Jervis Bay ‘Bright Idea’ XPA

“In the 60s, Murray’s Beach came within a whisker of getting Australia’s first nuclear reactor. Seriously. Thanks to dedicated locals, this bright idea never saw the light of day. So you’re free to enjoy this citrusy, refreshing XPA in the Jervis Bay sun – free from any fallout.”

Glassware: Shaker.

Appearance: Honey golden complexion with a light haze. It produces a short yet finely beaded bone-coloured head which slowly peels off. Wavy lace clings to the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: Quite a malt-forward XPA this one. We’ve tried it at the brewery once before and don’t recall it being so. We decided to check the best before date and we’ve been stung once again. It’s canning date was 10/2/21 so it’s almost 9 months old which makes it very long in the tooth. Safe to say we’re now pretty pissed off with this bottle shop.

Flavour: If there’s one upside then it’s the fact that it’s still a fairly well balanced beer which drinks quite nicely. It’s a credit to the brewers to have a 9 month old Pale Ale offering this amount of vibrancy still. The malt profile is nice and sweet, honey-esque and grainy while what hop characters are left provide subtle fruits, pine and florals. Kinda dry yet well tempered finish.

Mouthfeel: Holds up well, good body, some chewiness to it. Perfectly carbed. Liking the slightly lifted ABV on it too (5%).

Overall: Obviously we’ll leave a rating off it as that would be unfair. It’s a shame coz we know they’re a great little brewery and we even know first hand how good this beer is when drunk fresh on tap. Looks like we’ll have to revisit with a fresher can. From a different bloody bottle shop!