In times that feel about as stable as your recently divorced neighbour’s podcast rotation, Young Henrys decided to simplify things with the Classic range, a trio of unembellished beers exclusive to big chain bottleshops. They’ve even got Fitzy in the ads (you know Fitzy, right?) just so there is no misunderstanding of the target market here.
Starting with Classic Crisp, a low carb entry that delivers just 90 calories for one standard drink, pours beeswax yellow and offers sweet and starchy malt aromas. The taste is similarly sweet and finishes with a shimmer of hops. Indeed, it might be too sweet for some but, as far as low carb beers go, I can genuinely see it stealing market share from other well-known beers in the category.
For those who don’t care about calories, Classic Premium pays tribute to the golf club lagers enjoyed by those in need of a little treat. The shade of those last lingering bits of marmalade, it doesn’t offer too much on the nose other than some clean malt temptation. Taste wise, it’s like nailing a speech at your best friend’s wedding. Aussie hops and a malt bill featuring a dose of rice combine to deliver a refreshing lager. I could drink a stein of this and one day I just might.
Now for the family hipster (available in 16-packs, not 24 like Crisp and Premium), Classic XPA is the lightest in appearance, the colour of lemonade in American cartoons. It is easily the most robust Classic on the nose, however, with notes of orange juice, pineapple and freshly squished blueberries. On the tongue, it’s refreshing as hops take the wheel by way of Aussie varieties Vic Secret and Eclipse. Pleasant and easy to knock back while still leaving you with a hoppy sting.
Crisp serves as a midweek or treat option for the calorie conscious, Premium is a slab you could split with your pop, XPA is a handy fridge-filler, and all three beers champion Australian ingredients as they hope to become the classics they already claim to be.
Benedict Kennedy-Cox
Published May 13, 2024 2024-05-13 00:00:00
