Hazy? Check. Cali? Check. Lager? Check.
Naturally, such styles are the kind of triple release we should expect from Banks Brewing and the Melbourne brewery haven’t disappointed with their commitment to hops, haze and keeping it crisp. Two of the beers are quite close contemporaries too, utilising the same hops but crating quite different beers. Atlantic is an east coast hazy with some of hops coolest kids in Strata, Nelson Sauvin, Mosaic and Citra for an IPA that’s both juicy and dank. Pouring opaque and pale it journeys between bubblegum, berry, mango, fresh passoinfruit and resin while.
Pacific meanwhile is a snappier look at those same hops via the means of Cali IPA; a style we recently explored alongside West Coast pilsners. Here, the dank is turned way up and alonside pine and resin, there's a modern hop melenge of tropical and stone fruit brought together with a super lean base.
On an entirely different note there’s Worth The Wait, a double decocation helles lager that was given plenty of time to ferment and faced an extended lagering. It’s the kind of subtle, poised and incredibly more-ish lager that Banks does incredible well with integrated flavours of dry biscuit, freshly-baked bread, floral (almost straw-like) hops, the softest touch of sulphur and a bitterness that’s incredibly well integrated. Worth the wait? Absolutely.
Will Ziebell
Published March 1, 2024 2024-03-01 00:00:00
