Beer You Am I's Brew Am I

When they embarked on his first "rockstar brews" with Crow and Front End Loader last year, did Young Henrys' Richard Adamson and Oscar McMahon have any idea where it would take them? Thus far it's led to a closing night gig at Melbourne's iconic Cherry Bar with three craft beers being launched and now this beer for You Am I's 20th anniversary tour. Conceived with the band to represent their origins (wheat from WA, malt from Victoria, hops from New Zealand), pouring at the tour venues (or pubs nearby) and named by Tim Rogers (gotta love a pun), it was designed not so much to achieve a style but a lifestyle. According to bassist Andy Kent, it had to be a beer that their fans could drink before, during and after the gig, so no imperial stout here. Instead, it's a fruity, five per cent summery pale-coloured ale that is eminently sessionable. It features new Kiwi hop Kohatu, that brewer Richard says lends the beer "floral, spicy and piney characters". And it's a beer that seems to be proving rather popular. The beer is being sold in one litre branded squealers and, even before the tour started, more than 10,000 had been pre-ordered. Music and beer together - who'd have thunk it...