The hoppy lager has taken hold as a beer of the moment for South West WA drinkers; Beerfarm claimed the 2024 WA Beer of the Year with their core range IPL, Eagle Bay’s West Coast Pilsner was afforded much fanfare recently, and Rocky Ridge’s Session IPL is much loved across the region. Now, Margaret River Beer Co are joining the party with Chill, a hoppy pilsner celebrating New Zealand hops.
Light, fruity and crushable seems to be the MO here, with an uber-light body delicately balancing hop character. Grape skin, lemon, passionfruit, ripe berry, kiwi and mandarin are all present with a touch of grassiness and, while the body is light, some grainy, malt sweetness is present and works well alongside that fruity hop character.
While other styles in the genre lean crisp and sharp to finish, this example feels more unctuous and fruitier thanks to rich Kiwi hop presence. Still, the finish is tight with plenty of hop notes lingering. The 4.7 percent ABV keeps Chill repeatable, an important component of a beer designed for beach and poolside sipping: a solid example of two styles colliding and a fine represention of our neighbouring island pals.
Jono Outred
Published January 18, 2024 2024-01-18 00:00:00
