Badlands Brewery Kilt

You don't see many British beer styles on tap or in cans at Australian breweries, and certainly not as core range beers, although Badlands is a rare exception. Sure, they brew the sort of beers you expect to find at your local brewpub too, but founder Jon Shiner's roots shine through on occasion.

One such occasion is Kilt, their Scottish ale. The Scots have a well-deserved reputation for sweeter drinks and dishes and this feels like a suitable homage. Indeed, my biggest challenge is deciding whether it’s more the beer version of the millionaire's shortbread (caramel slice to you Antipodeans) my Auntie Hilary used to have waiting for me when visiting Edinburgh, or a stick of McCowan's Highland Toffee eager to pluck any loose teeth from my childhood mouth.

Special mention for the label design too, which rates highly on the Freeeeedom Scale.

James Smith