The Wheaty Brewing Corps celebrated their tenth birthday – doesn't time fly? – with no less than five new beers straddling old and new worlds.
Zwickel (5.1%) is an unfiltered German lager that's benefitted from time in tank – three months, no less – to ensure it's clean and tasting its best. Ferveo’s Klarein yeast was set to work on a simple malt bill of Gladfield pilsner and Sour Grapes, while Saphir and Spalt Spalter hops bring the spice alongside typical bready aromas and a touch of earthiness.
Inner West (6.8%) is an old school vs new school West Coast IPA: old school due to the hops used (Citra, Simcoe, Centennial and Cascade flowers), new due to the modern hopping techniques. Fresh and clean to allow the hops to pop, look out for pine and grapefruit leading the way, a hint of lime in the backend, and a classically West Coast balanced bitterness drying things out nicely.
Straight back to the old world with Jean Schwarz (4.7%), their first take on the schwarzbier style that originated in Thuringia and Saxon and has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages. The Wheaty’s interpretation is highly sessionable, adding Weyermann's Sinamar to the grain bill to add greater depth of colour without adding more bitterness. That sais, Jean Schawarz is quite roasty, with elements of coffee and milk chocolate and a medium body aiding drinkability.
Tmavé (4.8%) is another Euro-inspired lager, this time a homage to U Fleků brewery in the Czech Republic. Dating back to 1499, U Fleků got its name for its dark lager, which here is pouring through a Lukr tap too. The side pour adds to the body, giving it a creamy mouthfeel to soften the fair whack of roast and dark chocolate. It all comes through very clean, balanced by a gentle, roasty bitterness.
Which just leaves the biggest of the birthday bunch: Belgian Tripel, a foeder-fermented, 8.4 percent ABV affair that's picked up some oaky flavours along the way. Pours a golden yellow with great clarity, Ferveo's Belgian FYS-02 yeast is evident on the nose, with spice and classic Belgian esters intertwining with said oak. A touch of honey sweetness leads the way to taste, with the spice joined by oak and a touch of vanilla, in a harmonious marriage of foeder and Belgian yeast.
Here's to another decade of "making beer not war".
Matt King
Published July 11, 2024 2024-07-11 00:00:00
