subtle citrus notes here and there as well. Getting the grainy and slightly biscuity cereal malt base…corn flakes and rolled oats coming through the most. Not a bad aroma at all.

Flavour: The corn/maize flavours are even more pronounced here. The beer description states that 25% of the grain bill is corn and we’re tasting every bit of it. Still, with that said, it manages to keep well balanced and offers crisp cereal malts and a subtle citrus and herbal hop profile. Just the right amount of bitterness through the middle and a clean finish to punctuate.

Mouthfeel: Light on, crisp, refreshing. Lightly sparkling Co2. Mild-moderate body and the 4.8% ABV is spot on for the style.

Overall: A really well structured Mexi Lager. It’s not really the right time of year for one but it was still highly enjoyable on this unseasonably warm Sydney winter arvo. Solid.

NO COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Super pale light golden pour with a thumb of snow white head. It eventually peels off and leaves wavy lace in its wake.

Aroma: Crisp maxxing. Ultra light and refreshing notes of champagne-esque lemon, zesty lime, fresh herbs like coriander and oregano and just the slightest lick of corn/maize – it comes off more like raw corn cob as opposed to the usual creamed and boiled versions. We kinda prefer it like this too, it’s not as heavy and suits the delicate nature of the beer. More subtle notes of rice crackers and semi sweet honey malt as well. Nice.

Flavour: Liking this straight off the bat. Again it’s ultra crisp, refreshing notes of zesty lemon and lime, fresh herbals and some super subtle cereal grains. The raw corn/maize qualities positioned nicely on the flank. Very mild bitterness midway, leading into an unbelievably easy finish with gentle citrus and herbals drawing out.

Mouthfeel: As we’ve said a hundred times already – it’s crisp, refreshing, light on. Light-moderate body and the 4.2% ABV is right on.

Overall: We weren’t actually expecting too much from this but it’s right up there with some of the better Mexi Lagers we had during the summer. Solid drop.

“Budvar Original Czech Lager in 500mL cans is the epitome of Czech brewing heritage. The O.G. Budweiser boasts a rich historical pedigree, offering a perfect golden hue with prominent malt aromas and flavours. With each sip your palate is treated to a delightful interplay of big maltiness and mild bitterness, making it obvious why this beer is considered one of the best lagers in the world. With over 700 years of brewing excellence, each sip delivers a refreshing, crisp experience that defines the greatness of this Lager beer.”

Glassware: Footed flute.

Appearance: Strikingly bold golden amber and probably one of the clearest beers we’ve ever seen. You could literally read a book through the glass. A thumb of frothy white head on top gradually recedes and settles to a fine film. Not a great deal of lace but enough to detail the glass on its way down.

Aroma: Pure European Lager goodness. We recall on very fond memories at an institution of a venue named The River Inn at Thredbo. We used to finish the day with at least 3 or 4 pints of this and there was no other beer that could beat it. The glory of Saaz! Herbal, earthy, spicy, grassy. Just the right amount of boiled veg/creamed corn. Plus it has the right amount of sweetness and grain from the malt too.

Flavour: Liquid gold. Pretty much a mirror image of the aroma – Noble hop spiciness, herbals, florals and earth balanced by the crisp sweetness and delicate savoury notes of the malt. The perfect amount of bitterness from the beginning all the way through to the clean and snappy finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean and light on. Still offers something to chew on which we love. Mild-moderate body, perfectly carbed. The 5% ABV is right on the money too.

Overall: Hands down one of the best Lagers in the world. Nothing else needs to be said.

“Open Your Eyes is a Mexican lager that captures the essence of a sun-soaked summer day. Brewed with maize, it radiates a clear pale yellow hue, offering a crisp and refreshing cerveza experience. With mild bitterness, it’s the perfect choice on a hot summer afternoon, a beer that invites you to savour the sunshine.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Fizzy two and a half finger white head forms over a clear pale golden body. Good retention and a lot of patchy lace as it subsides.

Aroma: Doing all those good craft Mexi Lager things – nice balance of maize/creamed corn against the rather spicy and citrusy hop backdrop. We’re digging the use of CTZ hops (fun fact: CTZ isn’t actually a single hop it’s a trio of Columbus, Tomahawk and Zeus) as it’s also bringing some added herbal/weedy, soft pine and evergreen qualities. Dry and delicate cereal grains coming through too.

Flavour: Drinks a lot like Corona. Only far better. Come to think of it, it’s probably the closest to Balter’s expression on the craft side of things. Crisp and refreshing entry. The maize and creamed corn accents are front and centre. The hops do a solid job of balancing it out though…providing gentle spiciness and citric acidity as it rolls into a nice and easy finish that entertains the right amount of bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and light on. Mild-moderate body and carb. The 4.5% ABV is right on the money.

Overall: It’s better than Corona so that’s a good start. We think it’s also better than Balter’s version too but at $10 a tinny it’s a little steep. It is 440ml so we’ll concede that. In summation we’re not completely sold on it but it’s a very quaffable drop.

“Our Mexican inspired lager, ready for days by the beach.  Is there anything better than a sip of an ice cold beer on a hot day? Wedge is brewed for hot days on the Beaches. Grab an ice cold cerveza, brewed with heaps of corn and traditional Vienna malt for the authentic, light, crisp lager flavour and hopped with Aussie and NZ hops for some citrus zing.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Bright golden pour capped off with a light and fluffy white head. Excellent retention and lots of thick sudsy lace decorating the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Super crisp and refreshing on this unseasonably warm Autumn arvo. We’re really liking the subtle undertone of corn/maize and the mix of new world citrusy hops which not only provides ample balance but the citrus acidity that a Mexican Lager begs for. Also picking up a clean malt bill of water crackers, cereal grains and delicate earthiness.

Flavour: It has a slightly richer malt profile than other interpretations but we like it – it’s a soft biscuit character but it stays light and clean. The citrusy and herbal hops weave through the malts beautifully and again, like the aroma, the corn/maize qualities are delicate and play more of a support role. A hint of bitterness develops late and helps set up the clean refreshing finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean and mineraly. Light-moderate body. 4.6% ABV is spot on. So ridiculously crushable.

Overall: Definitely one of the better Cerveza’s we’ve had over the summer. It won’t knock Sunday Road off the top spot but it comes in at an easy 2nd though. This was our first crack at Freshwater Brewing too! Nice way to kick off proceedings.

“Light on the hops, crisp and clean. Perfect for sun-soaked sessions or just chilling with your crew. It’s the brew you’ll consistently reach for, thinking, “Just one more.”  The perfect refreshment for every occasion.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Slightly pale light golden pour with a thumb of snow white head resting atop. Fairly good retention and patches of soapy lace cling to the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: What we’re loving the most about this little cerveza craze is that almost all of the ones we’ve tried thus far (excluding Balter’s version) are just simply better crafted beers than their traditional Mexican-brewed counterparts. Better ingredients too. This one, in particular, displays hints of that corn-inducing DMS but it’s really well countered by a clean bitterness, lemon/lime, herbal spice and florals.

Flavour: It’s a mirror image of the aroma – super crisp and sessional – but not as Mexican or cerveza-ish (definitely not a word) as other interpretations. In our opinion it tastes more like a clean, basic Aussie Lager until well past the mid where the creamed corn, peppery spice and herbals kick into gear and then help set up the crisp and tidy finish.

Mouthfeel: Light on, clean and crushable. Finely carbed, mildly bodied and the 4.4% ABV is right where it needs to be.

Overall: Falls somewhere between a tasty new world Lager and a Mexi Lager. It’s a well brewed beer but it ain’t knocking Sunday Road’s version off the top spot.

“Breheny Brothers Royal Lager was RE launched based on the same recipe used when the beer was produced by cousins John Leslie Breheny and John Louis Breheny at Breheny’s Brewery in Toowoomba over 100 years ago. It is an easy drinking beer that will appeal to mainstream beer drinkers.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Pale straw golden pour with a short fizzy head which instantly collapses. It quickly forms a collar with hardly any lace clinging to the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: Quite a meaty little number. One of the aspects we really enjoyed about the QLD Bitter Ale was its distinct yeastiness, and we’re getting the same here. Obviously this is a Lager yeast but it’s producing a nice amount of fruit character along with some bright florals. Soft earthy and pepper notes, some DMS (corn, vegetals etc) that works in nicely. Solid.

Flavour: A very traditional take. Extremely well balanced as well. Picking up semi sweet malts – just the mildest touch of honey – along with rice crackers and bread crusts. It has this rich earthiness to it which reinforces the grassy hop profile. A delicate bitterness coming through late then a clean, dry finish to punctuate.

Mouthfeel: Chewier than most Lagers we’ve had recently. Mild-medium body. A slightly flatter Co2 as well. The 5% ABV slots in nicely.

Overall: Not completely sold on it and for us, certainly not a favourite of their otherwise very impressive range. Not a bad drop but.

“A classic Mexican style cerveza brew in collaboration with Mexican born designer Lorena Gaxiola. Lorena possesses the remarkable ability to turn elements of life into extraordinary works of art. The depiction of an Owl, reminiscent of a Mexican Alebrije, beautifully captures this essence. In her artwork designed for this Mexican Lager from SR, Lorena skilfully captures the Mayans’ deep reliance on intuition as a valuable source of guidance. In working with Lorena, we at SRB wanted to create a truly authentic Mexican brew, paying homage to Lorena’s heritage. A beer you can enjoy just as much here under the Australian Sun, as you can in Lorena’s beloved homeland.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: 100% translucent pale golden pour with a light and fizzy two finger head. Good retention and some thick blotchy lacing as it ebbs.

Aroma: We can’t believe we’re saying it but we’re digging this new Cerveza craze. Well, one of us is anyway. The other is dishing out some well deserved sledging. We carry on regardless. Super crisp and refreshing notes of lime, agave, sweet corn, coriander and a hint of peppery spice. Sounds like we’re listing the ingredients that go inside a taco!

Flavour: Man this is seriously crushable, really well balanced and just wonderfully put together. One of the things we hate about Corona is the sweet cloying malt profile and the lack of hop presence to balance it out. This, however, is extremely crisp with a line of citrusy hops to give it that extra zing. Just the right amount of bitterness develops late and assists in the perfectly rounded finish.

Mouthfeel: Ultra light and crisp. Unbelievably refreshing. Mild-moderate body, Co2 is spot on. The 4.5% ABV is right on the money too.

Overall: Trust the craft industry to take a truly horrible style of beer and make it delicious. As stated earlier, one of us is digging this new craze but beforehand we both hated it. Big ups to SR here, this is an absolute corker.

“Seabass Mediterranean Lager is a light, dry and clean unfiltered lager. Pouring a pale straw colour, the beer presents subtle spicy & floral flavours from NZ Motueka hops, supported by all Australian barley & wheat. Seabass is the ultimate refresher for any occasion, and is best served with most foods but supports light citrus flavours, salty cheeses and fried foods particularly well.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: 100% transparent pale golden hue with good Co2 activity. It constructs a near two finger head which retains nicely. Blotchy lace as we go.

Aroma: We’re certainly getting a new world vibe from it. Bold citrus overtones with a distinct evergreen and lush rainforest character. Also displaying notable scents of white pepper, unripened pineapple, candied lime and cereal grains. Maybe just the slightest hint of rice crackers and honey in the background.

Flavour: Super crushable. It takes on more of the traditional Lager qualities here i.e less fruit and green herbal notes and more earthiness, wheat grains, vegetals (corn, cauliflower, DMS etc) and pepper. In saying that, we can still detect a discernible citrusy undertone which lingers from start to finish.

Mouthfeel: Light on, mild-moderate body. A bit flatter than we’d anticipated though. The 4.2% ABV is bang on where we wanted it to be.

Overall: We’ve known about this beer for like 10 years. Don’t know what it is about the Yulli’s brand but we’ve never liked it. This is coming purely from an aesthetic angle mind you. The contents are good but nothing to write home about. And what’s with naming it a “Mediterranean Lager”??…there’s nothing Mediterranean about it 

“Hoppy West Coast Lager w/ Mosaic and Citra.”

Glassware: American pint.

Appearance: Slightly pale straw golden complexion with a loosely packed overlay. The head quickly disassembles and forms a collar. Not a great deal of lace to speak of.

Aroma: Pretty clean and crisp which is synonymous with this style…Cold IPA, West Coast Pilsner, India Pale Lager. Take your pick! Never have we come across a beer with so many different names. Anywho, we’re getting subtle citrus sweetness, a distinct shallot/onion, almost garlic sprout quality, hard boiled candy, pineapple, passionfruit and lemongrass. Super clean grain bill as well – water crackers, cereal, raw white rice etc.

Flavour: Drinks with a lot more body than what the aroma is giving away. Still lots of that herbaceous character carrying over i.e shallot, garlic sprout, chives, lemongrass, all those somewhat oily and savoury herbs. The fruit aspect is dialled back a little which allows the grainy, cereal-driven malts to reach into the reasonably clean, dry finish which endures.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, lightly sparkling with a mild-moderate body. The 6.4% ABV was a tad noticeable but well behaved.

Overall: We never thought we’d see the day when Monkish was for sale on Aussie shelves. These guys are one of our top 5 US breweries and for good reason. This unique beer is a good example why.

“Mild in body, easy-going, and clean in taste. Each sip charms the senses with a distinct flavor and refreshing simplicity. Named after our founder’s grandmother, our unfiltered lager is forever dear to our hearts.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Slightly hazy pale golden pour with a fizzy one finger head that gradually peels off. It settles to a fine overlay with patchy lacing here and there.

Aroma: Nice and crisp, well balanced hop to malt ratio yet a subtle citrusy quality just edges out ahead. Hallmark old world hop aromas of floral bouquets, herbals and pot pourri meet the grainy/wheaty corn flake malts. Just the slightest touch of honey sweetness, fresh dough and a flutter of peppery spice in the background. Quality Lager aroma this.

Flavour: Follows on from the nose well…super clean, tidy and exceptionally balanced. Not really feeling the ‘new world’ vibe though, it’s acting much more like a traditional Lager equipped with all the bells and whistles i.e spicy and floral/herbal Noble hops, cereal grains, mild honey sweetness and a hint of DMS and vegetal notes.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, snappy and fairly clean. There’s a tad more chewiness than your typical Lager with its mild-medium body. The 5% ABV is nicely integrated.

Overall: It’s fascinating to see TG put out such a conventional beer. We’re so used to drinking their charged up, hoppy, boozy monsters that it’s impressive to see they have the restraint in them to pull off a Lager of this quality. Great drop.

“Beechwood smoked barley, oak smoked wheat. Great autumn/winter beer. The smoke is entirely on the nose with sweet bacon & BBQ coming through. A malt forward, clean lager with a finish of cinnamon & caramel.”

Glassware: Half Stein.

Appearance: Bold amber colour, good clarity and a short white head which gradually forms a collar. It deposits wet spotty lace which drags legs down the glass.

Aroma: These lightly smoked malty numbers are our jam right now. Well, for one of us at least. It’s offering up a hearty fusion of ham hock, cured meats, smoked malt and umami but it’s wonderfully balanced by a sweet red malt, toffee apple, cinnamon and earthy hops. We’re getting dizzy from taking this aroma in too much.

Flavour: Mirrors the aroma really well. The smoky notes are subtle and offset the naturally sweet and syrupy qualities of what we personally think is a Vienna-style Lager. Dark caramel, toffee, prunes, cinnamon and cumin provide a rich and emphatic impression while a soft bitterness that clings on contributes to a dry yet well balanced finish.

Mouthfeel: Quite smooth initially but ultimately dry post swallow. Medium body and a nicely positioned 6.5% ABV.

Overall: Once again Principle nails a European classic. We’re starting to think these guys should just do away with the American/new world stuff and focus on old world beers as everyone we’ve had from them so far has been remarkable.

“Dear Will, when we made this beer it brought back memories of our Melbourne days, enjoying a few beers and more than a few laughs. You’ve gotta try this one, it has all those amazing roasty dark notes and goes down a treat.”

Glassware: Half Stein.

Appearance: Cola-like pour with a thumb of lightly tanned foam perched on top. Good head retention but lacking a little in the lace department.

Aroma: Pretty well layered. There’s a nice dose of roasted malt which provides the usual coffee and cocoa, a dark fruit sweetness with its plum and golden raisin and then a much more subtle veneer of spicy and earthy hops. All within their own right are lovely to take in, but as a collective it creates what is an impressive aroma.

Flavour: It seems to fuss about while not offering anything for a fleeting moment but then the roasted malts kick into gear with coffee, raw cacao and carob. This little trio then passes the baton on to a rather earthy and woody note. It really dries out late in the piece and finishes on a nice roast that draws out well.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, dry and palate-friendly yet still holding a medium body and a sensible 5% ABV.

Overall: A highly underrated style the old Dark Lager. When they’re done well, like this one is, they can literally be drunk any time of the year due its versatility. Solid.

“The Bayreuther Brauhaus has a tradition of 150 years in brewing Bavarian specialties the artisan and honest way. The Bayreuth brewery turns the original Bavarian way of life into a real treat with genuine and honest beers that are brewed with passion and a lot of love. The Bayreuther Hell is a typical Bavarian Helle, at home in the beer garden – tasty and mild, fresh and spicy.”

Glassware: Half Stein.

Appearance: Bright pale golden pour with 100% clarity. A light and fluffy three finger head takes shape before gradually receding. A magnificent lace is left in its wake.

Aroma: About as conventional as a German Lager could possibly get. The first thing we notice is the way the grains display themselves…semi sweet, biscuity, bready and ultimately smooth. Super grassy and spicy hop profile which offers subtle hints of hay/straw and mild earthy tones as well. Very delicate vegetal/sulfuric qualities and just the right amount of DMS and or creamed corn.

Flavour: Absolute neck oil this stuff. It kicks off with semi sweet malts and soft bready, toasty and earthy accents hinged off it. Somewhat grainy hay/straw and white florals making their entrance around the mid. The hops finally kick into gear and throw out grassy, spicy and herbal notes before it finishes kinda dry, grainy and grassy.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, uber clean and light on. Slightly under-carbed but it’s got a fuller body than expected. The 4.9% ABV is right on the money.

Overall: October is a great month. Not only is the weather starting to warm up but it’s an excellent excuse to get stuck into some top quality German beer! And that is precisely what this Lager was.

“The Black Diamond is brewed in the style of a Schwarzebier otherwise known as a Black Pilsner. Full of flavour yet clean and smooth making it easy drinking.”

Glassware: Stein.

Appearance: Cola pour with three fingers of tan foam perched on top. Good retention and very healthy lace being strewn down the glass.

Aroma: The lightly roasted malts do most of the talking – mildly rich yet sweet and roasty chocolate, caramel/toffee, peat, woody notes and dark jammy fruits. As it warms it starts to reveal more of an espresso coffee quality but it still retains a strong sense of jammy blackberry or dark cherry sweetness. We keep getting this subtle briney umami-like scent which is intriguing!

Flavour: It has a rich stout roasty-ness yet it’s still so light and sessional. Embracing it is that dark jammy sweetness which has been carried through from the aroma. Delicate coffee, coca and ashy accents through the middle shifting into a nicely roasted finish with further coffee notes and a flutter of burnt caramel and peat drawing out.

Mouthfeel: Soft, smooth and well rounded. Medium body, finely carbonated. The 5.2% ABV is spot on for the style.

Overall: We’re going to call it…JB are the best brewers of European styles in the country. Schwarzbier is one of our least favoured styles but we actually enjoyed this. It’s roasty, full flavoured yet light and sessional. Kudos fellas keep em coming!

“A Märzen with soft malt, hints of honey and spice, a soft water profile and, umm… Look, to be honest, the beer is still fermenting but thanks to ~logistics~ we need to have a description for the can before we’ve tasted it, meaning anything we say here is a guess. Or a lie, really. Maybe you could review it and then, when we brew it again next year, we might use some of your descriptors?”

Glassware: Stein.

Appearance: Fully transparent bright amber with a rapidly vanishing head. All that’s left is a bubbling island in the middle. Scarce lace as we go.

Aroma: We’ll be honest, Marzen’s are one of those styles we’ve rarely gone for so we’ll keep it somewhat basic. Definitely malt driven…caramel, nutty, doughy/bready and a well balanced Noble hop spiciness. Picking up very delicate hints of black tea, honey, earthy apricot, grass/mildew and a soft floral bouquet. Pretty complex in the end!

Flavour: It comes on sweet and ultimately smooth. Again, malt driven with a delicate hop profile – caramel, honey, bready/toasty with earthy, spicy and floral hops taking the back seat. The malt sweetness kind of intensifies through the mid and moves to a semi sweet finish with delicate toasty malt and spice on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, a little sticky but really well rounded. Low-ish Co2. The 6% ABV is nicely disguised.

Overall: We thought it was so left field to see MC go from a Hazy, to NEIPA, to West Coast IPA to Stout and then….Lager. But in true MC fashion they’ve made a usually boring beer fun while still keeping it conventional. Big ups to MC they’re absolutely killing it.

“Remember not so long ago when you could sit at a bar, bunched up with your mates feeling regal when you ordered an Espresso Martini? We’ve brought back this high society of the past back with this jubilation shaken into 500ml cans using the freshest beans from our mates at Allpress Espresso. Bringing you a silky mouthfeel that ripples long after your first sip, its all class minus the martini glass. Then just wait for the rich coffee hit overlaid by dark chocolate and caramel aromatics. Put your best kit on, stretch out within your 1.5 metres and enjoy a regal memory of yesteryear.”

Glassware: Stein

Appearance: Cola pour with a monstrous four finger head. It peels off quickly and settles to a wispy film. Very little lace in its wake.

Aroma: Let us just say that for one of us the trusty old Espresso Martini is a favourite cocktail so to cop this slightly weak and watered down version of it is a bit depressing. Sure, the coffee aromas are here albeit very subtle…too subtle. Some nice roasty-ness going on though, dark chocolate, coconut and burnt toast as well. Getting this weird Kalamata olive accent to it which is super strange.

Flavour: Gaaahhh…mirror image of the aroma. Watered down coffee and roasty malt but with a nice surge of chocolate, burnt toast and gritty earthy-ness through the mid. A flutter of spicy/piney hops peek through before it punctuates on a nice coffee roast, chocolate and toasty finish.

Mouthfeel: Slightly metallic but it holds up well enough for the style. Mild-medium body. Medium Co2. 6% ABV is absorbed nicely.

Overall: Kinda undecided. It’s slightly lackluster but it has some good traits. Unfortunately not enough to save it though.

“For over 500 years the Reinheitsgebot has dictated that German brewers can only make beer using barley, hops, water and yeast. But what happens when German brewers go on holiday? Brewed in collaboration with legendary German brewers from Bitburg, Verbotene Früchte is a rich, black dessert lager inspired by the classic cakey goodness of the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte or Black Forest gâteau and brewed with a lavish amount of sugar, lactose, cacao powder, vanilla, cacao nibs and sour cherries. We counted at least seven contraventions of Reinheitsgebot, but hey, what goes on tour, stays on tour.”

Glassware: Stein.

Appearance: Cola pour with an ultra fizzy head which swells to two fingers before retracting to a halo. Theres a bit of a wet lace dragged along as we imbibe.

Aroma: It sits somewhere between a dark lager and a doppelbock but with a bunch of out there scents like glazed cherries and cherry ripe, cooking chocolate, creamy vanilla/lactose, cane sugar and lightly roasted malts. It’s remarkable because underneath all of that is the lager base of soft crackery grains and subtle Noble hop qualities. Really edgy stuff.

Flavour: Wow it kind of pulls back a bit. Coming off as much more of a dark lager now with that classic toasted nutty malt and subtle fruity esters. Still tasting the tart glazed cherries, cocoa, lactose and sweet sugars though.. they’re just much more tempered as opposed to the nose. Finishes sweet and fruity with a long malty back palate.

Mouthfeel: Slightly watery but a cheeky little injection of Co2 gives it a bit of a lift. The 7.6% ABV is incredibly well concealed.

Overall: GP really are leading the Southern Hemisphere when it comes to high profile collabs. Trillium, Other Half, Firestone Walker…now Bitburger. They’re killing it! This is another corker. Kudos.

“A super sessionable lager brewed with pilsner malt and rolled oats to give a smooth, velvety body. A big late addition of New Zealand and American hops delivers a refreshing aroma of tropical fruits.”

Glassware: Flute.

Appearance: Light golden colour with 100% transparency. It holds a thumb of white foam for a minute or so before receding to a collar. Laced quite well though.

Aroma: Clean and really refreshing. Subtle fruity hop characters lead out with classic pilsner malts tucked in behind – grain husks, honey and crackers. Hints of straw and fresh citrus also getting a look in. Nice new world-style lager aromas.

Flavour: Follows the nose with its crisp, refreshing and fruity hop profile. Nice easy progression in to the grainy cereal malts, dry and crackery with a woody undertone to it. Super light and clean finish. Very pleasant.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and light as a feather. Just a flutter of hop bitterness (25 IBU). Very approachable.

Overall: Well after visiting the brewery and sinking a couple of these on a balmy 30 degree arvo it’s hard not to show a little bit of favouritism, but it really is a perfect and seriously crush-able summer session beer. Hits the spot.