Rating:

“High Country Lager is a well-crafted brew that balances malt sweetness and earthy bitterness. The combination of Schooner, Amber, and Munich Malts with Ella and Mt Hood Hops creates a refreshing beer that’s perfect for any adventure.”

Glassware: Footed flute.

Appearance: Bold amber pour with a light and fluffy two finger head. Excellent retention and healthy lace work on the glass. We had a few pints of this at the Banjo Patterson Inn last week and were quite taken aback by the deep colour.

Aroma: It certainly strikes us as more of an amber lager. Not only does the colour give it away but the malt bill displays rich caramel, nutty and toasty characters. Really nicely paired with our very own Ella hops which in this brew imparts a rather floral, earthy and spicy set of aromas. Very well structured.

Flavour: Aahh takes us back to that first sip at the Banjo. The first thing that hits is the toasty and sweet malt profile which lays a magnificent foundation for the ensuing earthy and spicy hops to work off of. Very minimal bitterness through the mid as it all leads into a pretty crisp finish with lingering caramel, toast and spice on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Quite firm and chewy. Well rounded and with a slightly lower Co2. Medium body and a nicely positioned 4.7% ABV.

Overall: We like how they chose to take the amber lager route as opposed to a generic Aussie lager. It certainly adds more character. Can’t expect anything less from the creators of Kosciuszko Pale Ale we guess. Solid drop.

Rating:

“Part 2 of our busty blonde seris we have done a strong aussie larger filled with some homegrown hops. This blonde fits the profile of an Indian pale larger. Give us a wink if you enjoy.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Bright and radiant golden pour with a light and fluffy three finger head perched on top. Good retention and lots of thick blotchy lace clinging to the glass as it retracts.

Aroma: Interesting one this. We bought it on the presumption that it was an Aussie interpretation of a Belgian blond but turns out it’s been classed by the brewers as an India pale lager. It does actually come across as more of an IPL than a blond! We get a dominant scent of candied passionfruit, lemon and lime, orange blossom, nuanced hints of stonefruit and canned peach. Some florals in there too. Semi sweet biscuit malt. Not sold on it yet.

Flavour: Hits far different here. JB’s signature cleanliness and the lager qualities come forth and the weird mix of fruit has taken a back seat. Delicate black pepper spiciness also getting amongst it. Still tasting some of the candied fruits and the canned peach as it rolls across the mid. A restrained bitterness develops late and helps set up the fairly clean, dry and grassy finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp but with a bit of resistance. A slight chewiness there. Mild-medium body, slightly lower Co2. The 6% ABV plays a good role in the kinda heavier body.

Overall: Not sure about this one. We dig 9 out of 10 beers from these guys so this must be that one we’re not a fan of. Not digging the weird fruit flavours and the beer as a whole seems a bit untidy.

Rating:

“Using Ryefield hops, which are meticulously grown in Bemboka on the beautiful NSW South Coast, this beer embodies a deep connection to its local roots. It features high-quality malt sourced from Voyager Craft Malt, located in the fertile Riverina region of New South Wales. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this refreshing Golden Lager, crafted with care and attention to detail.”

Glassware: Jindy-branded tulip.

Appearance: Hits the glass with a magnificent deep golden hue capped off by a finger of fluffy white head. Good retention and lacing as we go.

Aroma: So pure and fresh. Surely due to the pristine snow-melt water they brew with. If the label looks familiar don’t worry, we took a double take too. JB has dropped the golden ale (along with the ABV) and have replaced it with this crisp golden lager in response to requests from their locals for a lower ABV beer due to the breweries position and the need to drive to visit. Anywho, we get an ester-driven fruitiness along with crisp herbal/grassy hops over a semi-sweet honey malt base. Exquisite.

Flavour: Just like the golden ale used to, this goes down like a dream. Crisp and fresh yet rather rich and complex. A hint of fruity esters, honeysuckle, herbal spice, mildew and a nuanced hint of pine needle. The perfect amount of bitterness kicks up midway and along with all the flavours listed above, finishes crisp and well rounded with good duration.

Mouthfeel: Clean and refreshing AF. Still holds a good consistency though. Medium body and a 4% ABV that certainly bats above its average.

Overall: We don’t think there could be any argument anymore…these guys take the crown as the best European style brewers in Australia. Hands down. Faultless.

Rating:

“Experience the essence of German tradition with our Festbier, a rich, pale lager created in our farming region from locally sourced grain. Embrace the robust maltiness, paying homage to the land’s agricultural bounty. Prost!”

Glassware: Half stein.

Appearance: A light and fluffy two finger head sits atop a pale golden body. There’s a subtle haze, good retention and lacing on the glass.

Aroma: The dichotomy between brewers is amazing. Recently we reviewed an 8 month old pilsner which was quite flat and lifeless. Here we have a pale lager at just over 7 months old and it still smells fresh and vibrant. Soft fruity notes, grassy, herbal and spicy with a fairly muscular malt body for a lager… biscuity and bready/crusty with delicate rice crackers getting a look in too. Solid.

Flavour: Really well structured and balanced hop to malt ratio. There’s a constant tussle for the attention of the taste buds. Very mild citrus fruits, semi-sweet honey, then grassy/herbal spice, bready/crusty malts, then into an earthy and grainy note before it punctuates on a clean, dry and grassy finish which lingers.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and light on, lively carbonation, mild-medium body. The 5.4% ABV hides its little of bit extra weight pretty well.

Overall: Another Cornella beer, another Cornella W. Even with 7 months on it she’s still tasting extremely good. Nice body, nice overall balance and vitality. Decent offering.

Rating:

“Savour the sun-soaked spirit of Mexico with Rancho Cerveza. A crisp and refreshing lager that transports you to the heart of the ranch. ¡Salud!”

Glassware: Tulip.

Appearance: Deep golden complexion with a finger of white head perched on top. It steadily reduced to a collar with minimal lace work on the glass.

Aroma: Pretty standard Mexi lager vibes from it. Uber light and refreshing with distinct notes of corn and maize, cereal grains, earthy hops, mildew/wet grass and water crackers. Just a hint of DMS and starchy vegetable accents coming through as it settles. Very basic aroma but it hits the nail on the head.

Flavour: It’s surprisingly full bodied for a mid-strength lager. Full flavoured too! Like the aroma, the kinda sweet and starchy corn and maize get us underway. A very gentle bitterness plus an earthy and slightly grassy hop profile adds the balance. The longer it sits on the palate the more biscuity it becomes…finishing with a touch of water crackers, unflavoured corn chips and oats.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and super clean but carrying a slightly bigger body than most other Mexi lagers we’ve tried previously. Co2 is perfect and the 3.5% ABV bats well above its average.

Overall: It’s a good interpretation of the style. The brewers have done a magnificent job packing the amount of depth and body it has while carrying such a low ABV. Another impressive offering by Cornella.

Rating:

“An experimental brew inspired by classic Japanese rice lagers (with a more modern hop-twist). Rice lagers are excellent for cleansing your palate between courses of a big delicious meal, but don’t take our word for it.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Bright golden pour with a puffy two finger head resting atop. Gradual reduction, settling to a fine overlay which provides reasonable lace work on the glass.

Aroma: Smells incredible. Don’t know if it’s because we haven’t had a beer for a while or whether it’s just a cracking aroma. Probably a mix of both! The hop combo of Enigma, Topaz and Magnum is a masterstroke…Enigma, in our opinion, is Australia’s version of Nelson Sauvin, offering those delicate white wine/green grape and melon notes which works into the dry and grainy lager base magnificently.

Flavour: So supremely crushable. Again, the Enigma hops provide that white wine-like crispness with hints of grass, pine resin, citrus and unripened stone fruits in support. A gentle bitterness rolls over midway and leads into the clean, dry and slightly resinous finish which endures nicely on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean, light on. Mild-moderate body and carbonation. 4.2% ABV. Just straight up neck oil.

Overall: Highly enjoyable rice lager. The hop combo was a really good touch and the drink-ability was next level. We could so easily slam a 6 pack of these without even trying.

Rating:

“This dry hopped lager carries a slightly dank aroma along with gooseberry and citrus notes. With a clean light malt foundation the body rounds out with a citrus kick and a light bitterness to cleanse the palate. Crystal clear and crispy as hell, this little boi is an everyday crusher.”

Glassware: Tulip.

Appearance: Pale golden hue with two fingers of light and fluffy head over the top. It steadily reduces and leaves patchy lace as it subsides.

Aroma: Far from what we were expecting. In a good way of course! The can displays this somewhat trad and generic type lager but it’s anything but. It’s clearly jam-packed with NZ hops as it’s bursting with dank/weedy resin, green grapes, juicy citrus (orange, lime and ruby grapefruit), gooseberry, tropical fruits and an overall sense of lush greenery. Literally smells like a NZ IPA. Crazy.

Flavour: The lager qualities come through a bit more here, albeit subtly. Much like the aroma where the NZ hops pack a good punch on entry, providing those slightly dank/weedy resins, citrus and tart grape/gooseberry overtones. It dries out midway, where a soft bitterness leads into a dry, bitter and resinous finish. A hint of cereal grain on the back end, marking the first and last sign of a lager.

Mouthfeel: Yes it’s crisp but it also holds a good consistency. Mild-medium body, sparkling Co2. The 5% ABV is well positioned.

Overall: Lager or session IPA? If we didn’t know any better we’d probably choose the latter. Which is wild considering the style. Very pleasantly surprised with this one.

Rating:

“We’ve partnered with Five Senses Coffee to create the perfect brew for both beer and coffee lovers alike.  Brewed with their Crompton Road Blend, this smooth drop showcases the deep, roasted flavours of dark and chocolate malts with the invigorating kick of freshly brewed espresso.  Enjoy the drink-ability of a lager with the characteristic flavours of an espresso martini!”

Glassware: Half Stein.

Appearance: Almost totally black except for some light punching through at the base of the glass. It forms a thumb of loosely packed tan head which forms a collar. Scarce lacing as we go.

Aroma: Robust notes of coffee and roasted malt emanating. Bad Shepherd are well known for mastering the mid-darks (i.e brown ale, dark ale etc) so it’s no surprise that this is smelling the goods early on. The coffee almost has a chilli-like quality to it *quick check to see if any chilli was added – nope*. We’re liking it either way.

Flavour: Kind of like a much softer and watered down version of a coffee stout. That’s in no way a criticism it’s just how it drinks. It’s light on the palate but the coffee, vanilla, chocolate and delicate charred components are nice and direct. A good roasty bitterness underlines it all from start to finish as well.

Mouthfeel: As stated previously, it’s quite light on and crisp with mild-moderate body and carb. The 4.5% ABV is in line with the vibe of the beer.

Overall: Not bad for a black lager. It has really solid bones. Probably wouldn’t return to it but it was tasty enough to enjoy as a one-off.

Rating:

“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.

Rating:

“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.

Rating:

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.

Rating:

“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.

Rating:

“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.

Rating:

“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.

Rating:

“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.

Rating:

“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.

Rating:

“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.

Rating:

“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 

Rating:

“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.

Rating:

“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.