The New World Pilsner from Badlands reminds me of a story from the earliest years of The Crafty Pint. Cowaramup Brewery in WA's South West is another operation founded by an expat Brit, where Jeremy Good still spends the years aiming to refine his classically-minded British-style ales. One year, bowing to demand for a lager from locals, he created a pilsner and went on to win an Australian International Beer Awards trophy for it, much to his dismay (which, presumably, was eased somewhat by a lift in sales).
Badlands are a rarity in that you can find a Scottish ale and English pale ale on offer all year round, in all likelihood sitting alongside a couple of other old world beers: a red ale, porter or stout. Yet the beer that's won them most praise since they turned ten is this New World Pilsener. It takes a Czech style base then adds Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand – "The one hop to rule them all!" according to Badlands founder Jon Shiner.
Pouring pale and clear, aromas are floral with a prickly herbal edge, sitting atop grainy malts and a broad, distinct but not aggressive, palate-carpeting bitterness. Crisp and clean just as such beers should be.
James Smith
